Full name: The World Ciliate Catalog
Short name: CilCat
Version: 4.0, Jan 2012
Release date: 2012-01-16
Authors/editors: Aescht E.
Taxonomic coverage: Protozoa - Ciliophora
English name of the group: Ciliates
Number of species: 8,699
Number of infraspecific taxa: 586
Number of synonyms: 3,339
Number of common names: 0
Total number of names: 12,624
Abstract: The phylum embraces heterotrophic species with a heterokaryotic nuclear apparatus, multiple cilia over body, pellicular alveoli, and always an infraciliature (highly developed cortical system with kinetid as central feature). Ciliates play a significant role in food chains and nutrient recycling; most taxa are found free-living in marine or freshwater habitats, while about one third are symbiotic forms, less then 10 percent are possibly endemic in soils or known only as fossils, respectively.
Organization: Oberostereichisches Landesmuseum, Biologiezentrum, Linz, Austria
Website: http://www.zobodat.at