Acantharia
| Acantharia | |
|---|---|
| Acantharea species | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Clade: | Rhizaria |
| Phylum: | Retaria |
| Subphylum: | Radiolaria |
| Class: | Acantharia Haeckel, 1881, emend. Mikrjukov, 2000 |
| Order | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Acantharea | |
The Acantharia are a group of radiolarian protozoa, distinguished mainly by their strontium sulfate skeletons. Acantharians are heterotrophic marine microplankton that range in size from about 200 microns in diameter up to several millimeters. Some acantharians have photosynthetic endosymbionts and hence are considered mixotrophs.