Spironematellidae
| Spironematellidae | |
|---|---|
| Hemimastix amphikineta | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Phylum: | Hemimastigophora |
| Class: | Hemimastigea |
| Order: | Hemimastigida |
| Family: | Spironematellidae Silva 1980 emend. Shɨshkin 2022 |
| Genera | |
| Synonyms | |
Spironematellidae (previously known as Spironemidae) is a family of heterotrophic flagellates, in the group Hemimastigophora. They vary in size and shape from the ellipsoid Hemimastix amphikineta (14 × 7 μm) to the vermiform Spironematella terricola (43 × 3 μm), and are united by the possession of two rows of cilia, called kineties.
Phylogenomic analysis shows that Hemimastigophora are a distinct and ancient lineage of eukaryotic organisms, forming a possible sister clade to the supergroup Diaphoretickes.