Looking for ID: unknown gliding organism, microalgae culture

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Hi All,

Been searching the internet and various books for an organism that I've been calling "tadpole-glider". It does change shape from tadpole to spherical. When it is in motion, the movement is relatively slow but steady, always dragging its tail behind.

Anyone have any ideas on ID?

Thanks,
Josh

PS: Tried uploading photo, actually wanted to upload three, but can't tell if it "took". Will try a second time.

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Still trying to upload photos (preferably three with same email). Looks like first one did not go; trying again.

Thanks,
Josh

No luck. Upload picture button does not respond at all; any advice?[/img]

[Pau]

Hi Josh

Please take a look at: our Image Hosting Procedures
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?p=10#10

Be careful to upload the images within the maximum dimensions (1024X1024) and file size (300Kb) allowed. The forum software can redimensionate the image in some cases but is much better to do it yourself before uploading.

And don't forget to push the button "send" and then "insert picture and upload another one" even if it's the last one or "insert picture: standard"

[rjlittlefield]

Josh, when the "Upload picture" button does not respond at all, it usually means that either 1) your browser is set to not allow popup windows from photomacrography.net, or 2) the window titled "UploadPic" has gotten hidden behind other windows.

In your case I'm guessing the problem is (2) -- the UploadPic window is hidden. (Unfortunately pressing "Upload picture" will not pop the UploadPic window to foreground if it is currently hidden.)

The simplest way to recover from (2) is to find the UploadPic window on your taskbar and pop it to foreground. If that doesn't work, exit and relaunch your browser.

Gory detailed step-by-step instructions for uploading pictures are written at http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7. There are a couple of places where it's very easy to go wrong, so be sure to follow the instructions point by point.

I hope this helps!

--Rik

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Thanks Rik and Pau; will give it another try. Josh

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Trying to get the photos uploaded after advice from Rik and Pau.

Josh





By George I think I've got it!

Thanks for the help guys,
Josh

[phil m]

Where did you acquire them?

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Hi Phil,

Interesting wording!

I work for a algae biotech company called Heliae, in Gilbert, AZ. I can't give you specifics, other than to say that I see the "tadpole gliders" from time to time in some of our large scale greenhouse cultures (fresh water).

I don't know if they are an intermediate stage for something else I have not yet been able to connect to. Thus far, they seem harmless, which is my main concern. I'm compiling a training guide for our lab techs who do a lot of our microscopy on a daily basis, and I like to try to get scientific names whenever I can, although my descriptive names are very useful.

This particular best has stumped me.

Thanks,
Josh

[René]

Hi Josh. As nobody dared to reply, I'll give it a try. These little critters are terrible to place, so I could be miles off. But your first image gives some good details, so tentatively I would place it in the Apusomonadida.

From Adl ea (2012):

Gliding cells; dorsal cell membrane is underlain by thin theca comprising two dense layers, and extending as lateral flanges that delimit a broad ventral region from which pseudopodia develop; with two heterodynamic cilia – the anterior cilium enclosed by sleeve-like extension of flanges to form a proboscis and the posterior cilium lying within the ventral region; tubular mitochondrial cristae; bacterivorous. Amastigomonas, Apusomonas, Manchomonas, Multimonas, Podomonas, Thecamonas. Note 13.

You could try to contact 'Paddy' Patterson. He's quite accessible and would enjoy your posting, although I don't know his most recent address. Bruce might know.

Best wishes, René

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Hi Rene,

Just got in so will do a bit of searching on line. Is it possible to upload videos to this site? I'm pretty sure I have some of these beasts taken at the same times from which I shot some of the photos I uploaded.

Bactiriovores are always welcome; helps keep things under control.

Thanks for your help, I'll let you know what I find, and will certainly contact Paddy if Bruce chimes in with his address.

Regards,
Josh

[Pau]

Is it possible to upload videos to this site?

No, but you're welcome to post a link to hosting sites like youtube or vimeo

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Thanks.

[carlos.uruguay]

It seems Cercomonas

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Thanks Carlos. I've watched this organism for quite a while on the scope and there has never been any indication of an anterior-facing flagella. Doesn't mean it's not there, just that I haven't seen it.

Not saying it's not Cercomonas, just doesn't quite seem to fit the bill.

Josh

[josh.wilkenfeld]

Hi Carlos,

Have this flag also, which looks much more like Cercomonas. Thought you'd like to see it. Scale is in lower right hand corner. Haven't figured out how to size down the pictures yet.

Josh

Josh