MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Amoeba phase+BF+Oblique+DF&Ciliate

Are they mayorella&Frontonia acuminata?

It is understood that certain amoebas(naegleria fowleri) are associated with disease transmission, so I wonder if I should be worried?

The amoeba could be Mayorella, or it could be Korotnevella (differentiating them with light microscopy can be difficult). Both amoebae are in class Discosea, in the supergroup Amoebozoa. Neither of those genera infects humans. Naegleria fowleri is something else entirely! While it is amoeboid in one of its life-phases, Naegleria belongs to a totally different group called Heterolobosea, which falls in the supergroup Discoba (a group which also includes the euglenids). Amoebozoans and Heteroloboseans are not closely related at all! In fact, members of Amoebozoa are more closely related to you and me than they are to Naegleria and its kin (amoebozoans and animals both belong to a supergroup called Amorphea).

The ciliate has a pigmented spot in the anterior (along with a more diffuse pigmented area in the posterior), so yes...it's F. acuminata (the only other candidate is F. atra, which is larger and usually more heavily pigmented).

Bruce Taylor wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 09, 2022 4:26 pm

Thank you for the professional explanation.

Every time I see your speech, I learn something new.