Guide to Microlife

After getting my Celestron 44340 LCD Digital LDM Biological Microscope I needed a photographic inspiration and a good guide to the microlife I would be finding. Many of the microscopic creatures were unknown to me, and this book helped identify what I'd found. The book has colorful, detailed photos and I identified a number of diatoms & algae, bursaria, scenedesmus, peranema, flatworms, rotifers, copepods, ostracods, amphipods, fairy shrimp, vorticella, and tardigrades.

Wonderfully organized, indexed, drawn, and explained for a serious beginner. I too wish a little more explanation was given for each species and some guidance on buying a microscope. An indispensable identification guide to the microscopic world!

I went looking for a good reference book for teaching my high school students about the "lower" Kingdoms (Monera, and Protista). This is an exceptional book for just that purpose. The organization is good, there are lots of excellent photos and diagrams to assist students with identifications. The simplicity of the book in terms of "just enough information" is what makes it such a valuable reference. I would highly recommend it for any science classroom.

I teach biology but my background is not micro. I loved this book because it allowed me to help students identify 90% of the specimens found in pond water. It has a "where to look for" and "what to look for" section for each organism and also interesting facts. Another useful section is the appendix describing collection techniques. I recommend it for teachers of secondary students.

I liked this book because it contains information about many microorganisms. If you want to know exactly what you are looking at under the microscope, this book is for you. It is easy to find certain species by using the front pages of the book and the side because the four sections are color-coded.