Cilioflagellata

/ˌsɪliəˌflædʒəˈleɪtə/ noun

Definition

A former taxonomic group of single-celled organisms (protists) that possess both cilia and flagella for movement.

Etymology

From cilium (hair-like structures) plus flagellata (organisms with flagella). This term was more common in older classification systems before modern genetic analysis.

Kelly Says

Cilioflagellates represent a classification that science basically abandoned once we could read DNA—they looked related because they had similar tools, but were actually very different creatures, showing why genes matter more than appearance.

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