Observation 4

I finished observation of my microaquarium by identifying the last interesting-looking microscopic life and by finding a reference for each of the organisms previously identified.

General Observations: There is a huge number of dead organisms in the tank, and many organisms cleaning up the carcasses. In the vicinity of major deposits of dead organisms I found a large number of gastrotriches, nematoads, and boticella. The carnivorious plant had extended tendrils throughout the tank as well, it was doing just fine for itself. The bottom of the tank remains the most active region, and the most likely place to find multicelled organisms. Also, during the course of the day I observed a fast-moving paramecium run smack into a vorticella, and then the vorticella recoiled itself really quickly, it was interesting behavior.

Newly Identified Organisms:

1. Stenostomum - an exciting worm-shaped multicelled organism that has "eyes"- cilliated sensory pits, one of these brown monsters was menacing the bottom of the tank. It moved fairly quickly for its size, which is relatively massive. Citation: Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Organisms, fig 6-4, page 156

2. Centropyxis - a shelled amoeba, brown, with very distinct portrusions, sort of bearclaw-shaped, I found a of these in the tank, not necessarily doing anything interesting. Citation: Free Living Freshwater Protozoa, fig 184, page 95

Citations for Previously Identified Organisms:

in Pennack's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States by Smith

Philodina- fig 7.3, page 132

Gastrotrich-identified as Chaetonotus- fig 6-7, page 126

Nematoad- fig 8.1, page 193

in Free Living Freshwater Protozoa by Patterson

Oscillatoria- fig 4, page 25

Diatoms-identified as navicula- fig5, page 25

Closterium- fig 10, page 26

Volvox-reclassified as Eudorina- fig 61, page 57

Euglena- fig 120, page 70

Amoeba- fig 195, page 98

Vorticella- fig 233, page 113

Bursaria- fig 317, page 143

Paramecium- fig 345, page 153

Actinosphaerium- fig 395, page 169

from Freshwater Algae by Lund

Asterionella- fig 240, page 132

Oedegonium- fig 94, page 62

Melosira- fig 251, page 139

Now, for a view of our friend, the rotifer Rotoria, via fig 8.4, page 190 of Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates by Thors and Covitch