Credit: FRANCIS CHEE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Ciliate protozoan (Stylonychia sp.) dividing by binary fission, light microscopy. Binary fission involves one of the single-celled Stylonychia dividing into two, which become independent organisms. Stylonychia inhabits freshwater and moist soil throughout the world, feeding on bacteria and other small micro-organisms. It moves by beating the cilia (hair-like extensions) on its body. The cilia around its mouth are also used to waft prey towards it. Filmed with darkfield illumination.

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Keywords: animal, asexual, binary fission, biological, biology, black background, cell, cells, cilia, ciliate, cilium, darkfield illumination, daughter, daughters, dividing, division, fauna, freshwater, invertebrate, light micrograph, light microscope, lm, microscopy, nature, optical, protozoa, protozoan, reproducing, reproduction, single-celled, stylonychia sp, unicellular, wildlife, zoological, zoology