''Massisteria'' is a genus of

Cercozoa Cercozoa (now synonymised with Filosa) is a phylum of diverse single-celled eukaryotes. They lack shared morphological characteristics at the microscopic level, and are instead united by phylogeny, molecular phylogenies of rRNA and actin or Ubiqu ...

. They are naked

protist A protist ( ) or protoctist is any eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, land plant, or fungus. Protists do not form a natural group, or clade, but are a paraphyletic grouping of all descendants of the last eukaryotic common ancest ...

s with a central

cell body In cellular neuroscience, the soma (: somata or somas; ), neurocyton, or cell body is the bulbous, non-process portion of a neuron or other brain cell type, containing the cell nucleus. Although it is often used to refer to neurons, it can also ...

from which several delicately thin and stiff

pseudopodia A pseudopod or pseudopodium (: pseudopods or pseudopodia) is a temporary arm-like projection of a eukaryotic cell membrane that is emerged in the direction of movement. Filled with cytoplasm, pseudopodia primarily consist of actin filaments and ...

extend, each one bearing a small number of granules. Their

remain adhered to the substrate, as is typical among leucodictyids. The cell body has two

flagella A flagellum (; : flagella) (Latin for 'whip' or 'scourge') is a hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores ( zoospores), and from a wide range of microorganisms to provide motility. Many pr ...

that, during feeding, are held in place.

Taxonomy

The genus has two described species: *''

Massisteria marina ''Massisteria marina'' is a species of small marine phagotrophic protists that normally feed on bacteria. Individuals live associated with sediment particles and suspended detritus in litoral or marine waters. It is found at marine sites all ar ...

'' *'' Massisteria voersi''

References

Granofilosea Rhizaria genera {{Cercozoa-stub