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This filament of Lyngbya has been squashed and the cytoplasm has been extruded from the cells. The photosynthetic pigments that provide the green colour are distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Phase contrast microscopy.
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Filaments of this blue-green (cyanobacterial) alga are formed of disc-shaped cells joined end to end. The filaments can glide slowly.
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Short length of this filamentous blue green alga within its stiff mucus sheath. From a surface film formed by large numbers of iron bacteria. Differential interference contrast optics.
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Rewetted cryptobiotic soil crust. Lyngbya species (red arrow and inset) and Microcoleus species predominate.Collected from high desert sagebrush habitat in the Escalante national Monument, Utah,37°48'17" N ,111°32'45" W. September 2007.Reflected light macrophotograph (inset microphotograp,DIC).
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Plectonema (plecked-owe-knee-ma) is a filamentous cyanobacterium. Individual cells are more or less cylindrical, but typically have rounded ends and may be a little swollen centrally. The cells move slowly within a sheath - which can be seen here external to some dead cells of the filament. These particular cells were not particularly strongly coloured. Phase contrast.