Phytoplankton samples were collected on August 5, 2026 at Bullock Reach and analyzed in the laboratory shortly after collection.
The water temperature was 25.39 °C, the salinity was 21.83 psu, and the chlorophyll a was 18.18 ug/L.
It was clear, hot and sunny with murky water on this day. The qualitative tow net sample had a long filtration time. The filtrate was mostly clear with some suspended particulates and algae.
The analysis of the quantitative whole water sample revealed a total of 1,750,000 cells/L. The microflagellates were found at 146,000 cells/L. The most predominant phytoplankton genera were Skeletonema spp. at 980,000 cells/L, Eutreptiella spp. at 282,000 cells/L, and Chaetoceros spp. at 164,000 cells/L.
200x phase contrast image of Ebria spp.
Ebria spp. are phagotrophic flagellates which are present in marine coastal phytoplankton communities worldwide. The cells are solitary and hemispherical in shape. They have a distinctive internal silica skeleton with three main openings and two flagella..