Heterotrichea Spirotrichea See text for subclasses. | synonyms = Ciliates are one of the most important groups of protists, common almost everywhere there is water — in lakes, ponds, oceans, rivers, and soils. Ciliates have many ectosymbiotic and endosymbiotic members, as well as some obligate and opportunistic parasites. Ciliates are large sing... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciliate
any member of the protozoan phylum Ciliophora, of which there are some 8,000 species; ciliates are generally considered the most evolved and complex ... [7 related articles] Found on http://www.britannica.com/eb/a-z/c/85