Alga reproduction

Here you can post pictures and videos to show others.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
75RR
Posts: 8207
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:34 am
Location: Estepona, Spain

Alga reproduction

#1 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 26, 2019 7:43 am

Plan 40x/0.65, DIC, alga is 280µm length, stacked and stitched in Photoshop, Marine sample, Alboran Sea.

Not sure what to call this stage of the reproduction process ... germinating carpospore?
Note what looks like a crystal inclusion.
Attachments
Alga Carpospore.jpg
Alga Carpospore.jpg (335.46 KiB) Viewed 3882 times
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

User avatar
75RR
Posts: 8207
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:34 am
Location: Estepona, Spain

Re: Alga reproduction

#2 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:02 am

Here are a couple of photos of the same type of filamentous alga*, one with the Carpospore still attached and one showing more inclusions.

*These were taken from the same slide but somewhat later for context. Slide had mostly dried out by then (had to add a fair amount of water), which is why everything looks a little worse for wear.

Interestingly, the inclusions seem to be concentrated towards the ends of each alga segment.
Attachments
joined.jpg
joined.jpg (279.88 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
inclusions.jpg
inclusions.jpg (242.6 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

Sauerkraut
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2019 2:07 am
Location: Oregon, USA

Re: Alga reproduction

#3 Post by Sauerkraut » Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:18 pm

Is that a red algae? Your DIC images are amazing.

User avatar
75RR
Posts: 8207
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:34 am
Location: Estepona, Spain

Re: Alga reproduction

#4 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:07 pm

Thanks Sauerkraut, I have not managed to ID the alga yet.

Also can't seem to find anything on crystal inclusions in algae other than Calcium oxalate, which it says are transparent!
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

User avatar
Wes
Posts: 1027
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:58 pm

Re: Alga reproduction

#5 Post by Wes » Fri Jul 26, 2019 6:51 pm

I really like these images although I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at exactly. The thin elongated structures, are those individual cells?
Zeiss Photomicroscope III BF/DF/Pol/Ph/DIC/FL/Jamin-Lebedeff
Youtube channel

User avatar
75RR
Posts: 8207
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:34 am
Location: Estepona, Spain

Re: Alga reproduction

#6 Post by 75RR » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:24 pm

Thanks Wes
The thin elongated structures, are those individual cells?
I am still trying to ID the alga, if manage that I will hopefully then be able to find out how it reproduces and what bit does what. Some info on the crystals would also be nice.
Will post when I have some news
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

User avatar
Crater Eddie
Posts: 1858
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 4:39 pm
Location: Illinois USA

Re: Alga reproduction

#7 Post by Crater Eddie » Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:35 pm

Very interesting. Great images with a bit of mystery.
CE
Olympus BH-2 / BHTU
LOMO BIOLAM L-2-2
LOMO POLAM L-213 / BIOLAM L-211 hybrid
LOMO Multiscope (Biolam)
Cameras: Canon T3i, Olympus E-P1 MFT, Amscope 3mp USB

User avatar
mrsonchus
Posts: 4175
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 9:42 pm
Location: Cumbria, UK

Re: Alga reproduction

#8 Post by mrsonchus » Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:47 am

Excellent, and as Ed' says, a touch of mystery.
I found a good link re carpospores and indeed the life cycle including the carposporophyte...

An image from about 60% down the article's page,
Image

Very interesting, not to mention superbly-crafted images 75'!
John B

Post Reply