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Prey‐Dependent Cell Size In A Protozoan Predator *
Author(s) -
HEWETT STEVEN W.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1980.tb04263.x
Subject(s) - predation , cell size , predator , paramecium caudatum , biology , range (aeronautics) , phenotypic plasticity , zoology , ecology , paramecium , microbiology and biotechnology , materials science , composite material
SYNOPSIS. the cell size of Didinium nasutum was found to be dependent on the size of the Paramecium species available as prey. Didinium feeding on P. tetraurelia averaged 5.6 × 10 5 μm 3 . the cell volume of Didinium increased with increasing prey size for the 5 prey species tested, to 9.1 × 10 5 μm 3 for Didinium feeding on P. caudatum. Didinium nearing a cell division ranged in size from 8.6 × 10 5 μm 3 on P. tetraurelia to 12.9 × 10 5 μm 3 on P. caudatum. the range in cell volume is such that Didinium feeding on P. caudatum are larger than the size at which Didinium divide when feeding on P. tetraurelia. This morphologic plasticity in cell volume allows Didinium to exploit a wide size range of Paramecium species as prey. It is proposed that the size of a Didinium may have profound effects on its ability to encounter and capture prey of different sizes.