Vorticellidae
| Vorticellidae | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Clade: | Alveolata |
| Phylum: | Ciliophora |
| Class: | Oligohymenophorea |
| Order: | Sessilida |
| Family: | Vorticellidae Ehrenberg, 1838 |
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.