Zooflagellate

 ( Eukaryotes ) 

Zooflagellates are single-celled with flagella (i.e., ). They are flagellates, as opposed to , which are photosynthetic. The term "zooflagellate" is also used to refer to reproductive cells or belonging to multicellular organisms, such as fungi.

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History In historical systems of classification during the 20th century, zooflagellates were grouped as a single taxon Zoomastigophora or Zoomastigophorea within the kingdom Protista. It included protists that lack and and have one or more flagella, but not many as in or , namely:

• , composing the order Bicosoecida, distinguished by two unequal flagella. They are currently known as a lineage of Stramenopiles, more closely related to algae such as than to other zooflagellates.

• , then treated as order Choanoflagellida, distinguished by one anterior flagellum surrounded by a collar. They are now known as the lineage most closely related to .

• Various orders of , treated separately at that time: Hypermastigida, Diplomonadida, Oxymonadida, Retortamonadida, Trichomonadida.

• , known as order Kinetoplastida at the time, distinguished by one or two flagella and the presence of the kinetoplast. They are closely related to , a group of phytoflagellates.

Over time, with the advancements in phylogenetics and ultrastructure studies, the term "zooflagellate" became obsolete as a formal taxon. Instead, it was adopted as an informal name to refer to any given group of heterotrophic flagellates, regardless of evolutionary relationships.

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