KEPLER
YOU TOUCH ON TWO VERY DIFFICULT GROUPS. I HAVE WRITTEN A GENERAL
INTRODUCTORY GUIDE TO PROTOZOA (MY CREDENTIALS FOR ANSWERING THIS MISSIVE)
FOR GUIDANCE I NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU STAND NOW. WHICH BOOKS DO YOU USE
FOR GUIDANCE.
AMOEBAE WILL REQUIRE CULTURES, AND IF YOU CANNOT DO THIS STAY CLEAR OF
AMOEBAE. THE RIGHT BOOKS ARE THE PAGE BOOKS OR THE PAGE/SIEMENSMA BOOK.
REGARDING FLAGELLATES. MOST PEOPLE CANNOT TELL BODO FROM A HOLE IN THE
GROUND. MOST ACCOUNTS OF 'BODO EDAX' ARE NOT OF THIS ORGANISM. THERE
ARE ONLY A FEW BODOS WHICH CAN BE IDENTIFIED WITH SOME EASE. MOST
ORGANISMS ASSIGNED TO THIS GENUS ARE NOT BODO'S. DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF
PATTERSON AND LARSEN (THE BIOLOGY OF FREE-LIVING HETEROTROPHIC
FLAGELLATES) AS THIS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH GUIDANCE TO ALL GENERA AND TO
THE LITERATURE FOR FURTHER WORK.
HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE CONFIDENT IDENTIFICATION, YOU ARE ALMOST
CERTAINLY GOING TO HAVE TO VISIT AND WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THE MOST EXTENSIVE SPECIES LEVEL GUIDE TO BODO IS THAT OF ZHUKOV - IN
RUSSIAN. IT IS NON CRITICAL, BUT FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE.
PROTOZOAN TAXONOMY IS A COMPLEX BUSINESS, AND IF TO BE USED MEANINGFULLY
SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.
FINALLY, I CAN PROVIDE A VIDEO TAPE SHOWING SOME OF THE MOST COMMON GENERA.
DAVID PATTERSON
On 14 Jul 1994 kepler at kuhub.cc.ukans.edu wrote:
> Hi. I didn't even know this group existed. I have already put up a post on the
> sci.bio group -- but this group may be more helpful.
>> I am doing an undergraduate project, using protozoans as indicators of water
> quality. I am having some trouble with the identification of the protozoa --
> mainly members of the Phylum Sarcodina -- I can not tell an ameboid type
> protozoan from the dirt and sand on the slide. I am using protoslo, and the
> phase-contrast on the scope (both very helpful) but am still having problems.
>> I have not tried to fix any protozoa on a slide, perhaps this is what I should
> do. The problem is, in order to identify, I need the protozoa to be active.
>> Another problem that I am having with identification in general, is that I only
> have pictures (drawings from a book) of a few of species in any group. For
> example, I have seen a lot of what I believe to be Bodos, but the book I am
> using has only one drawing of Bodo edax, and I know that there are many others.
> As far as water quality goes, it is very important that I identify the correct
> species of Bodo.
>> Any tips? Thanks in advance, -kepler kepler at kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>>
