Cafeteria is a genus of small bacterivorous zooflagellates, first described by T. Fenchel and D.J. Patterson in 1988. The four species are widespread in marine planktonic and environments, and are especially common in association with surfaces. The type species, C. roenbergensis Fenchel & Patterson, 1988, is one of the most common and abundant species of heterotrophic nanoflagellates in marine environments. The genus has not yet been recorded in freshwater environments.
Cafeteria is one of three genera of bicosoecids (also spelled "bicoecids"). Bicosoecids in turn belong to a large, presumably monophyletic assemblage of algae, fungi and protozoa that has been called "chromists", "heterokonts" or "stramenopiles".
Cafeteria: Index | Introduction | Appearance | Ultrastructure | Reproduction and Life History | Similar genera | Classification | Taxonomy and Nomenclature | Cultures | References | Internet resources
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