A skillful hunter

A ciliate seems to be resting between particles. However, its somewhat passive style of hunting is quite efficient. When it waves a transparent membrane extending from one side of its body, food particles are sucked in and transferred inside.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
This organism is Histiobalantium natans.

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

It is characterized by two types of cilia on the surface: short cilia 10μin length, and sparsely distributed longer cilia. Its mouth is located on the side with a fringe of long cilia called velum.

Sampling Date : 03 July 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River B  Google Map