Microlife: Thumbnails by shape

The following is a quick review of the organisms shown on the other pages here, with the same images linked to the descriptions, but arranged by general form instead of phylogeny. The hope is that another amateur can easily recognize if something they found is listed. I’d be interested to hear any thoughts on how well it works!

  1. Filamentous algae
  2. Attached and colonial algae
  3. Single-cell algae and pollen
  4. Single-cell flagellates
  5. Amoebae and suctorians
  6. Ciliates – round to conical
  7. Ciliates – flattened to oval
  1. Ciliates – fusiform to elongate
  2. Attached ciliates and rotifers
  3. Rotifers – flattened or crested
  4. Rotifers – ovoid to elongate
  5. Polyps and snails
  6. Worm-like
  7. Arthropod-like

Filamentous algae

Oscillatoriales Nostocales Oedogonium Mougeotia Zygnema Spirogyra Hyalotheca dissiliens Melosira Vaucheria Chroodactylon Rhizoclonium Cladophora Bulbochaete Chaetophora Draparnaldia Ulva

Attached and colonial algae

Merismopedia Stauridium Pseudopediastrum Gonium Asterionella Diatoma Fragilaria Dinobryon Colacium Rhoicosphenia Gomphonema Cymbella Encyonema Anthophysa Synura Pandorina Coelastrum Uroglenopsis Volvox Woronichinia naegeliana Lamprocystis roseopersicina Nostocales

Single-cell algae and pollen

Pollen from birch Pollen from mugo pine and spruce Cosmarium Cocconeis Amphora Cymatopleura Gomphonema Cymbella Encyonema Closterium Nitzschia Gyrosigma Rhopalodia Staurastrum

Single-cell flagellates and bacteria

Spirillum Haematococcus Anisonema Cryptomonas Mallomonas Trachelomonas Phacus Ceratium Peranemid Lepocinclis Euglena

Amoebae and suctorians

Heterolobosea Thecamoeba Polychaos Cyphoderia Netzelia Arcellid Centropyxis Vampyrella Actinophrys Acanthocystis Clathrulina Metacineta Dendrosoma radians Podophrya cyst

Ciliates – round to conical

Monodinium Actinobolinid Halteria Askenasia Hastatella Strobilidium Astylozoon Urocentrum Caenomorpha Maryna Brachonella

Ciliates – flattened to oval

Aspidisca Euplotes Stylonychia Holosticha Phacodinium metchnikoffi Frontonia Loxodes Blepharisma Climacostomum Colpodid Nassulid Lembadion Paramecium Pleuronema Colepid dividing Phascolodon Bursaria truncatella Trachelius

Ciliates – fusiform to elongate

Nassulopsis Paramecium Metopus Atractos contortus Stichotricha Chaetospira Dileptid Amphileptus Litonotus Lacrymaria Spirostomum

Attached ciliates and rotifers

Stentor Stentor Rotaria Dissotrocha aculeata Philodina megalotrocha Lagenophrys Platycola Cothurnia Ptygura Limnias Floscularia Collotheca Rhabdostyla Vorticella Opercularia Epistylis Carchesium Ophrydium

Rotifers – flattened or crested

Notholca Keratella with egg Testudinella Lepadella Euchlanis Lecane Platyias Brachionus Colurella Lophocharis Mytilina Trichotria

Rotifers – ovoid to elongate

Adineta Taphrocampa Chaetonotus Notommata tripus Scaridium Monommata Trichocerca Synchaeta Rotaria Dissotrocha aculeata Philodina megalotrocha Squatinella Asplanchnopus Polyarthra

Polyps and snails

Hydra Tadpole snail Pond snail Ramshorn snail Plumatella statoblast

Worm-like

Spirostomum Roundworm Fluke larva Macrostomum Dalyelliid Stenostomum Phaenocora Erpobdellid leech Glossiphoniid leech Aeolosoma Chaetogaster Punkie larva Midge larva Black fly larva Limoniid larva Mosquito larva

Arthropod-like

Copepod larva Tardigrade Springtail Hydrophilid larva Diving beetle larva Haliplid larva Harpacticoid Amphipod Cyclopoid with eggs Water mite Podocopid Chydoridae Scapholeberis Ceriodaphnia Moinid Ilyocryptus Simocephalus Daphnia