Protozoa Guide review

Mastigamoeba

genus / PELOBIONTIDA / MASTIGAMOEBIDAE

Description

Amo eboid ce ll s wi th a flagellated basa l body located immediately adjacent to the anteri or nucl eus. The nucleus may be pull ed out anteriorly to have a conical appearance (Fig . 6) . The connection may be see n with th e ligh t microscope. Th e flagellum is long and directed fo rward, the pseudopodi a are simple, branched , 11 02 PELOBIONTIDA or absent . The cells may swim or glide. Life cycles may include amoeboid organisms , multinucl eated cells, or cysts (Simpson et al., 1997) . Electron-microscopical studies (e.g. Brugerolle et al., 1991 a) have shown that a cone of microtubules connects the short basal body to the nucleus (Fig. 2a) and that there is a ribbon of microtubul es extending from the basal body into the cytoplasm. The flagellum has the conventional 9+2 arrangement of microtubules within the axoneme, but variations on the normal organization of the basal body have been reported (Simpson et al., 1997) . The monotypic genus Phreatamoeba was erected by Chavez et al . (1986) for organisms with a complex life cycle. Phreatamoeba cannot be distinguished from M a stigamoeba and thus is a synonym of Mastigamoeba , (Simpson et al. , 1997) . Dinamoeba mirabilis Leidy, 1874, the type species of that genus , also appears to be an incomplete description of Mastigamoeba aspera (Simpson et al ., 1997) . With about 40 nominal species, many of which will prove to be incomplete descriptions of other species . Referen ces: Brugerolle , 1991 a; Klug , 1936 ; Lemmermann , 1914; Penard , 1909 ; Schulze , 1875; Simpson et al., 1997.

Type species

Mastigamoeba aspera Schulze, 1875

Figures

Figure 6
Fig. 6
Mastigamoeba scholaia with flagella
Figure 8
Fig. 8
Mastigamoeba balamuthi, multinucleated

Raw text

Amo eboid ce ll s wi th a flagellated basa l body
located immediately adjacent to the anteri or
nucl eus. The nucleus may be pull ed out
anteriorly to have a conical appearance (Fig . 6) .
The connection may be see n with th e ligh t
microscope. Th e flagellum is long and directed
fo rward, the pseudopodi a are simple, branched ,
11 02 PELOBIONTIDA
or absent . The cells may swim or glide. Life
cycles may include amoeboid organisms ,
multinucl eated cells, or cysts (Simpson et al.,
1997) . Electron-microscopical studies (e.g.
Brugerolle et al., 1991 a) have shown that a cone
of microtubules connects the short basal body to
the nucleus (Fig. 2a) and that there is a ribbon of
microtubul es extending from the basal body into
the cytoplasm. The flagellum has the
conventional 9+2 arrangement of microtubules
within the axoneme, but variations on the normal
organization of the basal body have been reported
(Simpson et al., 1997) . The monotypic genus
Phreatamoeba was erected by Chavez et al .
(1986) for organisms with a complex life cycle.
Phreatamoeba cannot be distinguished from
M a stigamoeba and thus is a synonym of
Mastigamoeba , (Simpson et al. , 1997) .
Dinamoeba mirabilis Leidy, 1874, the type
species of that genus , also appears to be an
incomplete description of Mastigamoeba aspera
(Simpson et al ., 1997) . With about 40 nominal
species, many of which will prove to be
incomplete descriptions of other species .
Referen ces: Brugerolle , 1991 a; Klug , 1936 ;
Lemmermann , 1914; Penard , 1909 ; Schulze ,
1875; Simpson et al., 1997.