Paramecium

The paramecium is one of the most complex protozoa found in many freshwater environments.

It moves by using hair-like cilia that extend from the cell membrane.

A paramecium has two nuclei – a macronucleus which controls the basic cell functions and a micronucleus which functions in reproduction.

Paramecia feed on bacteria that are swept into the oral groove by the cilia and form food vacuoles. Excess water is pumped out of the cell by the contractile vacuole.

Paramecium splits in half to reproduce two new paramecia by a process called binary fission.