Stumped on this one inside a lorica

[macnmotion]

This is a freshwater sample that has exploded with various stentor, rotifer, platycola, vorticella and more. The platycolas I've seen to this point are in egg-shaped loricas and are much shorter than this. The rotifers are much smaller as well, and I've never seen a rotifer in a lorica. However, the eggs here seem to look like rotifer eggs I've seen. Many stentors in this sample have been as long as whatever these things are, but again I've never seen one in a lorica.

I first saw these using a 10x objective and thought it was a rotifer living inside a piece of algae with its eggs behind it. However upon closer inspection I could clearly see that whatever it was, it was as long as the entire tube, and I could see it move and contract all the way to the bottom. I also saw one (I believe) motile. All of these 10x objective views are in this video.

I then switched to my 40x oil. It was difficult getting certain parts in focus due to limited DOF but hopefully there is enough detail to help identify what this is. Any ID is appreciated.

[Dennis]

macnmotion,

I am not an ID man (well learned) but that looks to me like several species in the tube. The one to me must be a rotifer. ??

[tlansing]

This is a rotifer, possibly Beauchampia. The oblong objects in the tube are rotifer eggs.

[macnmotion]

This is a rotifer, possibly Beauchampia. The oblong objects in the tube are rotifer eggs.

It seems that's exactly what it is. Thanks. I've seen rotifer eggs before, and these looked just like them, but had never seen such an elongated rotifer in a tube before. Based on this drop of water, I'll have a lot of these in my water sample soon.

[WWWW]

I came up with another name: Limnias melicerta, that has the same rings on the house.

[tlansing]

On closer inspection, I agree with WWWW that this rotifer is Limnias melicerta.

[macnmotion]

Thanks wwww and tlansing for the corrected ID. I've edited the video and added some additional information throughout for my non-microscopy friends

[WWWW]

Here a short video of Beauchampia: https://youtu.be/-eRbbcEDMZg

[macnmotion]

Here a short video of Beauchampia: https://youtu.be/-eRbbcEDMZg

That's very cool. I wish I had that in my sample too.