Cryptofilida () is an order of small

heterotrophic A heterotroph (; ) is an organism that cannot produce its own food, instead taking nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal matter. In the food chain, heterotrophs are primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, but ...

protists in the phylum Cercozoa. They are filose

amoebae An amoeba (; less commonly spelled ameba or amœba; plural ''am(o)ebas'' or ''am(o)ebae'' ), often called an amoeboid, is a type of cell or unicellular organism with the ability to alter its shape, primarily by extending and retracting pseudopo ...

that lack cilia and gliding, and are instead characterized by movement through branching or unbranched granular

filopodia Filopodia (singular filopodium) are slender cytoplasmic projections that extend beyond the leading edge of lamellipodia in migrating cells. Within the lamellipodium, actin ribs are known as ''microspikes'', and when they extend beyond the lame ...

that are appressed to the substrate during their feeding. In studies on the impact of conventional

soil management Soil management is the application of operations, practices, and treatments to protect soil and enhance its performance (such as soil fertility or soil mechanics). It includes soil conservation, soil amendment, and optimal soil health. In agricu ...

, Cryptofilida were identified as

ecological indicator Ecological indicators are used to communicate information about ecosystems and the impact human activity has on ecosystems to groups such as the public or government policy makers. Ecosystems are complex and ecological indicators can help describe ...

Phylogeny and taxonomy

Phylogeny

Cryptofilida is a clade inside

Granofilosea Granofilosea is a class of cercozoans in the subphylum Filosa. Three groups that were traditionally considered heliozoans belong here: the Heliomonadida, Desmothoracida and Gymnosphaerida, which were recently grouped into the new class of Gra ...

, and is phylogenetically related to

Limnofilida Granofilosea is a class of cercozoans in the subphylum Filosa. Three groups that were traditionally considered heliozoa Heliozoa, commonly known as sun-animalcules, are microbial eukaryotes (protists) with stiff arms ( axopodia) radiating from ...

, a group with similar amoeboid protists. However, the exact relationships between the granofilosean clades is still unresolved. Two outcomes are shown here from the 2009 analysis that identified the group for the first time: A more recent analysis shows this result:

Taxonomy

The order contains two families with one species each. *Family

Mesofilidae ''Mesofila'' () is a genus of freshwater heterotrophic protists of the phylum Cercozoa. It is the only genus in the family Mesofilidae. It is a monotypic genus, with the sole species ''M. limnetica'' (). Morphology ''Mesofila limnetica'' are sm ...

**''

Mesofila ''Mesofila'' () is a genus of freshwater heterotrophic protists of the phylum Cercozoa. It is the only genus in the family Mesofilidae. It is a monotypic genus, with the sole species ''M. limnetica'' (). Morphology ''Mesofila limnetica'' are smal ...

'' ***'' Mesofila limnetica'' *Family

Nanofilidae ''Nanofila'' () is a genus of marine heterotrophic protists of the phylum Cercozoa. It is the only genus in the family Nanofilidae. It is a monotypic genus, with the sole species ''N. marina''. Morphology ''Nanofila'' are small amoebae with unbr ...

**''

Nanofila ''Nanofila'' () is a genus of marine heterotrophic protists of the phylum Cercozoa. It is the only genus in the family Nanofilidae. It is a monotypic genus, with the sole species ''N. marina''. Morphology ''Nanofila'' are small amoebae with unbr ...

'' ***'' Nanofila marina''

References

External links

{{Cercozoa-stub Cercozoa orders