Stentor
single-celled organism
a common protozoan of pond
shallows and wetlands
a string-of-bead type
macronucleus
several species
(STEN-tohr)
Ciliated protist
peristome cilia
cytostome
gullet
food vacuole
macronucleus
micronucleus
mitochondria
myonemes
contractile
vacuole
One of the so-called “giant” ciliates, Stentor thrives in calm pond weed forests. Stentor
anchors itself and sets up a feeding station. It uses its peristome cilia to capture food
by creating a powerful funnel-like current that draws in prey organisms. Stentor may
detach and move about as a free-swimmer, using its cilia for locomotion.