| Opalinidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Protoopalina pingi [1] | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | SAR |
| Clade: | Stramenopiles |
| Phylum: | Bigyra |
| Class: | Opalinea |
| Order: | Opalinida |
| Family: | Opalinidae Claus 1874 |
| Genera | |
The opalines are a small group of peculiar heterokonts, currently assigned to the family Opalinidae, in the order Slopalinida. Their name is derived from the opalescent appearance of these microscopic organisms when illuminated with full sunlight.[2] Most opalines live in the large intestine and cloaca of anurans (frogs and toads), though they are sometimes found in fish, reptiles, molluscs and insects; whether they are parasitic is not certain. The unusual features of the opalines, first observed by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1683,[3] has led to much debate regarding their phylogenetic position among the protists.
- ^ Li, Weidong; Wang, Chong; Huang, Feng; Li, Ming; Nilsen, Frank; Liu, Huiyu; Xu, Jianlong (2014). "Redescription of Protoopalina pingi Nie, 1935 inhabiting the recta of Hylarana guentheri and Pelophylax nigromaculatus in China". Parasite. 21: 46. doi:10.1051/parasite/2014021. PMC 4160848. PMID 25208482.
- ^ Delvinquier, .L.J.; Patterson, D.J. (1993). "The opalines". In Kreier, Julius P.; Baker, John R. (eds.). Parasitic Protozoa. Vol. 3 (2nd ed.). Academic Press. pp. 247–325. ISBN 978-0-12-426013-9.
- ^ Dobell, C. (1932). Antony van Leeuwenhoek and his "little animals". London: Bale, Sons and Danielson.
