Summary[
edit] Description: English: These "jelly balls" are colonies of the
cyanobacteria species
Nostoc pruniforme ("Mare's eggs"), living in freshwater ponds. (Determination was microscopically confirmed by Professor Dr Ludwig Kies, Hamburg.) Note: Many other single-(or few-)celled organisms also form gelatinous colonies in spherules. A reliable determination is only possible by microscope! The shown species is rather rare today and indicates clean water. Furthermore, my impression is that the trivial name "Mare's eggs" is not exclusively related to the concrete species Nostoc pruniforme, but also used for diverse different spherule algae (?). Deutsch:
Teichpflaumen, bei diesen gallertigen Kugeln handelt es sich um Kolonien der als
Nostoc pruniforme bestimmten Süßwasser-Cyanobakterien (oder: "Blaualgen"). Vielen Dank an Prof. Dr. Ludwig Kies, Hamburg, für die mikroskopische Nachbestimmung! Beachte: Sehr viele andere ein-/wenigzellige Organismen formen ebenfalls gallertige Kolonien in Kugelform. Eine sichere Bestimmung ist normalerweise nur per Mikroskop möglich! Die hier gezeigte Art ist heutzutage nur noch selten zu finden. Date: October 2005. Source: Own work (collage of 4 pictures). Location (partially ex situ): North-eastern Lower Saxony, Germany. Author:
Christian Fischer. Other versions: This file was derived from:
NostocPruniforme1.jpg:
NostocPruniforme2.jpg:
CyanobacteriaColl1 crop.jpg:
.