Collection of Food by Vorticella

SLEIGH, M. A. & BARLOW, D. 1976. Collection of food by Vorticella. Trans. Amer. Micros. Soc., 95: 482-486. Two bands of cilia act together in feeding by Vorticella. Propulsive cilia of the polykinety draw water and particles to the peristome, where less active haplokinety cilia filter out the particles. Activity of cilia of both bands transports particles between the two bands towards the cytostome and provides a flow of water out of the infundibulum which can carry away particles that are not ingested. The rates of ciliary action are high and the filtration mechanism is strikingly effective.