Ingestion in Microphagous Animals
This takes place in aquatic microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoans, diatoms, etc. Microphagous animals are sponges, corals, tadpoles, larvae of mosquitoes, etc. These animals have specialized structures for steering the water currents such as pseudopodia, cilia, flagella, etc. Paramecium has specific oral apparatus. Its oral groove consists of cilia which produce water currents. These cilia are known as quadrilus and penniculus. Only micro food particles reach cytopharynx through cytostome with water current. When cytopharynx is full with food particles it forms a food vacuole which pinches off from cytopharynx and is ingested.
