Helizoa

[waterman]

Can anybody help me identify this Heliozoa please?

He's certainly spikey enough, and comes from a canal sample in the UK.
Any help appreciated.

sun by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/144618088@N07/]

[Bruce Taylor]

It's a species of Raphidiophrys.

[waterman]

Thank you.

[waterman]

I assume this is a diatom but it's large. I wondered if anybody can confirm this please.

sh3 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/144618088@N07

[mnmyco]

The last photo is, I believe, a fern spore that has opened. You can actually watch them pop open under a microscope. Pretty fun.

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/img ... angia1.jpg

Video (quality is low though)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6b_GxnTgjg

You just stick them on a slide in a tiny bit of water and as they heat up and dry out they will pop open.

mnmyco

[waterman]

Excellent.
Thank you.

[mrsonchus]

Yes, it's a fern's spore-case with three spores still inside.
The thickened 'spine' springs backwards upon-itself and opens the chamber to throw the spores out!
Nice interesting image, thanks for posting.

John B.