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Organism: Stentor Kingdom Protista Stentor are also known as the "trumpet animalcule," Stentor belongs to the class Spirotrichea in the phylum Ciliophora. They are some of the largest protozoans known and some species can be up to two millimeters (0.08 inch) long. Oftentimes, they are larger than many microscopic multicellular organisms such as rotifers and water fleas, and have been known to eat smaller members of these groups. Stentor are similar to stalked ciliates. Stalked ciliates are "inverted bell-shaped bodies mounted on a stalk which is attached to a substratum." When attached to a substrate, the Stentor has a trumpet shape. Any disturbance makes the whole body contract to become a blob of protoplasm. The stentor shrinks back and contracts similar to a rotifer also and then reaches out and stretches while feeding.
Stentor may also be swimming freely, when they become more oval or pear shaped with a narrowing at their posterior. Additional Information: They are members of the class or phylum Ciliophora. Many different genera and species exist. The Stentor is remarkable for its regenerative powers; a fragment as small as one-hundredth the volume of an adult can grow back to a complete organism. This ability has made the Stentor a favorite subject amongst biologists for studies of regeneration in the protozoan kingdom. In ornamental ponds or lagoons, Stentor can be very colorful - there can be green, blue and amethyst colored species. The green color is a result of ingested microscopic green algae. The algae live in symbiosis with the Stentor, i.e. the algae and Stentor mutually benefit from the close association. The algae uses photosynthesis to convert Stentor's waste products to useful nutrients. Where they can be found: They are one of the higher life forms found in waste water treatment processes and in freshwater ponds. Stentor are usually an indication of a stable activated sludge operation. The species of stalked ciliates found can be used to indicate approximate MCRT. The colonial forms of stalked ciliates usually occur at higher MCRTs. Stentor are found in low numbers and when the bacterial population and dissolved oxygen concentration of the treatment process are high, the wastewater environment is stable and a mature floc structure has developed. Stentor ciliates usually indicate a stable wastewater environment and a healthy biomass. How to Find Them: Microscopic examination of a wet mount.
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A key identification feature is the
presence of cilia (minute hair-like projections) on the oral region and along
the sides of the organism. The stentor beat the cilia and create a vortex like
movement with there cilia drawing in single celled bacteria to feed on.
