Blepharisma americanum, with a euglenid inside its food vacuole

Blepharisma americanum has multiple macronuclei and a peristome almost half the length of its body. It is quite pink, and has a conspicuous undulating membrane (that small sail-like structure near the bottom of the mouth). This one has swallowed a photosynthetic euglenid, which doesn’t seem to realize it is about to be digested.

Collected in late august, from Turtle Pond in Wakefield, Quebec. Olympus BHB, 40X obj.

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