Amoebidium species occur in freshwater environments, only as epibionts on the cuticle of insect larvae and small crustaceans. The trophic ("vegetative") state is an elongate, walled hairlike thallus, which during asexual reproduction may cleave into naked amoeboid cells or walled sporangiospores.
The thalli are usually colorless, slightly tapered
cylinders that are attached to the host cuticle by a
narrow holdfast. Until reproduction occurs, the thalli
lack partitions (they are "unicellular"). All but the
smallest thalli, however, contain more than one nucleus.
Amoebidium: Index | Introduction | Appearance | Ultrastructure | Reproduction and Life History | Similar genera | Classification | Taxonomy and Nomenclature | Cultures | References | Internet resources
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