Abstract
The present study aimed to analyze the species richness of testate amoebae, as well as to describe their geographic distribution and different habitat types in Brazilian freshwater environments. Until now, 346 infrageneric taxa have been recorded, belonging to 13 families and 40 genera. In the Center-West region, 267 taxa were recorded; 188 taxa in the Southeast; 129 taxa in the South, 53 taxa in the North; and 18 taxa in Northeast region. A total of 282 taxa were recorded in plankton; 80 taxa in aquatic macrophytes; 81 taxa in sediment; and 73 taxa in moss/sphagnum. The results regarding testate amoebae species richness are not yet conclusive, given that most research on these organisms was carried out in central, southeastern and southern Brazil. The higher number of taxa observed in plankton may be due to the fact that most studies on testate amoebae in Brazil had been carried out in the planktonic compartment, including reservoirs, floodplain lagoons, channels, tributaries and rivers. In addition, the majority of studies with sediment samples were conducted in estuaries or coastal lagoons, where salinity is a restricting factor for the occurrence of these organisms.
Highlights
Brazil presents great animal and plant biodiversity, as pointed out by presenting, for example, the highest number of species of superior plants, insects, freshwater fish and mammals
The highest number of taxa has been recorded in plankton, followed by aquatic macrophytes, sediment and moss/Sphagnum (Figure 3)
Even though in the last few years studies on different aquatic communities, including testate amoebae in the surveys have increased, comprising different aquatic habitats, these studies are practically restricted to Southern, Southeast and Center-West regions
Summary
Brazil presents great animal and plant biodiversity, as pointed out by presenting, for example, the highest number of species of superior plants, insects, freshwater fish and mammals. Later, during the last twenty years, some representative studies were carried out on testate amoebae species richness, composition, abundance and distribution in different habitat types, such as plankton, sediments, moss/Sphagnum and fauna associated with aquatic macrophytes (Godinho-Orlandi and Barbieri, 1983; Neumann-Leitão and Nogueira-Paranhos, 1987; Barbieri and Godinho-Orlandi, 1989; Rolla et al, 1992; Torres and Jebran, 1994; Dabés, 1995; Hardoim and Heckman, 1996; Landa, 1997; Rhoden and Pitoni, 1999; Dabés and Velho, 2001; Bini et al, 2003; Lansac-Tôha et al, 1992; 1993; 1997; 2004a; Velho et al, 1996; 1999; 2003; 2004a; b; Fulone et al, 2005; Souza, 2005; among others). We intended to identify regions in Brazil that are lacking in information on the occurrence and distribution of these organisms
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