Infusoria
Infusoria
Infusoria (pronounced: in-fyoo-zor-ee-uh) is a collective term used to describe minute aquatic creatures such as ciliates, euglenoids, protozoa, unicellular algae and small invertebrates that exist in freshwater ponds. The term is historical and is derived from the Latin word infusum, used to describe an infusion or a substance steeped in water to extract its medicinal qualities.
Etymology
The term "Infusoria" was first coined by English scientist John Hill in 1752. It originates from the Latin infusum, referring to a substance steeped in water, and -oria, a suffix denoting a place for or belonging to. The term was used to describe the organisms that Hill observed under a microscope in water where hay had been soaked, which is known as "infusion".
Classification
Infusoria was once a taxonomic group that included all organisms that could be seen in water infusions. However, this classification is no longer used in modern taxonomy due to its broad and imprecise nature. Today, the organisms previously classified under Infusoria are distributed among various protist groups, primarily the ciliates.
Related Terms
- Ciliophora: A phylum of protists, which includes all ciliates.
- Protista: A kingdom of eukaryotic organisms, which includes protozoa, algae, and slime molds.
- Euglenoids: A group of flagellated protists, most of which are photosynthetic.
- Protozoa: A group of single-celled eukaryotes, which includes amoebas, flagellates, ciliates, sporozoans, and many other forms.
- Unicellular algae: Algae that exist as single cells, rather than in colonies or multicellular forms.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Infusoria
- Wikipedia's article - Infusoria
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