mini MONSTERS

Meet the mini-monsters, the tiny creatures that share our world. But they're not monsters, really. In fact, most of them are harmless, and some of them perform tasks necessary to keep us and the earth healthy.

These pages show a variety of life forms from the barely visible to the truly microscopic. You may not be able to see them in the real world, but you will notice the things they do. While some cause decay and spread disease, others help bread rise, make cheese and yogurt, and create antibiotics. In soil and water, and even in our bodies, these critters are all part of the ecosystem.

These pictures were taken with advanced microscopes that create computerized images that are magnified hundreds of times. Colors are added to make the images easier to see-and more fun to look at.

Unchanged for millions of years, tiny springtails flick their tails to jump long distances. They can be as small as .007-inch long. They live in the soil and feed on decaying leaves.

Dirt Dwellers

The soil is alive! Billions of tiny, spineless creatures inhabit every inch of healthy dirt. They balance the soil's nutrients by breaking down dead plant matter, and they enrich the soil with their poop. Without them we couldn't grow roses or rutabagas or anything at all.

Nematodes (tiny worms) eat microsopic plants and animals. Some harm plants by nibbling their roots, but most help the soil to decompose. Living on a bit of peat, this one feeds on the one-celled algae that surround it.

Though you can make out velvet mites in the soil, you cant see them up close and personal without a microscope. Their tiny claws are actually mouthparts, and their red color warns predator ants that they taste awful.

These rod-shaped bacteria live in soil and water and feed on decaying plants and animals. They can cause food poisoning, but proper cooking and food handling prevents it.

Related to leeches and earthworms, this bristle worm lives on algae along the sea coast in Australia. It's a giant in the microscopic world, measuring about one-quarter the length of a fingernail.

Flower? No, but this tiny animal uses a stalk to anchor itself and then sweeps food into its mouth with those yellow hairs.

Water bears live almost everywhere. Only a thousandth of an inch long, they really do look like little bears, complete with legs, claws, and snout.

Life Aquatic

From slimy puddles to the deep ocean, tiny creatures thrive in water. They provide food for other aquatic life and help to balance the underwater ecosystem. While many microorganisms must be removed from water to make it safe to drink, scientists have found that some bacteria can help keep drinking water clean by removing, breaking down, or absorbing harmful chemicals.

Long, strong antennae help this shrimpy copepod to feel and smell its way around. They also serve as paddles for fast getaways.

Life's a beach for this nematode. Wedged between grains of sand, it holds tight against rushing tides with the spines on its body. Nematodes live everywhere, from dry, hot deserts to freezing ice fields.

These fuzzy protozoa, or microscopic animals, use their tiny, hairlike cilia to swim and feed in fresh-water ponds.

Unseen Guests

Animals, including humans, make good homes for microorganisms. They live in our guts, in our mouths, and in our skin. This personal zoo helps keep us healthy. For instance, in the intestines, they make vitamins and keep out harmful microbes. Sometimes, if they get out of balance, they will cause cavities, body odor, or tummyaches.

Right at home in your mouth, these bacteria can cause gum disease and other infections if you don't brush and floss regularly.

Yellow E. coli bacteria inhabit our pink intestines. While they can be harmful in great numbers, E. coli also supply vitamins K and B to our bodies.

This mite feeds off the bodily fluids of flies. Enough said.

The purple and blue bacteria in this ultra-closeup of yogurt make the tasty treat really good for you. They help keep your digestive system working smoothly.

Dust mites don't live inside us, but beside us in fiber and furniture, feeding on the skin cells we shed every day. But you'll never know they are there, unless you suffer from dust mite allergies.

This miniscule mite lives harmlessly in the pores and hair follicles of mammals, including humans. (They are most common on adults.) But don't worry, they won't cause disease or make you itch. And, like most mini-monsters, they're too small to see.

For more on the small world, visit

http://commtechlab. msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/ zoo/index.html.