Observations by sds12

Timberlake Ranch was the site selected for this research. Timberlake Ranch is a biological field station used for Tarleton State University and it is located on the banks of the Colorado River south of Goldthwaite in Mills County (Higgins, 2016). This section of the river is slow moving, shallow and very turbid. Water samples were collected at this site over a three-day period from September 30, 2016 to October 2, 2016. The sample used for this research from Timberlake Ranch was taken from the sediment surface in the run-off area of the stream, a highly turbid area. Sample analysis was performed on October 11th and 19th of year 2016 at a research lab located at Tarleton State University. The organism examined under a microscope during the sample analysis for the Timberlake Ranch site was kidney-like shaped, covered in cilia, did not lie motionless, and was transparent. After further research, the species was identified by its body structure, movement, color and cilia as Colpoda inflata (Zhenkang, 1997). Colpoda inflata is found in a broad ecological range, however, it is most commonly found in a terrestrial habitat (Zhenkang, 1997). C. inflata is a soil ciliate that has been reported in several parts of the world such as Japan, China, United States, Mexico, Australia, Germany, Spain and several others (Zhenkang, 1997). The genetic variation among the ciliates in the different geographic locations is relatively small (Zhenkang, 1997).

References:
Colpoda inflata. Encyclopedia of Life. (Picture is from this website).

Higgins, C. 2016. Biological field station at Timberlake Ranch. Department of Biological Sciences at Tarleton State University.

Zhenkang X., N. Bowers, and P.R. James. 1997. Variation in morphology, ecology, and toxicological responses of Colpoda inflata (stokes) collected from five biogeographic realms. European Journal of Protistology 33:136-144.

Timberlake Ranch was the site selected for this research. Timberlake Ranch is a biological field station used for Tarleton State University and it is located on the banks of the Colorado River south of Goldthwaite in Mills County (Higgins, 2016). This section of the river is slow moving, shallow and very turbid. Water samples were collected at this site over a three-day period from September 30, 2016 to October 2, 2016. The sample used for this research from Timberlake Ranch was taken from the sediment surface in the run-off area of the stream, a highly turbid area. Sample analysis was performed on October 11th and 19th of year 2016 at a research lab located at Tarleton State University. The organism examined under a microscope during the sample analysis was long and narrow with a trumpet-like shape, had a whip-like quick movement, transparent and was attached to algae. Based on the morphology, the organism was able to be classified under the Stentor genus and was able to be identified down to S. roeseli species due to its transparent color (Gong, 2007). This ciliate is commonly found in freshwater ponds and is characterized by their extreme changes in body length (Gong, 2007).

References:
Gong, Y.C., Y.H. Yu, F.Y. Zhu, and W.S. Feng. 2007. Molecular Phylogeny of Stentor (Ciliophora: Heterotrichea) Based on Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA Sequences. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 54:45-48.

Higgins, C. 2016. Biological field station at Timberlake Ranch. Department of Biological Sciences at Tarleton State University.

Stentor roeseli.Encyclopedia of Life. (Picture is from this site).

This organism was found in the Leon River from a sample that was collected along the riverbank in a very turbid, and algae covered area.The Leon River starts in Eastland county and flows approximately 180 miles southeast eventually joining the Lampasas river (Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation). The samples for the Leon River were collected in Comanche county behind the Proctor dam. The Leon River is slow moving, turbid and shallow. Water samples were collected on November 1, 2016. The sample analysis for this location was perfumed on November 8, 2016 in a research lab located at Tarleton State University. This organism was segmented, had two pairs of antennas, several legs, appeared to have a hard shell, visible from the naked eye, and had two black eyes. After studying the morphology of this organism, it was able to be classified as an amphipod. This organism closely resembles Hyalella azteca. H. azteca is a freshwater species commonly found in North, Central, and northern South America (Gonzalez, 2002). They are commonly found in big to medium sized rivers, creeks, and fresh or slightly brackish waters (NatureServe Explorer). Based on the ecology of the organism it seems that it can be identified as H. azteca, however, the identity of the H. azteca has always been a problem, especially because the original description by Saussure (1858) from a “cistern” in Vera Cruz, Mexico, is poor, and the figures are not clear (Gonzalez, 2002). Ecological information available today suggests that there are several species in the complex commonly referred to as H. Azteca (Gonzalez, 2002). The subtle morphological differences among the populations have made the problem of defining these species very complicated (Gonzalez, 2002). Due to the uncertainty amongst this species it was unable to be classified as anything further than a generalized amphipod.

References:
NatureServe Explorer. 2015. An online encyclopedia of life.

Gonzalez, E.R., and L. Watling. 2002, Redescription of Hyalella azteca from its type locality, Vera Cruz, Mexico (Amphipoda: Hyalellidae), Journal of Crustacean Biology 22:173–183.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. A report on the physical characteristics of rivers, streams, and bayous in Texas. An analysis of Texas waterways.

Lake Proctor is a reservoirs located on the upper reaches of the Leon River (Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation). Lake Proctor is located in Comanche county (Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation). Water samples were collected on November 1, 2016. The organisms examined under a microscope for Lake Proctor were found in the sample that was taken from a very turbid and shallow edge of the lake. During the time of collection, the boat was being anchored on shore so there was more disturbance in the water than usual. The sample analysis for this location was perfumed on November 8, 2016 in a research lab located at Tarleton State University. The organism exposed during the sample analysis was long, slender, transparent, almost ridged looking, pointed on the end and collapsed in on itself as it moved. After researching the organisms’ morphology, it was eventually identified as a rotifer in the class Bdellocidea. There are about 460 known species of the Subclass Bdelloidea, found in a variety of habitats around the world, with very little recorded regarding the ecology and morphology of the species in this class, therefore, it was unable to be identified down to the species level (Moreira, 2016). Most bdelloid rotifers are found in profusion in freshwater bodies and in permanently or periodically damp places and has the ability to live in any aquatic habitat, even a short-lived one, because these rotifers can survive dehydration by entering into a dormant state called anydrobiosis (Moreira, 2016).

References:
Moreira, R.A., A.S. Mansano, and O. Rocha. 2016. Life cycle traits of Philodina roseola Ehrenberg, 1830 (Rotifera, Bdelloidea), a model organism for bioassays. Anais Da Academia Brasileira De Ciencias 88:579-588.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. A report on the physical characteristics of rivers, streams, and bayous in Texas. An analysis of Texas waterways.

This organism was found in the Leon River from a sample that was collected along the riverbank in a very turbid, and algae covered area.The Leon River starts in Eastland county and flows approximately 180 miles southeast eventually joining the Lampasas river (Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation). The samples for the Leon River were collected in Comanche county behind the Proctor dam.The Leon River is slow moving, turbid and shallow. Water samples were collected on November 1, 2016. The sample analysis for this location was perfumed on November 8, 2016 in a research lab located at Tarleton State University.The first organism observed under a microscope was oval shaped, appeared brown in color, had legs and antennas, and what appeared to be a durable body structure. After studying the morphology that was examined the organism most resembled and was identified in the ostracod subclass. Ostracods are small, bivalved crustaceans occurring in all types of waterbodies, both marine and non-marine, as well as semi-terrestrial (Schon, 2016).

References:
NatureServe Explorer. 2015. An online encyclopedia of life.

Schon, I., and K. Martens. 2016. Ostracod (Ostracoda, Crustacea) genomics - Promises and challenges. Marine Genomics 29:19-25.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. A report on the physical characteristics of rivers, streams, and bayous in Texas. An analysis of Texas waterways.

Lake Proctor is a reservoirs located on the upper reaches of the Leon River (Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation). Lake Proctor is located in Comanche county (Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation). Water samples were collected on November 1, 2016. The sample analysis for this location was perfumed on November 8, 2016 in a research lab located at Tarleton State University. The organism examined under a microscope for Lake Proctor was found in the sample that was taken from a very turbid and shallow edge of the lake. During the time of collection, the boat was being anchored on shore so there was more disturbance in the water than usual. The organism discovered while doing the sample analysis was very small, transparent, slow moving, covered in cilia, oval and had a mouth and center that resembled a mushroom. After extensive research this organism was identified as Bursaria Sp. Very little information has been collected on this protozoan therefore the common ecology and specific morphology cannot be determined at this time.

References:
Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. A report on the physical characteristics of rivers, streams, and bayous in Texas. An analysis of Texas waterways.