Flagellates and swimming colonies
Dinoflagellates
Freshwater dinoflagellates (Ceratium, Peridinium)
Armoured, golden-brown cells that spin as they swim. Ceratium has long horns; Peridinium is rounder.
What to look for
- A groove runs around the middle of the cell, with one flagellum in it; a second trails behind.
- Cell wall of plates (armour) in many species; Ceratium has one front horn and two or three rear horns.
- Golden-brown chloroplasts.
Size in the field
Ceratium is large for a single cell: easily seen at 100×.
Where to find it
Lakes and ponds, especially in plankton samples in summer.
Clips 0
No clip of this group is on the site yet. The description above is enough to check your own observation.