Heliozoa?

Linden.g · Post by **Linden.g** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 7:25 pm

Not really sure what this is but it does look like a sun. 100x Olympus Achromat with DIC flash

jc maccagno · Post by **jc maccagno** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:12 pm

Nice picture

This is Acanthocystis turfica the green sun animalcule..green because of symbiotic algae

All the best

John

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:04 am

I have seen the other kind of Heliozoa. I guess this one doesn't need to eat meat, with those algae symbiont's. Are the spines just used as protection? The forked ends would keep anything they catch from sliding down to the center, although if they use the juices the other kind does to dissolve prey, it wouldn't matter.

Here's another one posted by NU.

jc maccagno · Post by **jc maccagno** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:18 pm

To my knowedge this organism feeds on other organisms like the rest of the heliozoids. The zoochlorellae live within the organism in symbiosis. They are either free loaders or more likely they assist the heliozoid in digestion etc.

john

Linden.g · Post by **Linden.g** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:21 pm

Thanks for the ID John. I think taking images is much easier than finding out the ID's

Linden

Heliozoa?

Heliozoa?

Heliozoid

heliozoid