<p>
 One fine spring morning, my nephew called me to show something ‘interesting’ in a pedestal pond in our housing society. When I reached there, I saw a beautiful lotus blooming and some dry lotus leaves around (they looked curled up or folded). It seemed that they were being stitched together to make a home… wonder who could be the home-makers?
</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_2033" class="wp-image-190017 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="190017" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"iPad (6th generation)","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1583916739","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.3","iso":"32","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="IMG_2033" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2033.jpg"/>
</figure>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="378EE6F6-D137-45D0-9C30-58806CA766B3.TRIM_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/378EE6F6-D137-45D0-9C30-58806CA766B3.TRIM_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   When I asked him if this was what he had summoned me for, he pointed to some parts of the pond. Oh! There were so many worms, clusters upon clusters wiggling away.
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2090_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2090_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   It was a spectacular yet eerie sight. This was very new to me as well, although I had
   <a href="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?p=32965">
    explored the microcosmos in the same pond earlier
   </a>
   as well. The body of these worms seemed segmented, so I thought they could be annelids. When we tried to touch the worms with a small stick they immediately disappeared. By this time a small group of residents had gathered around us, lamenting about the maintenance of the pond. Secretly, we were delighted by the “wealth” in it!
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
 When I returned to collect samples from the pedestal pond, the gardener had probably cleaned it because the algae on the surface and the folded lotus leaves were removed. The worms were still there. I tried to collect them but each time I inserted the dropper in the water, the worms retreated to the bottom. I finally just collected the water around the place where I had last seen the cluster of worms.
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2035_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2035_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
  </p>
  <p>
   Under the Foldscope, I saw this water sample had small worms with a segmented body and setae, yes! They are Annelids,
   <em>
    Aeolosoma sp.
   </em>
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
 I discussed my findings with Chandrika and showed her the pond. She too tried to capture one worm out of the hundreds we saw in the pond, in vain. Finally, we carved out a slice of the soil with the help of a garden spade… it wasn’t easy at all, since the roots of the water plants were well networked, but voila! We found two worms there!
</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="IMG_2094" class="wp-image-190021 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="190021" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1585871727","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="IMG_2094" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2094.jpg"/>
</figure>
<p>
 Upon a frantic Google search, we learnt that these are
 <em>
  Tubifex
 </em>
 <em>
  sp
 </em>
 . an oligochaete which belongs to Annelida. These worms stand in the water upside down i.e. their head is attached to the soil while their tail wiggles around in the water to capture oxygen through the skin, i.e cutaneous respiration. They can apparently survive in low oxygen conditions (sewage water too!) since they have a lot of haemoglobin. (Reference:
 <a alt="Tubifex" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/Tubifex">
  Wikipedia
 </a>
 ) The water in our pedestal pond actually comes from our sewage treatment plant.
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <img alt="IMG_2045" class="wp-image-190022 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="190022" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"iPad (6th generation)","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1584017832","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.3","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.058823529411765","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="IMG_2045" data-recalc-dims="1" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2045.jpg"/>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   I placed one worm on a slide and started observing it.
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2040_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2040_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   In the beginning, it was difficult to take the video as the worm was very active.
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2047_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2047_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   After 5-6 hours its movement slowed. In this video, we can see the long reddish worm.
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2050_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2050_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   We can see the expansion and contraction of its body wall and coelomic fluid as it is moves.
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
 I was keen to see if the worm would survive with just a drop of water. Can they actually survive with less oxygen? I happened to check after 27 hours and my dear worm was still moving! Its activity, however, had further reduced and the tail end was now pale (in contrast to being bright red earlier).
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2055_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2055_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   In this video, I tried focusing on its tail end part. The sudden twisting and stretching shows that the worm was trying to cut/amputate that part of its body. Am I correct? After 2-3 hours, dear Tubifex was no more.
  </p>
  <p>
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2066_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2066_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   Do you think that the worms found in this water sample are baby Tubifex or some other worms? One way to tell is that we can see oil drops in the Coelomic fluid, which confirms that these are baby
   <em>
    Aeolosoma sp..
   </em>
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
</p>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2060_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2060_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   This water sample is rich in biodiversity. Other microbes I observed are
   <em>
    Euplotes
   </em>
   ,
   <em>
    rotifers, copepods
   </em>
   ,
   <em>
    Halteria sp.
   </em>
   ,
   <em>
    Phacus sp
   </em>
   . and half-moon shaped microbes.
   <br/>
   <br/>
   For copepods see the previous post
   <a href="https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/?p=189754">
    here
   </a>
   .
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
 Here you can see the half-moon shaped microbes. Can anyone help to identify these? Are they Desmids?
</p>
<figure class="wp-block-video">
 <video alt="IMG_2058_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2058_mov.mp4">
 </video>
</figure>
<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide">
 <figure class="wp-block-media-text__media">
  <video alt="IMG_2068_mov.mp4" class="gcloudimg" controls="" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_190032/IMG_2068_mov.mp4">
  </video>
 </figure>
 <div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
  <p>
   Are these crescent-shaped mircobes Euglenoids?
  </p>
  <p>
  </p>
 </div>
</div>
<p>
 My curiosity has disturbed a small and beautiful ecosystem.
</p>
<p>
 Cheers,
 <br/>
 <br/>
 Ashalatha &amp; Chandrika
</p>


Wonder-worms in a pedestal pond

TCIS Outreach | Fri, Apr 03, 2020, 4:50 AM

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