Quadrulella texcalense sp nov from a Mexican desert: An unexpected new environment for hyalospheniid testate amoebae

0483994 - BC 2018 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Perez-Juarez, H. - Serrano-Vazquez, A. - Kosakyan, Anush - Mitchell, E.A.D. - Rivera Aguilar, V. M. - Lahr, D. J. G. - Hernandez Moreno, M. M. - Macías Cuellar, H. - Eguiarte, L. E. - Lara, E.
Quadrulella texcalense sp nov from a Mexican desert: An unexpected new environment for hyalospheniid testate amoebae.
European Journal of Protistology. Roč. 61, 17 July (2017), s. 253-264. ISSN 0932-4739. E-ISSN 1618-0429
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : Adaptation * Biological soil crust desert * Protist * Tehuacain-Cuicatlain Biosphere Reserve * Testate amoebae
OECD category: Zoology
Impact factor: 2.430, year: 2017

Quadrulella Amoebozoa, Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae) is a genus of testate amoebae with unmistakable morphology, which secretes characteristic square plates to reinforce the test. They are mainly known from fens and freshwater habitats and have never been documented in deserts. We describe a new species, Quadrulella texcalense, from biological soil crusts in the intertropical desert of Tehuacan (state of Puebla, Mexico). Quadrulella texcalense occurred only at altitudes between 2140 and 2221 m.a.s.l., together with the bryophyte genera Pseudocrossidium, Weissia, Bryum, Didymodon, Neohyophyla and Aloina. The soil was extremely dry (moisture of 1.97-2.6%), which contrasts sharply with previous reports for the Quadrulella genus. Single cell mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcoding of thirteen isolated cells showed an important morphological variability despite having all the same COI barcode sequence. Quadrulella texcalense was placed in a tree containing other Hyalsopheniidae, including a newly barcoded South African species, Q. elegans. Q. texcalense unambiguously branched within genus Quadrulella in a compact clade but with a long branch, suggesting accelerated evolution due to a transition towards anew environment and/or under-sampling.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0279162