Lacrymaria Olor - "Tear of the Swan"

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Mike
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Lacrymaria Olor - "Tear of the Swan"

Post by Mike »

Hello all,

With apologies for violating the 'two a day' rule (there hasn't been a heck of a lot of activity the last few days!) I wanted to post this shot of a Lacrymaria olor I found in my critter trough.

The interesting thing is the extensible 'neck' that flails about looking for food and taking huge chunks out of anything it finds 'tasty'. Supposedly it can extend up to seven times it's body length, as demonstrated in this shot.

Image

Leitz Orthoplan, 25X, Coolpix 4500, Vivitar 283
Cropped ~60% and contrast enhanced - PSP9.0

All the best,

Mike
"Nil satis nisi optimum"

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Apologies noted there Mike. :) There hasn't been a lot of activity here of late. :( This is a nice capture though of what I consider to be one of the hardest animalcules to capture. Especially with the neck extended. These things fascinate me, I can sit and watch them for what seems like hours sometimes. They certainly are a curiosity. Great photo Mike! :D
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gslaten
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Post by gslaten »

Hi Mike,

Looks like you caught this guy at full extension. Very nice shot of something I have never come across. Are you finding many of them in your critter trough?

Gary

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Mike
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Post by Mike »

Hello Ken and Gary,

Ken - thanks for the waiver on the '2-a-day' rule! This is a difficult one to capture as you noted; that extensible neck flies around like............well, moves let's just say if moves very quickly and this is one of the few situations where I was not using MSA (Mike's Slowing Agent). They are fascinating to watch and I am lucky in seeing them several times recently, although they are evidently very difficult to maintain.
There were several excellent articles by Richard Howey in MicScape on these - recommended reading! http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art98/tear1.html http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... hlac2.html

Gary - actually I don't think this is full extension! It's hard to believe when you see one of these 'up close and personal' - the speed and distance, not to mention acute angles the neck will make looking for prey. As Ken mentions, when you see one it is hard to pull yourself away!

All the best,

Mike
"Nil satis nisi optimum"

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Mike said:
Gary - actually I don't think this is full extension!
I have read that the Lacrymaria olor can extend its neck up to twelve times the actual body length. They are vicious predators and unlike most protozoa that engulf there prey, the Lacrymaria tears chunks out of the prey as it passes by, with lightning speed! The strike is much like that of a snake. :shock:
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Charles Krebs
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Post by Charles Krebs »

Great representation of just how extendable the neck is. These really are intersting creatures to watch hunting for food.

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Post by Wim van Egmond »

It is an amazing flipper-less miniature Plesiosaur! This micromonster of Loch Ness!

Wim

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Mike
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Post by Mike »

Hello Ken, Charlie and Wim,

Indeed, these are amazing critters to watch as they stretch amazing distances at great speed to find the next meal.

Ken - I don't know about 12 times, but it sure is a long way; I have some shots of them swallowing HUGE chunks of prey.

Charlie & Wim - one of the problems with these is one gets caught up in watching to the exclusion of doing anything else, and yes! It can surely qualify as a 'micro-monster' - I'd hate to be in the neighborhood when one of these decided to visit for a meal.

All the best,

Mike
"Nil satis nisi optimum"

Charles Krebs
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Post by Charles Krebs »

Mike... when I watch these guys, I sometimes think of science fiction movies. A world where we were reduced to microscopic size (or these creatures were upscaled to our size) and we had to deal with predators like this. It would be pretty scary day at the beach!

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