Golenkinia

[Bernd]

For several months now a water-bloom of green algae of the genus Golenkinia is dominating the microscopic life in my garden pond.



The solitary, spherical, and nonmotile cells of this species are 10 – 20 µm in diameter and covered by many slender, radiating spikes, which are 40 -60 µm long. These spikes, which are sometimes difficult to see using brightfield illumination, apparently prevent Golenkinia from being eaten by other microorganisms. Since the onset of the water-bloom, the number of ciliates and rotatoria in my garden pond has severely declined. A number of Golenkinia cells dried on the microscope slide are shown in picture (C) to better demonstrate the number and size of the spikes. Despite several attempts, up to now I did not manage to find and photograph any Golenkinia cells undergoing reproduction. Maybe, Golenkinia reproduces in the second half of the night? At the lower left of picture (A) there is an empty sporangium.

Zeiss Axioskop; (A) & (C): Plan-Neofluar 40x/0,75; (B) Plan-Neofluar 100x/1,30 Oil; brightfield illumination; Canon Powershot G5.

Bernd

[beetleman]

Wonderful shots Bernd. Pic "C" does do a real good job of showing the spikes. I can see where it might get cought in the throat Is it a natural bloom, or did something unbalance your pond like increased nutrients or hot weather?

[Charles Krebs]

Bernd... very clear, fine shots of a very small specimen. The spikes in image B show you obtained super resolution with the 100X. This type of thing (the fine spikes) is difficult to image. Good work!