Ciliophora

A phylum of protozoa that includes the abundant free-living ciliates and the sessile suctorians; formerly classified as a subphylum of the phylum Protozoa. [cilio- + G. phoros, bearing]

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Cil·i·oph·o·ra .sil-ē-'äf-(ə-)rə n pl a phylum of protozoans that possess cilia during some phase of the life cycle and usu. have nuclei of two kinds compare SARCOMASTIGOPHORA

cil·i·oph·o·ran -'äf-(ə-)rən adj or n

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Cil·i·oph·o·ra (sil″e-ofґə-rə) [cilio- + Gr. phoros bearing] a phylum of protozoa characterized by the presence of cilia or compound ciliary structures as locomotor or food-gathering organelles at some time during their life cycle, a subpellicular infraciliature composed of ciliary basal bodies and kinetodesmata (even when cilia are absent), and two types of nuclei, a macronucleus and a micronucleus (with rare exceptions); a contractile vacuole is typically present. Sexuality involves conjugation, autogamy, and cytogamy. Most ciliophorans are free living, many are commensals of vertebrates and invertebrates, and some are parasites. The phylum comprises three classes: Kinetofragminophorea, Oligohymenophorea, and Polyhymenophorea. Cf. Opalinata.