Actinosphaerium eichhornii

Phylum: Gyrista

Class: Raphidomonadea

Order: Actinophryida

Family: Actinosphaeriidae

Genus: Actinosphaerium

Species: A. eichhornii

 

Actinosphaerium eichhornii is a single-celled microorganism that lives in ponds and aquariums. It's a member of the heliozoa group, also known as sun animalcules, because of its spherical shape and radiating arms.

 

Characteristics

 

Size: Can grow up to 1 mm in diameter, but is usually 70–80 μm in diameter

Body: Spherical, with many nuclei scattered in the endoplasm

Pseudopodia: Long, straight axopodia that radiate out from the cell body

Vacuoles: Ectoplasm contains large vacuoles in one or more layers

Contractile vacuoles: Two or more large contractile vacuoles

 

Habitat

 

Common in freshwater lakes and streams

Can also be found in damp terrestrial microhabitats such as attached to damp moss

A few are found in marine and soil habitats as well

 

Feeding

 

Uses its long, stiff axopodia to capture prey, bringing it to the cell body where it can be digested

Done