Flabellula

So far, only marine members of this genus have been described. A flattened amoeba lie Vannella but often having deep invaginations in the lamella.  Floating forms typically have short broad radial pseudopods, many are irregularly rounded when floating.  Flabellula tend to have wide variations in sizes in clonal populations (e.g. Fig17a in Smirnov, 1999, and Figs 89 & 90 in Page, 1983).  No cysts known.  Recently (Smirnov, 1999) reported the fusion of F. baltica amoebae and their subsequent parting.  This fusion is possibly some sort of genetic exchange or para-sexual activity since there would seem to be little else to be gained from this.  Smirnov also reports that F. baltica can be induced to adopt a limax morphology of locomotion.

Flabellula at the Protist Information Server

Described species:-

F. baltica (Smirnov, 1999)

Page, F.C. (1968). "Genetic criteria for Flabellula, Rugipes and Hyalodiscus, with descriptions of species. J.Protozool. 15(1), 9-26.

Page, F.C. (1983). "Marine Gymnamoebae." Inst.Terr.Ecol. NERC Cambridge, England.

Sawyer, T.K. (1975). "Marine amoebae from surface waters of Chincoteaque bay, Virginia : Two new genera and nine species within the families Mayorellidae, Flabellulidae, and Stereomyxidae."  Trans.Amer.Microscop.Soc. 94(1), 71-92.

Smirnov, A.V. (1999). "An illustrated survey of gymnamoebae isolated from anaerobic sediments of the Niva bay (The Sound)." Ophelia 50(2), 113-148.