portrait

Description:

Chaetonotus (keet-a-note-us) a gastrotrich. Perhaps after tardigrades, these are the most inherently cute metazoa likely to be encountered by microscopists. Move by gliding and wriggling over and through the substrate. With an anterior mouth leading to a through gut. Posteriorly with two podites (a bit like rotifers to which they are related, with which they can attach to the substrate. Eat protists, small metazoa and detritus. Phase contrast.