Cilios

The cilios genus group replaced its ancestor ciliognathus and relatives like the cilioboro. Like most cillos they eat detritus in the water in their oral grove. They are an important part of many aquatic ecosystems (especially rivers and lakes) by helping clean up the water. They mostly move around with their cillia, but some species have large flagella that help propel them around.

They reproduce by binary fission, but in certain conditions, like overcrowding and environmental stress, they undergo a sexually reproductive process called conjugation. They line up with another ciliognathus and they fuse together. They then exchange genetic material. The two ciliognathus detach. The two become four new cells. Earth paramecia reproduce this way for the same reasons.