Oligotrich

Oligotrichs
Halteria sp.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
(unranked):	SAR
(unranked):	Alveolata
Phylum:	Ciliophora
Class:	Spirotrichea
Subclass:	Oligotrichia Bütschli 1887
Typical orders
Halteriida Strombidiida

The oligotrichs are a group of ciliate protozoa, included among the spirotrichs. They have prominent oral cilia, which are arranged as a collar and lapel, in contrast to the choreotrichs where they form a complete circle. The body cilia are reduced to a girdle and ventral cilia. In Halteria and its relatives, they form bristles or cirri; however these forms may be closer relatives of the stichotrichs than of other oligotrichs. These organisms are very common in plankton communities, especially in marine systems. Usually found in concentrations of about 1 per ml, they are the most important herbivores in the sea, the first link in the food chain.

Further reading

• Xiaofeng, Lin; Zhenzhen, Yi; Jiqiu, Li (Dec 2013). "Taxonomy, morphology and phylogeny of three new oligotrich ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Oligotrichia) from southern China". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 63: 4805–17. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.052878-0. 
• Song, Wen; Li, Jiamei; Liu, Weiwei; Jiang, Jiamei; Al-Rasheid, Khaled; Hu, Xiaozhong (March 2013). "Taxonomy, morphology and molecular systematics of three oligotrich ciliates, including a description of Apostrombidium parakielum spec. nov. (Ciliophora, Oligotrichia)". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 63: 1179–1191. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.048314-0. 
• Van Wichelen, Jeroen; Johansson, Liselotte S.; Vanormelingen, Pieter; Declerck, Steven A. J.; Lauridsen, Torben L. (November 2013). "Planktonic ciliate community structure in shallow lakes of lowland Western Europe". European Journal of Protistology 49 (4): 551-538. doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2013.06.001. PMID 23890772. 
• Chiang, Kuo-Ping; Lin, Chiu-Yi; Lee, Chung-Hsien; Shiah, Fuh-Kwo; Chang, Jeng (2003). "The coupling of oligotrich ciliate populations and hydrography in the East China Sea: spatial and temporal variations". Deep-Sea Research Part II – Topical Studies in Oceanography 50 (6-7): 1279–1293. doi:10.1016/S0967-0645(03)00023-7. Retrieved 9 February 2015. 
• Grattepanche, Jean-David; Santoferrara, Luciana; Andrade, Jessica (2014). "Distribution and diversity of oligotrich and choreotrich ciliates assessed by morphology and DGGE in temperate coastal waters". Aquatic Marine Biology 71 (3): 211–21. doi:10.3354/ame01675.