Favoritos de crseaquist

Mag. 400x
For comparison, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merismopedia.
A shoreline water sample was taken on 8/9/2021 from a cove off the Thames River estuary (New London county, CT - brackish) using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

This species doesn't have a name, yet. It is a new and undescribed amoeba. So far, it has only been recorded at one location, a rain-fed bog lake in Ottawa. The shell is usually six-sided, with a flat top and nearly perpendicular sides. It has a ruffled (crenulated) aperture. They are usually found in floating mats of filamentous algae.

Sixth image is a stack that didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

From a pond with residual snow and ice, similar to the habitat in which Foissner collected the type species Wallackia schiffmanni. Oral structures are in the "Gonostomum pattern," inwardly displaced CV at bottom of AZM, very long and widely space caudal cirri, 2-nodule macronucleus. Ventral cirri were observed in vivo, as 2 long rows. Photographic records of the genus are extremely scarce.

Mag. 400x
Large, tetrahedral, asexual ascospore of an aquatic hyphomycetes fungi (known collectively as Ingoldian fungi). Compare the current specimen with a smaller example from a previous observation, https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/105817766. These are often involved in leaf litter decomposition. Using Oliver Kim's (MicrobeHunter) video about "focus stacking" and the free software described, Picolay, I performed my first stacking experiment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4reipg9LV8M. Image 1 is a stacked image. Image 2 is a composite of the 6 photos that were focus-stacked, using Picolay, to create the first image. Considering that the focal planes represented by the 6 contributing photographs are too widely spaced (i.e, truly need more intervening images), the result is impressive. I hope to play with Picolay again soon!.

• On 3/29/2022 a water and moss sample were taken from the submerged section of a boulder in the Billings-Avery Brook. Air temp. 38F

Black, spiky fruiting bodies (like beard stubble), about 1-2mm long, were found on a dead, fallen branch. The spikes were stiff and prickly when handled. The spikes protruded through tiny fissures in the bark and were distributed in clusters over the entire ~60cm (~2') branch. The spikes were present on "bare" bark and also growing through lichen colonies (as seen in photos 1 & 2, where they protrude through a colony of Star Rosette Lichen). Far less frequent than the spikes were small, black, flat-topped, mushroom-shaped bodies, looking like tiny nails driven into minute fissures in the bark (esp. photos 6-9). Their caps or heads were only 0.5 to 1mm in diameter. (I noticed them only in the photo enlargements.) It is my assumption that these structures are related to the spikes. This fungus looks similar to images of Caliciopsis (e.g. Pine Canker, however, I don't know if this branch came from a White Pine that is within about 10 meters of the drop location, or from one of the other nearby trees (including oaks, Big Tooth Aspen, Black Cherry, and Red Cedar).

Mag. 400x
Hyaline test as seen here https://www.arcella.nl/gibbocarina/ - perhaps G. galeata

• A bog water sample was taken on 3/15/2022 using a turkey baster swished among the submerged stems of sphagnum moss. (The area sampled was ~circular, only 15' across, and was dominated by sphagnum. Large trees and shrubs shaded the area; a small brook flowed from the circular impoundment.) Air temp. 50F

Mag. 400x
P. lata. Valve view of a relatively long, wide Pinnularia (140µ x 45µ). The striae are broad and widely spaced (only 2-3 striae in 10µ). This specimen is marginally larger than the range specified for P. lata recorded here, but the images are very similar https://diatoms.org/species/pinnularia_lata. Also see the diagram here http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/Choices/Bacillariophyceae/Pennate/biraphes/biraphe_unicells/biraphe_unicells_symmetric/PINNULARIA/Pinnularia_Image_page.html.

• A pond edge water sample (freshwater) was taken on 3/6/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms. Air temp. 41C. Sampling area was at the inflow of a small brook that feeds the pond and was ice-free. The pond was predominantly ice covered.

Mag. 400x
3 specimens were photograph, each presented in a different image or image composite; I'm assuming they were all the same species. All were essentially oval and ranged 60-70µ in length. All had a large oral cavity (but not the huge cleft of Lembadion?). The oral cavity appears to contain an oral sail (like Pleuronema) that waves about, (best seen in the video), though I could not detect any movement of a sail beyond the bounds of the oral cavity. There appear to be 2 types of cilia, both of the same thickness: long (few) and short (many). These are easily seen in the first image. In the 3rd composite image (depicting the the smallest of the three specimens) the photo sequence records the opening of the oral cavity from a closed state ... very cool! I wish I caught the mouth opening on video, but it's still fun to view: https://youtu.be/JgQ9JYRjFBw

• A pond edge water sample (freshwater) was taken on 3/6/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms. Air temp. 41C. Sampling area was at the inflow of a small brook that feeds the pond and was ice-free. The pond was predominantly ice covered.

Mag. 100x (1), 400x (2,3)
Colorless Stentor with a moniliform (string of beads) macronucleus. S. coeruleus is a possible ID.See http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Images/Ciliophora/Stentor/coeruleus/index.html for corroborating images.

• A pond edge water sample (freshwater) was taken on 2/9/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms. Air temp. 41C. Sampling area was free of ice due the water flow through a nearby culvert.

Mag. 400x
As seen here http://www.digicodes.info/Closterium_rectimarginatum_fo.html#2012089037 and http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Images/Chlorophyta/Closterium/rectimarginatum/sp_03.html. This taxon was also oberved at a different waterbody in our town https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86338051.

• A pond edge water sample (freshwater) was taken on 2/9/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms. Air temp. 41C. Sampling area was free of ice due the water flow through a nearby culvert.

mag. 400x
I think this is an early stage or late (degrading) stage of Actinosphaerium development. The axopods (1), and large vacuoles (2), and streaming ectoplasm surrounding the vacuoles, are all characteristics of Actinosphaerium... just sparsely represented. Actinosphaerium-lite or a flyweight division contender. A video of this specimen is found here: https://youtu.be/oXElITiowuk
(video description: Large, multi-vacuole Actinosphaerium (250 - 850 µm) were common in the 12/27/2021 water sample. This specimen retains representative features of Actinosphaerium, though very few in number. It has only one axopod (internally supported by microtubules, stiff; unlike the lobose and filose pseudopodia); it has only 2 large vacuoles (vs many vacuoles stacked in concentric layers); it has an ectoplasm that seems to stream around surface of the vacuoles. I do not see a nucleus, but imagine there must be one here. Interesting!)

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 12/27/2021 using a 10µ dip net. About 1/4" of ice had to be broken and pushed aside to access the water. Air temp. 36°F.

Mag. 400x (1-3), 100x (4)
Not sure of the ID. The specimen looks like a lateral branch from an absent central chain. Draparnaldia was previously found at this location https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70262461.

• A pond edge water sample (freshwater) was taken on 2/9/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms. Air temp. 41C. Sampling area was free of ice due the water flow through a nearby culvert.

Seemed like the trailing flagellum was longer than the leading flagellum, but it is hard to be certain.

One of the flagella later got wrapped up around the cell and apparently stuck there, causing the cell to be unable to move.

Mag 100x (1), 400x (2-3)
The Hungry Actinosphaerium. Lunch: a dozen or so Keratella rotifers and a nice, fat Bosmina water flea! It's clear how this ~850µ amoeboid maintains its bulk! More Actinosphaerids in the next 2 or 3 posts.

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 12/27/2021 using a 10µ dip net. About 1/4" of ice had to be broken and pushed aside to access the water. Air temp. 36°F.

Mag. 400x
Longish (200µ). U. piscis? Looks like 3 rows of ventral cirri... diagnostic?
@bdstaylor, @shanesmicroscope, @crseaquist

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 12/27/2021 using a 10µ dip net. About 1/4" of ice had to be broken and pushed aside to access the water. Air temp. 36°F.

Mag. 100x (1), 400x (2-5)
Even at a whapping 250µ, this is the smallest Actinosphaerium sp. sampled from this location on 12/27/21. It has a large number of axopodia and so must be on the hunt. These organisms are multi-nucleate. Perhaps because of the smaller size of this specimen, the nuclei are more readily seen. In the last image I've labeled what I think are nuclei.

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 12/27/2021 using a 10µ dip net. About 1/4" of ice had to be broken and pushed aside to access the water. Air temp. 36°F.

Mag. 100x (1), 400x (2-4)
Very large amoeba with a hearty appetite; having ingested 2, large pennate diatoms (both Pinnularia?). Smaller diatoms and crystals are also visible in the streaming cytoplasm. Go here for 2 short videos at 100x and 400x: https://youtu.be/k1TUZVLZvEM and https://youtu.be/SZ-1WE9Dnpw.

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 12/27/2021 using a 10µ dip net. About 1/4" of ice had to be broken and pushed aside to access the water. Air temp. 36°F.

Mag. 400x (photo 1 and video)
Mag. 100x (photo 3)
Close inspection reveals 2 flagella per cell, one long and one short (the shorter flagellum looks to be about 1/3 the length of the longer).
A water sample was taken on 6/15/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
Small, testate filose amoeba. Short video https://youtu.be/jngwicqHy_U.

• From one of the main tidal channels of the salt marsh, a water sample was taken on 11/10/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
Uncertain about the ID. Also seems similar to Stigonema, though this particular specimen is unbranched. Urospora and Ulothrix are also a possibilities. Please help if you can. Thanks!
A water sample was taken on 7/7/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
Previously observed , https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/101741886.
From one of the main tidal channels of the salt marsh, a water sample was taken on 11/10/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
A "tubularly enrolled" foram, I think. (Examples of tubularly enrolled specimens shown here http://foraminifera.eu/querybent.php?overall=&wall=&coiling=tubular+enrolled&chamberform=&aperpos=terminal&aperform=&apertwo=&aperthree=&aperfour=&sutures=&suturestwo=&suturesthree=&ornament=&ornament2=&ornament3=&ornament4=&era=&aktion=suche)
From one of the main tidal channels of the salt marsh, a water sample was taken on 11/10/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
Test of an amoeba, I think... coarsely granular with a dramatically flared aperture (assuming the aperture is on the left side)... could not finda match for the shape here https://www.arcella.nl/lobose-testate-amoebae/. Could this be a foram?

UPDATE: This looks very much like the test of marine filose amoeba, Ogdeniella elegans with its funnel-shaped, flared aperture; see figures 30 & 31 here https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259501265_Shell_Morphology_Biometry_and_Distribution_of_Some_Marine_Interstitial_Testate_Amoebae_Sarcodina_Rhizopoda/figures?lo=1. The habitat is correct for this species.

• From one of the main tidal channels of the salt marsh, a water sample was taken on 11/10/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
Small (5-8µ), highly motile, marine flagellate with one flagellum forward and one aft. Because of the small size, ID possibilities may include Cryptomonadida (corrected) and Kinetoplastida as described here https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263457365_Heterotrophic_flagellates_Protista_from_marine_sediments_of_Botany_Bay_Australia. Guidance would be appreciated!
From one of the main tidal channels of the salt marsh, a water sample was taken on 11/10/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Mag. 400x
A deep-waisted Diploneis, perhaps D. bombus, D. chersonensis, or D. crabro as seen here in Fig. 22 https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/10/458/htm.
From one of the main tidal channels of the salt marsh, a water sample was taken on 11/10/2021 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.

Eucampia zodiacus Ehrenberg 1839

Live images of the marine diatom Eucampia zodiacus Ehrenberg 1839. Class, Mediophyceae; Subclass, Chaetocerotophycidae; Family, Hemiaulaceae. E. zodiacus is the type species for this genus (Guiry & Guiry 2021).

Girdle view. Only five species of Eucampia reported (Round et al., 1990, Guiry & Guiry 2021). Cells often form flattened chains by interlocking the two short apical elevations (horns). The wide apertures between valves may be elliptical, oval, angular elliptical to square in outline. Valves are concave between the two elevations. The labiate process (rimoportulae) is centrally located on the valve. Helical-spiral chains form due to small differences in growth of the valves and girdle. Chloroplasts are round to ovoid bodies.

Eucampia zodiacus is a cosmopolitan marine centric diatom species, not reported from polar regions. Frequently found in plankton samples from Trincomali Channel, Galiano Island, BC., Canada.

Methods:

From marine plankton collected in the Trincomali Channel, Spanish Hill Wharf, North Galiano Island, Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada, May 25, 2021. Live sample. Nikon TE300, 20x, 40x oil DIC NA 0.90.

References:

Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2012. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 16 May 2021.

Hasle, G.R. & Syvertsen, E.E. (1996). Marine Diatoms. In: Identifying Marine Phytoplankton. (Tomas, C.R. Eds), pp. 173-176, Plate 35, p. 175. San Diego: Academic Press.

Hendey, N.I. (1964). An introductory account of the smaller algae of British coastal waters. Part V. Bacillariophyceae (diatoms). Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, London. pp. 107. Plate VII, fig. 1.

Hoppenrath, M., Elbrachter, M., Drebes, G. (2009) Marine Phytoplankton, Selected microphytoplankton species from the North Sea around Helgoland and Sylt. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbunchhandlung, Stuttgart, Germany. p. 98, Figs 42 j-q.

Round, F.E. Crawford, R.M. and Mann, D.G. (1990). The Diatoms, Biology & Morphology of the Genera, pp. 262-263. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Shim, J. H. (1976). Distribution and Taxonomy of Planktonic Marine Diatoms in the Strait of Georgia, B.C. Phd. Thesis, UBC. p. 152., p. 224 Plate II. Fig. 2.

Waters, R.E., Brown, L.N. and Robinson, M.G. (1972). Phytoplankton of Esquimalt Lagoon, British Columbia: Comparison with West Vancouver Island Coastal and Offshore Waters. Canadian Technical Report of Hydrography and Ocean Sciences. No. 37. Department of Fisheries and Oceans. p. 7, Table 2.