Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
A couple of years ago, I saw for the first time an amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus. Just recently, I made a collection in which there were many amoebae parasitized by this fungus. A photo of one amoeba is shown below.
Here is a short video of the amoeba and its parasite in action.
Tim
You can see the spores of the fungus trialing out behind the amoeba. This situation reminded me of the proverbial saying, "Big fleas have little fleas, upon their backs to bite 'em, and little fleas have lesser fleas and so ad infinitum."Here is a short video of the amoeba and its parasite in action.
Tim
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Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
Incredible photos!
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Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
That is fantastic. What comes to mind is why can the Amoeba not engulf it?
Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
Extraordinary video … but presumably a fairly ordinary event
It’s humbling to think how little of ‘what goes on’ must escape the attention of mankind.
Thanks
MichaelG.
It’s humbling to think how little of ‘what goes on’ must escape the attention of mankind.
Thanks
MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'
Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
To all: thanks for the nice comments.
@MichaelG: parasitism by this fungus on amoebae is pretty rare; nature is full of wonders!
A couple of notes:
-the oval objects trailing behind the amoeba are actually conidia which contain spores
-the question of why the conidia aren't just eaten by the amoeba is an interesting one. According to GL Barron (Canadian Journal of Botany, Volume 61, Number 12, December 1983), when a conidia comes into contact with an amoeba, the "conidium attaches by one end to the pellicle of the host, penetrates with a slender germ tube, and produces a lobed haustorium to anchor the thallus and absorb nutrient."
@MichaelG: parasitism by this fungus on amoebae is pretty rare; nature is full of wonders!
A couple of notes:
-the oval objects trailing behind the amoeba are actually conidia which contain spores
-the question of why the conidia aren't just eaten by the amoeba is an interesting one. According to GL Barron (Canadian Journal of Botany, Volume 61, Number 12, December 1983), when a conidia comes into contact with an amoeba, the "conidium attaches by one end to the pellicle of the host, penetrates with a slender germ tube, and produces a lobed haustorium to anchor the thallus and absorb nutrient."
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Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
So the conidia just detach when mature and float around like bags of oats until they bump into someone's pellicle? That's a pretty powerfull fungus. Not only does it have the amoeba, it has everyone who is watching it.tlansing wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:37 amTo all: thanks for the nice comments.
@MichaelG: parasitism by this fungus on amoebae is pretty rare; nature is full of wonders!
A couple of notes:
-the oval objects trailing behind the amoeba are actually conidia which contain spores
-the question of why the conidia aren't just eaten by the amoeba is an interesting one. According to GL Barron (Canadian Journal of Botany, Volume 61, Number 12, December 1983), when a conidia comes into contact with an amoeba, the "conidium attaches by one end to the pellicle of the host, penetrates with a slender germ tube, and produces a lobed haustorium to anchor the thallus and absorb nutrient."
Under the microscope is a neverending series of events, ever changing, like clouds drifting across the sky. Mostly, the events are predictable and understandable but every now and then, those events become almost forcibly riveting, drawing one deeper and deeper right through the eyepiece and down that tube.
Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
Great finding and documentation, Tim! I have never seen Amoebophilus in real life.
Is there anything special you did or just happened to established an infected culture by chance?
Zeiss Photomicroscope III BF/DF/Pol/Ph/DIC/FL/Jamin-Lebedeff
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Youtube channel
Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
Hi Wes, Thanks for the comment!
These amoebae were found in a small temporary pool along a wooded path near where I live. I was attracted to it because of algae that I could see growing in it. I suspected there would be many green flagellates and Synura present. One hint that suggests this might be a good place to find infected amoebae comes from the first line of the abstract of the paper I cited in which Barron notes that the amoebae were recovered from rotten wood. There is probably a lot of rotted material near this small pool.
Tim
These amoebae were found in a small temporary pool along a wooded path near where I live. I was attracted to it because of algae that I could see growing in it. I suspected there would be many green flagellates and Synura present. One hint that suggests this might be a good place to find infected amoebae comes from the first line of the abstract of the paper I cited in which Barron notes that the amoebae were recovered from rotten wood. There is probably a lot of rotted material near this small pool.
Tim
Re: Amoeba parasitized by the fungus Amoebophilus
Amazing. Thanks for sharing.