Week Four: The Dark Ages

Probably due to some aspect of starvation my MicroAquarium seems to be decreasing in organisms. The once very numerous protozoa seem to be much less prominent, and are actually harder to find than normal. However, with death comes life. A growing number of philodina seem to attach themselves to almost every algal strip. Yet the number of philodina is nothing compared to the immense amount of difflugia (I actually spelled it "diphlusia" in previous entries. . . my bad). These difflugia are, no exaggeration, in basically every other frame of the microscope. Some of the difflugia may actually be centropyxis (1), but may be too immature to tell. These and only a few other new discoveries in the MicroAquarium lead me to my next point: I will post an extensive amount of pictures and descriptions!

This picture consists of three philodina. These rotifers are becoming a very common micro-organism in the slide.

This image is of an Amoeba radiosa. Its very interesting to watch the very large, and extensive protruding plasmodia feeling around for debris to engulf.

This image to the left is an example of the overgrowth of algal colonies.

To the right is an example of one of the difflugia. On the right side of the amoeba, a protruding plasmodia is seen. (I actually had a video of a difflugia to help better understand its movements, but, due to technical difficulties could not post it. Hopefully, that will change soon)

To the left is what I like to call "the graveyard." This, and much of the surrounding area, was filled with the dead and decaying shells of many of the organisms that were once so prominent in the slide.

This micro-organism to the right is a protozoa in the halteria order. The genus is known as a strobilidium (2). This and only one or two others were seen, so they are not incredibly abundant.

To the left is a peranema (3). At first glance, it looks related to a euglena. However, the distinction comes in the flagella's tip, which is crooked and rapidly waves, making the peranema motile.

Lastly, to the right is an unknown filamentous cyanobacteria. I attempted to locate it in the lab's resources, but could find exactly what it was. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to find it, or more, and put a name with a face.

(1) Patterson, D.J., Free Living Freshwater Protozoa, (London, 1992), fig. 184
(2) Patterson, fig. 365 or 366
(3) Patterson, p. 51

Week Three: Going South for the Winter

Most of the life in the MicroAquarium has migrated south toward the bottom sediment. There are a few bulbs on Plant B that are filled with active life. However, I cannot see through the shell to tell exactly what organisms are inside. Also, Plant B seems dirty, and, all throughout the slide, are growing nodules with many, thin protruding roots. There are still a lot of small protizoa and some tachysoma (as I've had before). I also see an increasing amount of filamentous colonies, both cyanobacteria Anabaena and some green algae (which is pictured up top). There was also an interesting looking cluster of diatoms that is pictured below.

Through the toils and troubles, there are many newly found micro-organisms. Around Plant B and toward the bottom are a few rotifers called Philodina (1). It's pretty cool seeing it pulsing, and, also, it creates a current and draws other organisms (bacteria, debris, etc.) toward it. Two Philodina are pictured on the left. Another rotifer that I found had a lot of thick cilia. It's called a Gastrotricha (2). After feeding on a clump of debris and hiding, I managed to snag a picture of it (right). I also found one Euglena, which was very distinct by its small body and long flagellum. It swims with its flagellum in the front, which was very surprising.



(1) Pennak, Robert. Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States. 3rd ed. Wiley-Interscience: New York. 1989. (pg. 172)

(2) Pennak (pg. 165)