Possibly a Collotheca sp.
Body length, to base of tail, 0.3 mm; flash
Olympus 40x S Plan Apo in brightfield
Olympus 40x S Plan in PC
both with 2.5x NFK projection eyepiece.
NUM10084 NUM10085
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
Thanks Charles and Mitch.
Mitch: I think those long spines are setae that perhaps help direct the food; the cilia would be much shorter and just visible between the 'peaks'.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
I'm not really sure what the proper nomenclature is for the long radiating structures. I've seen them referred to as "setae" as well as (perhaps more frequently) cilia. They are not really stiff, just extended very straight and motionless while "hunting". On contact with potential food they can show extreme whip-like flexibility and mobility (also seen when the creature "pulls in" when it feels threatened).
It's amazing how "independently" they can operate. When observed you can often see just a few "whip" inwardly when a small particle comes into contact, apparently to get it into position to be ingested.
Perhaps Michel (aka "Verolet") or another rotifer "specialist" could provide a more definitive answer.
(Probably acceptable either way, I just think of setae as stiff bristles)
That first video is pretty impressive. Aside from the quality, that Stentor seemed to be using a lure, like a scent, to draw the bugs into the mouth area.