Week 4

Well, this has been a cool assignment! It's been great getting to observe the micro-aquariums. This last time I didn't see anything I hadn't seen before. Just the same critters I'd seen in my last observation. I spent a few minutes watching the long strands of cyano-bacteria snaking along. So I've seen Rotifers. Amoeba. Fragilaria. Epalxella. Paranema. Arcella. as well as a few other creatures in my aquarium, like the diatoms. So these are a few of the organisms that are living and growing in the tanks behind Hesler here at UTK.The diatoms are my favorites because they look so neat, like tiny stars or moving jewels.  

Fig 1. Reference used to identify organisms: D.J. Patterson. Free-Living Freshwater  Protozoa. A Colour Guide.

Fig 2. Reference used to identify organisms: D.J. Patterson. Free-Living Freshwater  Protozoa. A Colour Guide.

Fig 3.  Cluster of 3 Diatoms. Reference used to identify organisms: D.J. Patterson. Free-Living Freshwater  Protozoa. A Colour Guide.

Reference used:  D.J. Patterson. Free-Living Freshwater  Protozoa. A Colour Guide. Note the strand of cyanobacteria it's swimming over.