Nebela golemanskyi sp. nov., a New Sphagnicolous Testate Amoeba from Bulgaria (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida, Nebelidae)

Abstract

A new sphagnicolous species of the genus Nebela isolated from wet Sphagnum mosses gathered at Vitosha Mountain (Bulgaria) is described. Shell ultrastructure and morphological variability of Nebela golemanskyi sp. nov. are investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The newly described species is characterized by its almost uncompressed shell and by its large, rounded, voluminous and hollow structural elements (idiosomes). The analysis of the variation coefficients shows that the studied population is too homogeneous and all measured morphological characters are feebly variable (CV range from 3.28% to 5.02%). Size frequency distribution analysis indicates that N. golemanskyi is size-polymorphic species, characterized by not well-expressed main-size class in favour of many subsidiary classes. A biometrical and morphological comparison between N. golemanskyi and N. speciosa is made