Tentaculifera

Tentaculifera, ~, a class of the unicellular animals known as Protozoa, characterised by the possession of cilia (q.v.) only in the young stage of life. They are usually fixed, are protected by a cuticle or simple kind of shell, and have prehensile tentacles. They are carnivorous, and live either in fresh or salt water. They are divided into two orders, the Suctoria and Actinaria; the former have suctorial tentacles with or without others, while the latter never have the suctorial appendages.