Volvox

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:11 pm

Well I have my power back and have heat but no new shots through the microscope. So I am uploading a few from this past fall that I had ready but never posted.

Watching Volvox move around in darkfield is a mesmerizing experience. Hard to do it justice in 2-dimensions, but still beautiful.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:28 am

Yes darkfield has given volvox a unique "other world" beauty, rather more reminiscent of the ocean depths than a microscope slide.

I assume that the volvox at right is a daughter colony in the process of "being born". What happens to the parent colony after all the kids have left home - does it re-seal and carry on developing more daughter colonies - or does it die?

Bruce

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:13 am

Great shot Charlie! Glad to read that things are starting to get back to normal.

bernhardinho · Post by **bernhardinho** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:18 am

Hi Bruce,

the parental cell falls apart and dies, that is what makes Volvox so special in the world of protists (and life in general): it's the first time in evolution an organism has to face the fact that it's life is not endless!

Bernhard

Kite · Post by **Kite** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:12 am

once the mother colony splits it cannot rejoin and just dies.

I love volvox and darkfeild, I saw a lovely scene involving 3 colonies of volvox including daughter colonies inside

they were stuck together and stuck to a bit of dirt on the microscope slide, it just looked so serene.

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:26 am

Very nice, Charles!

It looks like a fireworks show.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 5:01 am

Beautiful glow and a wonderful looking photo Charles.