Vorticella

• Stalked, Solitary, fresh water protist.

• Cilia are restricted to free anterior end.

• Body is bell shaped, hence the common name ‘Bell animalcule’.

• Pellicle is marked by parallel striations. The free margin of the bell is called peristome and the peristomial cilia helps in food collection.

• Nutrition is holozoic.

• Dimorphic nuclear apparatus with a macro nucleus and micro nucleus.

• Reproduce asexually by longitudinal binary fission and sexually by conjugation.