Turbellarian microscopy 1

Closer.
Closer!
CLOSER!!

This series of photographs depict a tiny turbellarian flatworm (about 1 millimeter long) viewed under a microscope at increasingly higher magnification. The magnifications, if I recall correctly, are 40x, 100x, and 200x, respectively. I might have moved to an even higher magnification, but at 20x, the flatworm was moving so fast that it was very challenging to take a picture where no part of its head was outside the frame.

I do not know what all of the turbellarian's visible internal structures are. The round green blobs might possibly be symbiotic algae. The dark circles within clear circles might be nuclei within cells. The uncluttered patch in the middle of the planarian's body is probably the musculature of its pharynx. The red-black dots on its anterior end are, without a doubt, its eyespots.

I love flatworms, especially since I keep a thriving colony of planaria as pets. I don't know what species of turbellarian this individual was, nor do I know whether it was full-grown. After admiring this flatworm's cuteness and stunning detail (and after taking many pictures), I returned it unharmed to the water from which I had collected it.