Dissipation of pesticides and responses of bacterial, fungal and protistan communities in a multi-contaminated vineyard soil.

The effect of pesticide residues on non-target microorganisms in multi-contaminated soils remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the dissipation of commonly used pesticides in a multi-contaminated vineyard soil and its effect on bacterial, fungal, and protistan communities. We conducted laboratory soil microcosm experiments under varying temperature (20°C and 30°C) and water content (20 % and 40 %) conditions. Pesticide dissipation half-lives ranged from 27 to over 300 days, depending on the physicochemical properties of the pesticides and the soil conditions. In both autoclaved and non-autoclaved soil experiments, over 50 % of hydrophobic pesticides (dimethomorph > isoxaben > simazine = atrazine = carbendazim) dissipated within 200 days at 20°C and 30°C. However, the contribution of biodegradation to the overall dissipation of soluble pesticides (rac-metalaxyl > isoproturon = pyrimethanil > S-metolachlor) increased to over 75 % at 30°C and 40 % water content. This suggests that soluble pesticides became more bioavailable, with degradation activity increasing with higher temperature and soil water content. In contrast, the primary process contributing to the dissipation of hydrophobic pesticides was sequestration to soil. High-throughput amplicon sequencing analysis indicated that water content, temperature, and pesticides had domain-specific effects on the diversity and taxonomic composition of bacterial, fungal, and protistan communities. Soil physicochemical properties had a more significant effect than pesticides on the various microbial domains in the vineyard soil. However, pesticide exposure emerged as a secondary factor explaining the variations in microbial communities, with a more substantial effect on protists compared to bacterial and fungal communities. Overall, our results highlight the variability in the dissipation kinetics and processes of pesticides in a multi-contaminated vineyard soil, as well as their effects on bacterial, fungal, and protistan communities.

Cyphoderia ampulla (Cyphoderiidae: Rhizaria), a tale of freshwater sailors: The causes and consequences of ecological transitions through the salinity barrier in a family of benthic protists.

The salinity barrier that separates marine and freshwater biomes is probably the most important division in biodiversity on Earth. Those organisms that successfully performed this transition had access to new ecosystems while undergoing changes in selective pressure, which often led to major shifts in diversification rates. While these transitions have been extensively investigated in animals, the tempo, mode, and outcome of crossing the salinity barrier have been scarcely studied in other eukaryotes. Here, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of the species complex Cyphoderia ampulla (Euglyphida: Cercozoa: Rhizaria) based on DNA sequences from the nuclear SSU rRNA gene and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene, obtained from publicly available environmental DNA data (GeneBank, EukBank) and isolated organisms. A tree calibrated with euglyphid fossils showed that four independent transitions towards freshwater systems occurred from the mid-Miocene onwards, coincident with important fluctuations in sea level. Ancestral trait reconstructions indicated that the whole family Cyphoderiidae had a marine origin and suggest that ancestors of the freshwater forms were euryhaline and lived in environments with fluctuating salinity. Diversification rates did not show any obvious increase concomitant with ecological transitions, but morphometric analyses indicated that species increased in size and homogenized their morphology after colonizing the new environments. This suggests adaptation to changes in selective pressure exerted by life in freshwater sediments.

Contribution of soil algae to the global carbon cycle.

Soil photoautotrophic prokaryotes and micro-eukaryotes - known as soil algae - are, together with heterotrophic microorganisms, a constitutive part of the microbiome in surface soils. Similar to plants, they fix atmospheric carbon (C) through photosynthesis for their own growth, yet their contribution to global and regional biogeochemical C cycling still remains quantitatively elusive. Here, we compiled an extensive dataset on soil algae to generate a better understanding of their distribution across biomes and predict their productivity at a global scale by means of machine learning modelling. We found that, on average, (5.5 ± 3.4) × 106 algae inhabit each gram of surface soil. Soil algal abundance especially peaked in acidic, moist and vegetated soils. We estimate that, globally, soil algae take up around 3.6 Pg C per year, which corresponds to c. 6% of the net primary production of terrestrial vegetation. We demonstrate that the C fixed by soil algae is crucial to the global C cycle and should be integrated into land-based efforts to mitigate C emissions.

Corrigendum: Assessing the Diversity and Distribution of Apicomplexans in Host and Free-Living Environments Using High-Throughput Amplicon Data and a Phylogenetically Informed Reference Framework.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02373.].

What Drives the Diversity of the Most Abundant Terrestrial Cercozoan Family (Rhogostomidae, Cercozoa, Rhizaria)?

Environmental sequencing surveys of soils and freshwaters revealed high abundance and diversity of the Rhogostomidae, a group of omnivorous thecate amoebae. This is puzzling since only a few Rhogostomidae species have yet been described and only a handful of reports mention them in field surveys. We investigated the putative cryptic diversity of the Rhogostomidae by a critical re-evaluation of published environmental sequencing data and in-depth ecological and morphological trait analyses. The Rhogostomidae exhibit an amazing diversity of genetically distinct clades that occur in a variety of different environments. We further broadly sampled for Rhogostomidae species; based on these isolates, we describe eleven new species and highlight important morphological traits for species delimitation. The most important environmental drivers that shape the Rhogostomidae community were soil moisture, soil pH, and total plant biomass. The length/width ratio of the theca was a morphological trait related to the colonized habitats, but not the shape and size of the aperture that is often linked to moisture adaption in testate and thecate amoebae.

Impact of a synthetic fungicide (fosetyl-Al and propamocarb-hydrochloride) and a biopesticide (Clonostachys rosea) on soil bacterial, fungal, and protist communities.

The use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture is increasingly debated. However, few studies have compared the impact of synthetic pesticides and alternative biopesticides on non-target soil microorganisms playing a central role in soil functioning. We conducted a mesocosm experiment and used high-throughput amplicon sequencing to test the impact of a fungal biopesticide and a synthetic fungicide on the diversity, the taxonomic and functional compositions, and co-occurrence patterns of soil bacterial, fungal and protist communities. Neither the synthetic pesticide nor the biopesticide had a significant effect on microbial α-diversity. However, both types of pesticides decreased the complexity of the soil microbial network. The two pesticides had contrasting impacts on the composition of microbial communities and the identity of key taxa as revealed by microbial network analyses. The biopesticide impacted keystone taxa that structured the soil microbial network. The synthetic pesticide modified biotic interactions favouring taxa that are less efficient at degrading organic compounds. This suggests that the biopesticides and the synthetic pesticide have different impact on soil functioning. Altogether, our study shows that pest management products may have functionally significant impacts on the soil microbiome even if microbial α-diversity is unaffected. It also illustrates the potential of high-throughput sequencing analyses to improve the ecotoxicological risk assessment of pesticides on non-target soil microorganisms.

Assessing the Diversity and Distribution of Apicomplexans in Host and Free-Living Environments Using High-Throughput Amplicon Data and a Phylogenetically Informed Reference Framework.

Apicomplexans are a group of microbial eukaryotes that contain some of the most well-studied parasites, including the causing agents of toxoplasmosis and malaria, and emergent diseases like cryptosporidiosis or babesiosis. Decades of research have illuminated the pathogenic mechanisms, molecular biology, and genomics of model apicomplexans, but we know little about their diversity and distribution in natural environments. In this study we analyze the distribution of apicomplexans across a range of both host-associated and free-living environments. Using publicly available small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene databases, high-throughput environmental sequencing (HTES) surveys, and our own generated HTES data, we developed an apicomplexan reference database, which includes the largest apicomplexan SSU rRNA tree available to date and encompasses comprehensive sampling of this group and their closest relatives. This tree allowed us to identify and correct incongruences in the molecular identification of apicomplexan sequences. Analyzing the diversity and distribution of apicomplexans in HTES studies with this curated reference database also showed a widespread, and quantitatively important, presence of apicomplexans across a variety of free-living environments. These data allow us to describe a remarkable molecular diversity of this group compared with our current knowledge, especially when compared with that identified from described apicomplexan species. This is most striking in marine environments, where potentially the most diverse apicomplexans apparently exist, but have not yet been formally recognized. The new database will be useful for microbial ecology and epidemiological studies, and provide valuable reference for medical and veterinary diagnosis especially in cases of emerging, zoonotic, and cryptic infections.

Seasonal and ecohydrological regulation of active microbial populations involved in DOC, CO2, and CH4 fluxes in temperate rainforest soil.

The Pacific coastal temperate rainforest (PCTR) is a global hot-spot for carbon cycling and export. Yet the influence of microorganisms on carbon cycling processes in PCTR soil is poorly characterized. We developed and tested a conceptual model of seasonal microbial carbon cycling in PCTR soil through integration of geochemistry, micro-meteorology, and eukaryotic and prokaryotic ribosomal amplicon (rRNA) sequencing from 216 soil DNA and RNA libraries. Soil moisture and pH increased during the wet season, with significant correlation to net CO2 flux in peat bog and net CH4 flux in bog forest soil. Fungal succession in these sites was characterized by the apparent turnover of Archaeorhizomycetes phylotypes accounting for 41% of ITS libraries. Anaerobic prokaryotes, including Syntrophobacteraceae and Methanomicrobia increased in rRNA libraries during the wet season. Putatively active populations of these phylotypes and their biogeochemical marker genes for sulfate and CH4 cycling, respectively, were positively correlated following rRNA and metatranscriptomic network analysis. The latter phylotype was positively correlated to CH4 fluxes (r = 0.46, p < 0.0001). Phylotype functional assignments were supported by metatranscriptomic analysis. We propose that active microbial populations respond primarily to changes in hydrology, pH, and nutrient availability. The increased microbial carbon export observed over winter may have ramifications for climate-soil feedbacks in the PCTR.

High-throughput environmental sequencing reveals high diversity of litter and moss associated protist communities along a gradient of drainage and tree productivity.

Although previous studies, mostly based on microscopy analyses of a few groups of protists, have suggested that protists are abundant and diverse in litter and moss habitats, the overall diversity of moss and litter associated protists remains elusive. Here, high-throughput environmental sequencing was used to characterize the diversity and community structure of litter- and moss-associated protists along a gradient of soil drainage and forest primary productivity in a temperate rainforest in British Columbia. We identified 3262 distinct protist OTUs from 36 sites. Protists were strongly structured along the landscape gradient, with a significant increase in alpha diversity from the blanket bog ecosystem to the zonal forest ecosystem. Among all investigated environmental variables, calcium content was the most strongly associated with the community composition of protists, but substrate composition, plant cover and other edaphic factors were also significantly correlated with these communities. Furthermore, a detailed phylogenetic analysis of unicellular opisthokonts identified OTUs covering most lineages, including novel OTUs branching with Discicristoidea, the sister group of Fungi, and with Filasterea, one of the closest unicellular relatives to animals. Altogether, this study provides unprecedented insight into the community composition of moss- and litter-associated protists.

Identifying protist consumers of photosynthetic picoeukaryotes in the surface ocean using stable isotope probing.

Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes contribute a significant fraction of primary production in the upper ocean. Micromonas pusilla is an ecologically relevant photosynthetic picoeukaryote, abundantly and widely distributed in marine waters. Grazing by protists may control the abundance of picoeukaryotes such as M. pusilla, but the diversity of the responsible grazers is poorly understood. To identify protists consuming photosynthetic picoeukaryotes in a productive North Pacific Ocean region, we amended seawater with living 15 N, 13 C-labelled M. pusilla cells in a 24-h replicated bottle experiment. DNA stable isotope probing, combined with high-throughput sequencing of V4 hypervariable regions from 18S rRNA gene amplicons (Tag-SIP), identified 19 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of microbial eukaryotes that consumed M. pusilla. These OTUs were distantly related to cultured taxa within the dinoflagellates, ciliates, stramenopiles (MAST-1C and MAST-3 clades) and Telonema flagellates, thus, far known only from their environmental 18S rRNA gene sequences. Our discovery of eukaryotic prey consumption by MAST cells confirms that their trophic role in marine microbial food webs includes grazing upon picoeukaryotes. Our study provides new experimental evidence directly linking the genetic identity of diverse uncultivated microbial eukaryotes to the consumption of picoeukaryotic phytoplankton in the upper ocean.

Old lineages in a new ecosystem: diversification of arcellinid amoebae (Amoebozoa) and peatland mosses.

Arcellinid testate amoebae (Amoebozoa) form a group of free-living microbial eukaryotes with one of the oldest fossil records known, yet several aspects of their evolutionary history remain poorly understood. Arcellinids occur in a range of terrestrial, freshwater and even brackish habitats; however, many arcellinid morphospecies such as Hyalosphenia papilio are particularly abundant in Sphagnum-dominated peatlands, a relatively new ecosystem that appeared during the diversification of Sphagnum species in the Miocene (5-20 Myr ago). Here, we reconstruct divergence times in arcellinid testate amoebae after selecting several fossils for clock calibrations and then infer whether or not arcellinids followed a pattern of diversification that parallels the pattern described for Sphagnum. We found that the diversification of core arcellinids occurred during the Phanerozoic, which is congruent with most arcellinid fossils but not with the oldest known amoebozoan fossil (i.e. at ca. 662 or ca. 750 Myr). Overall, Sphagnum and the Hyalospheniidae exhibit different patterns of diversification. However, an extensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of distinct clades within H. papilio species complex demonstrated a correlation between the recent diversification of H. papilio, the recent diversification of Sphagnum mosses, and the establishment of peatlands.

One alga to rule them all: unrelated mixotrophic testate amoebae (amoebozoa, rhizaria and stramenopiles) share the same symbiont (trebouxiophyceae).

Endosymbiosis is a central and much studied process in the evolution of eukaryotes. While plastid evolution in eukaryotic algae has been extensively studied, much less is known about the evolution of mixotrophy in amoeboid protists, which has been found in three of the five super groups of Eukaryotes. We identified the green endosymbionts in four obligate mixotrophic testate amoeba species belonging to three major eukaryotic clades, Hyalosphenia papilio and Heleopera sphagni (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida), Placocista spinosa (Rhizaria: Euglyphida), and Archerella flavum (Stramenopiles: Labyrinthulomycetes) based on rbcL (ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit) gene sequences. We further investigated whether there were different phylotypes of algal endosymbionts within single H. papilio cells and the degree of host-symbiont specificity by amplifying two genes: COI (mitochondrial cytochrome oxydase subunit 1) from the testate amoeba host, and rbcL from the endosymbiont. Results show that all studied endosymbionts belong to genus Chlorella sensu stricto, closely related to Paramecium bursaria Chlorella symbionts, some lichen symbionts and also several free-living algae. Most rbcL gene sequences derived from symbionts from all testate amoeba species were almost identical (at most 3 silent nucleotides difference out of 780 bp) and were assigned to a new Trebouxiophyceae taxon we named TACS (Testate Amoeba Chlorella Symbionts). This "one alga fits all mixotrophic testate amoeba" pattern suggests that photosynthetic symbionts have pre-adaptations to endosymbiosis and colonise diverse hosts from a free-living stage.

A resurgence in field research is essential to better understand the diversity, ecology, and evolution of microbial eukaryotes.

The discovery and characterization of protist communities from diverse environments are crucial for understanding the overall evolutionary history of life on earth. However, major questions about the diversity, ecology, and evolutionary history of protists remain unanswered, notably because data obtained from natural protist communities, especially of heterotrophic species, remain limited. In this review, we discuss the challenges associated with "field protistology", defined here as the exploration, characterization, and interpretation of microbial eukaryotic diversity within the context of natural environments or field experiments, and provide suggestions to help fill this important gap in knowledge. We also argue that increased efforts in field studies that combine molecular and microscopical methods offer the most promising path toward (1) the discovery of new lineages that expand the tree of eukaryotes; (2) the recognition of novel evolutionary patterns and processes; (3) the untangling of ecological interactions and functions, and their roles in larger ecosystem processes; and (4) the evaluation of protist adaptations to a changing climate.

Holarctic phylogeography of the testate amoeba Hyalosphenia papilio (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida) reveals extensive genetic diversity explained more by environment than dispersal limitation.

Although free-living protists play essential roles in aquatic and soil ecology, little is known about their diversity and phylogeography, especially in terrestrial ecosystems. We used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences to investigate the genetic diversity and phylogeography of the testate amoeba morphospecies Hyalosphenia papilio in 42 Sphagnum (moss)-dominated peatlands in North America, Europe and Asia. Based on ≥1% sequence divergence threshold, our results from single-cell PCRs of 301 individuals revealed 12 different genetic lineages and both the general mixed Yule-coalescent (GMYC) model and the automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD) methods largely support the hypothesis that these 12 H. papilio lineages correspond to evolutionary independent units (i.e. cryptic species). Our data also showed a high degree of genetic heterogeneity within different geographical regions. Furthermore, we used variation partitioning based on partial redundancy analyses (pRDA) to evaluate the contributions of climate and dispersal limitations on the distribution patterns of the different genetic lineages. The largest fraction of the variation in genetic lineage distribution was attributed to purely climatic factors (21%), followed by the joint effect of spatial and bioclimatic factors (13%), and a purely spatial effect (3%). Therefore, these data suggest that the distribution patterns of H. papilio genetic lineages in the Northern Hemisphere are more influenced by climatic conditions than by dispersal limitations.

Using DNA-barcoding for sorting out protist species complexes: a case study of the Nebela tincta-collaris-bohemica group (Amoebozoa; Arcellinida, Hyalospheniidae).

Species identification by means of morphology is often problematic in protists. Nebela tincta-collaris-bohemica (Arcellinida) is a species complex of small to medium-sized (ca.100 µm) testate amoebae common in peat bogs and forest soils. The taxonomic validity of characters used to define species within this group is debated and causes confusion in studies of biogeography, and applications in palaeoecology. We examined the relationship between morphological and genetic diversity within this species complex by combined analyses of light microscopy imaging and Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1(COI) sequences obtained from the same individual amoeba cells. Our goals were (1) to clarify the taxonomy and the phylogenetic relationships within this group, and (2) to evaluate if individual genotypes corresponded to specific morphotypes and the extent of phenotypic plasticity. We show here that small variations in test morphology that have been often overlooked by traditional taxonomy correspond to distinct haplotypes. We therefore revise the taxonomy of the group. We redefine Nebela tincta (Leidy) Kosakyan et Lara and N. collaris (Ehrenberg 1848) Kosakyan et Gomaa, change N. tincta var. rotunda Penard to N. rotunda (Penard 1890), describe three new species: N. guttata n. sp. Kosakyan et Lara, N. pechorensis n. sp. Kosakyan et Mitchell, and N. aliciae n. sp. Mitchell et Lara.

SSU rRNA phylogeny of Arcellinida (Amoebozoa) reveals that the largest Arcellinid genus, Difflugia Leclerc 1815, is not monophyletic.

The systematics of lobose testate amoebae (Arcellinida), a diverse group of shelled free-living unicellular eukaryotes, is still mostly based on morphological criteria such as shell shape and composition. Few molecular phylogenetic studies have been performed on these organisms to date, and their phylogeny suffers from typical under-sampling artefacts, resulting in a still mostly unresolved tree. In order to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among arcellinid testate amoebae at the inter-generic and inter-specific level, and to evaluate the validity of the criteria used for taxonomy, we amplified and sequenced the SSU rRNA gene of nine taxa - Difflugia bacillariarum, D. hiraethogii, D. acuminata, D. lanceolata, D. achlora, Bullinularia gracilis, Netzelia oviformis, Physochila griseola and Cryptodifflugia oviformis. Our results, combined with existing data demonstrate the following: 1) Most arcellinids are divided into two major clades, 2) the genus Difflugia is not monophyletic, and the genera Netzelia and Arcella are closely related, and 3) Cryptodifflugia branches at the base of the Arcellinida clade. These results contradict the traditional taxonomy based on shell composition, and emphasize the importance of general shell shape in the taxonomy of arcellinid testate amoebae.

COI barcoding of Nebelid testate amoebae (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida): extensive cryptic diversity and redefinition of the Hyalospheniidae Schultze.

We used Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) to assess the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of Nebela sensu stricto and similar taxa (Nebela group, Arcellinida) in order to clarify the taxonomic validity of morphological characters. The COI data not only successfully separated all studied morphospecies but also revealed the existence of several potential cryptic species. The taxonomic implications of the results are: (1) Genus Nebela is paraphyletic and will need to be split into at least two monophyletic assemblages when taxon sampling is further expanded. (2) Genus Quadrulella, one of the few arcellinid genera building its shell from self-secreted siliceous elements, and the mixotrophic Hyalosphenia papilio branch within the Nebela group in agreement with the general morphology of their shell and the presence of an organic rim around the aperture (synapomorphy for Hyalospheniidae). We thus synonymise Hyalospheniidae and Nebelidae. Hyalospheniidae takes precedence and now includes Hyalosphenia, Quadrulella (previously in the Lesquereusiidae) and all Nebelidae with the exception of Argynnia and Physochila. Leptochlamys is Arcellinida incertae sedis. We describe a new genus Padaungiella Lara et Todorov and a new species Nebela meisterfeldi n. sp. Heger et Mitchell and revise the taxonomic position (and rank) of several taxa. These results show that the traditional morphology-based taxonomy underestimates the diversity within the Nebela group, and that phylogenetic relationships are best inferred from shell shape rather than from the material used to build the shell.

Comparing potential COI and SSU rDNA barcodes for assessing the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of cyphoderiid testate amoebae (Rhizaria: Euglyphida).

The mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 gene (COI) has been promoted as an ideal "DNA barcode" for animal species and other groups of eukaryotes. However, the utility of the COI marker for species level discrimination and for phylogenetic analyses has yet to be tested within the Rhizaria. Accordingly, we analysed mitochondrial COI gene sequences and nuclear small subunit rDNA (SSU) sequences from several morphospecies of euglyphid testate amoebae (Cercozoa, Rhizaria) in order to evaluate the utility of these DNA markers for species discrimination and phylogenetic reconstructions. Sequences were obtained from eleven populations belonging to sixCyphoderiamorphospecies that were isolated from field samples in North America and Europe. Mean inter-population COI sequence dissimilarities were on average 2.9 times greater than in the SSU, while the intra-population sequence dissimilarities were higher in the SSU (0-0.95%) than in the COI (0%); this suggests that the COI fragment is valuable for discriminating Cyphoderiidae isolates. Our study also demonstrated that COI sequences are useful for inferring phylogenetic relationships among Cyphoderiidae isolates. COI and SSU tree topologies were very similar even though the COI fragment used in these analyses (500bp) was much shorter than the SSU sequences (1600bp). Altogether, these results demonstrate the utility of the COI as a potential taxonomic DNA barcode for assessing cyphoderiid species diversity and for inferring phylogenetic relationships within the group.

Molecular phylogeny of euglyphid testate amoebae (Cercozoa: Euglyphida) suggests transitions between marine supralittoral and freshwater/terrestrial environments are infrequent.

Marine and freshwater ecosystems are fundamentally different regarding many biotic and abiotic factors. The physiological adaptations required for an organism to pass the salinity barrier are considerable. Many eukaryotic lineages are restricted to either freshwater or marine environments. Molecular phylogenetic analyses generally demonstrate that freshwater species and marine species segregate into different sub-clades, indicating that transitions between these two environments occur only rarely in the course of evolution. It is, however, unclear if the transitions between freshwater and environments characterized by highly variable salinities, such as the marine supralittoral zone, are also infrequent. Here, we use testate amoebae within the Euglyphida to assess the phylogenetic interrelationships between marine supralittoral and freshwater taxa. Euglyphid testate amoebae are mainly present in freshwater habitats but also occur in marine supralittoral environments. Accordingly, we generated and analyzed partial SSU rRNA gene sequences from 49 new marine/supralittoral and freshwater Cyphoderiidae sequences, 20 sequences of the Paulinellidae, Trinematidae, Assulinidae, and Euglyphidae families as well as 21 GenBank sequences of unidentified taxa derived from environmental PCR surveys. Both the molecular and morphological data suggest that the diversity of Cyphoderiidae is strongly underestimated. The results of our phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that marine supralittoral and freshwater euglyphid testate amoeba species are segregated into distinct sub-clades, suggesting that transitions between these two habitats occurred only infrequently.

Morphology, biometry, and taxonomy of freshwater and marine interstitial cyphoderia (cercozoa: euglyphida).

Good taxonomy is essential for ecological, biogeographical, and evolutionary studies of any group of organisms. Therefore, we performed detailed light- and scanning electron microscopy investigations on the shell ultrastructure and biometric analyses of the morphometric variability of five freshwater and marine interstitial testate amoebae of the genus Cyphoderia (C. trochus var. amphoralis, C. ampulla, C. margaritacea var. major, C. compressa, and C. littoralis), isolated from different populations in Bulgaria and Switzerland. Our aims were (1) to clarify the morphological characteristics of these taxa, and (2) to compare the morphology of a given taxon (C. ampulla) among different locations in Bulgaria and Switzerland as a first step towards an assessment of the geographical variation within a supposedly cosmopolitan taxon. Four of the studied taxa are characterized by a well-expressed main-size class and by a small size range of all the characters and can be defined as size-monomorphic species. Based on these results, the following systematic changes are proposed: C. major (Penard, 1891) n. comb. (Syn.: C. margaritacea var. major (Penard, 1891) and C. amphoralis (Wailes & Penard, 1911) n. comb. (Syn.: C. trochus var. amphoralis (Wailes & Penard, 1911)). However, we also show significant morphological variability between the Swiss and Bulgarian populations of C. ampulla, suggesting the possible existence of more than one taxon within this species. Further studies are required to assess (1) if these two morphologically different taxa represent individual species, (2) if so, if more species exist, and if this diversity is due to limited distribution ranges (endemism) or if several closely related taxa occur together in different geographical areas.