Editing Litostomatea (section)

==Morphology==
In litostomes, the body cilia arise from structures in the [[cell cortex]] called [[monokinetid]]s, which are made up of a single cilium and its associated structures, such as [[Basal body|basal bodies]] and [[Microtubule|microtubular]] fibres. These have an ultrastructural arrangement characteristic to the group.

The cell "mouth" (cytostome) is [[Anatomical terms of location|apical]] or subapical. In trichostomes it lies in a depression, or vestibule, containing modified somatic cilia. In one order, the Entodiniomorphida, the cilia are arranged into tufts or bands, and may be packed together to form syncilia, resembling the [[membranelle]]s and cirri of [[spirotrich]]s (with which they were originally classified) and other ciliates.  However, no true compound cilia occur.

In haptorians the mouth is typically surrounded by a ring of coronal cilia, arising from [[dikinetid]]s derived from the anterior of the body kineties, and a ring of characteristic [[extrusome]]s called ''toxicysts''. These discharge on contact with prey, penetrating and immobilizing them, and beginning digestion. In some forms the mouth is formed only during feeding, and everts to assist in capture.  The cytopharynx takes the form of a straight tube, supported by rods or ''nematodesmata'', which dilates greatly during ingestion. This structure is called a ''rhabdos'', and is functionally and structurally distinct from the ''[[cyrtos]]'' found in several other classes.