Final Observation

Briana Sproles
Observation 5
20 November 2013

As a part of my last observation, I was able to find and identify three additional specimens. The first was a Paramecium(Fig. 1), which was small and round and moved relatively quickly (Patterson, 1992). This was the only one of its kind that I had spotted in my couple of observation hours. The second specimen that I ran across was another Rotifer(Fig. 2) (Patterson, 1992). This Rotifer was incredibly different looking than the ones I have documented in the past observations. It appeared to be much thinner and I thought it was eating off part of the plant that it was, as I later was told, just attached to it. The third specimen was a Stenostomum(Fig. 3) (Patterson, 1992). This organism moved around much like a common earthworm might. It was really interesting and much larger than the other organisms that I found during this observation period. All in all, I felt that this observation was one of my most productive. I was able to identify organisms from past observations, which I thought was great!

Fig. 1: Paramecium sp.

Fig. 2: Rotifer

Fig. 3: Stenostomum sp.

Observation 4

Briana Sproles
Observation 4
Lab Tues. 12:20
11 November 2013

As of this past week, this has been the fourth week of observing my aquarium. Normally within the hour or two that I spend in the lab, I leave finding only one or two distinctly new species. However, this week I ran into three separate, very interesting organisms. My first discovery was the Vorticella sp. (Fig. 1), which I noticed because it seemed to rapidly "wiggle" in place, with the flagellum moving rapidly (Pennak, 1953) ). My next discovery was the Euchlanis sp., which move very quickly and independently (Pennak, 1953). I thought I was lucky to have fit two of the same species into the same picture because of their tendency to move rapidly and randomly. Thirdly, I ran into a few Nematodes sp. (Fig. 3). They acted just as most earthworms do on land, squirming in and out of the plant structures. Those that needed to be identified by a book, were identified through the book "Fresh-Water Invertebrates of the United States" by Robert W. Pennak.

Fig. 1: Vorticella sp.

Fig. 2: Euchlanis sp.

Fig. 3: Nematode sp.

Observation 3

Briana Sproles
Lab Tues. 12:20
Observation 3


I observed my aquarium last Thursday evening. After placing it under the microscope and adjusting the camera so that the image I saw through the microscope, I also saw on the computer screen. Then, I began to explore. After searching through my aquarium for new organisms, I came upon a Stentor sp. (Fig. 1). This is a single celled organism, which was classified as a Protist in the book "Guide to Microlife" (Fig. 2) (Rainis and Russell 108). I watched it for a while, thinking that it would move, but it stayed stationary during the entire period of observation. I came upon one other organism that I took pictures of and intended to use in this bog, but I accidentally sent myself the wrong pictures from the lab so I only have Figures 1 and 2 for this blog. I will include that organism in the next observation blog.

Fig. 1: Stentor sp.

Fig. 2: Rainis and Russell pg. 108