I collected pond specimens every week over the summer north of Calgary and found one small pond with these very colourful ciliates. The ciliates appeared to be feeding on cyano-bacteria (Oscillatorie) and many of them had colourful vacuoles inside, and a nasse or special feeding apparatus. With some help from friend Bruce Taylor - the identification of these ciliates were identified as Nassula and Obertrumia sp. The colours inside the cells is due to the digestion of cyanobacteria. Also when the cells were pinned they exhibited cytoplasmic streaming. A few of these beautiful cilliates are shown below and I posted an article and video on them on my web site for those that might have interest. I only found the nassulids for about 2 weeks before they disappeared. My wife even helped collecting speciments and making the background music for the video.
Article: https://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/Nassula.html with embeded video - Youtube video only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlyP6K1YKgY
The article includes links to other videos, science papers and web sites
Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
- Robert Berdan
- Posts: 319
- Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:58 pm
- Location: Calgary
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 1631
- Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:26 am
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
That is a really exceptional set of images!
- Luis Carlos
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2019 3:42 am
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
The images are extraordinarily beautiful and the video is excellent. I have never seen a ciliate so colored!
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Very nice set.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Stunning! I thought the images were colorized until I saw the video. The small world just keeps on giving.
-
- Posts: 200
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2014 6:46 am
- Location: Allentown, PA, USA, Earth, etc.
- Contact:
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Those are gorgeous, almost sci-fi like in nature.
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Very nice work on these weird creatures. Maybe with a palette that striking you can't hide and will quickly be eaten...
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Wow nice find Robert! Beautiful images. I have been looking for these cilliates for years.
-
- Posts: 1527
- Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:23 pm
- Contact:
Re: Colourful Nassulid Ciliates
Must have been a feast! That darkfield image is my favourite, the colours are beautiful.