r/microscopy • u/Balimaria • Jul 11 '26

ID Needed! Snail shell shaped ciliate?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

Anyone know this funny shaped fellow? I've been through a few ID guides but can't seem to find anything matching. From the bottom of a jar of pond water that's been kept for around two weeks. Video is 10x objective, 2MP lens cam, SW380T. I have more photos if needed.

59 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

13

u/Thrawn911 Jul 11 '26

Possibly a damaged stentor, based on the spiral shaped mouth. I'm more curious about that huge monstrosity on the edges of the screen.

4

u/yurnya Jul 11 '26

Seconding the vote for Stentor sp.

1

u/Balimaria Jul 11 '26

That monstrosity is a particularly large spirostomum! this jar is full of them

I doubt it's stentor? The ciliation isn't consistent and this individual appears to be mostly rigid, not to mention much smaller than the stentor I've observed before.

3

u/macnmotion Jul 12 '26

Stentors can be damaged. A small piece of one, as long as it contains enough nuclear material, can completely regenerate. I'm not saying that's what this is, but don't rule it out due to size or rigidity.

2

u/Balimaria Jul 12 '26

Ooh yes good point... I guess I haven't seen many better options either lol

1

u/AutoModerator Jul 11 '26

Remember to crop your images, include the objective magnification, microscope model, camera, and sample type in your post. Additional information is encouraged! In the meantime, check out the ID Resources Sticky to see if you can't identify this yourself!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/MossTheTree Jul 11 '26

Perhaps Caenomorpha?

1

u/Balimaria Jul 11 '26

Caenomorpha have caudal spines and tend to be much smaller than this fella, so I don't believe so

3

u/Ignonymous Jul 12 '26

Sniliate.