Ultraviolet light gives desmid alga cell a bright red glow
![UV light makes a desmid alga show up in red, yellow and purple](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/full_width/public/thumbnails/image/BRosen%20Microsterias.jpg?itok=Z0tzS1LH)
Detailed Description
Illuminated with ultraviolet light, this living desmid cell has a bright red chloroplast. USGS biologist Barry H. Rosen, an expert on aquatic microorganisms, takes exquisite microscopic photos as part of his study of these single-celled green algae, which he has collected in a nearly pristine area of the northern Everglades. This cell got smooshed (the technical term for it) “as I fussed to get the perfect image of this living holiday ornament,” Rosen says.
Microsterias radiosa species collected in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, February 2017 Photo: Barry Rosen, USGS
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.
Barry H. Rosen, USGS