title: Eight species in the Nebela collaris complex: Nebela gimlii (Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae), a new species described from a Swiss raised bog.
abstract: We describe here a new species of sphagnicolous testate amoeba found abundantly in the forested part of the Le Cachot peatland (Jura Mountains, Neuchâtel, Switzerland) based on microscopical observations (LM, SEM). The new species, called Nebela gimlii was placed in a phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase sequences (COI), and branched robustly within the N. collaris complex next to the morphologically similar N. guttata and N. tincta. It is however genetically clearly distinct from these two species, and differs morphologically from them by its smaller size and stouter shape of the shell. This new species completes the phylogeny of the Nebela collaris species complex, with now eight species described, mostly from peatlands and acidic forest litter, and further demonstrates the existence of an unknown diversity within testate amoebae. Improving the taxonomy of testate amoebae in peatlands and clarifying the ecology of newly discovered species should make these organisms even more valuable as bioindicator and for palaeoecological reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel CH-2000, Switzerland. Electronic address: david.singer@unine.ch.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel CH-2000, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anush
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kosakyan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel CH-2000, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Amandine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pillonel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel CH-2000, Switzerland; Jardin Botanique de Neuchâtel, Chemin du Perthuis-du-Sault 58, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Edward A D
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, Neuchâtel CH-2000, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lara
mesh_terms: D016840:Lobosea / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity; D013557:Switzerland; D053833:Wetlands
keywords: Amoebozoa; Arcellinida; Cytochrome oxidase gene (COI); Peatland; Protist; Testate amoeba