Green Fellow

[rnabholz]

This is a new one for me. I found four individuals in a long kept sample. This is with the 40x objective.

Did not identify any definitive features, and as you will see, the shape is highly variable.

Any help is welcome.

Thanks

[zzffnn]

Likely an euglenoid.

[JimT]

I'd say Euglena as well.

[rnabholz]

Thanks zz and Jim,

After some looking around, I would say you guys have it pegged.

One curiosity though, I don't see a flagella anywhere, and I thought that was a diagnostic characteristic for euglenids?

Thanks for the help.

Rod

[KurtM]

Definitely Euglena. Try phase contrast to make the flagellum apparent.

Quite a crop of diatoms!

[gekko]

Is this brightfield? If so, using oblique lighting may also make flagella visible, or if you were already using oblique, perhaps increasing the angle ("obliquity")?

[rnabholz]

Definitely Euglena. Try phase contrast to make the flagellum apparent.

Quite a crop of diatoms!

I had the "wrong" stand out for this session and was afraid I would lose him if I switched.... It's a problem...

I had an idea I might have some diatoms on this slide. I scraped some brown film off of the side of the sample container, sure enough the entire slide was covered with the same species at the same size. Fun.

[rnabholz]

Is this brightfield? If so, using oblique lighting may also make flagella visible, or if you were already using oblique, perhaps increasing the angle ("obliquity")?

Maybe Obliquiosity? Obliquation? Obliqueiety......

Thanks

Rod

[Seamer]

Definitely Euglena.

[billporter1456]

Euglena may discard the flagellum when about to enter the cyst phase. Perhaps this video will clarify.

[billbillt]

Thanks Bill P. for the interesting video ....

BillT

[billporter1456]

Thanks Bill P. for the interesting video ....

BillT

Thanks, Bill. It's an old one I did back in 2014, but it seemed to fit the topic. I think the Euglena shown in the original post might have lost its flagellum as in prepared to encyst.

[apochronaut]

Is this brightfield? If so, using oblique lighting may also make flagella visible, or if you were already using oblique, perhaps increasing the angle ("obliquity")?

Maybe Obliquiosity? Obliquation? Obliqueiety......

Thanks

Rod

Adding a little obliquerol, will enhance your obliqueoscopy. Even a small amount will increase the amount of obliquement achieved ,until if enough is added, the level finally reaches total obliqueness, at which point you will be obliqnded.