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The media seems to be obsessed with posting pictures/videos of things eating things; apparently that generates a lot of
Following images from Jacobson & Anderson 1986 J. Phycol, unless otherwise stated)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjthdiBbmIenfCOuYuUpjku5bGpnwsrsECQcNDkRcydF8o1s-7qdccJTP4Jcn0kQ9SSxlgNs4HnmVEnJeS4LXdopym6ntDLzvnppbjEs0BaMfUWNLFCTf9Amw9VwaM2ZOYst5WL4O8ULR/s400/Protoperidinium+chaetoceros+02+Jacobson+Anderson+1986+J+Phycol.jpg)
A dino (Protoperidinium) extends its pallium (feeding pseudopod) to devour a sizeable chain of diatoms (Chaetoceros); why bother bringing food to your mouth/gut when you can bring your gut to your food instead?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y01U59F-IyZnxtdWnNOxYgCS4t_OyAVWL0rVf6Cr_GHd25wivq_tMmzur-K81zOBkBtHKORTr5CADrki6zL0x_gUwfy41d5eKay3F1zJ46Mj8VPqZ-a4E9BBiyaSGSJdGImuVYnmWNmp/s400/Protoperidinium+chaetoceros+Jacobson+Anderson+1986+J+Phycol.jpg)
Yes, it eats that whole thing! Super Big Macs and 12" subs would be no problem for Protoperidinium, although this fine diner probably actually has standards.
More gore:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zPaVqMvDXXrKvq1RAVSWdC46eZVv_jx741UniVLYqUHnp0LsSJTuB5e3EoEQDxS2yEyLW16CHTBsHCieXPfD14WZ2HrqowZQdfhaloy2H8m-4PCwvVk90nl_x9GL6LAyD-07nCeCiOO6/s400/Protoperidinium+chaetoceros+03+Jacobson+Anderson+1986+J+Phycol.jpg)
So cute, yet so voracious! NOM NOM NOM /memeplex
Detail of feeding apparatus:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-J4HzWAX2x0BbbS0WmAlb3fUnt7m81kv6SRRmkhPrRb8dPIp783NeyU6KyiT4Kbln7p-_NHlrG9GPONd6PSRdsxOGzMzN8zOersCESe_HjsxOFZbXx9Zfr3bwEPSvMa6sVLXvh70K9PT/s400/Protoperidinium+pallium+Jacobson+Anderson+1992+J+Phycol.jpg)
(Jacobson & Anderson 1992, J Phycol)
The pallium can be described as a 'feeding' veil, a feature found in some thecate (armoured) predatory dinos, which cannot devour large prey as their expansion is limited by the thecal plates (an alternative is myzocytosis, or 'drinking through a straw'). The dino then proceeds to digest its prey much like a fungus - by secreting digestive enzymes and consuming the useful products (from ToLweb Dino page).
Diversity of dining etiquette among knightly armoured dinoflagellates:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIBXLdvdMHQFdsJXZ4RHpdK3-alIoeXpF_N8zq48zBRiZHEA7G_kMStgNyfXQoOoebdCPmI1h88y-5Qd0EmP1myrR808afCGPPoYLB8msM_Y8I1_PDm2jHNWsb5r5a8cT2XE-6dhZ2MwW/s400/Dino+feeding+Jacobson+Anderson+1986+J+Phycol.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_cFUDa1Yfids6vFkxl2l9nFQZn9f_iJfOyZBRoJFIhpaKHsvouAVeZlVbSl55k4CgPBte5sti3aujqIbqi0WtSehHiUCsqOoAyKj36q-xMl5xUE6folyWRk4bPV7xT69voEC-yfuwxRe/s400/Dino+feeding+02+Jacobson+Anderson+1986+J+Phycol.jpg)
Dinoflagellate feeding is a fascinating topic in itself, but I should probably abstain until after the upcoming final. Added to post topic queue.
I honestly intended for this post to consist of one picture; then I got carried away. Scholarly literature is addicting (that's normal, right? *crickets*)
/massive procrastination foray
Jacobson, D., & Anderson, D. (1986). THECATE HETEROPHIC DINOFLAGELLATES: FEEDING BEHAVIOR AND MECHANISMS Journal of Phycology, 22 (3), 249-258 DOI: 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1986.tb00021.x
Jacobson, D., & Anderson, D. (1992). ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE FEEDING APPARATUS AND MYONEMAL SYSTEM OF THE HETEROTROPHIC DINOFLAGELLATE PROTOPERIDINIUM SPINULOSUM1 Journal of Phycology, 28 (1), 69-82 DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-3646.1992.00069.x
Also see: Gaines & Taylor 1984 J Plankton Research "Extracellular Digestion in Marine Dinoflagellates"
This has got to be the protistan version of a tractor beam . . .
ReplyDeleteSet pallium to "devour".
Jen
"I can't believe I ate the whole thing . . . "