Microbe Library Flashcards
actinobacteria
An actinobacteria filament is coming out of the aggregate, but the strands in the upper left are too out of focus to ID
Testate Amoebae
Shape, OM plug, amoeba
The organism has some organic matter inside which indicates it is alive
actinobacteria
1 micrometer in diameter
The actinobacteria is growing off plant material. It is out of focus - when in perfect focus, it should look like a single pencil line. It is actinobacteria because the filament is evenly 1um in diameter, smooth curve. Another small segment of actinobacteria is more blurry. Measurements: 1 um diameter / 0.2 units lenght
Testate Amoebae
shape
There is an amoeba in the clear bottom. The materials above are organic matter that the amoeba pulled in. Material looks like organic matter in the surrounding area, which was pulled in by the amoeba when the tube was shaken (otherwise material would not be inside.)
Tardigrade
shape
Look for the stumpy “feet” and claws
Arcella
shape and color
In the upper left corner there is a fungal spore. Look at the pattern of 2 septated cells and then a narrow point. This is a stalk of spores.
round naked amoeba
shape/bacterial density inside
Under the microscope, this organism’s internal contents were moving. Single membrane
rotifer, tardigrade/nematodes
shape of organisms
Rotifer is attached to OM in the top left of photo. Tardigrade is in the center, you can see its feet and claws. Nematodes to the right
Testate Amoeba/ fungi
shape
Chain of spores in front of the testate amoebae.
Inside of the testate you can see that it is either dividing or has very apparent vacuoles. Video needed to confirm.
The upper section of the fungal hypha is out of focus therefore the position of the focal plane relative to the curvature of the cell wall creates the appearance of a line in the middle of the hyphae. Measurements: 0.58 Lenght / 4.5-5 Diameter
Flagellate, cyst
Flagellate is very clear but hard to find. Possible flagellate cyst on left side, single wall
Several mineral pieces in this sample with sharp edges and clear reflective surfaces. There is a spore to the right of center in this image. Find center of photo and move about a inch to the left you will find the flagellate. Potential cyst on left. Would need focus control to confirm it is a cyst and not an air bubble.
Testate Amoeba
Arcella
color, shape
Dark spot is the opening to the test. Several fungal spores in this image. This sample should of been diluted more so that all of the organisms could of been easily identified.
Naked Amoebae
shape
Bacterial Omnivore Nematode
Mouth
Wide open mouth, no tooth, rectangular chamber. This Bacterial Omnivore does not have any bulbs or the bulbs are not in focus.
Testate Amoebae
Shape, OM plug, amoeba in test
Top right one could be mistaken for empty, but is different from background. It looks like it is expelling its OM plug. There are two testate amoeba in the lower left corner that are possibly eating the same food source. Actinobacteria in the upper right corner are slightly out of focus.
Ciliate
cilia
Actinobacteria to the right in the center. The filamentous organism to the right of center is plant material because it is shredded and frayed along the length of it.
Amoebae Cyst
double walled
Ciliate
Shape, stalk
Testate Amoebae
Shape
Several fungal spores in image
Fungi (beneficial)
even septa,color, uniform diameter
This is a mature fungal hyphae with thick cell walls. Oxalate crystals on the surface of the hypha. Measurements: .95 units Length 19-20 um Diameter
Arcella
color, shape
you can see the amoeba in the bottom left for the test. The opening in the top middle is not perfectly round, organism looks clearish inside test.
Fungi (beneficial)
even septa,color, uniform diameter
Fungal hypha, Actinobacteria strand below it. Measurements of fungal hypha: 1.05 units Lenght / 2.5-3 um Diameter
Fungi (beneficial)
even septa,color, uniform diameter
This particular species of fungi has dominated the organic material. It will be considered an outlier if it lands in a FoV unless every fov has whefts of fungi. Massage the sample, shake again, make a new drop to make sure this is common to the soil. Hyphae in focus is 3.5-4 um
testate amoebae
Shape
Not empty, note difference from background.
Bacterial Nematode
mouth part, bulbs
Note the mouthpart (stoma) has a clear end that is flat: this is the end of the tube used to suck in bacteria. This edge is like the bottom of a cylinder. This nematode possibly has a median swelling and cuticularized terminal bulb. An out of focus actinobacteria strand to the side and above.
Plant matter & Fungi
color,diameter, even hypha
There are actinobacteria strands at top. What looks like plant material is a wheft of fungi- a rhizomorph, evidenced by sporangia (balls of material with spores inside) and extramatrical spores (double walled spores). This kind of rhizomorph causes fungal walls to lose integrity bc energy is going into spores. Measurements: 1.3 Length/ 7-10um diameter
Fungal spore
Fusarium sp.fusarium multiplying inside plant cell.
we assume there was a root that was decomposing and that fusarium was attacking that root system. When the sample was being shaken, this section was released into the sample. This image could be confused with mycorrhizal fungi (dark septate endophytes) since they can form microsclerotia that are compacted reproductive cells– this image could be confused with a microsclerotium. This image shows two cell layers that were once part of a root, but are now loose in the sample. One of the fungal spores has started germinating.
mixed nematodes
mouth parts
Big female bacterial omnivore on the right full of eggs, need 400x total mag to check the smaller nematodes
Fungi (beneficial)
diameter, septa
These super wide and twisty fungi are hard to define but those kind of numbers will reflect biomass in the numbers. Large diameter fungal hypha, no bubbles in cytoplasm, even septa. Measurements: 3.6L and 18-25 diameter
cellulose
spiral
There are also several potential testate amoebae, but would need to focus to be sure.
Ciliate
Cillia
Testate amoeba
Testate amoeba
Testate amoeba
Amoebae Cyst
Arcella (testate amoeba)
cellulose
Cellulose 400X in a bacterial soup!
Testate amoeba
Empty test
Flagellate / Fungi
Flagellate in circle, beneficial fungus with septa and light brown color, 3.5 um wide- measured the filament to the left of the septum on the horizontal branch. The rest of the fungus is out of focus.
Fungal-feeding nematode
Most likely a fungal-feeding nematode if the esophagus enlarges halfway-¾ of the way towards the stomach.
Fungi - Plant material
Possibly fungi or plant material, but this depends on seeing the ends more clearly– the right edge seems to grow out of a bulb. Some spores/cysts in the background
Tardigrade
Waterbear- going dormant possibly. microscope also needs to be adjusted: diaphragm/condenser/brightness
Naked Amoebae
Bacterial Omnivore Nematode
Omnivorous nematode who can probably eat whatever fits into their mouth–but also eats a lot of bacteria, so we call this a bacterial-feeder. Note the median bulb
Oomycete
Oomycete 400X chlamydospores (circle with graininess inside) along the filament between two “mating types”, which are reproductive filaments- the chlamydospore arises where they meet. Length 1.7, diameter: 1.5-2.5 But if this is not common to every FoV, this is an outlier and should be passed over.
Fungal spore
Fungal spore, probably fusarium. Bacteria cluster is an aggregate in which the glues have not yet dried down.
Root feeding nematode
Note bulb on spear as well as a median bulb. Characteristic of the species.
Spirochaete
Spirochete (longer and more “snake-like” than spirilla)
Diatom
Diatom lacking chlorophyll (aka dead)
Fungi
Fungi- likely beneficial even though there are bubbles in the growing tip and have slight lumpy-bumpyness. diameter:4um, length: 2.8-3.0
Fungi
Clear, somewhat swollen branch, but mostly similar diameter. No bubbles, not enough lumpy bumpy. Fungus. Diameter: 5-6um. Be sure to focus in and out along the hypha. Length= 0.6 to 0.7 including the segment slightly out of focus off to the left– but would focus before measuring in a real soil biology assessment.
Root feeding nematode
See the knob on the spear. Note that the median bulbs fill the width of the nematode–there are 2 genera with this trait that climb aboveground and attack the aboveground parts of the plant.
actinobacteria
Actinobacteria out of focus. Vertical segment has a small bit in focus in the upper middle.
Air bubbleAir bubble- possibly around oil droplet
Fungi
Clear fungus with uniform diameter that probably went around an aggregate where there are bumps. Length roughly 0.3 in focus. Diameter: 3.5-4. Some actinobacteria. Too out of focus.
Testate amoebae
Testate amoebae
Two testate amoebae reproducing to the left- another testate amoeba with denser material inside test than
Fungal spore
probably not-so-great fungus
Amoebae Cyst
Fungal spore
Fungal spores–each one can bud out.
plant material, cysts
plant material, small ciliate cyst or large flagellate cyst
