Plant
Lagerheimia ciliata
Lagerheimia ciliataLagerheimia ciliata is a microscopic green alga consisting of solitary, oval to ellipsoidal cells equipped with delicate radiating bristles at each pole. These fine setae help slow sinking rates in calm water columns while deterring small filter-feeding herbivores. It reproduces rapidly through the formation of autospores, which develop identical protective bristles before emerging from the mother cell wall.
MicroscopicAquaticFreshwater
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic (autotroph)
Predators
- Daphnia pulex
- Rotifers
- Freshwater ciliates
ThreatsSevere water pollution, excessive herbicide runoff, and ecological acidification
HabitatsFreshwater ponds, shallow lakes, and slow-moving rivers
Life spanSeveral days to weeks per cell cycle
Classification
- OrderOocystales
- FamilyOocystaceae
- GenusLagerheimia
- SpeciesLagerheimia ciliata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Sampling: Collect water from sunlit freshwater ponds using a fine-mesh plankton net.
- Microscopy: Mount living water drops on a slide and observe at 400x to resolve the fine setae.
Predator (c) Dieter Ebert, Basel, Switzerland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableCompetitor Close Relative
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Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
Wetland Territory
Lagerheimia ciliata is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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