In a popular article in the online journal Videnskab.dk Thomas and Lasse have summarized some of their recent discoveries of feeding in flagellates. The article is illustrated with videos.
Small unicellular flagellates feed in a viscous environment. This implies that when swimming towards a prey, the viscous boundary layer, a thick layer of ‘sticky’ water surrounding the flagellate, will tend to push the prey away. However, by means of a technique to visualize and quantify the micro flows of water surrounding swimming dinoflagellates, we have discovered that the dinoflagellate generates a feeding current that captures the prey. These micro-currents are generated by means of two flagellae, one trailing behind the flagellate, and one surrounding the cell like a girdle, that together generate a complicated flow and at the same time propel the cell. These are the first ever observations of feeding flow generated by free-swimming flagellates.
Kiørboe T & Nielsen LT (2015) Hvordan fanger flagellater deres føde? Videnskab.dk 13 juli 2015.08.03
See movies and read the article here:
http://videnskab.dk/miljo-naturvidenskab/forskere-afslorer-flagellaternes-hemmelighed