Oscillatoriaceae

Phormidium (four-mid-ee-um) the filaments consisting of a trichome (chain of cells) surrounded by an organic sheath. In this image, note the sheath in a region of the filament that lacks cells (upper left). Phase contrast microscopy. data on this strain.

This filamentous cyanobacterium is rare in the lake, but it grows readily on agar plates.

Oscillatoria (awe-sill-at-owe-ree-a) filamentous blue green alga (bacterium) common in sediments. Motile, without differentiated cells within the filament, but distinguished by a slight twist at the anterior end. Differential interference contrast.

Oscillatoria (awe-sill-at-owe-ree-a) filamentous blue green alga (bacterium) common in sediments. Motile, without differentiated cells within the filament, but distinguished by a slight twist at the anterior end. Differential interference contrast.

Filamentous blue green algae with several morphologies, all lack a mucus sheath, glide and had no evident heterocysts (differentiated cells), and are probably (though not certainly) assignable to Oscillatoria. Phase contrast.

Oscillatoria (oss-sill-at-oar-ee-a) (tentative identification) upper filament with gas vacuoles - protein inclusions which are not easily distinguished from membrane bound compartments which distinguish eukaryotes. To get to a correct identification. care needs to be taken to check if ALL cells have the inclusions. Gas vesicles tend not to be present in all cells. Differential interference contrast.

Oscillatoria (awe-sill-at-owe-ree-a) filamentous blue green alga (bacterium) common in sediments. Motile, without differentiated cells within the filament, but distinguished by a slight twist at the anterior end. Phase contrast.

Oscillatoria (oss-sill-at-oar-ee-a) (tentative identification) filamentous blue green alga (bacterium) common in sediments. Motile, without differentiated cells within the filament, but distinguished by a slight twist at the anterior end. Phase contrast.

Oscillatoria (oss-sill-at-oar-ee-ah) filamentous blue green alga *(cyanobacterium). Phase contrast.

Oscillatoria, a filamentous cyanobacterium, is able to glide over surfaces. These three images were taken over a period of about 2 minutes and show two filaments moving relative to each other.

Oscillatoria observed in freshwater sediments in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using phase contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Oscillatoria observed in freshwater sediments in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using phase contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Two fine filaments of this cyanobacterium. Differential interference contrast optics. 

Filaments of this blue-green alga (cyanobacterium). They glide slowly. Phase contrast microscopy.

Small region of mud with filaments of Oscillatoria forming a thin layer over the surface.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a) is a filamentous cyanobacteria usually have many cells joined together. They are often motile, gliding through the substrate. Probably the oldest recognizable organisms on Earth - traceable back to the earliest fossils, over 3 billion years old. Some are producers of toxins, some have nitrogen fixing abilities. etc. Phase contrast.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a) is a filamentous cyanobacteria usually have many cells joined together. They are often motile, gliding through the substrate. Probably the oldest recognizable organisms on Earth - traceable back to the earliest fossils, over 3 billion years old. Some are producers of toxins, some have nitrogen fixing abilities. etc. There are many disc-shaped cells joined end to end to make up the filaments. The filaments can be huge, dwarfing not only many protists but also many metazoa. The organisms are photosynthetic, and also can glide slowly. Phase contrast.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a) is a filamentous cyanobacteria usually have many cells joined together. They are often motile, gliding through the substrate. Probably the oldest recognizable organisms on Earth - traceable back to the earliest fossils, over 3 billion years old. Some are producers of toxins, some have nitrogen fixing abilities. etc. There are many disc-shaped cells joined end to end to make up the filaments. The filaments can be huge, dwarfing not only many protists but also many metazoa. The organisms are photosynthetic, and also can glide slowly. Differential interference contrast.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a) is a filamentous cyanobacteria usually have many cells joined together. They are often motile, gliding through the substrate. Probably the oldest recognizable organisms on Earth - traceable back to the earliest fossils, over 3 billion years old. Some are producers of toxins, some have nitrogen fixing abilities. etc. There are many disc-shaped cells joined end to end to make up the filaments. As can be seen from this community photograph, the filaments can be huge, dwarfing not only many protists but also many metazoa. The organisms are photosynthetic, and also can glide slowly. Phase contrast.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a - although the man+s name is pronounced Lung-boo) a filamentous blue-green alga (cyanobacterium), fairly substantial and usually found with a sheath around each filament. Differential interference contrast.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a ) a filamentous blue-green alga (cyanobacterium), fairly substantial. This image shows the mucus sheath which encloses each filament. Differential interference contrast.

Lyngbya (ling-bee-a - although the man+s name is pronounced Lung-boo) a filamentous blue-green alga (cyanobacterium), fairly substantial and usually found with a sheath around each filament. Phase contrast micrograph.

Rather large filamentous blue green alga - the filament is made up of many disc-shaped cells attached end to end. Differential interference contrast optics.

This filament of Lyngbya has been squashed and the cytoplasm has been extruded from the cells. The photosynthetic pigments that provide the green colour are distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Phase contrast microscopy.