Halteria grandinella

Phylum: Ciliophora

Class: Oligotrichea

Order: Halteriida

Family: Halteriidae

Genus: Halteria

Species: H. grandinella

 

Halteria, sometimes referred to as the jumping oligotrich, is a genus of common planktonic ciliates that are found in many freshwater environments. Halteria are easy to locate due to their abundance and distinctive behaviour with observations of Halteria potentially dating back to the 17th century and the discovery of microorganisms.Over time more has been established about their morphology and behavior, which has led to many changes in terms of classification.

 

Species of Halteria can exist in both a trophic and an encysted form but are most commonly described in the trophic form. Species of Halteria can be identified by their unique jumping movement which is enabled by an equatorial row of stiff cirri that beat in unison, allowing the organism to move very quickly backwards.

 

 

65 views
1 fave
0 comments
Uploaded on February 14, 2025
Taken on February 10, 2021