Freeliving Freshwater Protozoa

Well, the whole subject of fresh water protozoa can be very overwhelming because there are so many different varieties. It's pretty easy to separate the amoeba, flagellates and ciliates -- but further differentiation is very difficult because of the minute differences. This is also compounded by the inevitable other material picked up with the protozoa --- sand, plant cells, diatoms, etc. as well as the speed at which some of the micro-organisims move. There's also the problem that many books have drawings of the protozoa which tend to be unlike anything you actually view through the microscope. Enter Professor Patterson's book. It's pricey, but the book includes learned advice on purchasing a microscope and accessories; a great bibliography and references for further study. What I paid for and received were: (1) Outstanding photographs of most of what you will see under the microscope from pond water (noting the magnification under which the photograph was taken) and (2) wonderful descriptions of the specific protozoa as you will view them under your microscope. It's the best tool I've found for an adult pursuing microscopy as a hobby as well as teaching kids the wonders of the micro-world. My grandkids (male and female) and their friends are absolutely captivated by this unique and generally unseen world.And, for the most comprehensive reference work for classification by line drawings, be sure to get “Fresh Water Biology” by Ward and Whipple, 2nd edition. It’s 1,200 pages and old, but still the seminal reference tool and inexpensive on Amazon or eBay. I have two copies and neither cost over $25.00. Lots of detailed descriptive info you won’t use, but also lots of fun information and loads of line drawings to aid in your identification of microscopic specimens you’ll encounter. Get it. You won’t regret it.

A truly excellent book. Too often a key to protists relies on highly stylized line drawings that, while useful to experts, bear little resemblance to what a student would see under the microscope. The high quality micrographs here, along with details of the imaging technique used to capture each image (bright field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast) make identification of many genera a breeze.

Might be a little pricey, but if you’re looking at pond water through a microscope, you’re probably curious exactly what you’re looking at. This is the best reference I’ve found for narrowing down the vast array of organisms, in a logical step-by-step way, to at least a general classification. No book could show every genus and species out there, but this one will set you on the right path.

I'm a college biology teacher who wanted to learn about microscopic pond life and have students identify things for a project. This is the best resource I found so far to all the ciliates and other interesting protists from my pond. Good for a serious beginner or student who doesn't mind spending some microscope time learning but isn't ready for the really technical references. It has simple keys but also lots of pictures that make the keys unnecessary for things that are large enough and distinctive.

I liked the purchase price.It will be a valued book for my reference sources.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. It's wonderful.

This is an exceptional book with superior quality micro-photographs. The simple,easy to use dichotomous key enables the identification of numerous members of the protozoan family. It is highly illustrated with supported text. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a seriious intrest in microlife.

Excellent work on an obscure subject.

Buen atlas para identificación de grupos generales de protozoos, fotografías excelentes y explicaciones concisas pero con detalle. Libro muy recomendable