Amastigomonas De Saedeleer 1931

Introduction

Amastigomonas (also called Thecamonas (Larsen and Patterson, 1990)) is a very widespread and common genus. The genus has been reported from around the world, most records are from marine habitats, but it has also been reported from soils and freshwaters. The organism glides on the substrate with its anterior flagellum moving slightly. The genus eats bacteria, and food is ingested using pseudopodia that are produced by the ventral surface.

Twelve nominal species have been assigned to this genus, but a number of these are barely distinguishable and have been rendered into synonymy. The most detailed survey of the genus is that of Molina and Nerad (1991), and the most recent comments are those of Lee and Patterson (2000).

Characteristics

The species in this genus have the characters typical of all apusemonads. No generic synapomorphies have been found to date.

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

Sister group relationships within the genus have not been explored. It may be that the genus is paraphyletic, and that Apusomonas cannot even serve as an outgroup.

Other Names for Amastigomonas De Saedeleer 1931

• Thecamonas Larsen and Patterson 1990

References

De Saedeleer H. 1931. Nieuwe of wenig bekende Flagellaten. Naturwetenschapplijk Tijdschrift, 13, 89-96.

Larsen J. and Patterson D. J. 1990. Some flagellates (Protista) from tropical marine sediments. J. Nat. Hist., 24, 801-937.

Lee, W. J. and Patterson, D. J. 2000. Heterotrophic flagellates (Protista) from marine sediments of Botany Bay, Australia. Journal of Natural History, 34: 483-562.

Molina, F. I. and Nerad, T. A., 1991. Ultrastructure of Amastigomonas bermudensis ATCC 50234 sp.nov. - a new heterotrophic marine flagellate, European Journal of Protistology, 27, 386-396.

Patterson, D. J. 1999. The diversity of eukaryotes. American Naturalist 154: S96-124.