Week Four: New Life

'Ello my fair readers!!

I'm kind of in the "British" mood because my residence hall has a United Kingdom theme for international week. This means the doors are Tardis' and there's a sign that says "9 3/4 Hogwarts Express," which I am totally in love with!!

Anyways! I have some awesome news to report! There is a bunch of new life moving and floating and sticking around in my MicroAquarium! I am so so so very excited to tell you, my faithful readers, all about them. Okay, well, at least as much as I can find out. I am actually going to try and do another "sister" post to this one later in the week with some more information on it, because I haven't had too much time to research them yet. There will also be a bibliography update coming soon and an additional bibliography post as well.

So, let's begin with the first organism I found when I looked in the microscope.

This beautiful and amazing creature right here is a Limnus. Now, I couldn't get a video, mostly because I don't know how to take one, elsewise I would show you all the crazy awesome movement this little guy does. The end of his head there with all of the little spiky things spins around and around like crazy! And sometimes, it will retract itself into its little tube and wait for a moment before popping back out!

I would post a link to a video of it, but I cannot seem to find one, which kind of stinks, cause these little guys are awesome!!

Now onto the next new discovery!

It's kind of hard to see in this picture, but there is a little star-shaped organism next to the head of the limnus. It's a bluish color. My lab instructor, the wonderful Dr. Kenneth McFarland, thinks this could possibly be a diatom, although we are not quite sure. All I know is that is wasn't there the first time I looked at the limnus, and suddenly it appeared!! There's another one that pops up in another picture I'll show later.

One of many stentors. I mean, there is seriously a ridiculous amount of these little things in here, including some baby stentors!! I have several pictures of them, but this one if one of the best. And as I discovered later, almost this exact same picture is on the cover of my Botany Lab manual!

So here are some actinoshaerium, again, just a couple of many. The big clear one on the right just ate something when I took this picture, so take good notice of the enlarged vacuole near the bottom of it. This is the other picture with a possible diatom in it, although I did not realize it until after I'd put in the names on the picture. This diatom is hiding in the corner, to the left of the word "Actinoshaerium." Again, here it is a bluish color.

Here's another actinoshaerium, along with an unidentified organism. I think it might be a rotifer, but neither Dr. McFarland nor I could confirm it. So, as of right now, the second organism remains unidentified.

And finally, here is probably the most spectacular find: an Unidentified Organism!! I am still trying to find something that looks pretty close to this. Dr. McFarland thinks it may be a paramecium (which would be totally and completely amazing!!) I'm still doing research, so the name on this picture may change.

But, since it is now after midnight, I will sign off for now. I know this isn't the most awesome or informative post, but I promise, promise, promise that I will update it with more information in the coming days.

Signing off for now,

Alison Dyke