Staurastrum with several ciliates

Several ciliates are swimming around two peculiarly-shaped cells of Staurastrum algae.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
There are many species in this genus, and this may be Staurastrum inflexum. There is a similar but slightly larger alga than S.inflexum (21-34μm), which is named S.proboscideum (35-45μm).

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

The ciliate in this video is Lembadion lucens, which has a rather small body with a cytostome area that is relatively large – about 2/3 the length of its body. Lembadion bullinum is another ciliate with a larger body and a cytostome that extends the entire length of the cell.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

Sampling Date : 27 May 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River A  Google Map