More Macrostomum rubrocintum! I captured their reddish magenta pigment this time. Also, what I believe is their penis stylet? I gave it a good squish so they'd stay put.
Cohnilembus verminus (O. F. Müller, 1786) from an increasingly putrid 5 day old sample taken from the coarse sand intratidal benthos of marine extuary Acabonac Harbor at Louse Point launching ramp. A shiny thin biofilm developed on the surface of the specimen container due to putrefaction of a small marine snail and some algal clumps that were left to rot giving rise to several saprobic species. As mentioned by Song (2000), C. verminus shows great variation in size and this is reflected in my sample with individuals ranging from 37.5 um up to 75 um. I find the membranelles mesmerizing and extraordinarily delicate.
Genus Cohnilembus Kahl, 1931; Cohnilembus verminus (O. F. Müller, 1786) Syn. Lembus punctatus Kahl, 1928; Lembus reesi Kahl, 1931.
"Description. Size highly variable, in vivo 40-130 x 6-20 µm, depending evidently on population rather than nutrition state: in one population mostly more than 100 µm in length, while in others seldom over 80 µm. Length: width in slender population about 7-10:1, in thick populations ca 5-6:1. Outline basically very slender, spindle-shaped or fusiform with anterior portion considerably narrowed and tapering, both ends pointed. Cross section circular, yet in starved (?) specimens much flattened (likely bilaterally) so that the cells sometimes make a fold-up or twisted appearance. Buccal field narrow, about 2/5 to over 1/2 of body length. Pellicle smooth. Extrusomes spindle-like, about 1 µm long, sparsely arranged beneath pellicle, which are recognised from life only at high magnification" (1).
"Cytoplasm colourless and hyaline, always containing several to many large (2-4 µm across), shining greenish granules. Food vacuoles large and few in number, containing possibly bacterial. Contractile vacuole small, located caudally or slightly subcaudally near ventral margin of cell with frequent pulsation (about several seconds intervals). Macronucleus large, elongate to oval in shape, centrally located with many to numerous nucleoli, which are often irregular-shaped after protargol impregnation. Single micronucleus close to macronucleus" (1).
"Cilia more or less sparsely arranged, 7 to 10 µm in length, single caudal cilium about 15 µm long. Cilia of membrane/ membranelles about 12-15 µm in length. Movement not very active, swimming snake-like or slightly zig-zag, moderately fast; in culture usually motionless for a long time or gathered together on sediment (food) as shown in Fig. 4 B. When disturbed, swimming for a short distance and then motionless again" (1).
"Somatic kineties longitudinal, extending over entire length of body. Unlike in most other scuticociliates, among these “mixed” kineties each composed of often only a few to several dikinetids at anterior end, while in most portion with monokinetids. Along buccal field, kinety left of oral area (SKn) membranelle-like, consisting of densely arranged paired basal bodies, adjacent to membranelle" (1).
"Buccal apparatus highly specialized. Membranelle 1 (M1) occupying about 4/5 of buccal length, one-rowed in most portion; its posterior portion splitting into 3 groups, each with 3 basal bodies. Most part of M1 adjacent to densely-ciliated kinety n (SKn), both of which form together the prominent “undulating membranes”. Membranelle 2 and 3 close to M1, relatively small and each with about 5-8 basal bodies. Paroral membrane (PM) on right of shallow buccal cavity, short and gently curved, extending anteriorly to about level of M2; its anterior half one-rowed, posterior with zig-zag structure. Scutica (Sc) Y-shaped, consisting of about 3 pairs of basal bodies" (1).
"As revealed in previous work, this species appear very much size- and shape-variable and may exhibit rather different appearances in vivo, but after impregnation, all share the same patterns of the silverline system and infraciliature (Kahl 1931; Borror 1963; Thompson 1964, 1968; Jones 1974; Foissner 1976; Foissner et al. 1982; Ströder 1991, master thesis; Hu et al. 1996). Based on the body shape and the general appearance from life, two marine slender Lembus-species described by Kahl, L. punctatus Kahl, 1928 and L. reesi Kahl, 1931 should be compared. The former has a narrowed posterior end (similar to the thicker form of the Qingdao population) with relatively shorter buccal field. Considering the fact that the body shape of Cohnilembus verminus is highly population-dependent, it is reasonable to come to the conclusion that Kahl’s L. punctatus represents only a form-variation and should be thus conspecific with the former. Lembus reesi is characterized by the distinctly smaller cell size (ca 30 µm long) as described originally (Kahl 1931). However, the minimum size of some starving cells of the Qingdao-population could be-during culture-only 30-40 µm long, therefore, Lembus reesi should be possibly synonymized with Cohnilembus verminus" (1).
This little guy hitchhiked on my backpack onto the bus, so I caught him in my first aid kit and brought him home! Don’t worry, I’ll set him free, I just wanna observe him for a bit
Observed 12 days after sampling, stored in jar in window
Puddle in wet meadow
Magnification of photo: 400×
Habitat: very dark, muddy sludge near the edge of a pond.
Photo taken with a Celestron PentaView Digital Microscope. According to their website, the FOV (i.e. the diagonal width) at 400× is 150 µm.
https://www.celestron.com/blogs/knowledgebase/what-is-my-digital-microscopes-field-of-view
Water sample taken from the edge of a stagnate freshwater playa on 2023-07-17 using a turkey baster.
A female with female offspring waiting to emerge.
Water sample taken from the edge of a stagnate freshwater playa on 2023-07-17 using a turkey baster.
Description of images:
250x , 400x + phone zoom : that good ole new jersey salt marsh sample i have shut tight on my desk
Eggs only
I am thinking more conica than gibbosa.
https://arcella.nl/arcella-conica/
From a small depression pond/boggy area. Collected February 20, 2022. 400x Highly motile with one visible polar flagellum. Mostly moving in swift, looping movements.
Mag. 400x
As seen here https://arcella.nl/trinema-enchelys.
250x+zoom :: coral aquarium filter
Water sample (freshwater) was taken on 07/10/2022 using a 10µm dip net to enrich for microorganisms.
Water Temp. 26°C
Water sample (freshwater) was taken on 07/10/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.
Water Temp. 28°C
Length: >800µm
Although from a different sample than the observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/125250373, I think this is the same species. Here I was able to conclude that this individual has three toes. The sample was taken at the same location.
All images are of the same individual (and her daughter).
1000x + phonezoom. Saltwater marsh sample that has been closed on my desk, accumulating algae for months. Super super fast, spins as it swims & can swim backwards! Weird. The jar isn’t too biodiverse anymore, a few tiny flagellates and ciliates, nematodes, and of course an abundance of algae, fungi & methane-producing anaerobic bacteria. When I popped the jar open, it made a hiss & my partner asked, “did you fart???”
Mag. 100x (1), 400x (2)
Bryozoan survival and proliferation "pod":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statoblast --and-- http://www.bryozoans.nl/statoblasts/en/statoblast_intro.html
Water sample (freshwater) was taken on 05/29/2022 using a 10 micron dip net to enrich for microorganisms.
Water Temp. 21°C
Salinity: 0
Ph: 7.5
Last image shows the organism shown in 3 & 4 after it separated from the suctoria.
~3.5mm. Microphotography is 100X-250X. Marine, from my little invert aquarium. Unfortunately I don’t know if it’s from the aquarium store’s coral filter, or from the Jersey shore, because I put both those samples in there, but I didn’t see these guys in my Cape May samples & I put way less in there so. Probably from the aquarium store. Still!! I tried to squish it to get pictures of the stylet or any organs but I couldn’t find it! It looked like it’s pharynx was way down towards the posterior, so that could be a clue, but also there was some glowing parts up in the anterior so…😔 idk. Help me out worm professionals!
Size approximately 142 um. Found at bottom of homemade pond using broken glass debris from woodland ground.
Iridiscence with ventral light
Lots sitting on the salp chains. So beautiful in person with their amazing colours.
I also saw a small blue copoed(~3mm long) with blue eggs sitting on a salp chain. Didn't get any pics.
~0.5cm long
From the 2006 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
From a plankton sample.
From the 2006 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
From the 2006 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
From the 2006 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
A larva. From a plankton sample taken during the 2017 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
From sediment samples taken during the 2017 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
From sediment samples taken during the 2017 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
Note the copepod prey item in the gut of the worm.
A late-stage larva. From plankton samples taken during the 2015 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
This is a portuguese man o' war at Jetty Park on Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce, Florida.
From plankton samples taken during the 2015 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
A late-stage ophiopluteus larva. From plankton samples taken during the 2015 Elba Marine Biology Course of the University of Basel.
ID'ed during survey by peracarid specialist. Collected with permits during PICES-Rapid Assessment Survey 2010
https://vimeo.com/701094270
https://vimeo.com/701094293
Sample taken from a pipe running into a creek in between multiple apartment complexes.
Was not moving.
Seemed to be filled with the same organisms featured in these observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112352855
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112352929
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112352993
Collected from fish tank rocks.
First two pics are 250x magnification, others are 1000x.
Found another one in a fresh sample, so they must be reasonably prolific at the moment. This one was so opaque it was difficult to capture much detail.
~3-5 mm, unusually large for such a chunky flatworm. found in my tank where i discard my freshwater samples. Has eyespots, maybe 4, or a pair of conjoined ones, & they’re small. Possesses cilia and a proportionally large pharynx.
Mag. 400x
Uncertain about of the ID. It certainly has the tail of Uroleptus, but there is little detail in the head region. After monitoring the specimen for a short period of time, it burst. The bulk of the the cell contents released is impressive; several whole diatoms, its red spot, some large disk-shaped objects that may be macronuclei or additional food items (photo 3 composite).
Water sample collected from the river San Pedro, Meoqui, Chihuahua, at the indicated location.
This sample was collected on January 27th at 14:42 and images were collected on January 31st.
250x, 1000x (+phone zoom)
saltwater/marine, aquarium store coral tank runoff sample
long cilia covering body, whiskerlike protrusions on face and tail
there were multiple, i believe they were juveniles