Choanoflagellida

Article By:

Lackey, James B. Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Last reviewed:October 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.132600

An order of the class Zoomastigophorea, superclass Mastigophora, subphylum Sarcomastigophora, in the phylum Protozoa. They are principally small, single-celled or colonial, structurally simple, colorless flagellates distinguished by having the anterior end surrounded by a thin protoplasmic collar, within which is an ingestive area for particulate matter, for example, bacteria. A single flagellum arises from the center of this collar. The genus Monosiga is single, sometimes with a stalk, sometimes free in the plankton. Desmarella is a linear colony (see illustration), and Astrosiga and Sphaerosiga are colonies radiating from a center. Proterospongia cells arise in a common jelly, the zooids being organically connected. Diploeca lives in an attached lorica. Stelexomonas and Aulomonas inhabit tubular loricae. Diplosiga has a double colony. Sportelloeca and Pleurasiga live in complex loricae. See also: Protozoa; Sarcomastigophora; Zoomastigophorea

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