Rotifers: Beating of their Ciliary Crown, Feeding and Locomotory Behaviour through Foldscope

Jul 27, 2018 • 6:03 AM UTC

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Jitendra Satija

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Rotifers , also called wheel-animalcules, are microscopic aquatic invertebrates that constitute the phylum Rotifera and found in aquatic environments all around the world The name Rotifer comes from the Latin words “wheel bearers” because the circular arrangement of moving cilia (tiny hairlike structures) at the front end resembles a rotating wheel. The cilia on the corona beat to create a vortex that draws in food for the rotifer to eat, which consist of dead organic matter, algae, protozoa and organisms small enough to fit in its mouth. In some species, the corona can also be used to propel the rotifer forward and help it swim. Sample Collection: The water sample was collected from the muddy puddle (stagnant water) within our campus.