Trichostomatina

Suborder (1) Trichostomatina Bütschli, 1889

Syns. Balantidiida,
Isotrichida,
Orthostomatida,
Paraisotrichida,
Plagiopylida,
Pycnotrichida,
Rimostomatida,
Trichostomata,
Trichostom[at]orida,
Trichostomina

With characteristics of order s.s. (above), and often with dense somatic ciliation.
[Warrants splitting into several separate suborders?]

Anteriorly located cytostome (and vestibulum); dorsoventrally flattened body, with uniform ciliation; free-living in fresh-water, marine, salt-marsh, and interstitial biotopes and endocommensals in digestive tracts of echinoids and hippopotami. Family PLAGIOPYLIDAE Schewiakoff, 1896

Elongate, marine forms, little differentiated; body not flattened; vestibulum apical. Family COELOSOMIDIDAE Corliss, 1961

Anteroventrally located vestibulum; special band of cilia spiraling posteriorly, otherwise uniform ciliation; with or without caudal tuft. Family TRICHOSPIRIDAE Kahl, 1926

Body small, tapered at both ends; cytostome (and vestibulum) near apical end; somatic ciliature restricted to several anteriorly located spirals; prominent caudal bristle; polysaprobic forms, fresh-water and marine. Family TRIMYEMIDAE Kahl, 1933

Vestibulum apical; attached (often colonial) forms, producing gelatinous loricae; aboral end foremost in free-swimming stage. Family MARYNIDAE Poche, 1913

Cytostome at base of anteriorly located vestibulum; uniform somatic ciliation; parasitic in diverse hosts: insects, frogs, snakes, guinea pig, pig, monkey, chimpanzee, orang-utang, man. Family BALANTIDIIDAE Reichenow in Doflein & Reichenow, 1929

Cytostome (and vestibulum) apical, subequatorial, or even antapical in position; holotrichous somatic ciliation; endocommensals in various herbivorous mammals, including gundis, hyraxes, capybaras, camels, cattle, water buffaloes, and the red spider monkey. Family PYCNOTRICHIDAE Poche, 1913

Cytostome at or near antapical pole; body of medium size, ovoid; uniform, dense somatic ciliation; several contractile vacuoles; widely found in ungulate ruminants, but Protoisotricha is from rodents and an Isotricha was once reported from the cockroach. Family ISOTRICHIDAE Bütschli, 1889

Cytostome at or near apical pole; body ovoid to pyriform; uniform somatic ciliation, often plus anterior tuft of longer cilia; concrement vacuole present; common endocommensals in horses, but also in capybaras, guinea pigs, and elephants. Family PARAISOTRICHIDAE da Cunha, 1917

In general, similar to preceding family; but cytostome located medially on ventral surface of body, no concrement vacuole, shorter vestibular ciliature, and species are endocommensals in rodents only. Family PROTOCAVIELLIDAE Grain, n. fam.

Anteriorly located cytostome (and vestibulum); dorsoventrally flattened body, with uniform ciliation; free-living in fresh-water, marine, salt-marsh, and interstitial biotopes and endocommensals in digestive tracts of echinoids and hippopotami.	*Family PLAGIOPYLIDAE* Schewiakoff, 1896**
Elongate, marine forms, little differentiated; body not flattened; vestibulum apical.	*Family COELOSOMIDIDAE* Corliss, 1961**
Anteroventrally located vestibulum; special band of cilia spiraling posteriorly, otherwise uniform ciliation; with or without caudal tuft.	*Family TRICHOSPIRIDAE* Kahl, 1926**
Body small, tapered at both ends; cytostome (and vestibulum) near apical end; somatic ciliature restricted to several anteriorly located spirals; prominent caudal bristle; polysaprobic forms, fresh-water and marine.	*Family TRIMYEMIDAE* Kahl, 1933**
Vestibulum apical; attached (often colonial) forms, producing gelatinous loricae; aboral end foremost in free-swimming stage.	*Family MARYNIDAE* Poche, 1913**
Cytostome at base of anteriorly located vestibulum; uniform somatic ciliation; parasitic in diverse hosts: insects, frogs, snakes, guinea pig, pig, monkey, chimpanzee, orang-utang, man.	*Family BALANTIDIIDAE* Reichenow in Doflein & Reichenow, 1929**
Cytostome (and vestibulum) apical, subequatorial, or even antapical in position; holotrichous somatic ciliation; endocommensals in various herbivorous mammals, including gundis, hyraxes, capybaras, camels, cattle, water buffaloes, and the red spider monkey.	*Family PYCNOTRICHIDAE* Poche, 1913**
Cytostome at or near antapical pole; body of medium size, ovoid; uniform, dense somatic ciliation; several contractile vacuoles; widely found in ungulate ruminants, but Protoisotricha is from rodents and an Isotricha was once reported from the cockroach.	*Family ISOTRICHIDAE* Bütschli, 1889**
Cytostome at or near apical pole; body ovoid to pyriform; uniform somatic ciliation, often plus anterior tuft of longer cilia; concrement vacuole present; common endocommensals in horses, but also in capybaras, guinea pigs, and elephants.	*Family PARAISOTRICHIDAE* da Cunha, 1917**
In general, similar to preceding family; but cytostome located medially on ventral surface of body, no concrement vacuole, shorter vestibular ciliature, and species are endocommensals in rodents only.	*Family PROTOCAVIELLIDAE* Grain, n. fam.**