Types of Flagella

There are four different types of flagella:

Monotrichous

A single flagellum at one end or the other. These are known as polar flagellum and can rotate clockwise and anti-clockwise. The clockwise movement moves the organism forward while the anti-clockwise movement pulls it backwards.

Peritrichous

Several flagella attached all over the organism. These are not polar flagella because they are found all over the organism. These flagella rota anti-clockwise and form a bundle that moves the organism in one direction. If some of the flagella break and start rotating clockwise, the organism does not move in any direction and begins tumbling.

Lophotrichous

Several flagella at one end of the organism or the other. These are known as polar flagellum and can rotate clockwise and anti-clockwise. The clockwise movement moves the organism forward while the anti-clockwise movement pulls it backwards.

Amphitrichous

Single flagellum on both the ends of the organism. These are known as polar flagellum and can rotate clockwise and anti-clockwise. The clockwise movement moves the organism forward while the anti-clockwise movement pulls it backwards.

Flagella Function

Flagella performs the following functions:

1. They help an organism in movement.
2. They act as sensory organs to detect temperature and pH changes.
3. Few eukaryotes use flagellum to increase reproduction rates.
4. Recent researches have proved that flagella are also used as a secretory organelle. For eg., in Chlamydomonas

Cilia and Flagella

Let us have a look at the important characteristics of cilia and flagella to understand how each one is different from the other.