Ciliates
Spirostomum
Spirostomum (giant contractile ciliate)
A very long, worm-like single cell. Large species reach several millimetres and can be seen with the naked eye.
What to look for
- Long cylinder, many times longer than wide, with a long row of membranelles along the front part.
- Contracts in a fraction of a second to a fraction of its length, then slowly stretches out.
- A chain-like macronucleus (beads on a string) in some species.
Size in the field
At 40× it already looks like a thin worm crossing much of the field.
Where to find it
Organic-rich, low-oxygen mud and decaying leaves.
Clips 0
No clip of this group is on the site yet. The description above is enough to check your own observation.