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Pseudodifflugia, a testate filose amoeba. These are small species with a chitinoid ovoid or spherical test covered with quartz particles. Difflugia are generally larger and have lobose pseudopodia. Pseudodifflugia feeds on diatoms and other algae. From freshwater koi pond near Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast.
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Metopion fluens Larsen and Patterson, 1990. The cell outline is ovate. Cells are 4 to 9 microns long, laterally compressed and with a small rostrum anterior to the flagellar insertion. Small bodies are seen in the protrusion or at the proximal anterior part of the cell. Two flagella of unequal size emerge from a ventral groove located in the left side of the cell. The long flagellum is about 1.5 times cell length, is thickened and is not tapered at the tip, and the short flagellum may be difficult to see. There are small granules in the posterior part of the cell. The nucleus is situated near the groove. The cells move by gliding.
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Ribadelago de Franco, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Assulina (ass-you-line-a) a testate amoeba with a subapical mouth located on the ventral surface of the slightly flattened lorica. Common in mosses. Phase contrast.
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Metromonas (met-row-moan-ass) is a predator. Usually attached to the substrate by the curving posterior end of the longer flagellum (see, there is also a short one in most cells). They nod backwards and forwards. In cultures they usually appear in large numbers after the small bacterivorous flagellates - evidently preying upon them. Prey are ingested after encountering the margins of the cell. Unhappy cells tend to migrate by gliding along the substrate, with the flagellum no longer coiled but trailing behind the cells. Phase contrast
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Heteromita globosa Stein, 1878. Cells are 4 to 6 microns long, ovoid to roundish, and slightly flattened. Two flagella insert subapically in a slight depression. The anterior flagellum, slightly thinner than the posterior one, may be very short or about the same length as the body and may be directed anteriorly or posteriorly. The posterior flagellum is one to two and half times the length of the body. The nucleus is located anteriorly, the contractile vacuole posteriorly. Refractile granules and food vacuoles are often visible. Cells glide on the posterior flagellum, wobbling and frequently changing direction. The anterior flagellum beats stiffly if anteriorly directed. To engulf bacteria, cells stop moving and use ventral pseudopodia.
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Ribadelago de Franco, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Euglypha (you-g-lie-fa) is a widespread and common testate amoeba. This one was found in a sample of moss, and this is a habitat in which testate amoebae are common. The aperture is to the top of the image. The test is made up of scale arranged a bit like fish scales, and their are marginal spine scales. This test no longer contains an amoeba. Phase contrast.
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Metromonas (met-row-moan-ass) is a predator. Usually attached to the substrate by the curving posterior end of the longer flagellum (see, there is also a short one in most cells). They nod backwards and forwards. In cultures they usually appear in large numbers after the small bacterivorous flagellates - evidently preying upon them. Prey are ingested after encountering the margins of the cell. There are thin cylindrical structures near the margin - which we may assume to be associated with the capture of food. Unhappy cells tend to migrate by gliding along the substrate, with the flagellum no longer coiled but trailing behind the cells. Phase contrast
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Heteromita is commonly encountered in freshwater and soil environments. This video has two sequences - the first is of CCAP strain 1961/1, and created in 1961. The second shows cells from a field sample taken in Berlin a couple of years later.
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Ribadelago, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Euglypha (you-gly-fa) a shelled amoeba with filose pseudopodia (although this picture is only of the test) and with the test covered in small overlapping scales and a terminal aperture. The aperture through which the pseudopodia emerge is located to the bottom of the picture. Phase contrast.
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Metromonas (met-row-moan-ass) is a predator. Usually attached to the substrate by the curving posterior end of the longer flagellum (see, there is also a short one in most cells). They nod backwards and forwards. In cultures they usually appear in large numbers after the small bacterivorous flagellates - evidently preying upon them. Prey are ingested after encountering the margins of the cell. Unhappy cells tend to migrate by gliding along the substrate, with the flagellum no longer coiled but trailing behind the cells. Phase contrast
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Massisteria (mass-hysteria) is a cercomonad flagellate, with one species (M. marina ), measuring 2.5 to 6.5 microns, dorso-ventrally flattened irregular body. Cells produce delicate pseudopodia with extrusomes, which extend radially from the cell and normally adhere to the substrate. Two short curved flagella arise from the dorsal side of the cell and are relatively inactive in trophic cells, and are very hard to see. Cells may withdraw pseudopodia, and swim using the flagella. This species has been reported in marine sites in subtropical and tropical Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Gulf of Finland, equatorial Pacific, and Panama. Phase contrast.
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Euglypha (you-gly-fa) a shelled amoeba with filose pseudopodia (although this picture is only of the test) and with the test covered in small overlapping scales and a terminal aperture. This species also with some spines. The aperture through which the pseudopodia emerge is located to the bottom of the picture. Phase contrast.
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Metromonas (met-row-moan-ass) grandis Larsen and Patterson, 1990. Cell outline is leaf shaped or slightly roundish. Cells are 5 to 11 microns long (mostly 7 to 10 microns), 4 to 10 microns wide, about 2 microns deep and dorso-ventrally flattened. One side of the cell appears folded. The cells have two flagella, a long flagellum is 1.2 to 2.5 times the length of the cell and trails behind the cell when gliding. There is a short inactive flagellum, less than 2 microns long, which inserts to the right of the major flagellum and is always present. The cells attach to the substratum with the longer flagellum and move with a nodding action - like a pendulum. The nucleus is near the flagellar insertion. Relatively common.
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Massisteria (mass-hysteria) is a cercomonad flagellate, with one species (M. marina ), measuring 2.5 to 6.5 microns, dorso-ventrally flattened irregular body. Cells produce delicate pseudopodia with extrusomes, which extend radially from the cell and normally adhere to the substrate. Two short curved flagella arise from the dorsal side of the cell and are relatively inactive in trophic cells, and are very hard to see. Cells may withdraw pseudopodia, and swim using the flagella. Phase contrast.
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Euglypha (you-gly-fa) a shelled amoeba with filose pseudopodia (although this picture is only of the test) and with the test covered in small overlapping scales and a terminal aperture. The aperture through which the pseudopodia emerge is located to the bottom of the picture. Differential interference contrast.