Heliozoan hunting

fpelectronica · Post by **fpelectronica** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:36 am

Hello
Heliozoa are organisms that "hunt" thanks to the paralysis of prey caused by toxins from their axopods.
They are usually solitary animals.
When prey are large and toxins can not paralyze them, prey can escape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gnjemza5S4

For this reason and, occasionally, several heliozoa fuses to form a community able to capture large size organisms.
Once ended the food, the different heliozoa separate.
This video shows some examples of this "food cooperation"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWI1GwOpu5Y

Francisco

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:11 pm

Very nice find. Do the prey get stuck on the needles by accident, or do the Heliozoa actively hunt them?

I have ordered a CCD camera, in the hopes of getting some better video. Should be here tomorrow.

fpelectronica · Post by **fpelectronica** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 2:08 pm

Hi Mitch
Thanks for your comment. Heliozoa are toxins that paralyze the prey.
Congratulations on your purchase of the new camera
Francisco