Who Do Flagellates Move?

These single-celled organisms move through water with little apparent effort. They're propelled by this hairlike structure—the flagellum—and are referred to as flagellates. It is difficult to analyze the action of the flagellum. At first, it looks somewhat like a whiplash.

How do flagellates move and feed?

The beating flagellum creates a water current, causing water to move through the collar. Particles of food in the current are trapped on the collar and are ingested by pseudopodia at its base. The ingested food is then enclosed in a membrane-bound digestive or food vacuole.

What is the function of flagellates?

A flagellate can have one or several flagella. The primary function of a flagellum is that of locomotion, but it also often functions as a sensory organelle, being sensitive to chemicals and temperatures outside the cell.