| Description: |
We've identified 14 distinct morphotypes of naked amoebae across various freshwater bodies in Ukraine. These include: Branched: Rhizamoeba sp. (1), Rhizamoeba sp. (2); Polytactic: Amoeba proteus, Polychaos dubium, Deuteramoeba mycophaga; Monotactic/Monopodial: Saccamoeba stagnicola, Saccamoeba limax, Saccamoeba wakulla, Saccamoeba sp. (1), Saccamoeba sp. (2), Saccamoeba sp. (3); Striate: Thecamoeba striata, Thecamoeba quadrilineata, Thecamoeba similis, Thecamoeba sp.; Rugose: Thecamoeba sphaeronucleolus, Thecamoeba verrucosa, Thecamoeba terricola; Lingulate: Stenamoeba stenopodia; Lanceolate: Paradermamoeba valamo, Paradermamoeba levis; Mayorellian: Mayorella cantabrigiensis, Mayorella vespertilioides, Mayorella penardi, Mayorella viridis, Mayorella sp. (1), Mayorella sp. (2); Dactylopodial: Korotnevella stella, Korotnevella diskophora, Vexillifera bacillipedes; Fan-shaped: Ripella platypodia, Ripella sp., Vannella lata, Vannella sp.; Acanthopodial: Acanthamoeba sp.; Flamellian: Pellita digitata, Flamella sp.; Lens-like: Cochliopodium minus, Cochliopodium actinophorum; Eruptive: Vahlkampfia avara, Vahlkampfia sp. (1), Vahlkampfia sp. (2), Vahlkampfia sp. (3), Willaertia magna. Rivers exhibited the highest diversity with all 14 morphotypes, while swamps had the fewest (9 morphotypes). Lakes and floodplain ponds each hosted 12 morphotypes. The Chekanovsky-Sørensen (Ics) index revealed a high degree of similarity in naked amoebae morphotypes among swamps, rivers, floodplain ponds, and lakes, with values ranging from 0.76 to 0.92. Cluster analysis, utilizing the Ics, organized the morphotypes into two distinct complexes. The first complex includes morphotypes found in swamps: lens-like, striate, lingulate, fan-shaped, mayorellian, dactylopodial, acanthopodial, branched, and eruptive. The second complex encompasses all identified amoebae morphotypes, characteristic of floodplain ponds, lakes, and rivers. The specific composition of naked amoeba morphotypes in Ukrainian water bodies is influenced by water temperature, ... |