Editing Blepharisma (section)

==Feeding and behavior==
''Blepharisma'' feed on a variety of smaller organisms, including [[bacteria]], [[flagellate|flagellate algae]], [[rotifer]]s, other ciliates and even smaller members of the same species.  Experiments with ''Blepharisma undulans'' have shown that cannibalism causes gigantism.  When individuals are given a diet of smaller ''Blepharisma'', or certain ciliates (particularly ''[[Colpidium colpoda]]'' or ''[[Tetrahymena]]''), they grow to a relatively enormous size.  As long as their diet remains unchanged, cannibal giants will divide to produce more giants.  When large prey become unavailable, the offspring will revert to normal size.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Cannibalism and Gigantism in Blepharisma | journal = Transactions of the American Microscopical Society | year = 1938 | first = Arthur | last = Giese | volume = 57 | issue = 3 | pages = 245–255| doi = 10.2307/3222693| jstor = 3222693 }}</ref>

=== Photobiology ===
{{Chembox
| Name           = Blepharismin C
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| ImageFile      = Blepharismin C.svg
| ImageAlt       = 
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| IUPACName      = 5,7,11,13,17,19,23,25-octahydroxy-15-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6,24-di(propan-2-yl)octacyclo[14.11.1.1<sup>2,10</sup>.0<sup>3,8</sup>.0<sup>4,26</sup>.0<sup>20,28</sup>.0<sup>22,27</sup>.0<sup>14,29</sup>]nonacosa-1,3,5,7,10(29),11,13,16,18,20(28),22,24,26-tridecaene-9,21-dione

| OtherNames     = 
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| Section1       = {{Chembox Identifiers
| CASNo          = 129898-49-3
| ChemSpiderID = 9942356
| PubChem        = 11767671
| SMILES         = CC(C)C1=C(C2=C3C4=C5C6=C(C(=CC(=C6C(C7=C(C=C(C(=C74)C(=O)C3=C1O)O)O)C8=CC=C(C=C8)O)O)O)C(=O)C9=C(C(=C(C2=C59)O)C(C)C)O)O
| StdInChI=1S/C41H30O11/c1-11(2)19-36(47)32-30-28-26-22(15(43)9-17(45)24(26)40(51)34(30)38(19)49)21(13-5-7-14(42)8-6-13)23-16(44)10-18(46)25-27(23)29(28)31-33(32)37(48)20(12(3)4)39(50)35(31)41(25)52/h5-12,21,42-50H,1-4H3
| StdInChIKey = FRDONCXLMWOCKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  }}
| Section2       = {{Chembox Properties
|C=41|H=30|O=11
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| Appearance     = 
| Density        = 
| MeltingPt      = 
| BoilingPt      = 
| Solubility     = 
  }}
| Section3       = {{Chembox Hazards
| MainHazards    = 
| FlashPt        = 
| AutoignitionPt = 
  }}
}}
''Blepharisma'' are markedly [[photophobia (biology)|photophobic]], and when light levels are increased will seek out darkened areas. The ability to detect light is accomplished with photosensitive pigment granules located just under the [[plasma membrane]] of the cell.  The pigment in these granules is [[blepharismin]], the same substance that gives ''Blepharisma'' their characteristic pinkish color.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Analyses of Structure of Photoreceptor Organelle and Blepharismin associated Protein in Unicellular Eukaryote ''Blepharisma'' | journal = Photochemistry and Photobiology | year = 2000 | last = Matsuoka | volume = 57 | issue = 3 | pages = 245–255|display-authors=etal | pmid = 11107859 | doi = 10.1562/0031-8655(2000)0720709AOSOPO2.0.CO2 | s2cid = 204166047 }}</ref> ''Blepharisma'' are usually pink when collected in nature, but when grown in darkness with abundant food they turn red. Exposure to light or starvation causes them to lose their color, but deeply-pigmented cells can even be killed by strong light.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Photochemical and Photobiological Reviews|last=Giese|first=Arthur C.|date=1981|publisher=Springer, Boston, MA|pages=139–180|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-1-4684-7003-1_4|chapter = The Photobiology of ''Blepharisma''|isbn = 978-1-4684-7005-5}}</ref>