Flagellates and swimming colonies
Trachelomonas
Trachelomonas (euglenid in a shell)
A green euglenid living in a round or oval shell (lorica) that turns yellow, orange or brown with iron and manganese.
What to look for
- A rigid rounded shell, smooth or warty, often brown; the green cell inside shows through when the shell is pale.
- One flagellum sticks out through a small collar-like opening.
- Swims steadily, rotating, and does not change shape.
Size in the field
Small: a coloured dot at 100×; 400× shows the shell and flagellum.
Where to find it
Ponds, ditches and bog water, especially where there is iron in the water.
Clips 0
No clip of this group is on the site yet. The description above is enough to check your own observation.