Ref ID : 4671
Henry Tamar; The Movements of Jumping Ciliates. Arch.Protistenk 122:290-327, 1979
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Jumping ciliates fall into 3 movement groups. The movements of Halteria, Mesodinium and Uronychia resemble those of typical motile ciliates. The backward jumps of their usual avoidance reactions are due to the high development of the motor organelles. In Askenasia volvox, Cyclidium and Strobilidium gyrans forward jumps and darts take the place of the avoidance reaction's backward movement and rapid forward spiraling, over a wide range, replaces reversal. However, these species can move backward. Urotricha farcta (group 3) also respond with forward jumps and darts to brief repellent stimuli and with rapid forward spiraling to intense, continuous noxious stimuli. But U. farcta is incapable of backward movement. The mechanisms and nature of the movements are described and discussed. The avoidance reaction is re-examined.