黏体动物（学名Myxozoa）是一类水中的寄生虫。其下已知有超过1300个物种，当中很多需要两个寄主，如鱼类及环节动物或外肛动物。粘孢子虫的孢子平均约有10-20微米大；而Malacosporea的孢子则达2毫米大。有瓣的孢子会造成感染。这些孢子内含有1-2个孢子母细胞及1个或以上的极囊，极囊内有极丝可以将孢子固定在寄主之上。孢子母细胞接着会被释放成为伪足孢子，可以穿透寄主的组织，发展成1个或以上的多核原生质团。某些核会再次组合，其中一个会吞噬另一个，形成新的孢子。

The Myxozoa (etymology: Greek: μύξα myxa "slime" or "mucus" + thematic vowel o + ζῷον zoon "animals") are a group of aquatic parasitic animals. Over 1300 species have been described and many have a two-host lifecycle, involving a fish and an annelid worm or bryozoan. The average size of a myxosporean spore usually ranges from 10 μm to 20 μm whereas that of a malacosporean spore can be up to 2 mm. Myxozoans can live in both fresh and marine habitats.