Urocentrum (Protozoan) Movies

Urocentrum Video No. 1 - A pair of fused cilia are visible at the posterior end of this specimen of Urocentrum, towards the right of the microscope field; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 600x with a playing time of 12.4 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 (5.27 MB).

Urocentrum Video No. 2 - A Urocentrum organism twists in its characteristic movement as other microorganisms swim by; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 200x with a playing time of 27.7 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 (11.5 MB).

A relative of the paramecium, Urocentrum is a rotund ciliate slightly bifurcated by a two distinct bands of cilia and sporting a tufted "tail" of fused cilia on its posterior. The organism spins on this tail, swimming rapidly in a slightly irregular spiral. It commonly occurs in decaying pond vegetation in which it feeds on bacteria and particles of organic matter.