MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

I've been seeing these quite curious things a lot and I'm not sure if they are a single organism or a collective one. The stretch out over quite long distances and then retract back into a tight group.

Hi Lilly,
These are colonial diatoms.
Peter.

Peter wrote:Hi Lilly,
These are colonial diatoms.
Peter.

Ah! So they are a collective! I rather thought so! The Borg of the pond waters.

Francisco

Yes, that's them, and I've seen a lot of them. A micro-collective. They are each ciliated, organized, and cooperative on a very primitive level. I fear the political implications.

I've always seen these before but never moving like that! I had no idea they were a collective and moved that way!! Fascinating!

McConkey wrote:I've always seen these before but never moving like that! I had no idea they were a collective and moved that way!! Fascinating!

I see them all the time on my scope on just about every slide of pond water. I wanted to ask about them long ago, but many other things took precedence. It would seem they have a primitive form of government and have agreed somehow to work together.

These guys are very cool -- I've never seen them before. I'll have to keep a look-out for their collectives floating about trying to take over the pond. Thanks for posting.

Wow! Great find.