I've been trying something new so I can use flat slides instead of well. I take a big dollop of water in a petri dish and look in a stereo microscope to pick out one organism. I then pipette this onto a flat slide and inspect it to be sure there are no large creatures, if not, I put on a cover.
These six ciliates were hand selected this way. They are really difficult to follow as they swim around the slide and I really need a third hand. I think a couple are kind of cool. I have an idea of the IDs on a few but am not going to go out on that limb. I would more than appreciate any IDs !
All were taken using BHS/BH2 with DIC and either a 10x or 20x Splan Apo.
Thanks for watching !
https://vimeo.com/363971788
Dan
Six Ciliates from this week
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Very nice videos!
Last two may be Spirostomum sp
Last two may be Spirostomum sp
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Nice sharp detail - the beating cilia. I'm intrigued by the squiggly feature on #1.
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
So what were your provisional IDs?I have an idea of the IDs on a few but am not going to go out on that limb.
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Thank you Geos and 75RR.
For IDs, I was going to guess Spirostomum sp for the last two and Litonotus sp for #4.
For IDs, I was going to guess Spirostomum sp for the last two and Litonotus sp for #4.
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Hi Dan,
great videos, you make really good use of your good equipment!
I won't be a good help in identifiying the critters, but you should tell us where you found them to narrow down the choice.
Plancton is a great topic, for sure.
There are methods to slow the movement of ciliates. To form a basis for longer observation you can put a bit of vaseline on the palm of one hand and scrape along it with each edge of the cover slip. This way you get a micro aquarium that doesn't dry out so quickly.
One of my sons once drank out of a bucket of water in the garden when he was young. My boys were quite impressed when I showed them how much life was in this water!
Bob
great videos, you make really good use of your good equipment!
I won't be a good help in identifiying the critters, but you should tell us where you found them to narrow down the choice.
Plancton is a great topic, for sure.
There are methods to slow the movement of ciliates. To form a basis for longer observation you can put a bit of vaseline on the palm of one hand and scrape along it with each edge of the cover slip. This way you get a micro aquarium that doesn't dry out so quickly.
One of my sons once drank out of a bucket of water in the garden when he was young. My boys were quite impressed when I showed them how much life was in this water!
Bob
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Thanks Bob,MicroBob wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 7:30 pmHi Dan,
great videos, you make really good use of your good equipment!
I won't be a good help in identifiying the critters, but you should tell us where you found them to narrow down the choice.
Plancton is a great topic, for sure.
There are methods to slow the movement of ciliates. To form a basis for longer observation you can put a bit of vaseline on the palm of one hand and scrape along it with each edge of the cover slip. This way you get a micro aquarium that doesn't dry out so quickly.
One of my sons once drank out of a bucket of water in the garden when he was young. My boys were quite impressed when I showed them how much life was in this water!
Bob
I know of this stuff from Carolina.com, I think its called Pro-slow (or something like that). I need to check it out. I rinse and return all my samples to my aquarium so I need to make sure its inert with respect to pond water. I like the vaseline idea and I'm guessing it won't rinse off into the water !
As for the location of the samples, are all from local ponds or my own cultures seeded from local pond material.
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Bruce Taylor
- Posts: 1002
- Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:34 am
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Beautiful! 
First is a Frontonia. It's been eating cyanobacteria, which cause entertaining bulges in its body. Second is probably Frontonia too (because of trichocysts, location of CV and diet), but this specimen looks lumpy and unwell. Third critter is ambiguous to me, because we don't see mouth or cilia/cirri. All we have to go on is the shape of the cell, which is reminiscent of Strongylidium. For the purposes of identification, try to record at least: 1) mouth and associated structures; 2) pattern and distribution of cilia/cirri over entire body; 3) macronucleus. Fourth is a gorgeous pleurostomatid. Litonotus is a good bet, but to rule out Amphileptus you need to focus on the ciliary rows (kineties) on the upper side of the cell (technically, this is the right side of the cell--"sides" are determined with respect to the mouth, which in pleurostomatids is a slit running along the "knife edge" of the critter's front end--but these guys normally swim "right side up"). Last two are Spirostomum, as already noted. Based solely on the length of the peristome, the last one is S. ambiguum. To ID the other one to species level, we'd have to see the macronucleus.
First is a Frontonia. It's been eating cyanobacteria, which cause entertaining bulges in its body. Second is probably Frontonia too (because of trichocysts, location of CV and diet), but this specimen looks lumpy and unwell. Third critter is ambiguous to me, because we don't see mouth or cilia/cirri. All we have to go on is the shape of the cell, which is reminiscent of Strongylidium. For the purposes of identification, try to record at least: 1) mouth and associated structures; 2) pattern and distribution of cilia/cirri over entire body; 3) macronucleus. Fourth is a gorgeous pleurostomatid. Litonotus is a good bet, but to rule out Amphileptus you need to focus on the ciliary rows (kineties) on the upper side of the cell (technically, this is the right side of the cell--"sides" are determined with respect to the mouth, which in pleurostomatids is a slit running along the "knife edge" of the critter's front end--but these guys normally swim "right side up"). Last two are Spirostomum, as already noted. Based solely on the length of the peristome, the last one is S. ambiguum. To ID the other one to species level, we'd have to see the macronucleus.
Re: Six Ciliates from this week
Thank you Bruce for the IDs and for the good advice !