Choanozoa (Greek: χόανος (choanos) = "funnel" + ζῶον (zōon) = "animal") is the name of a phylum of protists that belongs to the line of opisthokonts. Most appear closer to the animals than to the fungi, and they are of great interest to biologists studying animal origins. The nucleariids seem to be a sister group to the fungi, and as such tend to be excluded from the Choanozoa. Choanozoa have been described as possessing a posterior cilium.