Peranema (Protozoan) Movies

Peranema Video No. 1 - A peranema swims across the microscope field, flicking the tip of its flagellum and compressing its body; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 100x with a playing time of 21.9 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (8.69 MB).

Peranema Video No. 2 - A peranema folds its body in a tumbling motion, turning and searching for food; under darkfield illumination at a magnification of 400x with a playing time of 15.1 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (5.45 MB).

Peranema Video No. 3 - A swimming peranema encounters a large chunk of pond debris and is forced to change direction; under darkfield illumination at a magnification of 400x with a playing time of 21.5 seconds. Choose a playback format that matches your connection speed: 28.8k (modem), 56.6k (modem), or T1/Cable/DSL, or download this video clip in MPEG format (2.04 MB).

Peranema, a close relative of Euglena, is a colorless euglenoid. Although euglena have chloroplasts that enable them to produce their own food, peranema have to consume other organisms to survive. A prominent feeding apparatus, composed of two rods, is located at the flagellated (anterior) end of the cell. Peranema sometimes hunt in "packs" and rip away at prey cells, tearing holes in them and sucking out cell contents.