A new freshwater amoeba: Cochliopodium pentatrifurcatum n. sp. (Amoebozoa, Amorphea).

Cochliopodium pentatrifurcatum n. sp. (ATCC(©) 30935(TM) ) is described based on light microscopic morphology, fine structure, and molecular genetic evidence. Cochliopodium pentatrifurcatum n. sp. (length ~ 25 μm) is characterized by surface microscales (0.3 μm tall) containing a circular porous base (~ 0.6 μm diam.) with a thin peripheral rim. Five radially arranged feet, emanating from the base, support a short central column terminating apically as a funnel-shaped collar (~ 0.5 μm diam.) composed of five radial, trifurcate rays extending from the center toward a thin peripheral rim. The central spine is 0.5-0.6 μm long. The comparative morphologies and combined molecular genetic evidence, SSU-rDNA and COI, indicate that the new species falls in a clade sufficiently different from other species to suggest that it is a valid new species.