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Post by ecooper on Jan 16, 2013 12:16:57 GMT -8
The mystery of the amphipod with the red spot has been solved...it turns out that the red spot was actually an acanthocephalan (thorny-headed or spiny-headed worm) parasite called Polymorphus. Acanthocephalans are parasitic and don’t have a digestive tract; they are basically a sack containing reproductive organs and musculature with a spiny proboscis that can stick out of one end. The proboscis is used to stab into and attach to the gut of its host (the animal in which it is living and feeding from). They ingest nutrients directly through their body surface. The cool thing is how Polymorphus alters the behaviour of the host amphipod. Gammarus lacustris are preyed upon by ducks (amongst other predators). Needless to say they generally try to avoid being eaten and tend to avoid light and stay away from the surface (where ducks are). However, Polymorphus eventually causes its host to becomes attracted by light and swim towards the surface to increase the likelihood of being eaten by a duck. The bird then becomes infected by the parasite... Below I’ve uploaded a tightly cropped version of the red-spot photo. Now I’m wondering what the little clump is that is growing on the back of the amphipod (in the upper right corner of the photo)? Cheers, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress .com amphipod red spot very tight crop_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr
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Post by ecooper on Jan 10, 2013 12:46:42 GMT -8
amphipod tiff spotted edit colour_filtered unsharpen_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr It has been waaaaay too long since I posted any photos. Funny how life can speed-up and suck all your time—especially over Christmas holidays when you have kids! Anyhow, I’m back and after a 2-week hiatus I have finally posted some photos on my blog of freshwater amphipods (that I took last summer). The photo above is of a very pretty specimen of Gammarus lacustris; apparently the only species of freshwater gammarid amphipod found in British Columbia. Whenever (and wherever) I have collected freshwater Gammarus in the past, they have been coloured drab shades of brown and olive green. But as you can see, the specimens I collected from this particular stream showed some real diversity in colouration, including some really pretty specimens with bright red spots on a translucent yellowish body. Others had a single very obvious bright red spot on their side. I still don’t know if the spot was on the critter’s exoskeleton or was something inside the body… amphipod red spot sharpened copyright ernie cooper_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr I really need to get back to that stream again this summer to collect more of these critters and do a better job of photographing them… Cheers, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.com
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Post by ecooper on Jan 10, 2013 12:46:11 GMT -8
Really nice photos!
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Post by ecooper on Dec 24, 2012 20:28:57 GMT -8
I use a no pest strip. I simply gather the leaf litter and do the work right at that moment, to make certain that insects are in the leaf litter. I've collected a good number of carabids, Staphylinidae, Anthicidae, Tenebrionidae, Elateridae, Scarabaeidae=Onthophagus, Aphodius, and other beetle families this way. Jeff Prill Interesting suggestion...! Thanks! Not sure if you can get no-pest strips in Canada anymore... EC
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Post by ecooper on Dec 24, 2012 20:26:59 GMT -8
Might want to experiment with some trap fluids, like 50-70% ethanol/water, tiny drop of soap and a dash of salt to maintain osmotic balance. Thanks! Excellent advice! EC
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Post by ecooper on Dec 24, 2012 16:25:17 GMT -8
I am planning to use a Berlese funnel to collect some leaf litter invertebrates to photograph (using photo stacking). I was wondering what solution to use in the killing jar: alcohol, soap and water, or something else? I want to preserve colour and keep the specimens relatively relaxed (if that is possible). Thanks for any advice. EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.com
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Post by ecooper on Dec 22, 2012 16:40:34 GMT -8
Incredible detail, another awesome photo. Thank you! EC
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Post by ecooper on Dec 22, 2012 16:40:03 GMT -8
absolutely awesome, once again you did it! BTW, here it's 30 Deg and summer! LOL! I'm envious! Its cold and pouring rain here right now. No insects to be found...maybe some earthworms...! EC
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Post by ecooper on Dec 22, 2012 16:37:57 GMT -8
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Post by ecooper on Dec 21, 2012 21:46:37 GMT -8
Almost exactly a month ago I posted a photo of a sow bug (order Isopoda) on my blog that I created from a stack of 57 separate images. But I was really unsatisfied with the photo and decided it was time to invest in more equipment. I ordered a 4X microscope objective off Ebay and started building a precision focusing rail out of a Zeiss Microscope Focus Arm. The focusing rail is now functional. The trickiest thing was figuring out how to provide soft, even lighting to a tiny specimen positioned only 14mm from the front of the lens while simultaneously avoiding lens flare. I also needed to find a suitably photogenic subject. Given that it was snowing on the day I took the photo below, a trip to the garden to look for tiny insects wasn’t an option! I had an epiphany yesterday morning while eating a small tub of yogurt and a banana. I finished the yogurt and realized that it was made from thin white plastic and was the perfect size and shape to fit over both the microscope lens and a specimen. All I had to do was to cut a hole in the bottom to insert the subject. Meanwhile a couple of fruit flies started to buzz around my banana...”aha” I thought, “my specimens have arrived!” Below is one of the photos resulting from a meeting of yogurt container and fruit fly. Cheers, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.comfruitfly 1 edit copyright ernie cooper 2012 crop 3_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr
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Post by ecooper on Dec 13, 2012 7:29:06 GMT -8
I picked-up a nasty virus late last week and haven’t been feeling particularly inspired (or healthy) ever since. But this morning—once I stopped trying to cough-up a lung—I decided to grab my camera and take a few photos of one of my Israeli pillar tail scorpions (Orthochirus scrobiculosus negebensis for my blog. These are such great (I dare say cute) little scorpions. But they are a pain to photograph because they live in a dusty environment—and it is really difficult to get a nice, clear, sharp photo of a very small, dusty animal. It’s tempting to wash one of these little beasts off in some warm water. But I’m afraid that immersion in water, even for a short time, would stress the animal badly or even worse, cause it harm. Cheers, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.comorthochirus 1 copyright Ernie Cooper 2012_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr
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Post by ecooper on Dec 13, 2012 7:27:44 GMT -8
Interesting scorpion, I use to collect them in Spain (believe it or not, there is a scorpion species in Europe), they look quite similar to your specimen. I remember that when I went scorpion collecting, they always hid under rocks, but they also burrow in sand, amazing yet dangerous creatures. Quintin The most common scorpion in Spain is Buthus occitanus, isn't it? Nice animals. I'm envious that you could go out scorpion collecting. There are no scorpions where I live! EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.com
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Post by ecooper on Dec 5, 2012 22:06:41 GMT -8
Lately I have been lamenting the lack of critters available to me to photograph at this time of the year. Well I am happy to say that the problem has been resolved—for the time being at least. Last week I took possession of 19 new “pets” including three new species of scorpions, two species of tarantulas, and one centipede. One might jump to the conclusion that I used the dearth of photographic subjects as an excuse to buy some interesting critters (and one would be right). Last night I finally managed to find a whole 15 minutes to do a shoot, so I quickly set-up my white box and took these pictures of one of my new critters: a lovely adult female desert hairy scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis). Here are a couple of photos from the series I posted on my blog. Cheers, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.comdesert hairy scorpion 7 copyright ernie cooper 2012_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr desert hairy scorpion 6 copyright ernie cooper 2012_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr
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Post by ecooper on Nov 27, 2012 18:51:36 GMT -8
Excellent! Thanks for the great advice.
EC
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Post by ecooper on Nov 27, 2012 10:59:02 GMT -8
The other day my large European mantis died. I put the body into the freezer for the time being, but I'd like to mount the specimen and could use some advice. Given the size of her abdomen, should I eviserate and stuff the specimen with cotton before I pin it up? I'm concerned about it rotting while it dries. Thanks, EC www.macrocritters.wordpress.com
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