Oxytrichidae is a family of ciliates in the order Sporadotrichida. Oxytrichidae are morphologically diverse, ranging in length from 40

micrometre The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

s (e.g. '' Oxytricha setigera'') to 400 micrometers (e.g. '' Coniculostomum monilata''). They are generally elliptical in shape with some very flexible while others are rigid. Like other ciliates, Oxytrichidae have two or more nuclei: a large

macronucleus A macronucleus (formerly also meganucleus) is the larger type of nucleus in ciliates. Macronuclei are polyploid and undergo direct division without mitosis. It controls the non-reproductive cell functions, such as metabolism. During conjugation, t ...

that generally stretches across much of the cell body, and one or more smaller

micronuclei Micronucleus is the name given to the small nucleus that forms whenever a chromosome or a fragment of a chromosome is not incorporated into one of the daughter nuclei during cell division. It usually is a sign of genotoxic events and chromosomal i ...

References

Spirotrichea Ciliate families {{Ciliate-stub