A drifting heliozoa

This heliozoan cell is about 50 microns in diameter. From the cell surface, numerous long axopods of similar length radiate outward. The organism is slowly drifting along the aggregates.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
This organism is a kind of Heliozoa which looks like the sun. Unfortunately it is too small to be classified to the species level. Organisms in the Heliozoa group can be identified by the shape of the axopods and other protrusions, and by the scales or gelatinous coat that covers the cell surface. But with this tiny organism, it is difficult to recognize these features.

Sampling Date : 28 May 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River B  Google Map