Loxophyllum is a predatory protozoan. These single-celled organisms are ciliates, being covered in hair-like structures known as cilia. The cilia beat in synchronized waves, propelling the organism ...
Over a single day, in the placid waters of a single pond, a million virus particles might enter a single-celled organism known for the minuscule hairs, or cilia, that propel it through those waters.
Conjugation (or mating) of ciliates is a unique phenomenon among living beings. They have sex not for reproduction or pleasure — they seek to increase genetic variation. Scientists from St Petersburg ...
Researchers have found that microscopic ciliates can eat huge numbers of infectious chloroviruses that share their aquatic habitat. The team's lab experiments have also shown that a virus-only diet, ...