Telonema

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Telonema is a genus of single‑celled eukaryotic organisms. It belongs to its own group, the phylum Telonemia, with Telonema subtile as the type species (some sources spell the name Telonema subtilis). Another described species is Telonema antarcticum, named in 2005.

Scientists have debated Telonema’s exact place among eukaryotes. It was once thought to be related to photosynthetic groups like cryptomonads or to other lineages such as stramenopiles and centrohelids, but this has not been clearly proven. A study analyzing 127 genes from 72 species suggested Telonema subtile might be related to the Alveolata and Rhizaria, though its precise relationships remain uncertain. Some sources place Telonema near cryptomonads and haptophytes, while others treat Telonemia as its own distinct lineage.