Table of Contents
What is unique about Vorticella?
Interesting Facts about Vorticella Vorticella are sessile (permanently attached to a substrate) organisms. However, young ones can be seen free-swimming. Adults also swim freely if their stalks are cut, or if they have to detach themselves from the substrate due to unfavorable conditions.
Is Vorticella free living or parasitic?
Parasites are known for their invading a host and feeding off what the host has to offer. Vorticella are free-living ciliates which are commonly identified by their cilia. Cilia are virtually identical to eukaryotic flagella but are shorter in length and more abundant.
What kingdom does Vorticella belong to?
Protozoa
Integrated Taxonomic Information System – Report
| Kingdom | Protozoa |
| Phylum | Ciliophora |
| Class | Ciliatea |
| Subclass | Peritricha |
| Order | Peritrichida |
Does Vorticella have cell wall?
Once the organisms has been released into the favorable surrounding, the contractile vacuole develops and starts pulsating. As the organism enlarges, an aboral circlet of cilia is produced to form a telotroch.
What causes Vorticella?
Vorticellids of Vorticella can cause infection in mosquito species at risk (Micks 1950).
What does Vorticella use its contractile stalk for?
Vorticella is a genus of bell-shaped ciliates that have stalks to attach themselves to substrates. The stalks have contractile myonemes, allowing them to pull the cell body against substrates. The formation of the stalk happens after the free-swimming stage.
What do Vorticella feed on?
bacteria
Vorticellas eat bacteria and small protozoans and live in fresh or salt water attached to aquatic plants, surface scum, submerged objects, or aquatic animals.
Is Vorticella heterotrophic or autotrophic?
Vorticella are heterotrophic organsims. They prey on bacteria. Vorticella use their cilia to create a current of water (vortex) to direct food towards its mouth.
What kind of water does a Vorticella live in?
This species in particular is known for its yellow to light green color. Vorticella marina: This species has adapted to live in shallow water. They can only be found at a depth of up to one meter. This means that they are mainly found in bays and near the shoreline.
How is Vorticella different from other suspension feeders?
Vorticella is a suspension feeder, and may have reduced or no cytopharynxes, a nonciliated tube for ingestion. There are oral cilia specialized for making water currents, cytostomes in a depression on the cell surface and structures for scraping and filtering food. Oral cilia beat to bring food closer at speeds of 0.1–1 mm/s.
What is the stalk sheath of a Vorticella?
Stalk sheath: The stalk sheath is the protective covering of the stalk. It is firm enough to keep it rigid while expended but flexible enough to coil and contract. This photo illustrates the inward flow of water created by the cilia and contractile vacuole. The black lines represent the flow path of water that is created.
How does a Vorticella work under a microscope?
Vorticella under microscope has shown locomotion which is mediated by the cilia. Vorticella microscope structures are generally bound to the surface but when the stalk breaks for some reason the bell detaches from the stalk it floats freely with the help of cilia. Such free-flowing vorticella is known as the telotrochs.