Myzocytosis
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Myzocytosis(fromGreek:myzein,(μυζεῖν) meaning "to suck" andkytos(κύτος) meaning "container", hence referring to "cell" ) is a method of feeding found in someheterotrophicorganisms.It is also called "cellular vampirism" as the predatorycellpierces thecell walland/orcell membraneof the prey cell with a feeding tube, theconoid,sucks out the cellular content and digests it.
Myzocytosis is found inMyzozoa[1]and also in some species ofCiliophora(both comprise thealveolates). A classic example of myzocytosis is the feeding method of the infamous predatory ciliate,Didinium,where it is often depicted devouring a haplessParamecium.[2]Thesuctorianciliateswere originally thought to have fed exclusively through myzocytosis, sucking out the cytoplasm of prey via superficiallydrinking straw-like pseudopodia. It is now understood that suctorians do not feed through myzocytosis, but actually, instead, manipulate and envenomate captured prey with their tentacle-like pseudopodia.[3]
References[edit]
- ^Cavalier-Smith, T.; Chao, E.E. (2004)."Protalveolate phylogeny and systematics and the origins of Sporozoa and dinoflagellates (Phylum Myzozoa nom. Nov.)".European Journal of Protistology.40(3): 185–212.doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2004.01.002.
- ^Didinium eats Paramecium.Retrieved21 May2020.
- ^Rudzinska, M. A. (1973). "Do Suctoria Really Feed by Suction?".BioScience.23(2): 87–94.doi:10.2307/1296568.JSTOR1296568.
Further reading[edit]
- Eva C. M. Nowack andMichael Melkonian(2010)Endosymbiotic associations within protistsPhil. Trans. R. Soc. B 12 March 2010 vol. 365 no. 1541 699-712
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