Observation #4

This final week my microaquarium seemed very active. Like last time I did not see as many cyclops as I did at the beginning, but many halteria and other fast moving aquatic creatures were present. This time I collected an image of a Peranema. Peranemas have an oblong shape an are easily identified by the long flagella at the end of their body. Peranema feed by engulfing euglenids. Their thick flagellum can be used to whip through the water and rapidly change course, or just the tip can be used be used to move the cell smoothly through the water. They are able to digest bacteria, algae, and even large organisms by expanding their cytosome which lies at the base of the flagellum. Peranemas are common in water with rich organic nutrients(Peranema). I was able to identify the Peranema on page 51(source 1).

1.Pennak, Robert W. Fresh-water Invertebrates of the United States. New York: Ronald, 1953. Print.
2."Peranema." Peranema. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.microscope-microscope.org/applications/pond-critters/protozoans/mastigophora/peranema.htm>.

Observation #3

This week I noticed many more worm-like structures than previously. The past couple weeks I have seen little to none. Strangely I saw no cyclops. The other times I saw at least five different cyclops if not more.I saw a multitude of Rotifers and Halteria. My microaquarium seemed to be predominantly Halteria. Halteria have spherical shaped bodies with five to six leg like structures. They have a contractile vacuole and move very rapidly by jumping and they also have a rotary swimming movement(Curds).Though they move rapidly and are very small I was lucky enough to get a picture. I was able to identify the organism on page 139(source 1).

1.1.Pennak, Robert W. Fresh-water Invertebrates of the United States. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1978. Print.
2.Curds, Colin. "Halteria." N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nies.go.jp%2Fchiiki1%2Fprotoz%2Fmorpho%2Fhalteria.htm>.

Observation#2

Dr. Mcfarland added one beta food pellet into my microaquarium on October 24, 2014. The following information describes in detail about the food pellet:"Atison's Betta Food" made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. Analysis: Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude Fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%.
I did not see many changes in my microaquarium. I still saw multiple cyclops, but I did manage to obtain a good picture of a Euglena helicoides. I was able to identify it as a euglenoid because of its eye spot at the top of its body. I noticed that there were multiple diatoms in the euglenoid. Many euglenoids swim by using their flagella. Of the forty genera of euglenoids, about 2/3 are heterotrophic and the other 1/3 are able to photosynthesize. Freshwater euglenoids have a contractile vacuole. Euglenoids are able to sens light by using their eyespot. Majority of the 900 euglenoid species live in freshwater environments. Euglenoids flourish under high nutrient levels("Euglenoids", source 2) I was able to identify this specific species on page 283 from my first source in my bibliography.

1.Forest, Herman Silva. Handbook of Algae. Knoxville: U of Tennessee, 1954. Print.
2.Euglenoids." Euglenoids. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2014. <http://fmp.conncoll.edu/Silicasecchidisk/LucidKeys/Carolina_Key/html/Euglenoids.html