Mediolus, a new genus of Arcellacea (Testate Lobose Amoebae)

R. Timothy Patterson

Plain Language Abstract

Arcellacea are a group of shelled protists that are common in lake, bog, and other freshwater environments from the equator to the poles. Considerable progress has been made in developing the group as a sensitive indicator of climate change and land use influences, particularly in paleolimnologic research and as paleohydrologic indicators in peatlands. Ongoing taxonomic uncertainty within the group is hindering further paleoecologic advances. The arcellacean genus Difflugia encompasses more than 500 fossil and modern species and subspecies, which are characterized by a myriad of morphologies and ecological niches. Difflugia corona (Wallich, 1864), bears no resemblance to the type species of the genus Difflugia protaeiformis Lamarck, 1816 aside from both having a unilocular test. The new genus Mediolus, with type species D. corona, is proposed to encompass species with inward oriented crenulated tooth-like structures rimming their apertures and shells generally adorned with hollow spines.

Resumen en Español

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Traducción: Enrique Peñalver

Résumé en Français

Text

Translator: Kenny J. Travouillon

Deutsche Zusammenfassung

In progress

Translator: Eva Gebauer

Arabic

in progress

Translator: Ashraf M.T. Elewa