Microbiology Quiz

Question 1

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 1

Phaeocystis antarctica

• Uniceullar, eukaryotic microalgae
• Most abundant Antarctic phytoplankton
  
  • Concentration can reach 60,000,000 cells/ liter.

Question 2

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 2

Chaetoceros neogracile

• Diatom
• Single celled marine/ freshwater plant with siliceous shells
• Largest genus of marine planktonic diatoms
• Has an antifreeze protein

Question 3

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 3

Fragilaria kerguelensis

• Diatom

Question 4

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 4

Dysteria monostyla

• Ciliate
• Highly mobile
• Capable of swimming through brine channels to feed on algae associated bacteria

Question 5

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 5

Neogloboquadrina pachyderma

• Foraminifera
• Common grazer in sea ice
• Common world-wide in high densisties
  
  • > 1,000 per liter of sea water
• Ocean sediments contain large amounts of undissolved calcareous test (outer cases) creating foraminferal or globigerina oozes
• Can tolerate increased salinity

Question 6

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 6

Thiomicrospora arctica

• Bacteria
• Found in “Blood Falls” coming from 2,000,000 year old trapped lake beneath Taylor Glacier
• “Waterfall” is high salinity and high iron
• Microorganisms were isolated in this trapped lake for millions years.

Question 7

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 7

Cytharoides balechi

• Ciliate
• Lives in sea ice; found in Weddell Sea

Question 8

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 8

Mesodinium rubrum

• Ciliate
• Mixotrophic
• Cosmopolitan
• Top predator in many Antarctic lakes; feeds on cryptophyte (algae) prey

Question 9

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 9

Nostoc commune

• Cosmopolitan
• Colonial
• Nitrogen-fixing
• Lives in terrestrial - fresh water habitats
• Can survive high levels of radiation
• Can go dormant by dessication/ get blown around in dried state

Question 10

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 10

Chlamydomonas spp.

• Chlamydomonas nivalis: red snow
• Chlamydomonas antarctica: green snow
• Thrives in channels and ice pores with high salinity
• In Antarctic species there is an ice-binding protein

Question 11

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 11

Platyamoeba stenopodia

• Freshwater amoeba
• Possess pseudopodia capabilities
• Cosmopolitan

Question 12

Name and describe this microorganism.

Answer 12

Heteromita globosa

• Soil flagellate
• Predatory; feeds on bacteria
• Globally ubiquitous