Testate Amoeba - Difflugia pyriformis

Here you can post pictures and videos to show others.
Post Reply
Message
Author
Chris Dee
Posts: 216
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:02 pm

Testate Amoeba - Difflugia pyriformis

#1 Post by Chris Dee » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:49 pm

There seems to be some uncertainty identifying Difflugia pyriformis but its the closest match I could find. Input welcome.


mintakax
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:06 am
Location: Boulder CO, USA

Re: Testate Amoeba - Difflugia pyriformis

#2 Post by mintakax » Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:03 am

nice video Chris-- Thanks for sharing . I've been seeing a lot of testate amoebas lately, but they have been pretty motionless. Nice to see one waling around !

User avatar
cuxlander
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:13 pm

Re: Testate Amoeba - Difflugia pyriformis

#3 Post by cuxlander » Thu Jan 16, 2020 9:38 am

Hello Chris,
Scale bar 100 µm?
may be Zivkovicia spectabilis, look at 40-45 seconds for view into pseudostome.
compare https://www.arcella.nl/zivkovicia-spectabilis/
Cheers,
Hans

Chris Dee
Posts: 216
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:02 pm

Re: Testate Amoeba - Difflugia pyriformis

#4 Post by Chris Dee » Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:38 pm

Cheers mintakax. Yes I was lucky to find an occupied one. In all honesty, if it wasn't moving I'd likely have dismissed it as a clump of detritus and moved on. :D

Thanks for the input cuxlander. The overlay scale was made using a calibration slide so should be accurate. I studied the footage further and I can't personally make out a bridge structure, I didn't focus deeply enough into the neck to get a clear view sadly. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information surrounding this form of test, which is understandable when you look at the form variation present for assumed pyriformis alone: https://www.arcella.nl/difflugia-pyriformis-group/ and more variation if you look at the images for both species in this document: https://ab.pensoft.net/book/38685/

As a hobbyist without DNA analysis available its a tough call. What I have learned though is awe for the sheer variety of amoebas and their adaptation.

User avatar
cuxlander
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2016 12:13 pm

Re: Testate Amoeba - Difflugia pyriformis

#5 Post by cuxlander » Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:40 am

Hello Chris,

your specimen is about 120 µm high. Most pyriform difflugia are much bigger.
One characteristic is the very regular bunch of "stones" around the aperture. Not typical for Zivkovicia/pontigulasia/, my first wild guess was probably wrong.

As Ferry Siemensma wrote, "Identification [of Difflugiidae] at species level is for most species extremely difficult."

Anyway, a beautiful video!
Cheers,
Hans

Post Reply