Some sources group Telonema within the cryptomonads-haptophytes assemblage.[1] It is sometimes assigned to a unique phylum, Telonemia.[2] Although Telonema is within the Eukaryota Domain, it does not have any close relations to other organisms within that domain .[3] However, it was once thought Telonema was closely related to photosynthetic cryptomonads, or stramenopiles and centrohelids, but there was not enough data to prove this.[4] After a study of 127 genes across 72 species, they found that Telonema subtilis could be related to alveolate and rhizaria.[4]
^M. D. Guiry in Guiry, M. D. & G. M. 2013. Telonema Griessmann, 1913. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 9 June 2013.