Thuricola, a loricate ciliate, feeding

Description:

[taxonomy:genus=Thuricola] This is a ciliate living inside a vase-shaped "lorica", or shell, that comes with its own lid that shuts behind the cell when it retracts into its den. Unfortunately, my attempt to "tap on the glass" and have it retract were not successful. Note the streaming of particles in the water due to the feeding current set up by the cilia of the creature.