is this the dinoflagellat Pyrocystis noctiluca ?

Franz Neidl · Post by **Franz Neidl** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 2:51 pm

Two days ago I found in the seaplankton this alga. It had the form of an almost transparent ball with a diameter from 400 µm. Could it be the vegetative cyst of the dinoflagellat Pyrocystis noctiluca?

a stack with 3 pictures, Obj. 10x DIC

Franz

Jan Kros · Post by **Jan Kros** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 2:43 am

hello Franz
this is Noctiluca miliaris.
greetins
Jan

Franz Neidl · Post by **Franz Neidl** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 5:25 am

Hello Jan,

thank you for your answer. I too was thinking on Noctiluca miliaris (= N. scintillans). But I can't believe it because I coud'nt see in 3 specimens from it a ventral groove with a flagellum in it.

Franz

BJ · Post by BJ » Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:13 am

Hi,

my vote is for Pyrocystis noctiluca. If the cell is more or less spherical and you could find no groove or tentacle after looking carefully at 3 specimens, I do not think it can be Noctiluca.

BTW - nice photo as usual - thank you!

Brian