Photos / Sounds

Observer

davidfbird

Date

March 25, 2024 12:43 PM EDT

Description

From a spring runoff tributary, running over a collection of dead leaves (oak, maple, beech, sassafras), at the Grindstone Cascade. Two macronuclei, large posterior contractile vacuole, oral slit along the neck. About 250 µm long extended.

I put a one-minute video of Litonotus cygnus taking a bite out of an amoeba, here: https://www.facebook.com/100070304167055/videos/1136506550825168.
Here's another Litonotus cygnus:https://www.facebook.com/100070304167055/videos/7378433825570870/.

Litonotus cygnus - Photo (c) jmole, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by jmole
bdstaylor's ID: Litonotus cygnus, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 29, 2024
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Photos / Sounds

Observer

davidfbird

Date

March 27, 2024 03:58 PM EDT

Description

From a meltwater puddle that was thick with filamentous green algae. Length 50 µm,

bdstaylor's ID: Genus Enchelydium, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 29, 2024
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Photos / Sounds

Observer

someplant

Date

March 26, 2024 09:38 PM EDT

Description

Magnification of photos: 40×, 100×, 100×, 200×, 200×, 200×, 200×, 200×, 200×
Habitat: muddy water collected at the edge of The Lake in Central Park.
Photo taken with a Celestron PentaView Digital Microscope. According to their website, the FOV (i.e. the diagonal width) at 40× is 1.5 mm.

Actinosphaerium eichhornii - Photo (c) Vicente Franch Meneu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Vicente Franch Meneu
bdstaylor's ID: Actinosphaerium eichhornii, a member of Kelp, Diatoms, and Allies (Kingdom Chromista)
Added on March 29, 2024
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Photos / Sounds

Observer

alexparry

Date

March 27, 2024 04:30 PM EDT
Folliculinidae - Photo (c) Adam Old, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Adam Old
bdstaylor's ID: Family Folliculinidae, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 27, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

itstimetoduel

Date

January 2, 2021 05:29 PM EST
Frontonia - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Frontonia, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 27, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

michelle761

Date

April 29, 2019 03:04 PM NZST
Galeripora - Photo (c) Vicente Franch Meneu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Vicente Franch Meneu
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Galeripora, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 27, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

michelle761

Date

April 29, 2019 06:09 PM NZST
Difflugia - Photo (c) cwwood, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by cwwood
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Difflugia, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 27, 2024
Leading

Photos / Sounds

Date

March 27, 2024 12:00 AM CST
Cylindrifflugia lanceolata - Photo (c) narido, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by narido
bdstaylor's ID: Cylindrifflugia lanceolata, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 27, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

criatan

Date

March 26, 2024 06:06 PM CET
Arcellidae - Photo (c) william_dembowski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by william_dembowski
bdstaylor's ID: Family Arcellidae, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 27, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

algaholic

Date

March 17, 2024 01:15 PM +07
Arcella - Photo (c) Bruce Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bruce Taylor
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Arcella, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 26, 2024
Leading

Photos / Sounds

Observer

wleurs

Date

July 10, 2023 08:05 AM CEST
Strombomonas maxima - Photo (c) Algaholic, all rights reserved, uploaded by Algaholic
bdstaylor's ID: Strombomonas maxima, a member of Euglenids (Class Euglenida)
Added on March 26, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

wleurs

Date

August 9, 2023 03:21 PM CEST
Quadrulella symmetrica - Photo (c) Josué Santiago Vera, all rights reserved, uploaded by Josué Santiago Vera
bdstaylor's ID: Quadrulella symmetrica, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 26, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

wleurs

Date

March 25, 2024 12:11 PM CET
Lesquereusia spiralis - Photo (c) Paul Norwood, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Paul Norwood
bdstaylor's ID: Lesquereusia spiralis, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 26, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

crispychris28

Date

March 23, 2024 06:07 PM CST
Amoebae - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Amoebae (Phylum Amoebozoa)
Added on March 25, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

izi_izi

Date

March 23, 2024 04:20 PM EDT

Description

Found in the tank shown in the last image

Blepharisma - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Blepharisma, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 25, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

izi_izi

Date

March 20, 2024 11:56 PM EDT

Description

Found in >3 weeks soaked moss

Blepharisma - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Blepharisma, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 25, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

paul_dennehy

Date

March 24, 2024 10:20 AM EDT
Stentor amethystinus - Photo (c) Jane Trembath, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jane Trembath
bdstaylor's ID: Stentor amethystinus, a member of Stentor (Genus Stentor)
Added on March 25, 2024
Leading

Photos / Sounds

Observer

paul_dennehy

Date

March 24, 2024 10:20 AM EDT
Stentor - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Stentor (Genus Stentor)
Added on March 24, 2024
Leading

Photos / Sounds

Observer

paul_dennehy

Date

March 24, 2024 10:20 AM EDT
Frontonia acuminata - Photo (c) pierrelfr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by pierrelfr
bdstaylor's ID: Frontonia acuminata, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
Leading

Photos / Sounds

Observer

paul_dennehy

Date

March 24, 2024 10:20 AM EDT
Arcellinida - Photo (c) Karolina Fucikova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Karolina Fucikova
bdstaylor's ID: Order Arcellinida, a member of Lobose Amoebae (Subphylum Lobosa)
Added on March 24, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

paul_dennehy

Date

March 24, 2024 10:20 AM EDT
Pleuronematida - Photo (c) Phaulactis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Phaulactis
bdstaylor's ID: Order Pleuronematida, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
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Photos / Sounds

Observer

paul_dennehy

Date

March 24, 2024 10:20 AM EDT
Pleuronematida - Photo (c) Phaulactis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Phaulactis
bdstaylor's ID: Order Pleuronematida, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
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Photos / Sounds

Observer

duestin

Date

March 23, 2024 11:34 PM CST
Prorodontida - Photo (c) Vicente Franch Meneu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Vicente Franch Meneu
bdstaylor's ID: Order Prorodontida, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Date

June 25, 2023 05:33 PM +05

Description

Video: https://youtu.be/G4yMvNvUhdw
Sampling location: A water sample was collected from the bank of the Ufa River within the boundaries of Nyazepetrovsk town.
Date and time of collection: 18 Jun 2023 at 6 PM
Date and time of observation: 25 Jun 2023 at 5 PM
The sample was stored at room temperature in a plastic container.

Chilodonella uncinata - Photo (c) Igor Shelpiakov, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Igor Shelpiakov
bdstaylor's ID: Chilodonella uncinata, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

What

Euglenids (Class Euglenida)

Observer

mnold1

Date

February 24, 2024 09:11 AM EST

Description

Mag. 400x

  • A pond-side water sample taken on 02/24/2024 using a small sample bottled attached to an extension pole Air temp 42F (no ice at the shore).

Unexpected movement inside the shell of a specimen of Arcella spectabilis (IDd by Bruce Taylor) revealed a highly metabolic, flagellated euglenoid. The Arcella shell appears intact, so the euglenoid must have entered through the shell's aperture... we just don't know why! Bruce Taylor suspects this is a species of the Astasia. For a long video of dubious quality, see https://youtu.be/_srdcoOyTaE.
ref: https://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/Choices/Euglenophyceae/non_ps_euglenoids/ASTASIA/Astasia_key.html

Euglenids - Photo (c) peptolab, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
bdstaylor's ID: Euglenids (Class Euglenida)
Added on March 24, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

peptolab

Date

March 22, 2024 01:59 PM EDT

Description

Paramecium bursaria Ehrenberg from the acidic freshwater kettle pond Chatfield's Hole. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2S using SPlan 100 1.25 oil immersion and Splanapo 40 0.95 objectives plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cells measure 120-146 um in length. This population is rather starved and most individuals have digested most of their Zoochlorella symbionts. I imaged one rotating well-fed free-swimming individual full of symbiont algae where we can see the three-dimensional relationship between macronucleus and micronucleus. I was able to closely image the contractile vacuoles which had collecting canals and 3 excretory pores. This is important to distinguish P. bursaria from a close congener, Paramecium (Viridoparamecium nov. subgen.) chlorelligerum Kahl 1935. Kreutz et al (2012) compared the two and found "Morphologically, P. chlorelligerum differs from P. (C.) bursaria, the second green species in the genus, by having a special swimming shape, the length of the caudal cilia, the size of the micronucleus, the size of the symbiotic algae, the contractile vacuoles (with collecting vesicles vs. collecting canals), and the number of excretory pores/contractile vacuole (1 vs. 2–3)" (1) .

PARAMECIUM BURSARIA Ehrenberg Length 90-150µm; foot-shaped, more or less flattened; uniform ciliation except for a group of long caudal cilia; green with symbiotic zoochlorellae; a long broad oral groove (vestibule) leads to the buccal cavity, the buccal ciliary apparatus is characterized by 2 " peniculi "; 1 macronucleus, 1 compact micro-nucleus; 2 contractile vacuoles; numerous prominent pellicular trichocysts. Diet-Food Bacteria (sometimes purple-coloured sulfur bacteria), flagellates; starving individuals digest their symbionts. Occurrence and ecology Cosmopolitan in distribution, e.g., Europe, North America, India, in still waters rich in higher plants and algae, such as ponds or littoral zones of lakes, forest pools rich in decaying leaves, oxidation ponds, polluted streams. Under laboratory conditions this ciliate occurs in cultures rich in peptone, under which conditions it can withstand high ammonium and low oxygen levels.

Paramecium bursaria is a mixotrophic ciliate species, which is common in stagnant and slow-flowing, nutrient-rich waters. It is usually found living in symbiosis with zoochlorellae (green algae) of the genera Chlorella or Micractinium. "Paramecium bursaria is one of only two species in the genus Paramecium that harbor algal endosymbionts. Based on a phylogenetic tree constructed from Paramecium 18S rRNA sequences with T. thermophila as outgroup, P. bursaria is the most diverged species since the most common Paramecium ancestor, which may explain why P. bursaria cell physiology is so distinct from other Paramecium species. In the wild, most P. bursaria cells stably harbor several hundred algal cells in the cytoplasm. Each algal cell is engulfed by a host-derived perialgal vacuole (PV) membrane that becomes attached to the host plasma membrane. Different species of algal endosymbionts have been identified in different strains of P. bursaria, suggesting that these strains may have evolved a preference for or compatibility with specific green algae" (2).

  1. Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Paramecium (Viridoparamecium nov. subgen.) chlorelligerum Kahl 1935 (Ciliophora) MARTIN KREUTZ, THORSTEN STOECK and WILHELM FOISSNER. J. Eukaryot. Microbiol., 59(6), 2012 pp. 548–563
  2. Genome plasticity in Paramecium bursaria revealed by population genomics. Yu-Hsuan Cheng, Chien-Fu Jeff Liu, Yen-Hsin Yu, Yu-Ting Jhou, Masahiro Fujishima, Isheng Jason Tsai & Jun-Yi Leu. BMC Biology volume 18, Article number: 180 (2020)
Paramecium bursaria - Photo (c) Anatoly Mikhaltsov, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Complex Paramecium bursaria, a member of Paramecium (Genus Paramecium)
Added on March 24, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Date

March 23, 2024 10:23 PM CST

Description

Haptorida - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Order Haptorida, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
Improving

Photos / Sounds

Observer

peptolab

Date

March 22, 2024 12:02 PM EDT

Description

Trachelius ovum EHRENBERG, 1831 EHRENBERG, 1838 from the acidic freshwater kettle pond Chatfield's Hole. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2S using SPlanapo 20 0.75 and Splanapo 40 0.95 objectives plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cells measure 240 um in length. The following discussions and several figures are adapted from Foissner et al (1995) (1).

According to EHRENBERG (1838), FOISSNER & FOISSNER (1988b) and KAHL (1931a), Trachelius ovum has several safe synonyms, which do not appear in the saprobiological literature: T. cicer SCHRANK- this older synonym was never used and should therefore be suppressed forever for reasons of stability, T. vorax EHRENBERG, Amphileptus rotundus MASKELL, Trachelius Leidyi FOULKE. The exact organization of this common ciliate was previously insufficiently known, although it was reported several times and has been processed using modern methods (DRAGESCO & DRAGESCO-KERNEIS 1986, FRYD VERSAVEL et al. 1975, SONG & WILBERT 1989). The representations are too schematized and incorrect in detail. We have therefore reworked T. ovum for the “Atlas”. This showed that the somatic and oral ciliation is very similar to that of Dileptus. Nevertheless, Trachelius is clearly demarcated from Dileptus namely by the ventro-lateral fossa, where the ciliation is slightly modified and the club-shaped mouth funnel, which consists of a thick layer of the finest fibrils.

Congener comparison: Trachelius subtilis PENARD, which has not yet been sufficiently confirmed, has only 12 contractile vacuoles and no suction cup. Dileptus species usually have a clearly pointed rear end and are always much slimmer. Paradileptus elephantinus lives predominantly in the pelagic of stagnant waters and has a rosary-shaped (moniliform) macronucleus. The characteristics are particularly important for identification are 2, 3, 4 .

Differential diagnosis
1) Size in vivo 200-600 x 75-350 um, usually 250-350 um long.
2) Shape sac-shaped to almost spherical, starving specimens clearly flattened on one side. Proboscis often only about 1/4-, rarely up to 1/2-length, usually curved dorsally. In well fed specimens it becomes a short, stalk-shaped extension. Ventro-laterally a small, difficult to recognize pit that serves as a suction cup.
3) Macronucleus dumbbell-shaped, often disintegrates into a few spherical parts in postconjugates. Several micronuclei.
4) Many small contractile vacuoles scattered throughout the cell. Plasma very strongly vacuolated, the strands form a coarse network.
5) Short, rod-shaped extrusomes in the proboscis along the ridge of the mouth. Cortex thick, with many ellipsoid granules.
6) About 80-120 longitudinal rows of cilia, some of which extend into the ventro-lateral fossa, where there are several specializations, which are explained in the figure legends. Brush 3-4 rows, on the dorsal side of the trunk, a row extending almost to the end of the body; only clearly visible after silver impregnation and in the scanning electron microscope.
7) Mouth entrance at the base of the proboscis, surrounded by many very delicate bars that form a club-shaped, thick-walled funnel. To the right of the circumoral row of eyelashes there is a longitudinal row of cilia, on the left there are many short oblique rows of perioral cilia; more precise structure of the oral cilia can only be recognized after silver impregnation.

  1. FOISSNER W., BERGER H., BLATTERER H. & KOHMANN F. (1995): Taxonomische und ökologische Revision der Ciliaten des Saprobiensystems – Band IV: Gymnostomatea, Loxodes, Suctoria. – Informationsberichte des Bayer. Landesamtes für Wasserwirtschaft, 1: pp. 208-18
Trachelius ovum - Photo (c) cwwood, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by cwwood
bdstaylor's ID: Trachelius ovum, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 24, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

amayakan

Date

January 15, 2022

Description

video: https://youtu.be/A9hYV5AxR0c

Photos are snapshots of the same individual in the vide. A comparison of photos #1 and #2 allows to identify a vacuole. "a" denotes "anterior (photos #1, #2, #4, and #5).

Size: see scale bars

Site of collection: Takamori Higashi Park (a freshwater habitat), Sendai, Japan

Date of collection: January 15th 2022

Weather: Cloudy/snow

Water temp.: 4.0°C

pH 6.0-6.2

Date of observation: January 30th 2022 (the collected sample in a plastic container was left near a window out of direct sunlight at room temperature until observation)

Bright field observation using a Wraymer microscope (model BX-3500TL, Osaka, Japan) equipped with a Floyd-2 HDMI ethernet digital camera (Wraymer, Osaka, Japan). The accuracy of the scale bar, which was set according to the guidance of the manual of the software (Spectman) provided for the camera, was confirmed by using a stage micrometer glass slide (1 div. = 10 µm; Wraymer, Osaka, Japan) at each magnification.

Frontonia - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Frontonia, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 23, 2024
Supporting

Photos / Sounds

Observer

amayakan

Date

April 29, 2021

Description

Video: https://youtu.be/KlHogNTzN7A

Photos are snapshots of the same individual in the video. In photo #2, "a" denotes "anterior". A comparison of photos #3 and #4 allows to identify a contractile vacuole.

Size: 283 µm x 104 µm

Site of collection: Pavilion, Katsurashima Ryokuchi north pond (a freshwater habitat), Sendai, Japan

Date of collection: April 29th 2021

Weather: Rainy

Water temp.: 15.1°C

pH 6.5

Date of observation: May 15th 2021 (the collected sample in a plastic container was left near a window out of direct sunlight at room temperature until observation)

Bright field observation using a Wraymer microscope (model BX-3500TL, Osaka, Japan) equipped with a Floyd-2 HDMI ethernet digital camera (Wraymer, Osaka, Japan). The accuracy of the scale bar, which was set according to the guidance of the manual of the software (Spectman) provided for the camera, was confirmed by using a stage micrometer glass slide (1 div. = 10 µm; Wraymer, Osaka, Japan) at each magnification.

Frontonia - Photo (c) Proyecto Agua, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
bdstaylor's ID: Genus Frontonia, a member of Ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora)
Added on March 23, 2024
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