Arcella conjugation?

[Free2Fish]

Just a guess, hadn’t seen this before. Watched the process for quite a while but nothing changed.

https://youtu.be/ayLEhFxMg-E?feature=shared

[jackieone]

Mysterious and fascinating!

Never saw that before, so many thanks for sharing.

BTW, what are those swimming little sticks in the background? I see them all the time, but I can't find what they are...

[Free2Fish]

I believe they’re Cyanobacteria.

[Javier]

Wow, very interesting. Very nice capture!

[cuxlander]

Hello,

Interesting, looks like a division of Arcella hemisphaerica or Antarcella atava. Both around 50 µm wide.

Cheers,
Hans

[Free2Fish]

Thanks for the ID Hans, appreciate it. Had another couple making out, this time another species.



Cheers, Harry

[cuxlander]

Hello Harry,

These are Netzelia tuberculata.

I have elaborated 2 frames from your video.
The left image shows the epipodia, with which the body is attached to the shell(left ) and the shape of the shell with depressions (the right one on the left image).

If the two blobs in the right hand one are nuclei, it's Arcella hemisphaerica. A. atava only have one nucleus.

Sizes would help with identification.

Cheers,
Hans

[Free2Fish]

Thanks again Hans, very appreciative of your ID. Makes the hobby so much more enjoyable when you know who you’re looking at! I’ve found a still taken of the dividing pair and taken some measurements off there. Length of the individual lower left is 53 mm while the height is 35mm.