Acanthamoeba griffini, a New Species of Marine Amoeba (original) (raw)

1971, The Journal of Protozoology

SYNOPSIS. Acanthamoeba griflini n. sp. was collected from Long Island Sound near New London, Conn. Experimental cultivation studies on agar media supplemented with Aerobacter aerogenes showed that A. grifini grew and encysted on seawater agar media NEW species of Acanthamoeba was isolated from Long A Island Sound, New London, Conn. The amoeba, designated Acanthamoeba grifini n. sp., is described and illustrated in this report. A. grifini is termed a marine species because the salinity of the collection site varied between 24 and 28 %o. Altho acanthamoebae are usually inhabitants of freshwater and soil (11, 12, 18), one species, A. gigantea Schmoller, 1964, was reported earlier from seawater in Europe (14). Kecent studies with several species of Acanthamoeba have shown that the terms "marine" or "seawater" must be used prudently as habitat designations because salinities vary widely in different geographic areas (12, 13), especially in bays and estuaries. The results presented here indicate the importance of differences in salinity on the results of experimental cultivation of acanthamoebae, especially in the selection of diagnostic features of cysts and the correct habitat designation. Accurate information on the ecology and distribution of amoebae in nature is particularly important since some species of Acanthamoeba may cause disease in man (8), and animals (10). The new species is assigned to the genus Acanthamoeba as defined by Volkonsky (18), and Page (11). Singh and Das (16) considered Acanthamoeba to be a synonym of Hartmannella and placed all known species of Acanthamoeba in the genus Hartmannella. Their proposal to consolidate all species of amoebae into 3 families (Schizopyrenidae, Endamoebidae, Hartmannellidae) was based on "single character" taxonomy, i.e., type of nuclear division. To accept the proposed revision would for the 1st time reduce amoeba taxonomy to an elegant but simple condition. Unfortunately, the problem is not simple, and adequate communication among investigators is possible only by the use of "multiple character" taxonomy. The description and characterization of A. grifini is based on multiple characters, and it is placed in the genus Acanthamoeba as redefined by Page (1 1).