Question

What is the function of the cilia in Paramecium?
A. Excretion
B. Osmoregulation
C. Respiration
D. Locomotion

Answer 1

Hint: The Paramecium is a eukaryotic single-celled organism that ranges from thirty to three hundred micrometers in length. Moreover, the whole body of the Paramecium is covered in small hair-like filaments that are known as the cilia.

Complete answer: Paramecium is a member of the phylum protozoa and class ciliata. They are also known as slipper animalcules. Paramecium is a single-celled organism. It is a eukaryotic organism with two kinds of nucleus. Paramecium has four species.
These four species are –
a. Paramecium caudatum
b. Paramecium aurelia
c. Paramecium multimicronucleatum
d. Paramecium bursaria or Green bursaria
The cilia help the Paramecium in moving or locomotion. It also helps the organism to move its food to the oral cavity. The cilia are arranged uniformly throughout the body in longitudinal rows. These rows are equidistant throughout the body. The presence of cilia on an organism is also known as holotrichous. Also, the cilia are made of the plasma membrane with longitudinal fibrils. These longitudinal fibrils are of two kinds namely the inner fibrils and the outer fibrils. The inner fibrils are thinner than the outer fibrils. Thus, based on the above information we can conclude that the function of the cilia in Paramecium is for Locomotion.
Hence, the correct answer is option (D).

Note: The Paramecium has two types of the nucleus. These two types are namely the micronucleus and the macronucleus. The micronucleus is the reproductive nucleus whereas the macronucleus is the vegetative nucleus. Also, the micronucleus divides into two nuclei by the process of mitosis, and the macronucleus splits into two parts.