In orders other than the bdelloids in which males are known to occur, they are significantly smaller than the females and have a very short life span of just a day or two. As you might suspect, rotifers produce several different types of eggs. These remarkable eggs can survive for long periods, can be dried, frozen, baked in the hot sun, and generally resist adverse environmental changes. A series of very interesting experiments can be conducted with such eggs to test their resistance to a variety of conditions and chemicals. The investigation of the morphology and behavior of rotifers can be absorbing and rewarding.
Rotifers are full of surprises.
The deeper one probes into the wonderfully weird world of rotifers, the more it seems that one is truly exploring an alien world. Comments to the author Richard Howey welcomed. Published in the November 1999 edition of Micscape Magazine. Please report any Web problems or offer general comments to the Micscape Editor , via the contact on current Micscape Index.