Blepharisma is a genus of unicellular ciliate protists found in fresh and salt water. The group includes about 40 accepted species, and many sub-varieties and strains. While species vary considerably in size and shape, most are easily identified by their red or pinkish color, which is caused by granules of the pigment blepharismin. All species are uniformly ciliated, with the cilia arranged in longitudinal rows, and stripes of pigment alternating between rows of cilia. Cilia, short hairlike organelles, sweep food into its mouth and are used for movement. The pink or red pigmentation may be quite pale, and in certain cases it is absent altogether. A contractile vacuole, often quite large, is located in the posterior. The Macronuclei can take a variety of forms. Depending on species and phase of life, they may be rod-shaped, ovoid, spherical, or moniliform (like a rosary, or string of beads). It is very interesting to watch Blepharisma partly because you can see them reproduce by splitting in half and forming another Blepharisma. Blepharisma are cannibalistic so when they don’t have food you see the bigger ones eating the smaller ones. When you see a large Blepharisma it is usually because either they are coming close to splitting (reproducing) or they have been eating each other. The Blepharisma has a full digestive tract. They feed on algae. Blepharisma filter feed, which means they eat and clean their food because of their digestive tract. Some blepharisma feed off of dog fur so it’s kind of like a microscopic flea. Blepharisma survive by having the right food, oxygen, temperature and light. Blepharisma prefer a 70-80 degree location. The Blepharisma eat bacteria found in decomposing vegetation by drawing them into its vortex of membranelles.