Vorticella (Protozoan) Movies

Vorticella Video No. 1 - Eight vorticellas, attached to a bit of pond detritus, coil and uncoil in synchrony; under oblique illumination with a playing time of 18.1 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 (7.54 MB).

Vorticella Video No. 2 - Two vorticellas gather food, using their cilia to sweep particles into their mouth openings; under phase contrast illumination at a magnification of 400x with a playing time of 13.4 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 (5.61 MB).

Vorticella Video No. 3 - A small group of vorticellas, part a cluster attached to an aquatic plant, coil in response to an unseen stimulus; under oblique illumination with a playing time of 8.9 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 (3.75 MB).

Vorticella Video No. 4 - A cluster of vorticellas simultaneously emerge from their coiled state, secured to an attachment site; under oblique illumination with a playing time of 9.8 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 (4.14 MB).

These bell-shaped ciliates live in fresh or salt water attached by a slender, unciliated stalk to aquatic plants, surface scum, submerged objects, or aquatic animals. Vorticella eat bacteria and small protozoans, using their cilia to sweep prey into their mouth-like openings.