Croc the Ciliate and the Little Green Heart
a Microbial Fairy Tale by Wim van Egmond, the Netherlands

What are Ciliates?

Ciliates are single cellular organisms. Most species are so small they can only be seen through a microscope. They have tiny hairs (cilia) all over their body. They use them to propel themselves theough the water. They also use their cilia for feeding.

Croc is a Ciliate called Uroleptus. It is a type of Ciliate that has fused cilia (cirri) it can use for walking over a substrate.

There are ciliates in all shapes and size. The smallest are almost as small as bacteria, others can be some millimeters in length. This portait is of a Green Paramecium (slipper animalcule) It is green because it has small algae inside its body. It grows these like a greenhouse. It grows its own food inside.

Find out about Ciliates in the Smallest Page on the Web.