winter water fleas wear epibionts often.

[charlie g]

Hi all, finally (12/9/17) mid 20's degree F here in finger lakes/US. Winter time microscopy of freshwaters often reveal water fleas, flatworms, with dense 'coats' of surface attached protists. Just as I seem to encounter winter season diatoms with dense collections of internal oil globules, In winter season I encounter (more so than in Spring, or Summer seasons) water fleas with dense surface 'coatings' of attached protists. Here is a copepod (late 11/17 collected..after below freezing air temp cycles a few times) with dense epibiont community of suctorian protists.

Please wear layers of outter-wear when it's cold, wear orage color during hunting season...and sample some winter season waters. Charlie guevara

[JimT]

Charlie g, have missed your posts. Welcome back and good observation about surface coatings of attached protists. I have observed similar.

Are you still collecting samples with your four legged companions?

[apochronaut]

Interesting observation. I wonder whether it is simply because of the proliferation of swarmers during the latter part of the summer season or whether there is a symbiotic relationship taking place? One would assume that being festooned with enough of those might slow the water flea down but then they might act like down too?

[charlie g]

The dynamic of these frequent winter season epibiont colonizations of water fleas ( and of other meiofauna 'coatings' ) which fascinates me is...how does one species of epibiont alone often dominate the host water flea? It is extremely hard to capture these active copepods..you need place the sample in a flat dish...shine light into the waters from the side, with a small torch...and pounce with your eyedropper when a copepod briefly is still ( I use cheap pyrex dishes...no..not our kitchenware).

I,m impressed how these epibiont coatings do not seem to hinder the copepods..and the water flea egg sacks are always quite robust..and the embryos growing well.

Here is a copepod with coating mainly of a peritrich ciliate species all about it's body..and just a few green algae epiphytes.

Yes, yes, Jim T, my good doggies enjoy winter microscopy collection hikes...but we don't venture far during hunting season lest we spook some earnest hunters quarry.

Please try and collect winter waters for your microscopy. Charlie guevara