| Anisonemidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Anisonema acinus | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Discoba |
| Phylum: | Euglenozoa |
| Class: | Euglenida |
| Clade: | Anisonemia |
| Order: | Anisonemida Cavalier-Smith, 2016[2] |
| Family: | Anisonemidae Saville Kent, 1880[1] |
| Genera | |
Anisonemidae is a small family ofeuglenidalgae, with two accepted genera. It is the only family in the orderAnisonemida.[2]
The family consists of single-celled organisms with a larger posteriorflagellum by means of which they are able to glide. They arephagotrophic, meaning that they feed by engulfing particles of food, and are non-photosynthetic.[2]
The family was established byWilliam Saville-Kent in a work published in 1880–1881.[1][3] Saville-Kent used a much widercircumscription than more recent sources.[3] Historically, phagotrophic euglenids have been treated as animals, and named under theInternational Code of Zoological Nomenclature,[2] hence the family name ending "-idae".
As of May 2023[update], two genera are accepted:[2]
A third genus,HeteronemaDujardin, 1841, is listed by some sources.[1] The status of the genus is unclear; it appears to bepolyphyletic, with some species falling into the orderPeranemida and others in Anisonemida. Many of its species have been transferred intoTeloprocta, which is placed in Peranemida.[2]