Vorticellidae is a family of ciliates belonging to the order Sessilida. They are colonial or unicellular organisms that are attached to a substrate via a stalk. The distinguishing characteristic of the family is a helical spasmoneme within the stalk that is contractile.
Members of this family are common in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats around the world.
Genera
Genera: Anthochloe Joseph, 1882 Apocarchesium Ji & Kusuoka, 2009 Baikalaster Jankowski, 1986 Baikalonis Jankowski, 1982 Carchesium Ehrenberg, 1831 Cotensita Jankowski, 1982 Epicarchesium Jankowski, 1985 Intranstylum Fauré-Fremiet, 1904 Parazoothamnium Piesik, 1975 Pelagovorticella Jankowski, 1980 Piesika Warren, 1988 Planeticovorticella Clamp & Coats, 2000 Pseudovorticella Foissner & Schiffmann, 1975 Rugaecaulis Lom & de Puytorac, 1994 Ruthiella Schödel, 1983 Spinivorticella Jankowski, 1993 Tucolesca Lom in Corliss, 1979 Vorticella Linnaeus, 1767 Vorticellides Foissner, Blake, Wolf, Breiner & Stoeck, 2009
References