Micrasterias

[lagoonatic]

looking in the canal today

micrasterias.jpg (162.69 KiB) Viewed 1648 times

Amscope T660 / MU503

[Rossf]

Haven’t seen these in real life yet lagoonatic -any microbe that is mirrored like that is so visually interesting-do these move around or just rely on water movements?
Regards ross

[MicroBob]

Hi,
this looks like the outer skin of a dead one to me. In my area demids are less common than they were some decades ago, but in certain places a nie varyity can be found.
We have a desmid photo collection online, for comparison or just to have a look at other species: https://nwv-hamburg.de/sammlung-algen-m ... midiaceen/

Bob

[lagoonatic]

Haven’t seen these in real life yet lagoonatic -any microbe that is mirrored like that is so visually interesting-do these move around or just rely on water movements?
Regards ross

Hi Ross - They can move slowly gliding - this one, as Bob pointed out, appears dead. Actually not surprising as the water quality in that drainage canal isn't exactly stellar and most desmids prefer clean water. I was looking for various cyanobacteria (there was tons of Anabaena) when this guy just jumped out - HUGE next to the cyanos and, as you said, visually interesting.

[lagoonatic]

Hi,
this looks like the outer skin of a dead one to me. In my area demids are less common than they were some decades ago, but in certain places a nie varyity can be found.
We have a desmid photo collection online, for comparison or just to have a look at other species: https://nwv-hamburg.de/sammlung-algen-m ... midiaceen/

Bob

Hi Bob - I have been looking through that photo collection - it is fantastic.
I think you are right about this one being dead - desmids are uncommon in residential drainage canals here - about the only ones I expect are Closterium, and these days even they are far and few between because of runoff combined with current drought conditions causing fairly unfavorable water chemistry.