Collodictyon

}} }} Four species are currently recognised in this genus. The type species is Collodictyon triciliatum. A second species—Collodictyon sparsevacuolatum—named by Skuja is also recognised; this species is found in freshwater in the United States and Europe. A third species Collodictyon sphaericum has been described but its description is in doubt and reclassified as Quadricilia rotundata (Skuja 1948) Vørs 1992. A fourth species—Collodictyon hongkongense—has been described by Skvortzow. • C. hongkongense Skvortzov 1968 • C. indicum Iyengar 1981 Franchini 1922 -- is Crithidia oxycareni Franchini 1922, see https://archive.org/stream/zoologicalrecor591922zool/zoologicalrecor591922zool_djvu.txt--> • C. sparsevacuolatum Skuja 1956 • C. triciliatum Carter 1865 Along with the genus Diphylleia, this organism appears to be only distantly related to the other eukaryotes. They share some morphological features with the species formerly placed within Excavata due to the fact that the Collodictyon sulcus is similar because it also contains a supporting structure from left and right microtubular roots that line the entirety of the lips of the Sulcus. However this latter clade is considered to be polyphyletic and in need of resolution (reorganisation into different groups). They also share similar features as Amoebozoa because the feeding groove of Collodictyon also form pseudopods at the base which have a related function to the pseudopods in Amoebozoa. The pseudopods in both Amoebozoa and Collodictyon are used in order to catch prey. Brugerolle has proposed a family, Collodictyonidae for this genus and Diphylleia. Kamran Shalchian-Tabrizi, the leader of the Microbial Evolution Research Group (MERG), has claimed that these organisms resemble the basal eukaryote. Collodictyonids were placed by Cavalier-Smith in Varisulca, but this grouping appears to be paraphyletic. ==Description==

The species in this genus range in size from 30 to 50 μm in length, Members of this genus are known to reproduce asexually through cell division. Whether sexual reproduction occurs is currently unknown. Collodictyon triciliatum has four flagella connected to basal bodies, generally of equal length, as long as or slightly longer than the body of Collodictyon. Number one flagellum is connected to a dorsal root, while number two flagellum is connected to a ventral root. Number three and four flagella are on either side of these two and have dorsal roots. ==Distribution==

Originally Collodictyon triciliatum was described from the island of Bombay and later in central Europe. In Europe this species is found from Spain to Norway. ==Feeding==

. The Pandorina escapes and the Collodictyon'' dies from water loss. Sketched by researcher Robert Clinton Rhodes; sketch appeared in print in 1917. The feeding habits of this organism have rarely been studied. Dag Klaveness reported that the creatures are "not sociable" and will cannibalize each other when food is scarce. Collodictyon will ingest freshwater algae and appears to be unable to survive on a diet of bacteria alone. Curiously the algae remain viable at least for a while after being engulfed. It is possible that the algae are "enslaved". ==History==

Collodictyon triciliatum was originally named by H. J. Carter in 1865. Carter's original species description is as follows: In 1917, it was classified as being one of the "simplest and most primitive" type of Polymastigina. ==See also==