Amoeba / Amoebae
A collection of informative articles with an overview by Mol smith
(Jan/Feb 2015)
Animated gif by David Walker from video clips taken by Edward Cowen, UK
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Amoeba is a genus of single-celled amoeboid protists in the family Amoebidae. The type species of the genus is Amoeba proteus, a common freshwater organism, widely studied in classrooms and laboratories.
Species of Amoeba move and feed by extending temporary structures called pseudopodia. These are formed by the coordinated action of microfilaments within the cellular cytoplasm pushing out the plasma membrane which surrounds the cell. In Amoeba, the pseudopodia are approximately tubular, and rounded at the ends (lobose). The cell's overall shape may change rapidly as pseudopodia are extended and retracted into the cell body. An Amoeba may produce many pseudopodia at once, especially when freely floating. When
crawling rapidly along a surface, the cell may take a roughly monopodial form, with a single dominant pseudopod deployed in the direction of movement. Amoebas eat algae, bacteria, plant cells, and microscopic protozoa and metazoa - some amoebas are parasites. They eat by surrounding tiny particles of food with pseudopods, forming a bubble-like food vacuole. The food vacuole digests the food. Wastes and excess water are transported outside the cell by contractile vacuoles. [
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Onsite Articles from Micscape Magazine
How fast is an amoeba? - a summary of an interesting chat Mar.98
Amoebas are more than just blobs Sep.01
An interesting amoeba - Naegleria Dec.01
Testate amoebae, peat bogs and past climates - Jun.03
Amoeba holiday - an attractively illustrated fantasy based on an amoeba in a winter pond. Jan.10.
Protozoan houses - protozoa who build their own home; how to find and study them. Dec.98. Voracious soil amoebae - image gallery of amoebae with large appetites - Paul James (UK) shares striking images showing how large and awkward food does not deter some soil amoebae. Feb.05
Video gallery: Protozoa Portraits - two video clips (various video formats and gif format) showing the beating cilia of a protozoan and the extending pseudopod of an Amoeba. Jun. 99
Offsite Articles
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Images of Amoebae |
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Amoeba Devouring a diatom |
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Youtube Video
A 3D model of an Amoeba
You can acquire a real rendering 3D model here from Turbosquid
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