Genus Willaertia De Jonckheere, Dive, Pussard & Vickerman, 1984

Willaertia magna cyst, showing nucleus (n) and excystment pores (p). Scale = 20 μm.

Willaertia magna trophozoite, showing contractile vacuole (cv), lobopodium (lob) and nucleus (n). Scale = 20 μm.

Museums

Regional Maps

• Willaertia De Jonckheere, J.F., Dive, D.G., Pussard, M. & Vickerman, K. 1984. Willaertia magna gen.nov., sp. nov. (Vahlkampfiidae), a thermophilic amoeba found in different habitats. Protistologica 20: 5-13 [validity depends on the uncertainty about identity of two genera described earlier, Trimastigamoeba Whitmore 1911 and Tetramastigamoeba Singh & Hanumaiah 1977].
• Protonaegleria Michel, R. & Raether, W. 1985. Protonaegleria westphali gen. nov., sp. nov. (Vahlkampfiidae) a thermophilic amoebo-flagellate isolated from freshwater habitat in India. Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde 71(6): 705-713.
• Tetramastigamoeba Singh, B.N. & Hanumaiah, V. 1977. A new amoebo-flagellate, Tetramastigamoeba hoarei n.g., n.sp. Protozoology 3: 183-191 [nomen nudum; Singh & Hanumaiah's description is inadequate to determine whether Tetramastigamoeba is the same organism as Willaertia (in which case it would be the valid name — but see also Trimastigamoeba Whitmore 1911) or one of the Naegleria spp. that are initially tetraflagellate and can divide in the flagellate stage (see Robinson et al. 1989 for discussion). Singh & Hanumaiah also described a mechanism for the origin of flagella that is not consistent with the biogenesis of any other eukaryotic flagella].
• Trimastigamoeba Whitmore, E.R. 1911. Studien uber Kulturamoben aus Manila. Archiv für Protistenkunde 23: 81-95 [nomen nudum; Whitmore's description is inadequate to determine whether Trimastigamoeba is the same organism as Willaertia or one of the Naegleria spp. that have more variable flagellar number; Bovee's illustrations of amoebae and flagellates he assigned to this genus do not clarify this question (see Robinson et al. 1989 for discussion)].

  Secondary source:

   Bovee, E.C. 1959. Studies on amebo-flagellates. I. The general morphology and mastigonts of Trimastigamoeba philippinensis Whitmore 1911. Journal of Protozoology 6: 69-75.

Diagnosis

Small to medium-sized amoebae moving by eruptive protrusions from a hemispherical anterior lobopodium. Differentiation to non-trophic flagellates in the only species, initially tetraflagellate and dividing to progressively smaller cells. Cysts spherical to irregular in shape, with numerous excystment pores closed by a mucoid plug and an interior basal plate.

General References

Robinson, B.S., Christy, P.E. & De Jonckheere, J.F. 1989. A temporary flagellate (mastigote) stage in the vahlkampfiid amoeba Willaertia magna and its possible evolutionary significance. Biosystems 23: 75-86

History of changes