Darkfield / phase contrast photomicrograph of a Hypotrich, a fast swimming ciliate, in a sample of pond water
The protozoa are single celled eukaryotes, and so unlike bacteria, and like animals and plants, have a nucleus. Most ciliates inhabit the free-living microbial world (anywhere where there is water, at least occasionally) and are some of the most obvious, since they are both large and generally very motile, propelled though the water or scuttling along surfaces with the aid of numerous cilia. Most ciliates are predators in the microbial world, eating bacteria and other protists. Many ciliates can from cysts when starved or otherwise stressed. The cysts are very tough, and can be dried and survive for years-when put back into water with food, the ciliate hatches out again. This not only allows ciliates to survive hard times, but probably is also a way to disperse, stuck to duck feathers, for example. Paramecium is a ciliate, and perhaps the best known protist, since so many have seen them as part of a microscope course in school.
Size: 3543px × 2602px
Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: /, ciliate, ciliates, cillia, contrast, darkfield, fast, hypotrich, microscope, oxytricha, phase, photomicrograph, pond, protozoa, sample, swimming, water
