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On a small hardwood branch with the bark beginning to fall away. Note the white lesions in the bark and wood beneath. Perithecia up to 1mm wide by 1.5mm tall.

Asci: 153-168 x 7.5-10µm. The spore bearing part 105-125µm. IKI+, the apical plug about 2.5 tall x 3µm wide when mature; much longer in immature asci.

Spores: 13-14 x 6-7µm, brown, ellipsoid to inequalateral ellipsoid, guttulate, usually with one large guttule at the center, with a very inconspicuous germ slit less than spore length.

Aspidiophorus paradoxus is the largest Aspidiophorus species with about 300µm length.

Fig. 1: Dorsal scales.

The entire animal is covered with relatively large rhombic peduncle scales.

Fig. 2: Cross section

In cross-section, the structure of the peduncle scales can be clearly seen: the scales sit with a small basal plate on the cuticle of the animal, from which a thin, hollow peduncle rises. At the end of the peduncle sits a rhombic terminal plate, with a central keel. At the posterior end of the animal, the terminal plates of the last row of scales are enlarged.

The pharynx of the animal is terminally swollen, and the head is weakly five-lobed with two separate pairs of palpal tufts.

Fig. 3: Ventral view.

Ventrally, the strong hypostomion behind the mouth opening is striking. The two ciliated bands split at the head, but the inner branches do not unite in the population I examined. The base of the toes does not bear scales, the adhesive tubes
measure about 50% to 70% of the toe length and taper to a point.

Let's take a closer look at the scales:

Fig. 4: Back scales

In the scales on the back, the rhombic shape of the end plates can be seen most clearly. Less conspicuous - but typical for the species - is the middle keel of the scales.

Fig. 5: Cross section of scales

In cross section the complex geometry of the peduncle scales becomes clear - base plate, peduncle and end plate form a very flexible and stable carapace. The additional cavity under the outer scales acts like a "crumple zone" and further increases the protective effect.

Fig. 6: Cross-section of scale stems.

The stems of the scales consist of hollow tubes that ensure maximum stability with minimum material input - a fascinating example of evolutionary optimization.

The abdomen of the animals is not completely covered with petiolar scales. Rather, they end in the anal region and are joined by simple small, rounded keel scales that are not an obstruction to feces.

Fig. 7: Scaling of the abdomen.

At the furca base some (according to literature 4) spines protrude into the toe cutout.

The head is almost completely covered with slightly smaller peduncle scales:

Fig. 8: Head scales

Cephalion and pleurae are quite small and inconspicuous.

According to literature A. paradoxus has three teeth in the pharynx:

Fig. 9: Mouth armament.

In the animals I examined, only a curved stylet brace was found, the tip of which protrudes into the lumen of the pharynx and probably serves to open algal cells that are conveyed past it. It is possible that the literature reference to "three teeth" is merely based on a microscopic artifact, as the entire clasp may not be in the focal plane as a whole.

rhizomatous; vegetation glabrous; perigynia sparsely pubescent; plants with red basal sheaths; perigynia ascending, 5mm+ with distinct straight two-tipped beak; perigynia strongly veined (not obscured by pubescence); growing in disturbed sandy opening in pine forest alongside Comptonia peregrina, etc. some individuals had interesting red coloration on perigynia

Lacrymaria marina Kahl, 1933 syn. Lacrymaria olor var. marina (O.F. Müller, 1786) Kahl, 1933

It's sexy time for the marine Lacrymaria. Last night I was looking at a slide of my latest sample from the intertidal benthos of marine estuary Accabonac Harbor which had an interesting polychaete and numerous Lacrymaria. I put the slide in a moist chamber overnight and when I reexamined it this morning I found a veritable sex orgy of conjugating pairs dancing their sensual ballet while exchanging genetic material through their mouths. There were equal sized pairs and unequal pairs where one was much smaller. One such unequal pair had the larger partner undergoing transverse fission while conjugating with a small partner 1/4 the size of the larger partner. Another uneven pair had globular bodies and the larger partner had a massively enlarged broad neck. Some pairs got tired and both went into the contracted resting state characteristic of Lacrymaria. Fascinating stuff. Imaged in Nomarski DIC using Olympus BH2 under SPlan 40x and 20x objectives plus phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

A lot of images here to show all aspects of the sex orgy. We start with a teaser GIF of conjugation of two normal individuals. Then an illustration from the supporting reference and a picture of the sample site. Then some screen captures of a typical individual. Then screen caps of a fissioning individual. Then screen caps of conjugating pairs in various metabolic states- two equal sized individuals, two semi-resting individuals, two bizarely shaped individuals, and finally one normal individual conjugating with one undergoing transverse fission! Finally, I show GIFs of the various types of conjugating pairs in the same order as the screen caps. A lot of stuff!

Lacrymaria marina Kahl, 1933
Diagnosis. Body size 150-300 × 20-25 μm in vivo; extended spindle to vase-like shape; highly contractible neck; cell colorless; cortical granules colorless, regularly
arranged in between somatic kineties; single contractile vacuole, conical shape and located terminally; papillary head with obliquely arranged oral ciliary rows, 10-12 in number; spiral somatic kineties on contracted body, 17- 20 somatic kineties; 1 ellipsoidal macronucleus. Distribution. China, Germany, Korea (this study).

Remarks. Lacrymaria marina Kahl, 1933 can be separated from L. olor (Müller, 1786) Bory de St. Vincent, 1824 by the number of macronuclear nodules (1 vs. 2),
and habitat (saline water vs. freshwater) (Kahl, 1930). Lacrymaria marina can be separated from L. nana (Vuxanovici, 1961) Song and Wilbert, 1989 by the number of somatic kineties (15-20 vs. about 13), the shape of contractile vacuole (conical vs. spherical), and the position of the contractile vacuole (terminal vs. subterminal) (Song and Wilbert, 1989).

Above descriptions from:
Brief descriptions of 12 ciliate species previously unrecorded (Protozoa: Ciliophora) in Korea. Ji Hye Kim and Jae-Ho Jung. Journal of Species Research 6(Special Edition):15-25, 2017. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322212723

From Bruce Taylor: From saltwater, with a single macronucleus, posterior vacuole, approximately triangular (possibly a defecatory organelle, per Song & Packoff). Apparently somewhat less extensile than L. filiformis (a freshwater species), bigger than L. nana, lacking the tail-like process of L. acuta.

L. marinum Kahl, 1933 is the same taxon as L. olor var. marina (O.F. Mueller, 1786) Kahl, 1933.

Aka Lophozia bicrenata.
Growing on sandy soil by the side of a woodland trail.
@zihaowang
The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America by Rudolf Schuster (vol. 2, 1969) describes this liverwort as “An extraordinarily widespread species…with truly ‘weedy’ propensities,” but this observation of Isopaches bicrenata is only the fifth recorded in iNaturalist for all of North America. Although common, it’s inconspicuous and apparently unnoticed.

Brackish pond shore exposed by evaporation. Floral scales <2mm long. Stems thread-like, less than 1 mm in diameter. J-shaped to U-shaped tubers. M. Arsenault et al., Sedges of Maine 2013. Third iNaturalist observation of this species in New England.

A known population. First iNat posting on the 13 state northeastern region. This is the northeastern-most population in the U.S. I noted no peppery taste in the leaves. This is a sturdy perennial with rhizomes, up to about three feet tall but can bloom at 12 inches as well. State-threatened species.

On Trametes versicolor. Turns dark purple in KOH, then fades to red. Ascospores warted, 1-septate, apiculate with pointy projections, 16-25 x 4-5.5µm. Conidiospores broadly ellipsoid, 1-septate, 12-15 x 7.5-8µm.

On a small common birch snag. Only one apothecium, yellow. Thallus and apothecium K-. Lobes closely attached with abundant white rhizines. Spores about 10 x 5-6 um, 1-celled but with twin lens-shaped vacuoles, dozens per ascus.

Sur un petit chicot de bouleau commun. Une seule apothécie, jaune. Thalle et apothécie K-. Lobes étroitement attachés avec d'abondantes rhizines blanches. Spores d'environ 10 x 5-6 um, unicellulaires mais avec des vacuoles jumelles en forme de lentilles, des dizaines par asque.

Eupatorium. North 40, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY. Rather similar to Eupatorium hyssopifolium but leaves appear to be wider. Last 3 photos from a slightly different site further along trail but seems to be the same species as first 2 photos.