Foldscope view of Freshwater Annelid from algae in Fish tank

Mar 21, 2019 • 10:49 PM UTC

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CMRPU ITPL

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College Name: CMR National PU College, ITPL, Bangalore
Sample Name: Fresh water Annelid from fish tank
Sample Collected from: Fish tank at home with algae growing over a pebble, collected on 21/3/19
Sample observed at CMR National PU College, ITPL on 21/3/19
People involved: Lecturers at CMR PU – Ms. Anitha, Ms. Kruti, Ms. Arpita, Ms. Rajani, Ms. Shruthi
Sample provided by Ms. Arpita(Physics Lecturer)
It was an extremely fascinating experience to view a very actively moving Annelid among the algae growing in a fish tank. As a part of Foldscope Project in our college, all the lecturers from Science and Commerce streams have been curious to view the microscopic world under foldscope and today our Physics Lecturer brought some water along with a pebble on which algal growth was observed.
We mounted a small patch of algae on a slide and made it ready for viewing under fold scope. While looking at the fascinating algal filaments, we came across a very actively moving worm amidst the algal filaments, who was ingesting small particles floating around. It was a transparent gel like organism with a long, segmented body and distinctly clear hair like structures on each segment towards the lateral side. We could observe what it had fed on in its alimentary canal.
On further investigation, we think it is a fresh water annelid belonging to Oligocheta, called Aeolosoma hemprichi (expert comments are welcome). Aeolosoma is a genus of minute annelid worms, variously attributed either to oligochaetes or polychaetes. Unlike most polychaetes, they reside in freshwater environments in various parts of the world. They can be kept in aquaria year-round.

VID-20190321-WA0066 Download The attached video shows the annelid actively moving amidst the algae.