title: A new freshwater amoeba: Cochliopodium pentatrifurcatum n. sp. (Amoebozoa, Amorphea).
abstract: Cochliopodium pentatrifurcatum n. sp. (ATCC(©) 30935(TM) ) is described based on light microscopic morphology, fine structure, and molecular genetic evidence. Cochliopodium pentatrifurcatum n. sp. (length ~ 25 μm) is characterized by surface microscales (0.3 μm tall) containing a circular porous base (~ 0.6 μm diam.) with a thin peripheral rim. Five radially arranged feet, emanating from the base, support a short central column terminating apically as a funnel-shaped collar (~ 0.5 μm diam.) composed of five radial, trifurcate rays extending from the center toward a thin peripheral rim. The central spine is 0.5-0.6 μm long. The comparative morphologies and combined molecular genetic evidence, SSU-rDNA and COI, indicate that the new species falls in a clade sufficiently different from other species to suggest that it is a valid new species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane Southwest, Atlanta, Gerogia 30314, USA. ytekle@spelman.edu
authors.forename: Yonas I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Tekle
authors.forename: Anderson O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Roger
authors.forename: Ariel F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Lecky
authors.forename: Samantha D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000656:Amoeba / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D056894:Amoebozoa / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal
keywords: COI; SSU-rDNA; molecular data; new species; phylogeny; ultrastructure