Protozoa: Testate Amoebae

Abstract

Testate amoebae are a polyphyletic group of protozoans that includes lobose and filose amoebae. They reproduce mainly by binary fission but meiosis is known (Mignot & Raikov, 1992). About 1900 species and subspecies have been described (Decloitre, 1986), many of them inadequately, and critical revision will certainly reduce this figure signifi- cantly. Many regions of the world, however, are incompletely sampled and numerous new taxa remain to be found (e.g., Beyens & Chardez, 1997).