Spathidum sp ?

[D0c]

Is this a Spathidum sp

https://www.flickr.com/photos/154534235 ... ateposted/

Thanks

[Bruce Taylor]

Spathidium (and most spathidiids, with a few exceptions) would have a large contractile vacuole in the posterior of the cell. This critter has multiple CVs, with a slightly larger one in the posterior, but laterally positioned. The mouth is apical, and there is a concentration of dark pigment in the rear of the cell. I can't make out the shape of the macronucleus, and don't clearly see rods (nematodesmata) supporting the oral area. From what we see here, I would find it difficult to place this in a class, let alone a genus. I can't completely rule out Spathidiida (though it is definitely not Spathidium), but it could also be a holophryid, or prorodontid. It has intriguing features in common with Pleurofragma mimeticus, which Kahl discovered and described under the name Prorodon mimeticus (the blackish pigmentation, the multiple vacuoles with one placed at the posterior on the side of the cell). However, that is found in saltwater, and I'm not aware of any freshwater records. It would be interesting to see more of these. In the meantime, I'd call it "ciliate."

[D0c]

Wow I found a rare one maybe , it was found in my bird bath, so really surprised it's there.

[Bruce Taylor]

Or something common that didn't occur to me. The habitat is relevant...I'll do a little search on ephemeral waters and see if anything turns up.