Paramecium: Difference between revisions

This article is about the protozoan. For the Australian doom metal band, see Paramaecium

Paramecium
Paramecium aurelia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Protista
Phylum:	Ciliophora
Class:	Oligohymenophorea
Order:	Peniculida
Family:	Parameciidae
Genus:	Paramecium Müller, 1773

Paramecium is a well-known genus of ciliate protozoa, formerly known as slipper animalcules from their slipper shape. They are commonly studied as a representative of the ciliate group. Paramecia are unicellular and slipper-shaped, ranging from 50 to 300 μm in length, depending on species. Simple cilia cover the body, and allow the cell to move with a synchronous motion; and there is a deep oral groove, containing inconspicuous compound oral cilia, as found in other peniculids. Osmoregulation is carried out by a pair of contractile vacuoles, which actively expel water absorbed by osmosis from the surroundings. Paramecia are widespread in freshwater environments, and are especially common in scums. Paramecia are attracted by acidic conditions.

The division into species is still in flux—for instance, P. aurelia has recently been divided into 14 species—but the following are representative:

• P. aurelia Ehrenberg, 1838
• Paramecium bursaria (Ehrenberg) Focker, 1836
• P. calkinsi Woodruff, 1921
• P. caudatum Ehrenberg, 1838
• P. duboscqui Chatton and Brachon, 1933
• P. jenningsi Diller & Earl, 1958
• P. multimicronucleatum Powers & Mitchell, 1910
• P. nephridiatum von Gelei, 1925
• P. polycaryum Woodruff, 1923
• P. putrinum Claparede & Lachmann, 1858
• P. trichium Stokes, 1885
• P. woodruffi Wenrich, 1928

A number of doubtful species have also been recorded.

• In a popular computer program, Chip's Challenge, the main character encounters a cartoon I made al of this up paramecium, one of the many monsters that Most of this isnt true Αhe must overcome.
• In the Homestar Runner universe, the gang were a "bunch o' parameciums" before they were in middle school.

Binomiel name paramecuim ther ha