sivupuolet

Sivupuolet are a genus of free-living ciliates belonging to the family Parameciidae. They are characterized by their small size, typically ranging from 150 to 300 micrometers in length, and their ovoid or rounded body shape. The genus includes a few species, primarily found in freshwater environments, such as lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers.

The name Sivupuolet is derived from the Finnish language, translating to "hollow spheres". This namesake is likely due to the characteristic shape of the organisms, where they often appear to be spherical or somewhat egg-shaped, with the rear end sometimes being more pronounced than the front. Sivupuolet are most often found moving slowly in sedentary conditions, where they can feed on bacterial or protozoan populations.

Stimuli patterns which affect their feeding behavior include the presence of light and level of surrounding turbulence. In high-turbulence conditions, different species exhibit vastly different behaviors depending on their ability to survive in such environments. For example, certain species may orient microvilli along the shear vector, thereby minimizing the danger posed by sudden changes in fluid flow velocities.

Sivupuolet are generally microscopic, transparent, and homogeneous organisms that appear in seemingly endless millions in slow-moving water bodies. Species in the Sivupuolet genus can be more or less structurally improved within countless water bodies, functioning, as a result, in such coveted environments.