Division of a small ciliate

A small slender ciliate proceeds slowly while also turning along its axis. The body narrows in the middle, which usually indicates the process of division. Soon it stops moving forward and twists repeatedly in the same position, in an effort to divide into two separate bodies. Unfortunately this dividing process is interrupted after 30 minutes by the approaching water boundary.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
It is doubtful that this video shows the dividing process, because the cell shape and location of the cilia are not　the same in the two cells. It is most likely that the middle of the cell has become narrow because it was pinched or squeezed when it was collected.

Sampling Date : 28 May 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River B  Google Map