BIO 60 Flatworm/Larvae Observed in Bay Water Sediment
May 12, 2017 • 11:57 PM UTC
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microspence
Prospective Biology Major @ Stanford University Interests: Ecology
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Picture of tubular shaped larvae/worm with slightly more narrow head and more bulbous body.
For my first post I looked at some Bay water microscopic life among filaments of algae. Using the high powered lens I had spotted particularly small single-celled organisms. This time I again looked at Bay water but at the soil sediments from the Bay and not algae in particular.
The organism appears to have two distinctive features: a narrower head and larger more bulbous body. I hypothesized that the front end of the organisms was the head because though the creature moved in both directions, it would usually lead with the narrower end, reverse and then lead in another direction with the same end. Additionally this “head” would extend quickly and then retract leading me to suspect that the organism was feeding on bacteria, zooplankton or other aquatic microorganisms, such as those that I observed in my first post. This video documents some of the curious movements
For my first post I looked at some Bay water microscopic life among filaments of algae. Using the high powered lens I had spotted particularly small single-celled organisms. This time I again looked at Bay water but at the soil sediments from the Bay and not algae in particular.
The organism appears to have two distinctive features: a narrower head and larger more bulbous body. I hypothesized that the front end of the organisms was the head because though the creature moved in both directions, it would usually lead with the narrower end, reverse and then lead in another direction with the same end. Additionally this “head” would extend quickly and then retract leading me to suspect that the organism was feeding on bacteria, zooplankton or other aquatic microorganisms, such as those that I observed in my first post. This video documents some of the curious movements
of the organism.
I am not sure exactly what the organism is and suspected it could be a flatworm. However, upon zooming in with my phone I noticed what appeared to be tiny legs on one side of the organisms’ body. This leads me to suspect it is most likely some kind of arthropod larvae since arthropods grow to become creatures with several legs and the larvae may have had some beginnings of these legs.
I am not sure exactly what the organism is and suspected it could be a flatworm. However, upon zooming in with my phone I noticed what appeared to be tiny legs on one side of the organisms’ body. This leads me to suspect it is most likely some kind of arthropod larvae since arthropods grow to become creatures with several legs and the larvae may have had some beginnings of these legs.
Arrow points to what may be legs in larvae. –Spencer Robinson
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