Integrative Taxonomy of Free-Living Anaerobic Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora) and their Prokaryotic Symbionts”

Ciliates are a diverse and fascinating group of unicellular eukaryotic organisms (phylum Ciliophora Doflein, 1901). ‘They are characterized by the presence of hair-like structures called cilia, which they use for movement and various other functions. Ciliates are found in a wide range of environments, including freshwater, marine habitats, and soil. Despite extensively studied, there are still lineages of ciliates that have been overlooked in research, and their taxonomical and phylogenetic positions are not fully understood. This might be due to the vast diversity within the group and the challenges associated with studying microscopic organisms in complex environments. In this study different species of ciliates, mostly of them anaerobic, are described using integrative taxonomy.