Oligochaetes worms + ID needed, please :-)

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Dusko
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Oligochaetes worms + ID needed, please :-)

Post by Dusko »

Image

ASA 400, Flash used directly (with no angle) against BLACK background to get a nice back-light, otherwise appears dark. Cropped, sharpened in Photoshop.

Hi again :)
Today I discovered lots of approx. 3mm long worms on my aquarium front glass. I took my Canon 300 D and using my DIY Macro method did this photo above. I think it might be one of the Oligochaetes spp. (it is not the Oligochaete Chaetochaster diastrophus photographed by Wim van Egmond , that one I had in the past)

The second photo is the cropped part of the first one, that I need an ID for.
If any one has an idea what that less than 1/3 mm organism is (the one with the question mark :wink: ), please reply, I will very much appreciate it :)
I was researching a bit. Is it maybe the protozoa :? http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/moviegaller ... index.html

Video; could be this one


Image

Kind regards, Dusko.

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Some interesting photographs Dusko, though these are shot with a reversed lens, they are bordering on microscopy. :roll: The aquatic worm my indeed be a Chaetogaster, I base my identification from the book "Pond Life," A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press, Copyright 2001 by George K. Reid, IBSN 1-58238-130-5 The seta are quite long on the one you have in the photograph, than the one referenced in the guide, it could be that it is just a different species.

As for the large organism that you have marked with a :?: . Some protozoans can get quite large; large enough to be bearly visible to the naked eye, though no details can be seen. Without microscopic examination to be sure, I can only guess that this might be Belpharisma spp (spp=meaning many species). Belpharisma is among the few protists that can get very large and the shape of the one you have photographed is similar. Thanks Dusko :D

Wim van Egmond
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Post by Wim van Egmond »

The bigger one is indeed an Oligochaete. The small one is hard to tell from this small image. Perhaps the way it locomotes could give a clue?

Wim

Wim van Egmond
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Post by Wim van Egmond »

Now I look at it a bit longer, it could be a ciliate like Loxophyllum! It looks like it has a string of nucleï inside.

Wim

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Wim Commented:
Now I look at it a bit longer, it could be a ciliate like Loxophyllum! It looks like it has a string of nucleï inside
Quite possible Wim, never noticed that. :wink:

Dusko
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Post by Dusko »

Thank you Wim van Egmond for the ID.
Yes Ken, I had a doubt where to post this; in the macro close-up or microscopy :lol:
But it is made with a reversed lens so...I guess I am on the right place.
The small one is hard to tell from this small image. Perhaps the way it locomotes could give a clue?
To be honest I didn't notice that organism until I saw the actual photo. It is impossible to see it through the shaking lens with no extra light. I use only one flash that comes with the camera (integrated). Very low-tech :wink:

Today I did something different, to get a better pic quality.
I put the 70-200mm Canon lens on to the camera (normally, not reversed) and then connected on that lens the Sigma 24-70mm (reversed)
The 70-200mm was on 70mm, and the 24-70mm (reversed) was on 24mm. Both lenses are on infinity focus. 400 ASA , aperture 5.6, exp.1/60 sec. Direct flash. Photoshop; crop, sharpened, contrast.
And here is what I got;

The same kind of Oligochaete that has something inside the body, brownish diatom maybe? :?
Image

This second shot shows two worms probably sexing/dividing.
Image

On this last photo I captured, what I believe it is, a flat worm (not more than 1.5mm). It is a very fast glider. You will notice beside it, there is again this organism in question (Loxophyllum).

EDIT; I did some research on ciliate and found this. It does look like my organism in question; Dileptus ciliate
Any thoughts?

Image

Thanks again for responds.
Kind regards, Dusko.

Wim van Egmond
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Post by Wim van Egmond »

That is a flatworm! The picture you are reffering to is not of Dileptus. The maker of that picture has misidentified it. It is a Loxophyllum. You can identify it buy the tufts of cilia on one side. There are several similar ciliates. Your organism could also be Homalozoon or Loxodes. I have to see it more detailed.

I will post a Loxoplyllum in the micro forum , o.k?

I think you should post these images in the microforum because that is visited by people who observe these subjects and may give you more feedback!

And of course you should look for a microscope!!! It is great fun to see these organisms in closer detail!

Wim

Wim

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

I do agree with Wim, this should be posted under microscopy because you would probalby get responses from members who actively pursue the study of these type organisms. The first and second images are of the Oligochaete, Aeolosomas. In the second image, what you have is indeed the worm in the reproductive state. This is state is known as "paratomical fission," where a new head is formed in the middle of the organism and will soon break away from the parent leaving it with a new tail and the other,new, Aeolosomas will swim away. At first from your previous images I thought that this was a Chaetogaster judging from the shape of the head but the long seta confused me, it wasn't until you posted these images that it dawned on me that it was most probably Aeolosomas.

I am going to move this thread over to the microscopy section since the subject matter tends to be more towards that particular field. Thanks Dusko. :D

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