Maybe? On sticks and branches that were submerged when the lake was full a few months back.
I have seen the same Spongefly cocoons several years ago at the same location: Rideau River Eastern Pathway, railing east from Sussex Drive. I haven's seen sponges but Spongefly larva eats sponges
Video: https://youtu.be/lSif6qvuMEQ
Sampling location: A sand sample was collected from Adzghapsha Beach, located on the coast of the Black Sea. The sand was almost dry at the time of collection.
Date and time of collection: September 9, 2023 at 11 AM
The sample was stored in a sealed glass container at room temperature.
In about a week, a small amount of this sand was mixed with
saltwater prepared from distilled water and marine aquarium salt to achieve a salinity of approximately 20 g/kg. However, determining the precise salinity level is impossible without a salt meter.
Date and time of observation: September 22, 2023 at 11 AM
All 100x objective images and videos are of the same organism.
All 10x and 40x objective images and videos are of a few other ciliates from the same water sample.
Diagnosis of the organisms observed:
• Slender, flexible cell
• Three longitudinal cortical grooves that allow the cell to spiral the anterior half of the cell
• Spiral movement when swimming
• Length 60-75 µm
• Colorless cortical granules widely distribute in the cortex
• Buccal opening approximately one third of total length
• A clear subequatorial CV. At least two other small vacuoles were visible in line with the large CV at the posterior part of the cell
Unfortunately, I am not sure about the other important features, such as the nuclear apparatus and the arrangement of the kineties. The tendency of this ciliate to bend its body in a spiral and my lack of experience confused me.
Video: https://youtu.be/FTEfuyBeFbY
Sampling location: A water sample was taken from the bank of the Vuoksi River.
Date and time of collection: 22 Jul 2023 at 12 PM
Date and time of observation: 23 Jul 2023 at 9 PM
The sample was stored at room temperature in a plastic container.
All images and videos are of the same organism.
Taphrocampa selenura Gosse, 1887
Diagnosis:
• caterpillar-like body
• body length ~270 µm
• trophi length ~40 µm
• the mastax is virgate with strongly asymmetric trophi
• toes length ~30 µm
• foot rudimentary, toes long, slender, tapering and decurved; they are wide apart at the base and form almost a semicircle when viewed dorsally or ventrally; their length is about one-ninth of total length
• a concertina-like integument
• dorsal epidermis is sticky with transverse folds and it is abundantly covered with adherent foreign particles
• auricles retractable
• retrocerebral organ with attached eyespot
• two small symmetrically placed dorsal antennas on the head
• at least one small antenna at the posterior end, above the toes
• it appears that there are lateral antennas (?)
References:
Rotifer fauna of the USSR (Rotatoria). Subclass Eurotatoria (Orders Ploimida, Monimotrochida, Paedotrochida) (221, Fig. 99) by L.A. Kutikova (1970)
Observations by Michael Plewka https://www.plingfactory.de/Science/Atlas/KennkartenTiere/Rotifers/01RotEng/E-TL/Genus/Taphrocampa.html
Observation by Dr. Martin Kreutz https://realmicrolife.com/taphrocampa-annulosa/
https://www.nies.go.jp/chiiki1/protoz/morpho/rotifera/r-taphro.htm#Taphrocampa%20selenura
http://www.rotifera.hausdernatur.at/HigherTaxonomy/Index
http://rotifera.hausdernatur.at/Rotifer_data/images/addscan/_full-size/Taphrocampa%20selenura%20Gosse,%201887%20[Harring%20et%20Myers,%201924].jpg
Video: https://youtu.be/TcWVSTtinFU
Sampling location: A water sample was collected from Istok Lake near the shore, where snags and aquatic vegetation were present.
Date and time of collection: 16 Jul 2023 at 3 PM
Date and time of observation: 17 Jul 2023 at 8 PM
The sample was stored at room temperature in a plastic container.
I have 30 minutes of unedited footage stored. Should you be interested in viewing it, kindly inform me and I will endeavour to share the footage with you.
Sampling location: A water sample was collected from Istok Lake near the shore, where snags and aquatic vegetation were present.
Several specimens of a freshwater sponge growing on different parts of Fontinalis antipyretica (water moss).
Date and time of collection: 16 Jul 2023 at 3 PM
Date and time of observation: 21 Jul 2023 at 7 PM
The sample was stored at room temperature in a plastic container.
During the initial days, the sponges were actively filtering, causing visible ripples in the water. However, by the day of observation, the noticeable water movement had ceased.
Mag. 200x
The long neck and specialized oral apparatus suggest membership in the genus Lacrymaria. (Not Lacrymaria olor since it lacks an oral dome and no evidence longitudinal pellicle strips.?) - NOT Lacrymaria! See diagnosis by Bruce Taylor below - Two specimens were observed in the same field of view, one 320µ (partially extended) and a much smaller specimen at 150µ (also partially extended). As they neared each other (no contact occurred) a wonderful little pas de deux ensued. Perhaps depth of field buffered their encounter more than I realized (one individual is usually in the background and out of focus, difficult to discern... but it's there!). After a short dance of to-and-fros and dips of the head, they parted ways seemingly without ever acknowledging the presence of the other. In this photo series, documentation of the pas de deux begins at image 7.
Video: https://youtu.be/1Q8kDGQLsMs
The pseudoscorpion was discovered on a windowsill adjacent to a container of forest soil, vegetation, and springtails. Therefore, it is unclear whether the pseudoscorpion was an inhabitant of the apartment or brought in from the forest.
Video: https://youtu.be/Pmvk5Baer_U
Sampling location: A water sample was collected from Istok Lake near the shore, where snags and aquatic vegetation were present.
Date and time of collection: 16 Jul 2023 at 3 PM
Date and time of observation: 20 Jul 2023 at 6 PM
The sample was stored at room temperature in a plastic container.
The habitat is a small peat lake.
A specimen was collected from the shore of Lake Istok and stored at room temperature. After four days, it was observed.
Video: https://youtu.be/48dvqLOvNr4
Mag. 400x
Stalkless head (large) of a Vorticella species. Pellicle appears horizontally striated (bottom, near stalk attachment point). The unique feature is the tremendous load of symbiotic zoochloroellae that nearly fills the body. The presence of zoochlorellae suggest 2 Vorticella species: V. chlorostigma and V. chlorellata. For reference images, see:
Very large and circular. Protruding fingers. On submerged vertical surface.
Are these freshwater sponges? Small clusters on submerged rocks and branches in this area
Cooloola Mini-BioBlitz - Arachnids 2023
a single Otter swimming parallel to the shoreline into the harbour
Found in tubestock from Sutherland shire.
Several in area, identification pending on microscopy
Sample 2037
Photographed on a wildlife camera modified for close-up photos.
In a dry stream bed.
Not described (but soon) species.
Similar individual sequenced on LCO by Plateforme du vivant (IRD-Noumea) give:
Baikalospongia intermedia 96.20% identity, blast score 1079
Ephydatia muelleri 96.20% identity, blast score 1079
Baikalospongia fungiformis 96.20% identity, blast score 1077
Lubomirskia abietina 96.04% identity, blast score 1074
Colony was found in the upper flow of the Khoper river (Black Sea basin) on stones. The depth was about 0.5 m, the width of the river was about 10 m.
About 13mm long in pic 1
Taxodium swamp
Large freshwater sponge colony found in agricultural dam.
Found in Back Creek gorge in 2006. (Hand model MJ Quinton)
I'm posting this for someone who doesn't want to join iNaturalist but we're both very curious about it. There were two of these. He thinks they were in the mud around the roots of a weed he pulled up. He put the weed down and when he picked it up again he saw these creatures on the ground where it had been. He said they wandered around randomly and changed direction by flipping over backwards.
Freshwater sponge? On log in strand. Fakahatchee Strand
A freshwater sponge??
July 2014.
Le Lauquet (River), Carcassonne, France.
In Barron River Gorge.
Freshwater sponges in one of the deepest sink holes on the plateau and dead sponges in tree branches in areas adjacent to sinkhole.
Freshwater sponge (Spongillidae sp)
Freshwater sponge (Spongillidae sp.)
Unknown Crust
Freshwater sponge