Species composition and diversity of morphotypes in epilithic biotopes of Zhytomyr region, Ukraine

Abstract

16 species of naked amoebae are recorded in the eplithic biotopes of Zhytomyr region, Ukraine: Saccamoeba sp. (1), Saccamoeba sp. (2), Saccamoeba sp. (3), Cashia limacoides Page, 1974, Thecamoeba striata (Penard, 1890) Schaeffer, 1926, Thecamoeba sp., Stenamoeba stenopodia (Page, 1969) Smirnov et al., 2007, Mayorella cantabrigiensis Page, 1983, Mayorella sp., Korotnevella sp., Vexillifera sp., Vannella sp., Ripella platypodia Smirnov, Nassonova, Chao et Cavalier-Smith, 2007, Acanthamoeba sp. (1), Cochliopodium sp., Vahlkampfia sp. (1). The frequency of occurrence in samples is highest for Thecamoeba sp., Mayorella sp., Vahlkampfia sp. (1), Korotnevella sp., Vannella sp., and is lowest for Saccamoeba sp. (1), C. limacoides, M. cantabrigiensis, Cochliopodium sp., S. stenopodia, R. platypodia, T. striata, Saccamoeba sp. (2). The species and morphotype diversity of naked amoebae of the epilithic mosses and lichens is influenced by the humidity and the height above soil of the substrate. The species and morphotype diversity of naked amoebae decreases with the increase in height above soil and the decrease of humidity of substrate. We recorded naked amoebae of 9 morphotypes: monotactic, dactylopodial, fan-shaped, lens-like, lingulate, mayorellian, striate, acanthopodial, and eruptive. Amoebae of the lens-like and fan-shaped morphotypes disappear with the increase of height of substrate above soil.

Keywords

• naked amoebae
• morphotypes
• epilithic biotopes
• Zhytomyr region