Rotifer
Brachionus calyciflorus
Brachionus calyciflorus is a microscopic freshwater rotifer found in ponds, lakes, ditches, and nutrient-rich temporary pools. It swims and feeds by beating a crown of cilia, drawing in algae, bacteria, and tiny organic particles that are ground by its internal mastax jaws. Its body is protected by a firm lorica, and it can retract its soft parts when disturbed. This species is famous in laboratory ecology because it reproduces rapidly and is widely used to study plankton food webs and water quality.
- Type
- Water / Shell
- Conservation status
- NE