PARAMECIA Meaning and
Definition
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Paramecia are a type of single-celled organisms belonging to the kingdom Protista, specifically the phylum Ciliophora. They are characterized by their unique shape, being elongated or oval in appearance. The term "paramecia" is both the singular and plural form of the word.
Paramecia possess hair-like structures called cilia that cover their entire body, allowing them to move in a swift and coordinated manner through various aquatic environments. These cilia also play a crucial role in food capture and ingestion. Paramecia are holotrichous ciliates, meaning that their cilia are distributed evenly throughout their body.
Feeding primarily on bacteria, algae, and other small microorganisms, paramecia have a prominent oral groove that allows them to engulf their food. Once ingested, food vacuoles form within their cell, which then fuse with lysosomes to form secondary vacuoles, where digestion occurs. Paramecia also possess a contractile vacuole that helps them maintain osmotic balance by collecting and expelling excess water.
Paramecia reproduce by means of binary fission, where the organism divides into two identical daughter cells. However, they can also engage in a form of sexual reproduction called conjugation. During conjugation, two paramecia align side by side, and their nuclei exchange genetic material, increasing genetic diversity within the population.
Being an essential component of freshwater ecosystems, paramecia act as decomposers, helping to break down dead organic matter and recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. Their relatively large size and simple structure have made them popular subjects for scientific study and research, contributing valuable insights into biology and cell biology.
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Etymology of PARAMECIA
The word "paramecia" is derived from the Greek word "paramekēs" (παραμοικίς), which means "oblong shape" or "elongated". The term was coined by the German zoologist, Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg, in 1838, to refer to a group of unicellular organisms that possess an elongated shape and move using hair-like projections called cilia. "Paramecia" is the plural form of "paramecium" - the scientific name of a widely studied genus of ciliate protozoa.
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