Atlas of groups

All 37 groups in the key, arranged by kind. Each card leads to the description, look-alikes and video clips.

Ciliates

Single cells covered in short beating hairs (cilia).

ParameciumParamecium (ciliate)3 clipsStentorStentor (trumpet ciliates)no clips yetBell animalculesVorticella and other peritrichs1 clipWalking ciliatesHypotrichs and relatives (Euplotes, Stylonychia, Oxytricha)4 clipsColepsColeps (armoured ciliate)no clips yetSpirostomumSpirostomum (giant contractile ciliate)no clips yetBlepharismaBlepharisma (pink ciliate)1 clipLacrymariaLacrymaria (swan-neck ciliate)no clips yetOther free-swimming ciliatesColpoda, Litonotus, Frontonia, Loxophyllum, Dileptus, Loxodes and many more14 clips

Flagellates and swimming colonies

Cells that row with one or a few long whips (flagella), alone or in colonies.

EuglenaEuglena (euglenids)9 clipsPhacusPhacus (leaf euglenid)no clips yetChlamydomonasChlamydomonas and similar single green flagellatesno clips yetVolvoxVolvox (colonial green alga)no clips yetSmall green coloniesPandorina, Eudorina, Goniumno clips yetPeranemaPeranema (colourless euglenid)no clips yetDinoflagellatesFreshwater dinoflagellates (Ceratium, Peridinium)no clips yetTrachelomonasTrachelomonas (euglenid in a shell)no clips yet

Amoebae and relatives

Cells that move or feed with pseudopods: flowing lobes, threads or stiff rays.

Naked amoebaeAmoeba, Chaos, Pelomyxa and other lobose amoebae12 clipsTestate amoebaeArcella, Difflugia, Centropyxis and relativesno clips yetSun animalculesHeliozoans (Actinosphaerium, Actinophrys)1 clip

Algae and cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic cells, colonies and threads that glide slowly or not at all.

DiatomsDiatoms (Bacillariophyta)2 clipsDesmidsDesmids (Closterium, Micrasterias, Cosmarium)1 clipSpirogyraSpirogyra and other filamentous green algaeno clips yetCyanobacteria threadsOscillatoria and other filamentous cyanobacteriano clips yetStill green coloniesPediastrum, Scenedesmus and other colonial green algaeno clips yet

Small animals

Many-celled animals: gut, muscles, nerves; most are larger than a protist.

RotifersRotifera (wheel animals)1 clipGastrotrichsGastrotricha (Chaetonotus and relatives)no clips yetNematodesNematoda (roundworms)no clips yetTardigradesTardigrada (water bears)no clips yetWater fleasCladocera (Daphnia, Simocephalus, Chydorus, Bosmina)5 clipsCopepodsCopepoda (Cyclops and relatives)no clips yetSeed shrimpsOstracodano clips yetHydraHydra (freshwater polyp)no clips yetAquatic wormsSmall oligochaetes (Aeolosoma, Chaetogaster, Nais)3 clipsSmall flatwormsMicroturbellarians (Stenostomum and relatives)no clips yetWater mitesHydrachnidiano clips yetMoss animalsFreshwater Bryozoa (Plumatella, Cristatella)no clips yet