Blepharisma ciliate protozoan, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). These tiny single-celled organisms are found in freshwater and marine habi

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Blepharisma ciliate protozoan, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). These tiny single-celled organisms are found in freshwater and marine habitats. It feeds on bacteria and decaying organic matter, which it filters through membranelles in its primitive mouth, known as a buccal cavity (upper centre). The membranelles, rows of fused cilia (short microscopic hairs), are also used for locomotion. Magnification: x500 when printed at 10 centimetres tall.

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Size: 3854px × 4583px
Photo credit: © STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, aquatic, background, biological, biology, blepharisma, blue, buccal, cavity, celled, ciliate, coloured, false-coloured, fauna, feeder, filter, heterotrich, invertebrate, membranelles, microbiological, microbiology, motile, nature, protist, protozoan, sem, single, unicellular, zoological, zoology