Strange (and big) ciliate

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NachoBen
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Strange (and big) ciliate

#1 Post by NachoBen » Tue Feb 14, 2023 9:43 pm

Hello, I need some help about this microorganism.



As you can see, it is a large ciliate with slow movements. I've thought of Lembadion or some contracted form of Spirostomum, but I'm not sure.

Thank you very much for any help or advice.

WesPau
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Re: Strange (and big) ciliate

#2 Post by WesPau » Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:23 am

It could be some species from the genus bursaria. Those usually have a large opening that works as a mouth, but I did see an opening in it that resembled bursaria. This may not be correct, though.

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NachoBen
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Re: Strange (and big) ciliate

#3 Post by NachoBen » Tue Feb 21, 2023 11:49 am

Thanks a lot for your help, WesPau.

A few days after submitting this post, I myself thought of Bursaria, but later I found authentic Bursaria in samples from the same place, and they are quite different from this organism.

I have been suggested that it could be a Frontonia, a large Frontonia, indeed. But it doesn't seem likely to me either.

One more mystery to solve...


WesPau wrote:
Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:23 am
It could be some species from the genus bursaria. Those usually have a large opening that works as a mouth, but I did see an opening in it that resembled bursaria. This may not be correct, though.

Bruce Taylor
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Re: Strange (and big) ciliate

#4 Post by Bruce Taylor » Tue Feb 21, 2023 1:48 pm

It is clearly not Frontonia. It has a very large buccal cavity, but is oddly shaped. I would suspect a damaged or malformed bursariid (since you fond Bursaria in the same water).

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NachoBen
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Re: Strange (and big) ciliate

#5 Post by NachoBen » Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:06 pm

Thank you once again, Bruce!

Sure Squintsalot
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Re: Strange (and big) ciliate

#6 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Tue Feb 21, 2023 9:11 pm

Cool video!
Where did that sample come from?

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NachoBen
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Re: Strange (and big) ciliate

#7 Post by NachoBen » Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:55 am

Thank you, Sure Squinsalot.

The sample is from an almost seasonal pond (it shrinks a lot in summer) called "Charca (pond) del Conejero", near the historical city of Cáceres, Spain. In fact, the pond is a little reservoir dammed up to water the cattle.

Since the system won't let me attach a KMZ file, these are the coordinates of the exact sampled point to be entered in Google Earth:

39°28'22.02"N,6°24'54.33"W

Regards,

NachoBen



Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Tue Feb 21, 2023 9:11 pm
Cool video!
Where did that sample come from?

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