''Cryptaulaxella'' () is a genus of

kinetoplastid Kinetoplastida (or Kinetoplastea, as a class) is a group of flagellated protists belonging to the phylum Euglenozoa, and characterised by the presence of a distinctive organelle called the kinetoplast (hence the name), a granule containing a lar ...

s. It was previously known as ''Spiromonas'', a genus introduced by Skuja in 1939, but the name was preoccupied by a

dinoflagellate The Dinoflagellates (), also called Dinophytes, are a monophyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata and are usually considered protists. Dinoflagellates are mostly marine plankton, but they are also commo ...

genus '' Spiromonas''. Later, in 1948, Skuja renamed it to ''Cryptaulax'', and considered it to be a type of

cryptomonad The cryptomonads (or cryptophytes) are a superclass of algae, most of which have plastids. They are traditionally considered a division of algae among phycologists, under the name of Cryptophyta. They are common in freshwater, and also occur ...

. Subsequent studies suggested that it was a

euglenozoa Euglenozoa are a large group of flagellate Discoba. They include a variety of common free-living species, as well as a few important parasites, some of which infect humans. Euglenozoa are represented by four major groups, ''i.e.,'' Kinetoplastea, ...

n. Because Skuja had clearly misidentified the flagellate as a cryptomonad, Vørs Vørs , N. 1992. Heterotrophic amoebae, flagellates, and heliozoa from the Tvärminne area, Gulf of Finland, in 1988-1990. Ophelia, 36:1-109. argued that at least some species should be placed in the euglenozoan genus '' Rhynchobodo'', but this opinion did not reach consensus. The similarity of the general morphology of ''C. akopus'' with other species that have been studied in more detail and deemed to be euglenozoan support the argument that the genus is euglenozoan. In 1996, due to the name ''Cryptaulax'' being preoccupied by an insect genus, it was changed to ''Cryptaulaxoides''. However, the latter was also preoccupied by a different insect genus. Consequently, it was eventually changed to its final name, ''Cryptaulaxella'', in 2021. Skuja 1948 Cryptaulax vulgaris text2

Species

'' Cryptaulax akopos'' – '' Cryptaulax conoidea'' – '' Cryptaulax elegans'' – '' Cryptaulax formica'' – '' Cryptaulax longiciliatus'' – '' Cryptaulax marina'' – '' Cryptaulax taeniata'' – '' Cryptaulax vulgaris''

References

External links

* * Euglenozoa genera Taxa described in 2021 Kinetoplastids {{Excavata-stub