Teased by Lynn Margulis' book Symbiotic Planet[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "228 page=\"9\"" for macro 'ref' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
, I visited Roscoff this summer to see the the flatworm Symsagittifera roscoffensis, formerly Convoluta roscoffensis and take some photos and videos.
Roscoff is a picturesque little harbor in Brittany. It hosts a station of marine biology.But what fascinated me most was not so much good food and impressive music performed in the church, but that little flatworm that lives in puddles along the shore and hosts a lot of unicellular green algae.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "RoscoffBeach" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
During low tide at Roscoff's sandy beaches ...
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "RoscoffPuddle" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
puddles can be found that look as if some green algrae did not make it to the waters.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "HandGreenFlatworm" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
But a closer look reveals that these 'algae' consist of many small individuals that are rapidly moving and quickly disappear.
To catch these 'algae' that are actually flatworms, a shell so abundantly found at the shore can be used.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "CatchFlatworm1" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
First one has to scoop up some of the 'green sand'.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "CatchFlatworm2" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
Instantly the green flatworms will disappear from the sand and the shell looks empty with only sand in it.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "CatchFlatworm3" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
Finally the sand can be thrown out and the flatworms that stick to the wall quickly move down the gravity into the remaining water.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "ShellGreenFlatworm" for macro 'img' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
Here they can be observed with all their beauty ...
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "KfZ-ouwbRAY" for macro 'youtube' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
and their gracious movements followed.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "QNvWny5olI4" for macro 'youtube' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
The last two videos show two experiments that a shaking ground can cause the worms to escape into the sand.
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "MrSR_AS4e6I" for macro 'youtube' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
[Error: Wrong macro arguments: "v7F0_qgOpJY" for macro 'youtube' (maybe wrong macro tag syntax?)]
[Error: Macro 'references' doesn't exist]
