News of wildlife and other issues
Microscopic organisms
These include a variety of organisms observed under the microscope, and which do not necessarily fit into any of the groups separately dealt with on the website. In many - if not most - instances I do not have the expertise to offer a confident identification. In fact, I may be way off!
Apart from algae, which are included separately HERE, I have listed them (below) in loose scientific order as far as I have been able. Each is referred to by its scientific name - but rarely down to Genus and Species. I have included a common name, either by which it may be more commonly known (e.g. 'a rotifer') if it has one, or at least something to which it may be referred.
The photographs have been labeled with the date photographed, and the location. All of the photographs were taken by myself. Click on the name in the first column (Species or Order) for a photograph, or CLICK HERE for the first in the series of photographs. There may also be pop-up notes available. (click on 'Notes' at the bottom left corner)
I haven't included thumbnails for photos, just a sequence of larger-scaled images.
Species or Order | Common Name | Type of Organism (inc. Class) | Location and Date of find |
Protozoa | |||
Amoeba sp. | Amoeba | Amoebozoa | Capel Road garden, 10/12/2015 |
Chaos sp. | Amoeba | Amoebozoa | Capel Road garden, 10/01/2018 |
Centropyxis (aculeata) | Testate Amoeba | Amoebozoa | Harpenden Road garden, 01/01/2018 |
Difflugia sp. | Testate Amoeba | Amoebozoa | Capel Road garden, 11/01/2018 |
Actinophrys sp. | Sun Animicule | Heliozoa | Harpenden Road Pond, 09/04/2018 |
Heliozoa (Order) | Sun Animicule | Heliozoa | Capel Road garden, 03/12/2015 |
Amphileptus sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Ciliophora | Capel Road garden, 09/04/2018 |
Spirostomum sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Ciliophora | Capel Road garden, 23/03/2018 |
Colpoda sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Ciliophora | Capel Road garden, 19/11/2015 |
Hypotricha sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Ciliophora | Capel Road garden, 02/12/2015 |
Vorticella sp. | Stalked Ciliate | Oligohymenophorea | Capel Road garden, 27/11/2015 |
Vorticella sp. | Stalked Ciliate | Oligohymenophorea | Capel Road garden, 12/01/2018 |
Carchesium sp. | Colonial Ciliate | Oligohymenophorea | Capel Road garden, 15/11/2015 |
Urocentrum (turbo) | Free-swimming Ciliate | Oligohymenophorea | Perch Pond 27/01/2018 |
Caenomorpha medusula | Free-swimming Ciliate | Heterotrichea | Northumberland Ave. garden, 27/01/2018 |
Stentor sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Heterotrichea | Capel Road garden, 09/04/2018 |
Stylonychia | Free-swimming Ciliate | <Hypotrichea | Capel Road garden, 02/12/2015 |
Stylonychia | Free-swimming Ciliate | Hypotrichea | Capel Road garden, 17/11/2015 |
Euplotes sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Spirotrichea | Capel Road garden, 10/12/2015 |
Strombidium sp. | Unicellular Ciliate | Oligotrichea | Capel Road garden, 02/12/2015 |
Animalia | |||
Gastrotricha (Phyllum) | Hairyback | Gastrotricha (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden pond, 13/01/2018 |
Chaetonotus sp. ? | Hairyback | Gastrotricha (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden pond, 18/01/2018 |
Nematode (Phyllum) | Nematode | Nematoda (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden, 27/11/2015 |
Rotifer (Brachionus ?) | Rotifer | Rotifera (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden, 28/11/2015 |
Brachionus sp. | Rotifer | Capel Road garden, 29/11/2015 | |
Habrotrocha sp. | Rotifer | Rotifera (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden, 08/11/2015 |
Keratella sp. | Rotifer | Rotifera (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden, 23/03/2018 |
Ploima (Order) | Rotifer | Rotifera (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden, 01/12/2015 |
Macrobiotus sp. | Tardigrade (Water Bear) | Tardigrada (Phyllum) | Capel Road garden, 18/12/2017 |
Additions to species list (2018)
for 2014 additions, click HERE
for 2015 additions, click HERE
for 2016 additions, click HERE
for 2017 additions, click HERE
This is a list of species newly entered (or shortly to be entered) onto the website. Clicking on the species name should take you to a photograph if one is available.
* in some cases the entry was made some time after the species was found. This may be due to a new identification or a previous mis-identification, or even a simple omission! The original find-date is is indicated within brackets.
All examples found by myself unless otherwise indicated. Please note that many of these identifications are tentative, and have not been verified.
Species | Common Name | Type of Organism | Date of find or entry* | Found by: |
Creolophus cirrhatus | Tiered Tooth | Fungus | 21/11/2018 | |
Linum usitatissimum | Common Flax | Plant | 19/10/2018 | |
Rhopalus subrufus ? | a bug | Insect | 17/10/2018 (04/06/2016) | |
Reduvius personatus | Assassin Bug | Insect | 15/10/2018 (11/07/2008) | |
Nezara viridula | Southern Green Shield Bug | Insect | 11/10/2018 | |
Trachemys scripta scripta | Yellow-bellied Slider | Reptile | 01/07/2018 (03/05/2013) | |
Lepidium ruderale | Narrow-leaved Pepperwort | Plant | 25/06/2018 | |
Seioptera vibrans | a picture-wing fly | Insect | 06/06/2018 | |
Corvus frugilegus | Rook | Bird | 14/05/2018 | |
Ankistrodesmus gracilis (poss.) | Colonial alga | Alga | 24/04/2018 (18/04/2018) | |
Spirostomum sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 20/04/2018 (23/03/2018) | |
Eudorina sp. | Colonial alga | Alga | 18/04/2018 | |
Gonium sp. | Colonial alga | Alga | 18/04/2018 | |
Cosmarium sp. | Desmid | Alga | 16/04/2018 (13/01/2018) | |
Chydorus sphaericus | Crustacean | Crustacean | 15/04/2018 | |
Urocentrum (turbo) | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 15/04/2018 (27/01/2018) | |
Euplotes sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 09/04/2018 | |
Actinophrys sp. | Sun-animicule | Protozoan | 09/04/2018 | |
Stentor (coeruleus) | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 09/04/2018 | |
Coelastrum sp. | Colonial alga | Alga | 09/04/2018 | |
Cyprid | Crustacean larva | Crustacean | 09/04/2018 | |
Chaetonotus sp. ? | Hairyback | Gastrotriche | 18/01/2018 | |
Amoeba sp. | Amoeba | Protozoan | 31/03/2018 (10/12/2015) | |
Euglena sp. | Euglena Flagellate | Alga | 29/03/2018 | |
Keratella sp. | Rotifer | Protozoan | 18/03/2018 | |
Caenomorpha medusula | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 27/01/2018 | |
Ploima (Order) | Rotifer | Protozoan | 27/01/2018 (18/12/2017) | |
Habrotrocha sp. | Rotifer | Protozoan | 27/01/2018 (01/12/2015) | |
Brachionus sp. | Rotifer | Protozoan | 27/01/2018 (08/11/2015) | |
Ostracod (Class) | Seed Shrimp | Crustacean | 27/01/2018 (08/04/2016) | |
Vorticella sp. | Ciliate | Protozoan | 26/01/2018 (27/11/2015) | |
Stylonychia sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 25/01/2018 (17/11/2015) | |
Strombidium sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 25/01/2018 (02/12/2015) | |
Paramecium sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 25/01/2018 (02/12/2015) | |
Colpoda sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 25/01/2018 (19/11/2015) | |
Colpidium sp. | Free-swimming Ciliate | Protozoan | 25/01/2018 (02/12/2015) | |
Carchesium sp. | Colonial Ciliate | Protozoan | 25/01/2018 (15/11/2015) | |
Heliozoa (Order) | Sun-Animicule | Protozoan | 24/01/2018 (03/12/2015) | |
Nematode | Nematode | Roundworm | 24/01/2018 (27/11/2015) | |
Cladocera (Order) | Water Flea | Crustacean | 24/01/2018 (12/11/2015) | |
Peridinium sp. | Flagellate | Alga | 23/01/2018 (19/11/2015) | |
Nitzschia sp. | Diatom | Alga | 23/01/2018 (29/11/2015) | |
Diatom | Diatom | Alga | 23/01/2018 (01/12/2015) | |
Gymnodinium sp. ? | Flagellate | Alga | 22/01/2018 (27/12/2017) | |
Cylindrocapsa sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 22/01/2018 (18/12/2017) | |
Volvox sp. | Globe Algae | Alga | 22/01/2018 (17/12/2017) | |
Cladophora sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 22/01/2018 (09/10/2015) | |
Gastrotricha (Phylum) | Hairyback | Gastrotriche | 13/01/2018 | |
Vorticella sp. | Ciliate | Protozoan | 12/01/2018 | |
Difflugia sp. | Testate Amoeba | Protozoan | 11/01/2018 | |
Chaos sp. | Amoeba | Protozoan | 10/01/2018 | |
Phacus sp. | Euglena Flagellate | Alga | 08/01/2018 | |
Navicula sp. | Diatom | Alga | 08/01/2018 | |
Diatom | Diatom | Alga | 08/01/2018 | |
Diatom | Diatom | Alga | 08/01/2018 | |
Achnanthes sp. | Diatom | Alga | 08/01/2018 | |
Achnanthes sp. | Diatom | Alga | 08/01/2018 | |
Cyclops (Nauplius) | Water Flea larva (Nauplius) | Crustacean | 06/01/2018 | |
Cyclops | Water Flea | Crustacean | 06/01/2018 | |
Centropyxis sp. (possibly C. aculeata) | Testate Amoeba | Protozoan | 01/01/2018 | |
Closterium sp. | Desmid | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Cosmarium sp. | Desmid | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Cymatopleura sp. | Diatom | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Cymbella sp. | Diatom | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Desmidium sp. | Desmid | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Euglena sp. | Euglena Flagellate | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Navicula sp. | Diatom | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Pediastrum sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Trachelomonas sp. | Euglena Flagellate | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Scenedesmus sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Scenedesmus sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Spirogyra sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Staurastrum (natator) | Desmid | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Staurastrum sp. | Desmid | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Ulothrix sp. | Green Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Ulotrichales (Order) | Green Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 | |
Uroglena sp. | Colonial Algae | Alga | 01/01/2018 |
Additions to species list (2019)
for 2014 additions, click HERE
for 2015 additions, click HERE
for 2016 additions, click HERE
for 2017 additions, click HERE
for 2018 additions, click HERE
This is a list of species newly entered (or shortly to be entered) onto the website. Clicking on the species name should take you to a photograph if one is available.
* in some cases the entry was made some time after the species was found. This may be due to a new identification or a previous mis-identification, or even a simple omission! The original find-date is is indicated within brackets.
All examples found by myself unless otherwise indicated. Please note that many of these identifications are tentative, and have not been verified.
Species | Common Name | Type of Organism | Date of find or entry* | Comments |
Cyathus olla | Field Bird's Nest Fungus | Fungi | 01/01/2019 | Wanstead Flats |
Stuart Monro
On 7th September, Stuart Monro, filmmaker and founder of the campaign for Wanstead Park, died at his home in Wanstead. His funeral was held at the City of London Crematorium in Manor Park on 22nd September 2017, and was attended by more than 160 people.
After the funeral many of those who had come to pay their repects made their way to Wanstead Park, a place that Stuart loved and where much of his filming of historical, social and ecological issues was done. It struck me, as we stood quietly for a short while and the Sun grew lower in the sky, that the Autumn Equinox was a fitting time for a funeral - and that Stuart may also have appreciated and even been amused by that!
There is a fitting tribute to Stuart on the Friends of Wanstead Parkland's website at http://www.wansteadpark.org.uk/news/large-gathering-in-farewell-to-stuart-monro/
Paul Ferris, 25th September 2017
The Gap in the Hedge
A chance meeting on Wanstead Flats with Wren Conservation Group Newsletter Editor, Tony Morrison gave rise to an interesting question: Why is there a gap in the hedge and line of trees that accompany the length of Capel Road, opposite house numbers in their 120's?.
Much of the stretch of Capel Road which begins at the Golden Fleece pub and runs westwards until a slight bend takes you almost to Ridley Road is lined with English Oak, Quercus robur. There are of course numbers of other species present, including an occasional Ash and increasingly Holm Oak, but the English Oaks are the predominant plant species and were evidently deliberately planted as a road-side amenity tree in the early 20th Century - probably in 1907. Beyond the bend in Capel Road nearing Ridley Road, the hedge-line is not so thick, and the planted tree-species is predominantly Horse Chestnut. It is interesting to note that at that bend in the road, is the boundary between the old West Ham and East Ham Boroughs
But in that East Ham stretch, where the hedge-line of oaks and hawthorn make views of Wanstead Flats scarce in the summer, a major gap is evident about half-way along.
Looking more closely, there is no evidence that there were ever trees there. That is to say, there are no stumps or obvious changes in the ground surface to say they'd been removed. However, it occurred to me that there was once an estate of pre-fabs on the Flats where there are now playing field, stretching from the Borough boundary to almost the Golden Fleece. In fact, when I moved to Capel Road in the 1960s there was a chestnut-paling fence around that whole area, protecting freshly-seeded soil where the football pitches were to be. It hadn't been long since the prefabs had been removed, and postmen that I worked with were saying that only recently they'd delivered there - and what a nice place it was to go.
That estate would have required at least one access road. Was that gap possibly where it had been? Looking at a scanned O.S. map of the area I could see that the gap was exactly where it had been.
Now, it is not to say that there never was a continuation of the line of road-side oaks - they probably were there. But in constructing the access road they would have required to have been removed, roots and all, probably. Hence the gap in the hedge - and a bit of reminded history thrown up by a chance meeting.
Paul Ferris, 29th April 2017
Page 2 of 35