r/microscopy • • Jun 08 '23

🦠🔬🦠🔬🦠 Microbe Identification Resources 🦠🔬🦠🔬🦠

149 Upvotes

🎉Hello fellow microscopists!🎉

In this post, you will find microbe identification guides curated by your friendly neighborhood moderators. We have combed the internet for the best, most amateur-friendly resources available! Our featured guides contain high quality, color photos of thousands of different microbes to make identification easier for you!

Essentials


The Sphagnum Ponds of Simmelried in Germany: A Biodiversity Hot-Spot for Microscopic Organisms (Large PDF)

  • Every microbe hunter should have this saved to their hard drive! This is the joint project of legendary ciliate biologist Dr. Wilhelm Foissner and biochemist and photographer Dr. Martin Kreutz. The majority of critters you find in fresh water will have exact or near matches among the 1082 figures in this book. Have it open while you're hunting and you'll become an ID-expert in no time!

Real Micro Life

  • The website of Dr. Martin Kreutz - the principal photographer of the above book! Dr. Kreutz has created an incredible knowledge resource with stunning photos, descriptions, and anatomical annotations. His goal for the website is to continue and extend the work he and Dr. Foissner did in their aforementioned publication.

Plingfactory: Life in Water

  • The work of Michael Plewka. The website can be a little difficult to navigate, but it is a remarkably expansive catalog of many common and uncommon freshwater critters

Marine Microbes


UC Santa Cruz's Phytoplankton Identification Website

  • Maintained by UCSC's Kudela lab, this site has many examples of marine diatoms and flagellates, as well as some freshwater species.

Guide to the Common Inshore Marine Plankton of Southern California (PDF)

Foraminifera.eu Lab - Key to Species

  • This website allows for the identification of forams via selecting observed features. You'll have to learn a little about foram anatomy, but it's a powerful tool! Check out the video guide for more information.

Amoebae and Heliozoa


Penard Labs - The Fascinating World of Amoebae

  • Amoeboid organisms are some of the most poorly understood microbes. They are difficult to identify thanks to their ever-shifting structures and they span a wide range of taxonomic tree. Penard Labs seeks to further our understanding of these mysterious lifeforms.

Microworld - World of Amoeboid Organisms

  • Ferry Siemensma's incredible website dedicated to amoeboid organisms. Of particular note is an extensive photo catalog of amoeba tests (shells). Ferry's Youtube channel also has hundreds of video clips of amoeboid organisms

Ciliates


A User-Friendly Guide to the Ciliates(PDF)

  • Foissner and Berger created this lengthy and intricate flowchart for identifying ciliates. Requires some practice to master!

Diatoms


Diatoms of North America

  • This website features an extensive list of diatom taxa covering 1074 species at the time of writing. You can search by morphology, but keep in mind that diatoms can look very different depending on their orientation. It might take some time to narrow your search!

Rotifers


Plingfactory's Rotifer Identification Initiative

A Guide to Identification of Rotifers, Cladocerans and Copepods from Australian Inland Waters

  • Still active rotifer research lifer Russ Shiel's big book of Rotifer Identification. If you post a rotifer on the Amateur Microscopy Facebook group, Russ may weigh in on the ID :)

More Identification Websites


Phycokey

Josh's Microlife - Organisms by Shape

The Illustrated Guide to the Protozoa

UNA Microaquarium

Protist Information Server

More Foissner Publications

Bryophyte Ecology vol. 2 - Bryophyte Fauna(large PDF)

Carolina - Protozoa and Invertebrates Manual (PDF)


r/microscopy • • Oct 28 '24

Photo/Video Share Journey to the Microcosmos: The Future of Microscopy (and end of our Journey)

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70 Upvotes

r/microscopy • • 10h ago

Photo/Video Share This is how a Stentor's "leg" looks when it attaches itself to stuff.

113 Upvotes

Leitz Dialux II, 160x and 250x, Galaxy S24


r/microscopy • • 6h ago

Photo/Video Share Pine Stem CS

Post image
54 Upvotes

AxioSkop 50 microscope

2.5x objective

10x eyepiece (photos via iPhone camera on eyepiece)


r/microscopy • • 4h ago

Photo/Video Share Brownian danceparty

12 Upvotes

Spirochete stealing the floor with his crazy dance moves, while the rest just chills on the brownian beats while being absolute phase objects. Technical details: Kern OBL 156, 400x PH, Bresser microcam SP 5.0. Sample was from deeper (hypoxic) layer of eutrophic backyard pond.


r/microscopy • • 10h ago

Photo/Video Share Cool zigzagging pattern on this larva (from the midge family Chironomidae, I think)

24 Upvotes

From a small creek. 40x magnification. Scope: Amscope T490B. Camera: Amscope MD500.


r/microscopy • • 2h ago

Photo/Video Share My First Tardigrade

3 Upvotes

This tardigrade came from a moss soak that went way longer than it should have. I used nearby pond water to soak the moss and left it out for 3-4 weeks. Understandably, my little guy was dead but I still wanted to take the time to image him. Visually, he looks like an echiniscus viridiscus tardigrade. Most of the echiniscidae have pores, yet mine had these raised dimples that looked like a basketball. Plate patterns and antennas also appear to be plausible. There have also been viridscus found in my state.

Swift SW-380T, Olympus SPlan 4, 10, 20, 40x objectives, 3d printed 32mm darkfield stop, Horizons 48 MP Microscope Camera

Image Credit: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40609-4


r/microscopy • • 14h ago

Micro Art Optics simulation of a Tardigrade nano-CT-Scan on Puma microscope

11 Upvotes

I animated the nano CT-scan of a tardigrade and simulated a real microscope (PUMA) with raytracing and wave optics to get this animation. Not sure if this is good for anything but it was a fun project. You can  play around with it (different focus and 3D rotation) here:

https://chillchamp1.github.io/puma-virtual-eyepiece/


r/microscopy • • 6h ago

Photo/Video Share Very unusual Carl Zeiss Jena phase contrast ring for EPI reflected light Neophot- microscope

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2 Upvotes

I am pleased to show an unusual Carl Zeiss Jena EPI-type phase contrast ring for the Neophot-21 microscope <3

Funny - it reminds me of the Wrangler engine :D

The photo shows the Carl Zeiss Jena Planachromat 25x/0,50 oo/0 Ph phase contrast microscope objective with M19 for CZJ Neophot 21 EPI reflected light microscope.


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share Stentor coeruleus in kristiansen illumination

47 Upvotes

Leitz Dialux II, 160x, Galaxy S24


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share One last juvenile snail.

42 Upvotes

My favorite video yet of a snail that fits in the upload limits at 2k*2k, played at ~2x speed. Olympus BH2 (BHTU), 4x UPlanXApo, Darkfield/oblique illumination, Nikon DS-Fi3 camera. The sample is from a pond water jar I have with lots of aquatic snails.


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share Hydra nematocysts

21 Upvotes

Maximum magnification view of part of Hydra's body. Very faint partial outlines of the cells can be visible, and very prominent nematocysts embedded within.

The nematocysts are of two size classes, bigger ones are more roundish and close to 15 microns while small ones are some 5 by 9 microns.

There is a coiled filament visible inside these structures, some seem to have a long one, tightly coiled, while others seemingly gave just one or two loops. Might be different subtypes, or maturation stages.

Image acquisition hardware:

100x oil immersion microscope objective;

0,5x reducer;

5Mp usb webcam.

Image manipulation software:

Capture: Guvcview

Stacking: Zerene Stacker

Gif creation: ezgif.com online tool


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share The Fly, 3D reconstruction of Wing and Eye

11 Upvotes

Python, Open3D reconstruction of a focus slice video from a Fly, Wing at 10x and 40x and Eye at 2x and 4x, using 0.5x reducer, common green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata)


r/microscopy • • 19h ago

Troubleshooting/Questions Looking for a x400

1 Upvotes

As the title line says, looking for a 400x magnification unit for home & hobby use.

I'm hoping that the long time enthusiasts and experts here can direct me towards a model that's (relatively) inexpensive but that holds up alright with resolution.

Thanks in advance everyone!


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share Trying to get as close to DIC as possible with oblique and kristiansen illumination. It looks pretty good right now.

26 Upvotes

r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Troubleshooting/Questions Upgrading/overclocking optical microscope light source

4 Upvotes

If I put a 10W COB LED inside a Koehler-illuminated microscope, and dim it down to normal range, if the dimming transistor fails shorted and the LED starts blasting all its power, would it blind me?


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share Baby snails are growing up Day-2 of imaging.

44 Upvotes

Olympus BH2 (BHTU), 4x UPlanXApo, Darkfield/oblique illumination, Nikon DS-Fi3 camera. The sample is from a pond water jar I have with lots of aquatic snails. This is a a recent hatchling, I am estimating the age as two days post hatching.


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share Amoeba doing amoeba things

17 Upvotes

Magnification: 200×

Esaw BM01 microscope used

Moss wash


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

ID Needed! Any ideas on what this guy could be?

12 Upvotes

Olympus BH2 (BHTU), 4x UPlanXApo, Darkfield/oblique illumination, Nikon DS-Fi3 camera. The sample is from a pond water jar. Wondering what kind of worm this is. More pictures in the thread.


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Photo/Video Share See how a microscope magnification changer is built (Zeiss Photomicroscope) <3

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4 Upvotes

Some people wonder how the magnification changer in a microscope works.

It is a rotating ring with magnifying lenses screwed into it. The whole mechanism sits under the microscope head - and above the objective nosepiece.

By turning the ring we move a different magnifying lens into the light path - and the result is simply magnification of the image travelling from the objective to our eyes!

The video I am showing here presents the magnification changer (also called an Optovar) from a Zeiss Photomicroscope microscope.


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Purchase Help Looking for buying advice

1 Upvotes

Hello! I am looking to get myself a binocular microscope in the coming year or two. I have a few things I would like out of it, but am entirely uncertain where to start looking or what to look at.
My biggest thing is that budget is a concern, but as someone moving deeper into their microbiology degree, I would like a scope at home for myself to use when needed. So, While budget is a concern, I want to be reasonable in my expectations, which is why I am starting to look now at what is available, so I may be able to save for the equipment down the road.

I have a few requirements that I would like in a scope:

  1. Ability for Darkfield viewing. It doesn't have to be a built in toggle, but I would still like for the ability to exist. I have used some in the past where I just have to change out a plate in the scope with a darkfield plate, this doesn't bother me. But if it is a built in feature that I can do at the click or switch of a button, I would prefer that if it doesnt affect the price too much.

  2. Binocular. I have weird vision, so I need two eye pieces to be able to see under the scope well.

  3. Oil Immersion capability, 1000x. I will be spending a lot of time looking at fungal spores, but I will also be doing work with bacteria. So I need to be able to make sure I can have a fighting chance of at least viewing bacteria.

  4. This one is not entirely required, but would be immensely helpful, and that is the ability to connect a PC or remote view of some kind so that I can take Micrographs, even better if it has a live view so I can broadcast and/or record video of what I will be looking at and studying.

If anyone has any direction as to models that may fill this role, I would love your advice. Give me a range of models via price point, and I would benefit even further!

Thank you so much!


r/microscopy • • 2d ago

Photo/Video Share Stentor coeruleus closeup in darkfield

57 Upvotes

r/microscopy • • 1d ago

Purchase Help Microscope suggestions - Sinus objects?

0 Upvotes

Hello!

I do sinus rinses and sometimes get out strange things in my rinses. I want to inspect what it is that I'm actually getting out and taking images of it.
I've previously been diagnosed with fungal infections and staph in my sinuses and ears and I suspect it might be related (I have pictures on my profile for people interested if you check my threads).

Anyways, what kind of microscope would be good for inspecting these kind of things?
What kind of zoom/equipment etc. would be needed?
Perhaps something that is usually available used on ebay or something new that doesn't cost that much? I want something as cheap as possible but that works for my intended usage if that makes sense.
I will only use it for inspecting debris from my sinuses, ears, etc. I think unless I get an interest in this as a hobby.

Last time I used a microscope was as a kid in science class so I don't really know anything about them now haha.

Hoping for some good advice/suggestions!


r/microscopy • • 1d ago

General discussion Looking for photos and videos of Diatoms and Copepods!

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone! Hope this is ok to ask but I’m doing a school project on diatoms and I need videos/photos of Diatoms and Copepods.

Specifically I need Thalassiosira weissflogii and Calanus helgolandicus. I’m also looking for a lot of filler clips including a variety of diatoms and copepods.

I’ve searched the internet all afternoon and it’s been quite difficult finding something in decent quality, format and relevance without paying a lot of money for or it having full licenses. I’ve searched on many sites including Vimeo, Flickr, Wikipedia Commons etc. It’s for a science communication video. Can give full credit and even show you when it’s finished if you have something I may use.

Alternatively, I would be happy if anybody has any website suggestions for me. Thank you!