The opisthe is the posterior cell and the proter
is the anterior cell. The proter will inherit the (seemingly
more complicated) mouth of the organism while the opiste must
develop it anew. It is possible to track clones by opisthe/proter
for generations and this is used, among other reasons, to evaluate
questions of senescense in the organism. (Are protozoa immortal?)
Ciliate have two types of nucleus. An active polyploid
macronucleus and an inactive haploid(diploid?) micronucleus.
Rejuvenation is accomplished by an exchange ot micronuclei,
but cells can reproduce asexually.
Stylonychia Eats
Stylonychia injests a small ciliate:
Stylonychia Digests
Here Stylonychia has eaten a ciliate and is digesting it:
