Astomatophorina

Suborder (2) Astomatophorina Jankowski, 1966

Syns. Astomophorina,
Nephrocolina,
Sanguicolina

No cytostome (in stages of life cycles known to date), but remnants of oral ciliature; body often elongate, vermiform; somatic ciliature markedly thigmotactic; reproduction by monotomy, palintomy, or strobilation - in last case, catenoid colonies may result; hosts include cephalopods, amphipods, and isopods.

Very elongate, vermiform trophonts, attached by their anterior end to host tissue; fission by catenulation (in first genus listed below), producing long chain of loosely connected individuals; ciliation holotrichous, in highly spiraled pattern; found in liver, kidney, and gonads of squid and octopus. Family OPALINOPSIDAE Hartog, 1906

Body of trophont small, roughly inverted-ovoid in shape; holotrichous ciliation except for broad bare band medially coursing down dorsal surface; known life cycle much like that of apostomatines, with rosette, specialized kinetal segments in "oral" area, etc.; found in coelomic fluid of amphipods and isopods. Family COLLINIIDAE Cépéde, 1910

Very elongate, vermiform trophonts, attached by their anterior end to host tissue; fission by catenulation (in first genus listed below), producing long chain of loosely connected individuals; ciliation holotrichous, in highly spiraled pattern; found in liver, kidney, and gonads of squid and octopus.	*Family OPALINOPSIDAE* Hartog, 1906**
Body of trophont small, roughly inverted-ovoid in shape; holotrichous ciliation except for broad bare band medially coursing down dorsal surface; known life cycle much like that of apostomatines, with rosette, specialized kinetal segments in "oral" area, etc.; found in coelomic fluid of amphipods and isopods.	*Family COLLINIIDAE* Cépéde, 1910**