Morphological Description of Telaepolella tubasferens n. g., n. sp., Isolate ATCC© 50593™, a Filose Amoeba in the Gracilipodida, Amoebozoa

Abstract

3 Biology, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York; * D. J. G. Lahr and G. M. Kubik contributed equally to this work Abstract. We describe the amoeboid isolate ATCC© 50593™ as a new taxon, Telaepolella tubasferens n. g. n. sp. This multinucleated amoeba has fi lose pseudopods and is superfi cially similar to members of the vampyrellids (Rhizaria) such as Arachnula impatiens Cien- kowski, 1876, which was the original identifi cation upon deposition. However, previous multigene analyses place this taxon within the Gracilipodida Lahr and Katz 2011 in the Amoebozoa. Here, we document the morphology of this organism at multiple life history stages and provide data underlying the description as a new taxon. We demonstrate that T. tubasferens is distinct from Arachnula and other rhizari- ans (Theratromyxa, Leptophrys) in a suite of morphological characters such as general body shape, relative size of pseudopods, distinction of ecto- and endoplasmic regions, and visibility of nuclei in non-stained cells (an important diagnostic character). Although Amoebozoa taxa generally have lobose pseudopods, genera in Gracilipodida such as Flamella and Filamoeba as well as several organisms previously classifi ed as protosteloid amoebae (e.g. schizoplasmodiis, cavosteliids and Stemonitales) present fi lose pseudopodia. Thus, classifi cation of amoeboid organisms merely by fi lose-lobose distinction must be reconsidered.