''Porosia'' is a genus of arcellinid

testate amoebae Testate amoebae (formerly thecamoebians, Testacea or Thecamoeba) are a polyphyletic group of unicellular amoeboid protists, which differ from naked amoebae in the presence of a test that partially encloses the cell, with an aperture from which the ...

belonging to the family Hyalospheniidae. Described in 1942, it used to be a monotypic genus with the sole species '' P. bigibbosa''. However a second species, '' P. paracarinata'', was discovered in 2015.

Morphology

The original 1942 description of ''Porosia'' corresponds to the type species '' P. bigibbosa''. The description was expanded in 2015 to fit both species. The organism consists of a pyriform, laterally compressed test with a rounded posterior end, two large invaginated pores situated on each lateral compression, both of which connected by internal tubes in ''

Certesella Arcellinid testate amoebae or Arcellinida,http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjun03/gsamoebae.html Testate amoebae, peat bogs and past climates. accessed 16 march 2007 Arcellacean or lobose testate amoebae are single-celled protists partially ...

''. Small lateral pores are seen anterior to the large ones. Lateral keels, present in '' P. paracarinata'' but absent in '' P. bigibbosa'', surround a third of the posterior lateral margins. The test itself is composed of euglyphid shell plates embedded in a disorganized cement. The test's aperture or "pseudostome" is surrounded with a lip made of organic compounds. It is closely related to ''

'', but lacks a punctuated neck.

Ecology

''Porosia'' species are rare and have been seen inhabiting '' Sphagnum''

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

es, forest litter and soil.

References

External links

{{taxonbar, from=Q26447096 Amoebozoa genera Tubulinea