In: Biology
Describe in detail the main characteristics within the Phylum Ciliophora!
They contain ciliated protozoa. They are actively motile due to presence of cilia. Cilia also help them in feeding. Cilia will be present in any of atleast one life cycle and also contain two type of nucleus macronucleus and micronucleus. Paramecium is an example for free living and parasitic form include Balantidium coli.
An oral grove serves as mouth like structure for feeding.cuyophsrynx serve as gullet through which food passes through.The food is broken down in food vacoule. A contractile vacoule removes excess water from cell. Both anterior and posterior vacoule are seen in paramecium. The contract vacoule maintains osmotic pressure and ionic balance. Reproduction occurs by fission asexually and sexually through conjugation.
During conjugatio a cytoplasmic bridge is formed between 2 cilia and meosis of micronuclei occur forming haploid micronuclei. One of either nuclei moves to other cell and fuses with micronuclei and form diploid macronuclei. Hence a daughter cells has a macronucleus and micronucleus .
In fission micronucleus go through mitosis and macronucleus divides into two. Then the cells divides into two.