Cyclonexis erinus a rare organism?

Cyclonexis erinus (Chrysophytes, golden algae) is considered to be an algae, difficult to observe. The specimen shown in this video has been found in an aquatic sample taken from a small fen in the Nature Reserve ‘De Teut’ in Belgium, in February 2016 (during quite cold weather).

Only few references about this algae can be found in literature and on the internet. Only a very limited number of the species Cyclonexis sp. is known. Cyclonexis sp. lives in cool, lime poor mountain waters and in acid fens containing Sphagnum. It is mentioned that it is not so rare as is sometimes assumed. It was discovered that these algae disintegrate very quickly when external conditions are changing, causing it to disappear from the aquatic sample.

The open structure of a water plant

Hippurus (Hippuris) vulgaris or mare’s-tail is a very common swamp and pond plant. This plant (a helophyte) is counted among the oxygen plants because the underwater leaves also produce a lot of oxygen and resemble water plague (Elodea). But the piece that raises a few decimeters above water looks like a small pine tree. Mare’s-tail can form large masses and continue spreading through means of rhizomes. Mare’s-tail grows preferably on clay soil and especially in brackish water.