Microscopy-pond life |
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A water flea under a magnification of 400 shows the systems that a large organism needs to employ. Circulatory and digestive systems are visible. |
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A paramecium, like all protists, is a single-celled organisms. You can see the inside of a paramecium is a jelly-like fluid called protoplasm. Organelles float around in the protoplasm. Paramecia are so tiny that you need a microscope to see them. The ones on the right are at a 400 magnification. They live in water, including lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and puddles. Some can even live in moist soil.. |
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Rotifers, as shown on the right, are multicellular animals. These organisms have specialised organ systems such as a digestive tract that includes both a mouth, jaws and anus. Rotifers are recognised as animals. |
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Rotifers are simple animals that do not have a circulatory system. They rely on simple diffusion to exchange nutrients, waste, as well as dissolved gases . When looking at a rotifer using a compound microscope at a magnification of X400, you will notice an organ that opens and closes. This is the mastax, and is used to crush the food that is ingested by the organism. You will see this organ open and close in the pharynx or throat of the animal, as shown on the right. |
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