Folia faunistica Slovaca, 2003, 8: 23-26 ISSN 1335-7522 NOTES ON ACTIVE GYMNAMOEBAE (RHIZOPODA, GYMNAMOEBIA) IN TURIEC RIVER MARTIN MRVA Department of Zoology, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina B-1, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia [[email protected]] Abstract: By direct examination of 8 samples of sediments of Turiec river (Central Slovakia) in August 2001, 14 taxa (2 orders, 8 families, 12 genera) of active gymnamoebae were noted. Several notes to observed species are given. Keywords: amoebae, Gymnamoebia, Turiec River, Slovakia INTRODUCTION Tab. 1 Studied localities and substrates examined. Problematic identification of gymnamoebae have Locality / date of sampling Substrate caused that only few modern faunistic studies were (2001) 1. Sklené / 23. 08. Detritus, stones published till now (for reviews: SMIRNOV & GOOD- 2. Dubové / 23. 08. Detritus, vegetation, stones KOV 1996; BUTLER & ROGERSON 2000) and therefore 3. Socovce / 23. 08. Vegetation we still do not have enough information on their di- 4. Košťany / 24. 08. Detritus, vegetation, stones versity and distribution. Data on gymnamoebae of freshwater habitats in Slovakia were summarized by RESULTS MATIS et al. (1997). The results from examined material taken only Turiec River is relatively well known from the sci- once indicate interesting species riches. From 8 exam- entific literature for more research programs that were ined samples 7 were positive for active naked amoe- performed in this locality. Intensive research was done bae. In whole collected material 14 taxa were recorded on various groups of macrozoobenthos and microzoo- (2 orders, 8 families, 12 genera), 5 of them were iden- benthos (KRNO et al. 1996) and ichthyofauna (KOVÁČ tified to genus level only (Tab. 2). Besides gymna- & SIRYOVÁ 2002). Several protozoological studies moebae, unidentified vahlkampfiid amoebae (Het- were also done, with attention to fauna of ciliates erolobosea, Vahlkampfiidae) were noted in all sites. (TIRJAKOVÁ 1993; TIRJAKOVÁ & DEGMA 1996; KRNO et al. 1995, 2002). Highest number of species was noted for family Amoebidae (4). In all sites were recorded only two This article gives notes on active gymnamoebae species from family Paramoebidae: Korotnevella recorded in several examined samples from Turiec stella and Mayorella penardi. River taken in August 2001. Family Amoebidae Ehrenberg, 1838 MATERIAL AND METHODS Chaos nobile (Penard, 1902) Bovee et Jahn, 1973 The samples were collected 23 and 24 August 2001 in (Fig. 1) Turiec River (Central Slovakia) at four sites. The sites repre- Locomotive form polypodial, the pseudopodia sented four different sections, with character of submountain with narrow anterior hyaline crescents. Posterior end river, situated in the order given in Tab. 1. Characteristics of with short remains of pseudopodia that formed irregu- the sites with abiotic and biotic analyses were published re- lar uroid. About 20 granular spherical nuclei. Endo- cently by KRNO et al. (2002). Samples consisted of detritus, vegetation or stones and water and were collected in 200 ml plasma with dark appearance due to many small glass bottles. After immediate transport to laboratory, the bipyramidal crystals. Length of locomotive form 360- sampled material was analysed by direct microscopy for de- 486 µm, breadth of the pseudopodia 25-80 µm. tection of the trofozoits that are active in habitat. For exami- nation of samples Nikon Labophot microscope with phase Deuteramoeba mycophaga (Pussard, Alabouvette, contrast equipment was used. Lemaitre et Pons, 1980) Page, 1988 (Fig. 2) Locomotive form mostly monopodial, sometimes Identification of active naked amoebae was performed according to light microscopy criteria after works of PAGE polypodial, with short blunt pseudopodia. Anterior (1988, 1991), FISHBECK & BOVEE (1993), MICHEL & SMIR- hyaloplasma crescent-like, posterior end with irregular NOV (1999), SMIRNOV (1999) and SMIRNOV & GOODKOV uroid with short papillae. Nucleus vesicular, with (1997). somewhat irregular, or coarsely contoured spherical central nucleolus. Endoplasma with many bipyramidal 23 crystals. Floating form with irregular central mass and Tab. 2 Gymnamoebae recorded from localities up to 10 broad pseudopodia. Length of locomotive Taxon Sklené Dubové Socovce Košťany form about 90 µm, breadth 40-50 µm. Chaos nobile + Deuteramoeba myco- + Trichamoeba sp. (Fig. 3) phaga Monopodial amoeba with distinct crescent-like an- Flamella sp. + + + terior hyaline cap. Posterior end narrowed, with papil- Korotnevella sp. + late bulbous uroid. Nucleus was spherical, with nucle- Korotnevella stella + + + + olar material concentrated on periphery, giving thus a Mayorella penardi + + + + ring-like appearance to nucleus. In endoplasma were Platyamoeba stenopodia + present many bipyramidal crystals. Length of cell in Rhizamoeba australiensis + locomotion 112-125 µm, breadth 30-50 µm. Saccamoeba limax + + Thecamoeba quad- + + Trichamoeba sinuosa Siemensma et Page, 1986 rilineata (Fig. 4) Trichamoeba sinuosa + Shape of amoeba monopodial, with anterior hya- Trichamoeba sp. + line cap and morulate uroid at the posterior end. Nu- Vannella sp. + + + cleus spherical, granular. Endoplasma with many Vexillifera sp. + bipyramidal crystals. Length of cell in locomotion Total 4 6 6 10 115-130 µm, breadth about 30 µm. Family Paramoebidae (Poche, 1913) Page, 1987 Family Hartmannellidae (Volkonsky, 1931) Page, Korotnevella sp. (Fig. 9) 1974 Shape of amoeba generally triangular, with broad Saccamoeba limax (Dujardin, 1841) Page, 1974 anterior with hyaloplasmatic part. Hyaloplasma pro- (Fig. 5) duced hyaline dactylopodia on the anterior and lateral Amoeba with monopodial locomotive form with parts of the cell. Posterior end of amoeba rounded, ur- anterior hyaline cap, that frequently obliterated. Poste- oid was not differentiated. Nucleus vesicular, with rior end formed bulbous uroid. Nucleus vesicular, with central nucleolus. Length of amoeba in locomotion central nucleolus. Endopolasma with several bipyra- 25-38 µm, breadth 10-18 µm. midal crystals. Length of amoeba in locomotion was Korotnevella stella (Schaeffer, 1926) Goodkov, 1988 65-89 µm, breadth 12-26 µm. (Fig. 10) Family Thecamoebidae (Schaeffer, 1926) Page, Amoeba mostly of triangular shape, with broad an- 1987 terior hyaloplasma that formed hyaline dactylopodia. Posterior end of the cell without uroid. Nucleus was Thecamoeba quadrilineata (Carter, 1856) Lepşi, vesicular, with central nucleolus. Length of locomo- 1960 (Fig. 6) tive form 20-30 µm breadth 15-20 µm. Shape of the body oval, with hyaloplasma in form of broad antero-lateral crescent. Posterior end Mayorella penardi Page, 1972 (Fig. 11) rounded, without uroid. On the dorsal surface were Shape of the cell oblong, anterior end broad, with formed several longitudinal folds. Nucleus vesicular, hyaline border, posterior end with morulate or bulbous with central nucleolus. Length of locomotive form uroid. Conical subpseudopodia frequently absented about 55 µm, breadth about 25 µm. during rapid locomotion. Nucleus vesicular, with cen- tral nucleolus. In endoplasma were present paired Family Vannellidae (Bovee, 1970) Page, 1987 crystallic inclusions. Length of amoeba 50-70 µm, Vannella sp. (Fig. 7) breadth about 30 µm. Amoeba flattened, with broad oval shape. Broad Family Vexilliferidae Page, 1987 hyaloplasma occupied anterior half of the cell. Poste- rior end rounded, without uroid. Nucleus vesicular Vexillifera sp. (Fig. 12) with central nucleolus. Length of locomotive form 10- Shape of the cell triangular, with broad anterior 25 µm, breadth 20-30 µm. hyaloplasma which formed hyaline subpseudopodia. Posterior end narrowed, without uroid. Subpseudopo- Platyamoeba stenopodia Page, 1969 (Fig. 8) dia of two types – thin, long, frequently extended up- Locomotive form tongue-shaped, with hya- wards and shorter, lobe-like. Nucleus vesicular, with loplasma occupying anterior half of cell. Posterior end central nucleolus. Length of cell in locomotion 10-15 rounded, without uroidal structures. Vesicular nucleus µm, breadth 8-11 µm. possessed central nucleolus and was situated in the an- terior part of granuloplasma, near the hyaline zone. Family Flabellulidae Bovee, 1970 Length of the cell in locomotion was about 35 µm, Flamella sp. (Fig. 13) breadth 8 µm. Amoeba of oval or circular shape, with distinct an- terolateral hyaline margin with irregular outline that formed short, mostly conical subpseudopodia. Poste- rior thin uroidal filaments were frequently formed. Nucleus vesicular, with central nucleolus. About 5-15 24 refractile inclusions in endoplasma. Length of locomo- bae of Slovakia. Folia faun. Slovaca. 2: 1-6 (in Slovak tive form 17-25 µm, breadth 30-38 µm. with English summary). MICHEL R, SMIRNOV AV, 1999: The genus Flamella Family Leptomyxidae (Pussard et Pons, 1976) Schaeffer, 1926 (Lobosea, Gymnamoebia), with descrip- Page, 1987 tion of two new species. Europ. J. Protistol. 35: 403- 410. Rhizamoeba australiensis (Chakraborty et Pussard, PAGE FC, 1988: A new key to freshwater and soil Gymna- 1985) Page, 1988 (Fig. 14) moebae. Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, Amoeba of broad irregular shape frequently with 122 pp. more pseudopodia or monopodial, limax form. Hya- PAGE FC, 1991: Nackte Rhizopoda. In: PAGE FC, SIEMEN- loplasma formed a margin or hyaline cap (in case of SMA FJ: Nackte Rhizopoda und Heliozoea. G. Fischer limax form) on the anterior end. Posterior end with Verlag, Stuttgart-New York, p. 1-170. numerous and distinct adhesive filaments. Nucleus ve- SMIRNOV AV, 1999: