Difflugia (sand shell amoeba)
Difflugia spp. · Aquatic life
Under the microscope · Photo: Bruce Taylor / CC BY
Also called Shelled amoeba, Difflugia oblonga, Testate amoeba
How to identify Difflugia (sand shell amoeba)
- Microscopic vase or urn shaped shell about 0.05 to 0.5 mm
- Shell built from tiny sand grains or diatom pieces glued together
- Single opening at one end where finger like pseudopods reach out
- Often counted by labs in bottom and plant samples
Similar species
Arcella has a smooth, brown, dome shaped shell, not one made of sand grains.
Profile
| Season | All year. |
|---|---|
| Depth | On the bottom and among plants; occasionally in open water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Cell division; new shell built from particles collected by the parent |
| Habitat | Bottoms, plant beds and mosses of ponds, lakes and marshes; sometimes in open water. |
Why it matters in a lake
Eats algae, bacteria and detritus. Its shells last in lake mud and are used to study water quality history.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Common
Classification
| Kingdom | Protozoa |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Amoebozoa |
| Class | Tubulinea |
| Order | Arcellinida |
| Family | Difflugiidae |
| Scientific name | Difflugia spp. |
Vorticella (bell animal)
Arcella (dome shell amoeba)
Paramecium (slipper animal)
Stentor (trumpet animal)
Daphnia (water flea)Need a hand?
Found it in your lake?
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Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596