The ciliates are a group of alveolates characterized by the presence of hair-like organelles called cilia, which are identical in structure to eukaryotic flagella, but are in general shorter and present in much larger numbers, with a different undulating pattern than flagella.

Ciliate, any member of the protozoan phylum Ciliophora, of which there are some 8,000 species; ciliates are generally considered the most evolved and complex of protozoans. Ciliates are single-celled organisms that, at some stage in their life cycle, possess cilia, short hairlike organelles used

纤毛虫（ciliate）具纤毛的 单细胞生物 ，纤毛为用以行动和摄取食物的短小毛发状小器官。 通常指 纤毛亚门 (Ciliophora)的 原生动物 ，约有8000个现存种，纤毛通常呈行列状，可汇合成 波动膜 、小膜或棘毛。

The Ciliata, or Ciliophora, includes about 7000 known species of some of the most complex single-celled organisms ever.

Ciliates are unicellular protists that on phylogenetic trees diverge together with apicomplexan parasites and dinoflagellates, all members of the alveolates. The ciliates are a diverse monophyletic group, with certain species estimated to be as evolutionarily distant from one another as corn from rats.

Ciliates (phylum Ciliophora, kingdom Chromista) are unicellular organisms that utilize cilia for locomotion and complex oral ciliature for feeding; possess somatic, polyploid macronuclei, and generative, diploid micronuclei; reproduce sexually by conjugation and asexually by binary fission.

2025年1月12日 · A ciliate is a type of single-celled organism with hair-like structures called cilia for movement and feeding. These organisms are found in various aquatic environments and play essential roles in the ecosystem. Ciliates are fascinating microorganisms that exhibit diverse behaviors and adaptations.

2025年3月17日 · Ciliates have a small diploid micronucleus that contains their genome and a large polyploid macronucleus for gene functions. They reproduce sexually, promoting genetic diversity. Although single-celled, there is nothing primitive or simple about these protists.

Here, I propose that the behavior of ciliates —a diverse group of unicellular protozoans whose bodies are covered with motile cilia and display a remarkable variety of morphologies, lifestyles, and animal-like functionalities—can provide a window into the systems biology that powers complex cellular dynamics and reveal strategies and blueprints ...

2024年10月7日 · Ciliated protozoans are a diverse group of single-celled eukaryotic organisms that possess hair-like structures called cilia. These fascinating microorganisms play crucial roles in various ecological systems, acting as both predators and prey within their environments.