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Stephanoceros - microcosmos.nl
Stephanoceros sp.
Stephanoceros sp.

On a picture of a Rhantus beetle I discovered some striking rotifers of about 1 millimeter long. One is visible between the antenna on the picture at right, the picture left below shows a cropped detail. Stephanoceros is a relatively large rotifer (wheel animalcule) with a crown or corona of flexible tentacles. On the tentacles are cilia, that are used to whirl in small rotifers, Protozoa and algae. When something enters the crown, the cilia are set perpendicular to the tentacles, so creating a little cage to prevent the escape of a possible prey. Then the tentacles bend inward and the snack is devoured. This can all be seen in good detail on a nice Youtube movie, by clicking the link lower on this page. Stephanoceros lives in barrel-shaped gel housing, which is so transparent that it can only be seen by the dirt covering it. On the picture at left it is recognisable only because the picture is digitally enhanced. In the same way the picture below shows the corona more clearly.

Stephanoceros sp.

 

This unsharp picture shows the crown in a wide open position.
Stephanoceros sp.

WEBLINK: Nice movie on Youtube.



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COPYRIGHT:
All pictures on this site were made by Gerard Visser (Aadorp, Netherlands), unless stated otherwise. All rights remain with him. These pictures may not be used for purposes any other than private viewing or printing. Do NOT hardlink to these pictures or place them on other websites without the author's approval. Should you need them for purposes which include third parties, you must ask the author permission by e-mail. People, who want to use this pictures for exhibitions or publications or educative material are much encouraged to do so, after approval as mentioned and giving the normal credits.
© G.H. Visser 27-08-2008
rev. 04-04-2010

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