title: Stephanopogon, a phylogenetically important "ciliate," shown by ultrastructural studies to be a flagellate.
abstract: A benthic marine protist (Stephanopogon) with a homokaryotic nucleus has long been considered to be a gymnostome ciliate. It has been important in hypotheses concerning the origin of ciliates, the evolution and origin of the dual nuclear apparatus of contemporary species of the Ciliophora, and the origin of the multicellular Eumetazoa. Ultrastructural observations reveal that the organism should be reclassified as a flagellate, despite its superficial resemblance to ciliates.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lipscomb
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Corliss