Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

Here you can post pictures and videos to show others.
Post Reply
Message
Author
Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#1 Post by Javier » Wed Oct 06, 2021 2:42 pm

I found an interesting specimen yesterday. I think it might be an Actinosphaerium capturing but finally releasing a flagellate (some kind of Euglenoid, I think). I speeded up the part of the video when the flagellate touches the cell membrane of the Heliozoo. Many technical details went wrong when shooting the video, but I find the register interesting nevertheless.

Video details:

Amscope b120 and iPhone 5s. DF 100 and 200 x. BF 400x.

Regards,
Javier.

Last edited by Javier on Wed Oct 06, 2021 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

smollerthings
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:10 pm

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#2 Post by smollerthings » Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:11 pm

Nice video. This is so cinematic, it has a Star Wars vibe. :) I particularly like from 0:35 with the slow advancing Heliozoa (how did you do it, was it moving by itself?). Very dramatic

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#3 Post by Javier » Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:46 pm

Thank you!

The specimen was moving itself. Note, though, that that section is speeded up to 4x, therefore the movement is more evident.

It is kind of dramatic indeed. It might make a good candidate for my little Micro Music project.

Lomonaut
Posts: 100
Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2018 5:30 pm

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#4 Post by Lomonaut » Wed Oct 06, 2021 9:17 pm

Or Star Trek: 'fascinating' ;)

Well done!

Bruce Taylor
Posts: 986
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:34 am

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#5 Post by Bruce Taylor » Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:22 pm

Very pretty! It does look like Actinosphaerium.

Francisco
Posts: 625
Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 11:23 pm

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#6 Post by Francisco » Thu Oct 07, 2021 7:19 am

Very nice

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#7 Post by Javier » Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:28 pm

Many thanks, Bruce, Lomonaut, and Francisco for your feedback!

DonSchaeffer
Posts: 3274
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:06 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#8 Post by DonSchaeffer » Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:54 am

Amazing images.How bjg was that thing?

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#9 Post by Javier » Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:05 pm

Thank you, Don.

The specimen was really big, but I can't estimate its size. I got to getter better on that subject!

User avatar
josmann
Posts: 340
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2021 1:23 am
Location: San Jose, CA

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#10 Post by josmann » Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:28 am

Very cool! I saw an interesting specimen the other day - a little sphere full of green stuff. It didn't look like any algae I had seen and, sure enough, when I switched to oil immersion, I could see the signature axopodia of a heliozoan. Looks like its primary diet was algae or photosynthetic bacteria. I haven't seen any this big, though, nor have I actually seen one eat anything! Great footage.
The highest quality live-streamed microscopy in the world.
Sundays around 8PST: https://www.youtube.com/@diettoms/streams
Occasionally (for now): https://www.twitch.tv/diettoms

Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/FgpUUnJaSE

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#11 Post by Javier » Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:52 am

josmann wrote:
Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:28 am
Very cool! I saw an interesting specimen the other day - a little sphere full of green stuff. It didn't look like any algae I had seen and, sure enough, when I switched to oil immersion, I could see the signature axopodia of a heliozoan. Looks like its primary diet was algae or photosynthetic bacteria. I haven't seen any this big, though, nor have I actually seen one eat anything! Great footage.
Cool! Note, though, that some colonial algae are rounded and each alga has flagella to move around. They look like tinny dancing tentacles moving around the algae.

User avatar
Wes
Posts: 1027
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:58 pm

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#12 Post by Wes » Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:03 am

Nicely documented!
Zeiss Photomicroscope III BF/DF/Pol/Ph/DIC/FL/Jamin-Lebedeff
Youtube channel

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#13 Post by Javier » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:18 pm

Thank you, Wes. I find that, despite the humble equipment or technique, microscopy offers, even to the newbies, chances to document interesting events.

User avatar
Wes
Posts: 1027
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2019 12:58 pm

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#14 Post by Wes » Thu Oct 21, 2021 3:25 pm

Javier wrote:
Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:18 pm
Thank you, Wes. I find that, despite the humble equipment or technique, microscopy offers, even to the newbies, chances to document interesting events.
Absolutely agree! Sure fancy equipment might produce some interesting results but in the end its the specimen and its preparation that count the most. If I had to choose one technique that doesn't set you back hundreds or even thousands of dollars/euro/whatever I'd say its darkfield, really nice for pond life as you nicely show here.
Zeiss Photomicroscope III BF/DF/Pol/Ph/DIC/FL/Jamin-Lebedeff
Youtube channel

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Heliozoo - possible Actinosphaerium - feeding

#15 Post by Javier » Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:37 pm

Yes, DF is very beautiful!

Post Reply