This ciliate is called Blepharisma, and apparently it isn’t an | Awesome Science
This ciliate is called Blepharisma, and apparently it isn’t an expert parallel parker.
Blepharisma are naturally pink because of Blepharismin, which is a pigment that makes Blepharisma really sensitive to light and protects their DNA from visible and far-UV radiations.
It would appear that these pink pigments were an evolutionary advantage and enabled them to survive since they act as a reflective shield against far-UV radiations!
