Is This Algae or a Worm?

[DonSchaeffer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRlEi1dFL4c
.
It looks like an algae filament is moving like a worm.

[rmb]

Looks like a variety of oscillatoria, a cyanobacterium, the so called blue-green algae although this one obviously is not that blue or green

[DonSchaeffer]

Thanks RMB. These crosses between bacteria and algae and other forms are really fascinating.

[RobBerdan]

I smiled when I saw your question. I agree they are blue-green algae also called cyano-bacteria. Oscillatoria is most likely the genus. I see a variety of motile blue green algae in pond water often and it is fascinating to watch.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscillatoria on Wikipedia.

I think the more interesting question is how do they move? The mechanism of movement of Diatoms was for a long time unexplained, now they
know it is due to extrusion of cytoplasm from pores either the center or ends of some of them.

Oscillatoria is motile and moves by the means of microfibrils. They move in a gliding motion and tend to use this mobility to move towards light. Its gliding motion has a unique feature though, it moves in a oscillatory motion.https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Oscillatoria

Your question has motivated me to learn more about their mechanism of movement - I will search some science publications.

Good observation.
RB

[DonSchaeffer]

Thanks very much. It's wonderful to feel my brain fill up. I'm like a child with this microscope. There were some very long worms in this mush though. They really looked like worms to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjvI9h6c5RA