Cap 1

2004) and in the chapters devoted to each 
class (see Chapters 5–15 ).
 1.6 Guide to Remaining Chapters 
 This book takes its basic form from the 3rd edi-
tion of “The Ciliated Protozoa” by Corliss (1979). 
Following this Introduction, we have revised 
Chapter 2, but used Corliss as the solid grounding 
for the glossary of terms. Whenever appropriate, 
cross-reference has been made to terms, and the 
plural of non-English words has been included. 
Figures are explicitly referred to by number so that 
it should be easy to find illustrative support for 
many of the definitions. 
 Chapter 3 provides a discussion of the approach to 
constructing our macrosystem. The important charac-
ters used to establish different ranks in the hierarchy 
are described and justification is provided for their 
use. Some of this is a repetition of the material in this 
chapter, but in a different context. 
 Chapters 4 through 15 are structured along 
the lines of the Traité de Zoologie edited by de 
Puytorac (1994a). The phylum (Chapter 4) and 
each class (Chapters 5–15) are treated under the 
following topics: overview of the group; taxonomic 
structure of the group and its diversity; life history 
and ecology, including symbioses; somatic struc-
tures, cortical and cytoplasmic; oral structures; 
division and morphogenesis; sexuality and life 
cycle, including nuclear features; and other, a final 
section that may include aspects of the applied 
relevance of a group. 
 Chapter 16, a preamble to Chapter 17, deals 
particularly with important research papers on the 
genetic diversity of the phylum, especially as these 
results impact on refining the relationships of taxa. 
There is also some discussion of character evolu-
tion within the phylum, particularly as it relates to 
the classes and subphyla, and as revealed by the 
topologies of gene trees. 
 Chapter 17 is the taxonomic chapter, again 
relying heavily on Corliss (1979) for the basic 
characterization of groups from the family level 
and higher. As in Corliss, genera are assigned to 
families, but there is rarely any discussion of these 
assignments. Valid genera primarily follow the rec-
ommendations of Aescht (2001), whose important 
work should be referred to for the detailed nomen-
clatural background to problematic names. While 
not considered valid by the International Code of 
Zoological Nomenclature, nomina nuda have been 
included and are clearly indicated as such. 
 The References section includes an extensive 
literature cited section. In this, we have been con-
scious of including reference to the classic litera-
ture as both Corliss (1961) and Corliss (1979) are 
now out of print. However, we have also included, 
as appropriate, citation to important works bearing 
on the topics of Chapters 4 through Chapters 16. 
We do regret that we have often been unable to 
include all relevant literature on a topic, and trust 
that expert readers will understand and agree with 
our selection of references.