What is this

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Tom
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:40 pm

What is this

#1 Post by Tom » Fri Nov 13, 2020 11:35 pm

the water sample came from a runoff swell in my front yard. Can someone tell me what this is?
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Plasmid
Posts: 566
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 5:34 am
Location: North GA
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Re: What is this

#2 Post by Plasmid » Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:28 am

.......the stuff of nightmares. :) an Ostracod

Tom
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:40 pm

Re: What is this

#3 Post by Tom » Sun Nov 15, 2020 12:03 am

Thank you much. I will read up on it.

Red_Green
Posts: 126
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:38 pm

Re: What is this

#4 Post by Red_Green » Wed Apr 14, 2021 2:18 am

Springtail (Collembola).

eward1897
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 4:49 am

Re: What is this

#5 Post by eward1897 » Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:33 pm

The above suggestions are reasonable but I think you found an amphipod. Your specimen is balled up as the water dries and contracts around it, but details of the body shape, eye, antennae and legs look like exactly like an amphipod.

Amphipods are a group of marine and freshwater crustaceans related to shrimp and crabs. Amphipod bodies are flattened from side to side and are sometimes called sideswimmers or scuds by fishermen. The ones I find in ponds, puddles, streams and lakes in Minnesota are typically about 2 to 12mm long. Yours might be in the genus Gammarus (that doesn't narrow it down a lot as there are over 200 species in the genus).
2019-07-17 2 week old Lake Byllesby, amphipods, 2,5-20X including #1742 10 Ph (4).jpg
2019-07-17 2 week old Lake Byllesby, amphipods, 2,5-20X including #1742 10 Ph (4).jpg (101.09 KiB) Viewed 2111 times
2019-09-22 fresh Lake Byllesby, amphipod, algae (10) 4X polar-DF enhanced.jpg
2019-09-22 fresh Lake Byllesby, amphipod, algae (10) 4X polar-DF enhanced.jpg (145.38 KiB) Viewed 2111 times
The above arthropods are photographed through a 4X objective and are about 2 annd 3 mm long. If you have learned darkfield illumination amphipods are fun because you can watch their clear blood circulate, and like many other arthropods colorful polar views bring out the muscles.

Keep looking in the water. There are many wonders in there.

Red_Green
Posts: 126
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:38 pm

Re: What is this

#6 Post by Red_Green » Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:41 am

You can't see much of it's legs in the original pic which throws it off.

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