Observation 5: November 13, 2008

My final observation of the microaquarium revealed that much of the organisms had died off, especially some of the larger ones. The water looked filmy in some areas, with new growths around plant parts that used to be green, supporting my idea that things died off. However, some of the larger organisms must have been waiting to come out or in a stage of life that prevented them from coming out to feed before, because I saw some new ones this time around.

First, I saw a repeat of many previously identified organisms: gastrotrich, vorticella, epistylus, cyanobacteria, Angel, and the trichotria (which I named Spike). There were of course the multitude of diatoms and other algae forms and other small protozoa to see.

New, however, were what I believe were some ostracods, "seed shrimp." I saw one type on the moss plant (though this one mgiht also be a cypricerus or Darwinula - I'll look into it), and another of these microscopic crustaceans in the top of the sediment level. This one was huge, and kept ducking half into the sand, half out while it ate things around, using its little pincers and swimmerettes (? term check).

That about concludes the blog for today, but I've posted some videos of previous blog observations (actually, only from Observation 3).

Gastrotrich 1 (which may include some narration by Dr. McFarland and I - which I didn't know was recorded)



Gastrotrich 2



Halterias near the moss rhizoids

Observation 4: November 6, 2008

This week, I observed in general that there were fewer lively organisms. Last week, it seemed that everywhere I turned the microscope, there was an overwhelming amount of life. Now, I saw fewer organisms in as much space and few new ones. The lack of abundance might be a lack of food in comparison to last week's food pellet, though one organism that did seem to be thriving was the algae.

In the upper level of water, near the carnivorous plant, life was quiet. I saw a few single-cell organisms moving around along with diatoms, but that's about it. Lower in the water level but near the same plant, I witnessed more activity, but nothing easily identifiable (which may have been that I was using a different microscope than the last two weeks).

Closer to the sediment level, I saw a lot more similar activity in comparison to last week. I saw something that reminded me of a fungus zygote formation, though I doubt that's what it was. It grew in small, round clumps of a dark blue / purple / black color. In this same area I saw diatoms, a few gastrotrich, halteria, cyanobacteria (identifiable to me by their heterocysts), and three newly identified organisms (for me, not that they're new species).

First, I could identify Spike - my fork-tailed, shelled fellow from Observation 3. He is a member of the Rotifier phylum, genus Trichotria (Rainisk and Russell 1996), and they have an interesting reproduction process that I mean to look into, perhaps for my lab report.

Second, I identified as closely as I could an organism with cilia most noticable wiggling around on it's "mouth" (anterior?). In the phylum Ciliophora, Stylonychia is the genus that I closely narrowed down for this organism (Rainisk and Russell 1996).

Third, I may be able to identify Angel from Observation 3 as a Chilondonella (Rainisk and Russell 1996). If so, then it shares the name / identity of a fish-harming disease in personal aquariums. I'll need more research to know for sure if this is the creature's genus.

Next week will be my last observation period, and hopefully I'll have some videos and final photos to upload.

Sources

Rainisk K.G., Russel B.J. 1996. Guide to Microlife. Danbury (Connecticut): Franklin Watts. p. 101, 105-106, 191.