The front of this ciliate, Chilodonella, is slightly bent and flexibly changes shape when it touches an obstacle. The shape of its body resembles a kidney bean, but we cannot recognize its characteristics in detail because the organism keeps disappearing behind particles.
Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University This organism belongs to genus Chilodonella.
It may be Chilodonella cucullulus, but we can’t be sure.
After being collected from a paddy field, the sample was put on 1% agar plate with a drop of distilled water and kept for four days.
Two Chilodonera cells appear in the first scene of this video and then we see only one organism that swims among soil particles. Its body looks soft and its movements are smooth and flexible.
Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University This ciliate belongs to genus Chilodonella.
According to the classic reference book of protozoa, Kahl, A, Wimbertiere oder Ciliata (Infusoria) in Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 18. Teil Urtiere oder Protozoa. Pt 1, Gustav Fisher 1930, the organism in this video is probably either Chilodonella labiata or Chilodonella caudate. Both of them are characterized by a narrow and tapered rear end, and a flat cell body with a transparent rim. This organism has both of these characteristics. When compared with illustrations in the above reference book, the ciliate in this video is most likely C. labiata; but the cells of C.labiata and C. caudate are 40-50μm long, whereas the cell in this video is longer than 100μm.
Chilodonella piscatoris is a larger organism 65-80μm in length, and it has a tapered rear end, but it does not have a transparent rim surrounding a flat cell.
