An A - Z of Amoebae

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This list does not include all amoeba species, but does have a fair few. The information in the 'Type' section is a summery of what is written in Types of Amoeba. If an amoeba has any traits unusual for its type, or is missing traits usual for its type, this will be described in the 'General features' section.


Amoeba carolinensis See Chaos carolinensis


Amoeba castellanii

Type: Naked; Parasitic.

General features: This parasitic amoeba has a choice. If it needs to, it can survive without a host.


Amoeba diffluens See Amoeba proteus


Amoeba discoides

Alternative names: Metachaos discoides

Type: Naked; Freshwater.

Habitat: Freshwater; Shallow, clear water, that is not in direct sunlight, and is slow moving.


Amoeba dubia See Polychaos dubia


Amoeba hydroxena See Hydramoeba hydroxena


Amoeba nitida

*no entry*


Amoeba nucleolus See Thecamoeba sphaeronucleolus


Amoeba proteus

Alternative names: A. diffluens, Chaos diffluens

Type: Naked; Freshwater.

General features: A. proteus is a popular choice for experimenting on.

Habitat: Freshwater; Shallow, clear water, that is not in direct sunlight, and is slow moving.

Diet: Carnivorous, sometimes scavenges.

Preferred food: Tetrehymena pyriformis

Symbionts: Possibly has viral symbionts.


Amoeba sphaeronucleosus See Thecamoeba sphaeronucleolus


Amoeba villosa See Trichamoeba villosa


Chaos carolinensis

Alternative names: Amoeba carolinensis, Pelomyxa carolinensis, Chaos chaos

Type: Naked; Freshwater.

Habitat: Freshwater; still swampy/marshy water.

Diet: Carnivorous, sometimes scavenges.

Preferred food: Paramecium caudatum


Chaos chaos See Chaos carolinensis


Chaos diffluens See Amoeba proteus


Chaos illinoisensis

Alternative names: Pelomyxa illinoisensis

Type: Naked; Freshwater.

Habitat: Natural: Backwaters. Humanmade: Water on stripmined areas.

Diet: Carnivorous, sometimes scavenges.

Preferred food: None.


Chaos nobilis

*no entry*


Dinoamoeba mirabilis

*no entry*


Entamoeba histolytica

Type: Naked; Parasitic.

General features: E. histolytica often causes no problems to the hosts. Sometimes it causes a type of dysentery.

Habitat: Digestive tract of primates and rats.


Hydramoeba hydroxena

*no entry*


Hydramoeba rhysodes

*no entry*


Mayorella bigemma

*no entry*


Mayorella gemmifera

*no entry*


Mayorella vespertilo

*no entry*


Metachaos discoides See Amoeba discoides


Pelomyxa carolinensis See Chaos carolinensis


Pelomyxa illinoisensis See Chaos illinoisensis


Pelomyxa palustris

Alternative names: Pelomyxa villosa

Type: Freshwater.

General features: Has no contractile vacuole. The cytoplasm is full of many tiny grains.

Habitat: North America and Europe.


Pelomyxa villosa See Pelomyxa palustris


Polychaos dubia

*no entry*


Polychaos nitidubia

*no entry*


Saccamoeba lucens

General features: This amoeba contains unusually shaped urea crystals. They are large and cuboid.


Thecamoeba sphaeronucleolus

*no entry*


Trichamoeba myakka

General features: Most amoeba have small granules in their cytoplasm. This amoeba does not.


Trichamoeba schaefferi

*no entry*


Trichamoeba osseosaccus

*no entry*


Trichamoeba villosa

*no entry*


Vennella mira

Type: Naked; Freshwater/Marine.

General features: Vennella mira has no contractile vacuole when living in salt water, but when in brackish or fresh water, it does develop one.

Habitat: Freshwater or saltwater.


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