Stentor coeruleus

Stentor coeruleus
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: Sar
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Ciliophora
Class: Heterotrichea
Order: Heterotrichida
Family: Stentoridae
Genus: Stentor
Species:
S. coeruleus
Binomial name
Stentor coeruleus
Ehrenberg, 1830

Stentor coeruleus (pronunciation) is a protist in the family Stentoridae which is characterized by being a very large ciliate that measures 0.5 to 2 millimetres when fully extended.

S. coeruleus specifically appears as a very large trumpet. It contains a macronucleus that looks like a string of beads that are contained within a ciliate that is blue to blue-green in color. It has the ability to contract into a ball through the contraction of its many myonemes .

Stentor coeruleus is known for its regenerative abilities. When this organism is cut in half, each half is able to regenerate a cell that has its normal anatomy provided that each cut part includes some of the macro-nucleus. It feeds by means of cilia that carry food into the gullet.