1. Jasira Ziglar Kenneth Cortavarria
Rotifers
Jasira Ziglar
Kenneth Cortavarria

2. General Information Rotifers are known as Phylum rotifera
They feed on algae and plankton
Rotifers are filter feeders
2200 different species of rotifers have been discovered

3. Habitat Rotifers need to live in water to survive or very damp soil
Different rotifers are found in salt water or fresh water

4. Life Cycle Most Rotifers reproduce using parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis is when a female undergoes mitosis and the eggs remain dormant until conditions in the environment are favorable again

5. Importance to Humans
Rotifers are important to humans because they eat microorganisms smaller than them and keep bodies of water clean by eliminating animal matter

6. Euchlanis

7. Euchlanis The Brown region is the stomach
On its sides a pair of long bundled muscles are barely visible
Lives in freshwater, generally found in lakes and ponds

8. Keratella

9. Keratella Found in almost every body of water Very common
Able to survive with low amounts of food due to its small size
Sexually reproduces, female undergoes meiosis and creates eggs, some will hatch into males. These males undergo mitosis to create sperm to fertilize an egg

10. Conochilus

11. Conochilus Found in saltwater
This group of rotifers form a spinning colony
Feet are bound together in a small mass of jelly

12. External Anatomy
They range in size from 50um-2mm, and are smaller than many protists
They are multi cellular
There is cilia that is at the head of the rotifer
They have a “foot” that allows them to stick to surfaces

13. Internal Anatomy
Rotifers have an alimentary canal: a digestive tube with a separate mouth and anus
There are jaws in the pharnyx which are called trophi, that are used to grind up food
There is a small brain and nerves that extend through the body
Rotifers have up to 5 eyes

14. Internal Anatomy (cont.)
The internal organs are in a body cavity called the pseudocoelom
In the pseudocoelom there is fluid that serves as a hydrostatic skeleton (fluid that us held under pressure in a closed body compartment)

15. Symmetry
Rotifers have bilateral symmetry

16. Bibiography
Microscopy-UK Micscape Microscopy and Microscopes Magazine. (n.d.). Microscopy-UK full menu of microscopy and microscopes on the web. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from
Microscopy-UK Micscape Microscopy and Microscopes Magazine. (n.d.). Microscopy-UK full menu of microscopy and microscopes on the web. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from
Rotifers. (n.d.). FCPS Home Page Redirect Page. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from
Wallace, R. (n.d.). Rotifers: Exquisite Metazoans — Integr. Comp. Biol. . Oxford Journals | Life Sciences | Integrative and Comparative Biology. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from
Zooplankton of the Great Lakes. (n.d.). College of Science and Technology - Central Michigan University. Retrieved February 9, 2011, from