Novel Foraging Mechanisms in Atypical Excavate Flagellates.

ABSTRACT: Most excavates, a paraphyletic assemblage of flagellates, typically present an active vaned flagellum that drives a feeding current through a ventral groove for predation. However, some have "atypical" morphologies. Here, we describe the foraging mechanisms in heteroloboseid flagellates (Discoba) that have a groove but lack the seemingly crucial vane. The percolomonads barbeliid AE-1 and Percolomonas doradorae form a functional vane with four adjacent flagella undulating with lateral asymmetry, creating an erratic flow that rapidly "sucks" water into the groove and expels it on the other side. This flow attenuates rapidly away from the cell, consistent with the flagellar pump acting as an instantaneous point sink. Conversely, Pharyngomonas kirbyi generates a continuous flow through the gro

SUBMITTER: Suzuki-Tellier S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12006737 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature