Acanthocystis
Description:
Acanthocystis. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a centrohelid heliozoan with tangential plate-scales and radial spines. This genus Acanthocystis contains unicellular, free-floating planktonic or benthonic living organisms which are common in freshwater but also found more rarely in marine habitats. The evolutionary position of the centrohelids is not clear. Magnification: x 2500, when printed 10 centimetres wide.
Equipment used:
FEI Quanta FESEM
Awarded First Prize in Spot on Micro Competition 2015
Jury comments:
A well-balanced composition with strong colours and textural forms. This digital image shows an unusual object with attached parts which makes the viewer very curious about its identity: it looks playful in nature, when it is quite the opposite (the specimen is a free-floating living organism).
