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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 3867

Steven W. Hewett; Prey-dependent Cell Size in a Protozoan Predator. J.Protozool. 27(3):311-313, 1980

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The cell size of Didinium nasutum was found to be dependent on the size of the Paramecium species available as prey. Didinium feeding on P. tetraurelia averaged 5.6x10E5 µm3. The cell volume of Didinium increased with increasing prey size for the 5 prey species tested, to 9.1x10E5 µm3 for Didinium feeding on P. caudatum. Didinium nearing a cell division ranged in size from 8.6x10E5 µm3 on P. tetraurelia to 12.9x10E5 µm3 on P. caudatum. The range in cell volume is such that Didinium feeding on P. caudatum are larger than the size at which Didinium divide when feeding on P. tetraurelia. This morphologic plasticity in cell volume allows Didinium to exploit a wide size range of Paramecium species as prey. It is proposed that the size of a Didinium may have profound effects on its ability to encounter and capture prey of different sizes.