Rich microbial world in the river

River bottoms are composed of accumulated aggregated particles, pieces of sand grains and pland debris, whose surfaces are covered with bacteria. They offer small flagellates and ciliates a rich source of nutritious food. Single cells of diatoms as well as their chains can also be observed in this flourishing microbial world.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
The organism is not Diatoma but Biddulphia or Pleurosira.

Diatoma

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

Biddulphia or Pleurosira

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

Lines can be observed at both ends of this chain of cells. These lines appear after chloroplasts disappear in the dead cells, as shown in the following web page.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

Sampling Date : 02 July 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River A  Google Map