Colponema

Colponema
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Order: Colponemida
Family: Colponemidae
Genus: Colponema
von Stein 1878
Synonyms
  • Stroemia Skvortzov & Noda 1968 non Vahl 1790 non Hagen 1908 non Oudemans 1923

Colponema is a genus of single-celled flagellates that feed on eukaryotes in aquatic environments and soil. The genus contains 6 known species and has not been thoroughly studied.[1] Colponema has two flagella which originate just below the anterior end of the cell. One extends forwards and the other runs through a deep groove in the surface and extends backwards.[2] Colponema is a predator that feeds on smaller flagellates using its ventral groove.[1] Like many other alveolates, they possess trichocysts, tubular mitochondrial cristae, and alveoli.[2] It has been recently proposed that Colponema may be the sister group to all other alveolates.[2][3][4] The genus could help us understand the origin of alveolates and shed light on features that are ancestral to all eukaryotes.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Tikhonenkov DV, Janouškovec J, Mylnikov AP, Mikhailov KV, Simdyanov TG, Aleoshin VV, Keeling PJ (2014-04-16). Gribaldo S (ed.). "Description of Colponema vietnamica sp.n. and Acavomonas peruviana n. gen. n. sp., two new alveolate phyla (Colponemidia nom. nov. and Acavomonidia nom. nov.) and their contributions to reconstructing the ancestral state of alveolates and eukaryotes". PLOS ONE. 9 (4): e95467. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...995467T. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0095467. PMC 3989336. PMID 24740116.
  2. ^ a b c Cavalier-Smith T, Chao EE (September 2004). "Protalveolate phylogeny and systematics and the origins of Sporozoa and dinoflagellates (phylum Myzozoa nom. nov.)". European Journal of Protistology. 40 (3): 185–212. doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2004.01.002.
  3. ^ Janouškovec J, Tikhonenkov DV, Mikhailov KV, Simdyanov TG, Aleoshin VV, Mylnikov AP, Keeling PJ (December 2013). "Colponemids represent multiple ancient alveolate lineages". Current Biology. 23 (24): 2546–52. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.10.062. PMID 24316202.
  4. ^ Tikhonenkov DV, Strassert JF, Janouskovec J, Mylnikov AP, Aleoshin VV, Burki F, Keeling PJ (2020-02-07). "Predatory colponemids are the sister group to all other alveolates". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 149: 106839. bioRxiv 10.1101/2020.02.06.936658. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106839. PMID 32325195. S2CID 212687784.