I spent some time chasing these awesome microbes. They glide through the water with such smooth and beautiful movements, it really is fascinating to see how they live.
Does anyone know the names of these microbes? The second one in particular is truly spectacular.
https://youtu.be/C0bEIQuVJ7Y
Fascinating Microbes found in a Pond
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- Robert Berdan
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Re: Fascinating Microbes found in a Pond
Hi - the long ciliates you photographed are Spirostomum sp - I see them often and there are several species. They are magnificent to watch.
So are many other creatures like Tardigrades, rotifers, amoeba, desmids etc.
Cheers
RB
So are many other creatures like Tardigrades, rotifers, amoeba, desmids etc.
Cheers
RB
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Re: Fascinating Microbes found in a Pond
Hi Robert! The very long ciliates in this video are not Spirostomum, but various species of marine karyorelicteans (this is a saltwater sample, and these are typical "marine interstitial" critters). The first is likely Kentrophoros, or something similar, and the very long ones we see later in the video are from the family Trachelocercidae (Trachelocerca, Tracheloraphis, etc.). The shorter ciliate that comes up second is probably Anigsteinia clarissima (a marine relative of Blepharisma), and the fourth is a small litonotid (Litonotus, etc.). Near the end we see a nematode, and some other kind of worm.Robert Berdan wrote: ↑Sat Apr 01, 2023 4:07 pmHi - the long ciliates you photographed are Spirostomum sp - I see them often and there are several species.
Cheers
RB
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