Star Shaped Bacteria? ID Requested

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:53 am

I was going to say snowflake, but that's being used right now.

I have always seen one or two of these things floating around in my water drop samples, but never very many. They are small enough to fit in the mouth of a Vorticella, just barely.

Today, in a drop from the new aquarium, I found the sample to be very crowded with them. They were everywhere. Just wondered if anyone knew what they were, since I have never found an ID for them online. Unfortunately, the images are the usual dismal quality, but they should be recognizable.

These were moving in a current in the drop of water, maybe from heat from the light. 40x, 2.5x Projector lens.

This was taken after the sample had dried. One of the few objects that seem to retain their shape after they dry out. 40x, 2.5x Projector lens.

René · Post by **René** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 4:20 am

Pretty common, Mitch, it's Planctomyces. With oil immersion you can clearly detect budding on the end of the arms, sometimes even in chains.
Indeed bacterial.

Best wishes, Rene

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 4:29 am

Thanks Rene. I was just guessing at bacteria, so if I got it right, it means I am learning something.

Very odd that I have only seen a few of them up until now. I took the sample by using a pipette to suck water and scum off of some plant leaves in my aquarium. Possibly they like to be attached rather than free floating. I will go Google Planctomyces now for more information.