The Colpodea are a class of ciliates, of about 200 species common in freshwater and soil habitats.

Many are asymmetrical, the cells twisting sideways and then untwisting again prior to division, which often takes place within cysts.

Colpoda, a kidney-shaped ciliate common in organic rich conditions, is representative.

Most ciliates placed here were originally considered advanced trichostomes, on the assumption that they lacked true oral cilia.

The modern class was first defined by Small & Lynn in 1981, based mainly on the structure of the body kinetids.