WunderkanoneExploring the Microscopic World

Nuclearia

Spirogyra cell overtaken by Nuclearia sp..

Spirogyra cell overtaken by Nuclearia sp..

Resting cell during phagocytosis. The hair-like corona are bacteria that feed on the muccous layer surrounding the Nuclearia.

Different types of forms from left to right: resting cell during phagocytosis, cyst, resting cell during phagocytosis, hungry cell looking for a Spirogyra to invade. The cyst is surrounded by a muccous layer as well. The brown particals in this layer are rests of phagocytosis.

Cyst

Can you count the number of Nuclearia sp. in this image? In the upper right corner there is a Pseudospora parasitica zoocyst visible.

Nuclearia sp.

Nuclearia sp. from another sample with Spirogyra algae. This could be N. delicatula.

Nucleariids are amoeboid species at the animal-fungi boundary, closer to fungi than to animals. This Nuclearia thermophila (Cienkowski, 1865) feeds on damaged Spirogyra cells. After it stuffs itself with chlorophyll and plasma, it forms a ball surrounded by a mucous layer. If this happens outside of the Spirogyra cell a corona of bacteria that feeds on the mucous layer is visible. With its filopodia the nuclearid amoeba then looks like a hairy Heliozoan.