MARINE AMEBAS FROM GEORGIA COASTAL SURFACE WATERS

Recent studies on marine protozoa in planktonic ecosystems have focused primarily on taxonomy of ciliates and flagellates and their role in aquatic food webs. Comparable studies of marine amoebae however, have received considerably less attention. The present investigation was carried out in the coastal waters of Sapelo Island, Georgia to obtain a data base and to assess the diversity of genera and species of marine amoebae in the nearshore waters of the southeastern United States. Twenty-nine species, representing 15 genera of marine amoebae, were identified from Georgia coastal surface waters. Paramoeba aestuarina, Platyamoeba langae, Clydonella vivax, Vannella mira, and Mayorella gemmifera, were the most common species observed in culture.