Ciliate busily foraging

A ciliate with a slender body is hanging around a particle, and sometimes sticks its head into the particle, probably for foraging. We can see plenty of food and the movements of the contractive vacuole.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
Stylonychia is characterized by three straight cirri at the rear end of the cell.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

Instead, this organism has transverse cirri extending backward. Also, a line of needle-like cilia can be seen at the side of the cell.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

These features allow us to identify this organism as Amphisiella.

Sampling Date : 03 July 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River B  Google Map