Small animals
Gastrotrichs
Gastrotricha (Chaetonotus and relatives)
Small, bowling-pin shaped animals that glide over the bottom on cilia on their belly, with a forked tail.
What to look for
- Head slightly broader than the neck; body often covered in spines or scales.
- A forked tail end (adhesive toes).
- Smooth gliding, like a ciliate, but clearly many-celled with a gut.
Size in the field
Small: often smaller than a Paramecium.
Where to find it
Sediment and detritus at the bottom of ponds.
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