Gliding amoeba

An amoeba is gliding smoothly across the glass slide under the microscope. The rim of its body is transparent, but the center of its body is filled with food and slightly rigid. Although it doesn't extend pseudopods, food particles enter its body as the amoeba moves over them. A diatom is temporalily captured, but manages to escape.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
This organism is a species of testate amoeba called Cochliopodium.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

The shell of this organism is like an upside-down plate, but as the shell is thin and transparent, its exact shape is difficult to see in ordinary observation.

When the organism detaches from the surface to float freely, the side view and shell shape become visible

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

Sampling Date : 09 August 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River B  Google Map