Habit and Habitat of Vorticella (Bell Animalcule)

• Vorticella is an extremely common, solitary, and stalked ciliate found in freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, etc.,

• They often occur socially in large groups anchored by their large contractile stalks to aquatic plants, animals, stones, twigs, etc. The contractile stalk permits the body to expand and contract frequently.

• Sometimes their body may be detached from the stalk and swims freely.

• They can also be found in saline environments (salty waters) as well as aquatic vegetation.

• They are solitary, occurs in large groups but never colonial.

• They are found abundantly in stagnant water containing organic matter, feeding largely on bacteria. But some species, such as V. campanula and V. nebulifera, can live in uncontaminated waters where the bacterial growth does not become too great.

• Some species are epizoic and few are parasitic