kohab's Favorites
Photos / Sounds
Observer
mnold1Description
Mag. 400x
Filled with Zoochlorellae, like Acanthocystis turfacea and A. pernardi, both found locally. However. this specimen is very different in that it is covered with loose, elliptical scales (5-10µ in length). I do not see any spine-scales. The long axipodea are very granular and are, occasionally, piled high from the base with elliptical scales (40-50µ high!). The elliptical scales form a disorganizes, 10µ thick layer enveloping the entire protoplasm. The best candidate (by my eye) for an ID, at Siemensma's Microworld, is Raphidocystis ambigua https://arcella.nl/raphidocystis-ambigua/. A 2nd possibility is R. symmetrica https://arcella.nl/raphidocystis-symmetrica/, but the current specimen is much larger than those recorded by Siemensma. No reference to Zoochrorella is made in describing either taxon. I could not find a match among the Acanthocystis.
- A water sample was taken on 5/8/2023, from the shore of Lantern Hill Pond, using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 73°F.
Photos / Sounds
Observer
mnold1Description
Mag. 400x
I think this is Raphidocystis pallida, because of the similarity of these 4 specimens to images here https://arcella.nl/raphidocystis-pallida/. The stacking of scales against the base of some of the axopods gives them the look of tall pine trees (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrohelid). For an interesting video that records the movement of the central ectoplasm, see https://youtu.be/VfGL6os0Icw.
- A water sample was taken on 10/21/2022, from the shore of one of the impoundments, using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 65°F.
