Oonephris - Algae

Sample #1: Oonephris

Figure 1: a high-resolution view of Oonephris colony surrounded by a thin membrane.  PhycoKey - an image-based key to Algae (PS Protista), Cyanobacteria, and other aquatic objects. 

 Figure 2: Oonephris clustered together in a drop of water.  Kristen Maslach, 1 September 2016

Name: Oonephris
Phylum: Chlorophyla
Family: Oocystaceae
Collection Date: 31 August, 2016
Collector's Name: Julie Maxson
Habitat: generally found in small ponds containing decaying vegetation
Location: Petitti's Garden Center, front focal pond in parking lot

Description: Unflagellated colonies of ovoid cells; can appear as single cells

Key Used: Baker, A.L. et al.  2012.  PhycoKey - an image-based key to Algae (PS Protista), Cyanobacteria, and other aquatic objects.  University of New Hampshire Center for Freshwater Biology. 

http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm 6 Sep 2016.

Steps in keying process:

Main page: Algae (PS Protista), Cyanobacteria and other aquatic objects

Greens (Chlorophyceae): have cell walls, contain chlorophyll a and b, are (usually) green, and contain starch reserves.

Non-flagellated unicells (Chlorophyceae): non-flagellated colonies

References:

http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/phycokey.htm

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/oonephris_obesa.html

Hello, and welcome to Herbarium Et Obliti!  For those of you who aren't Latin buffs (I'm certainly not), Et Obliti translates to 'of the forgotten'.  While not technically forgotten, the organisms featured on this blog are certainly out of the public eye when it comes to life on this planet.  Lately it seems, if you don't have four feet and a cute face, you don't matter.  False, of course.  Not only have some of these organisms been around as long as life, they hold the key as to why the world around us operates as it does. 

Technically, I'm starting this for a college lab, but I'm leaving it open afterward.  It would be fun to see what I could find. 

Happy Hunting, and feel free to fact-check.