Paramecium 1

Paramecium
Paramecium is a ciliate protozoan. Ciliates bodies are covered with fine cytoplasmic hair-like
structures called cilia. Flickering movements of the cilia propel the organism through the water
and also create feeding currents. Paramecium, illustrated here, is a ciliate. In describing its
structure, comparisons will be made with amoeba. It is suggested, therefore, that amoeba is
studied first.
cytoplasm

meganucleus

micronucleus

(controls basic processes)

(controls reproduction)

contractile
vacuole (filling)

contractile
vacuole (about
to empty))

60
food vacuole
anal pore

cilia

direction of
movement

cytostome
(cell mouth)

oral groove

feeding
current

Paramecium
Unlike amoeba, paramecium has a distinct and permanent shape and certain areas of cytoplasm,
(cell organelles), are specialised to carry out specific functions.
Locomotion. Individual cilia bend and straighten
rapidly in such a way that the recovery stroke offers
minimal resistance and the bending stroke helps
propel paramecium through the water.
.

recovery

The whole complement of cilia beat in

a rhythmic pattern, (metachronal
rhythm), so that the waves of
contraction pass over the cell body
like wind blowing through ripe corn.

power
stroke
1 Paramecium hits
an obstacle

If paramecium encounters an obstacle, it reverses

the ciliary beat and moves back. It then changes
direction slightly and moves forward. It will do
2 reverses its
this repeatedly until it gets past the obstruction.
ciliary beat
This reaction also shows that paramecium is
sensitive to stimuli (in this case, the stimulus
of touch).
3 turns
slightly

D.G. Mackean

4 moves
forward
again