NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Paramecia are completely covered with cilia (fine hairlike filaments) that beat rhythmically to propel them and to direct bacteria and other food particles into their mouths. On the ventral surface an oral groove runs diagonally posterior to the mouth and gullet.

Detailed explanation-2: -As ciliates, paramecia are covered with numerous, short hairlike projections called cilia.

Detailed explanation-3: -Did You Know? Paramecium are single-celled organisms that belong to the Ciliophora phylum. Members of this group are characterized by having cilia, or little hair-like structures covering their surface.

Detailed explanation-4: -Paramecium has around 4, 000 motile cilia on its surface arranged in longitudinal rows, beating in waves to ensure movement and feeding. As with cilia in other model organisms, direction and speed of Paramecium ciliary beating is under bioelectric control of ciliary ion channels.

Detailed explanation-5: -Cilia have important functions in the life of Paramecium, such as locomotion through the surrounding water and ingestion of food into the cytostome (see Wichterman, 1985). The cilia responsible for the ingestion of food are mainly localized in the gullet, which is a funnelshaped depression of the cell surface.