Cafeteria (genus)
| Cafeteria | |
|---|---|
| Cafeteria roenbergensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Clade: | Stramenopiles |
| Phylum: | Bigyra |
| Class: | Bikosea |
| Order: | Anoecida |
| Family: | Cafeteriidae |
| Genus: | Cafeteria Fenchel & Patterson, 1988 |
| Type species | |
| Cafeteria roenbergensis Fenchel & Patterson, 1988
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Acronema Teal et al. 1998 non Falconer ex Edgeworth 1846 | |
Cafeteria is a genus of marine bicosoecid described in 1988 by Tom Fenchel and D. J. Patterson. It was created after the discovery of a new species, Cafeteria roenbergensis, a tiny (5–10 μm) eukaryotic organism that is eaten by protozoa and small invertebrates. The name is meant to indicate the importance of the genus in the food web.
Several species are recognised:
- Cafeteria biegae
- Cafeteria burkhardae
- Cafeteria chilensis
- Cafeteria graefeae
- Cafeteria loberiensis
- Cafeteria maldiviensis
- ?Cafeteria marsupialis Larsen & Patterson, 1990
- Cafeteria ligulifera Larsen & Patterson 1990
- Cafeteria minimus (Griessmann 1913) Larsen & Patterson 1990
- Cafeteria minuta (Ruinen 1938) Larsen & D.J.Patterson, 1990
- Cafeteria mylnikovii Cavalier-Smith & Chao 2006
- Cafeteria roenbergensis Fenchel & Patterson, 1988
- Cafeteria sippewissettensis (Teal et al. 1998) Cavalier-Smith 2013