Protoheterotrichida

Protoheterotrichida is an order of karyorelict ciliates. It contains the family Geleiidae.

The term Protoheterotrichida derives from the three ancient Greek words, meaning "first, earliest, most prominent",  , meaning "another, different", and ,  , meaning "hair",  in reference to the potential evolutionary affinities of these ciliates with the heterotrichs.