Zoom Gallery head image

By Dr. Biology

Plankton Zoom Gallery (Plankton up-close)

Plankton comes in many shapes and sizes. These are just a few of the thousands of examples. Click on any of the plankton samples in the gallery below and use the zoom tool to explore the different shapes and textures of these amazing organisms.

Want to learn more about plankton? We also have a companion story called Invisible Watery World that you might like to check out.

Amoeba zooplankton image

 Amoeba
Zooplankton

Copepod nauplius (larva) zooplankton image

Copepod nauplius (larva)
Zooplankton 

Cillate zooplankton image

Ciliate
Zooplankton 

   
Beautiful Tiger Beetle image

Nematode
Zooplankton

Teak Tiger Beetle image

Coelastrum (green algae)
Phytoplankton

Carolina Metallic Tiger Beetle image

Fragilariopsis cylindrus (diatom)
Phytoplankton

   
Bolivian Ornate tiger Beetle image

Chlamydomonas (green algae)
Phytoplankton

Broad-winged Manticora image

Filamentous cyanobacteria
and pennate diatoms
Phytoplankton

Cream-edged Tiger Beetle image

Centric diatom
Phytoplankton

   
Bolivian Ornate tiger Beetle image

Filamentous green algae
Phytoplankton

Tetraselmis and rotifer image

Tetraselmis and rotifer
Phytoplankton and zooplankton

Cream-edged Tiger Beetle image

Pennate diatom
Phytoplankton

   
Bolivian Ornate tiger Beetle image

Tetraselmis
Phytoplankton

Broad-winged Manticora image

Scenedesmus
Phytoplankton

Cream-edged Tiger Beetle image

Pennate diatom
Phytoplankton

In case you are wondering why there are white lines on each image, they are used to show the size of each plankton. Microscopists call these lines scale bars, because they let a person know the size of an object. All the white lines above are equal to 50 micrometers.

A swallowtail caterpillar
Is there anything in nature that get smaller as it thrives?

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