Genus “Christinellula” (working title)
Diagnosis: At first glance it looks like a Cochliopodium species, but in phase contrast it shows a different structure of the tectum. In normal locomotion, which is a little faster than that of Cochliopodium. In dorsal view it has a circular to oval veil and is about 12-14 µ in diameter. The cell body is more or less globular and about 12 µm high. In lateral view it resembles the Greek letter omega Ω. The tectum is covered with a large number of oval plate scales which are c. 1.8 µm long, measured light microscopically, and 1.15 – 2.3 µm, measured in SEM. The scales on top of the cell body are larger then those on the veil.
Ecology: Freshwater. Oligotrophic and mesotrophic water bodies.
Geographical distribution: Germany, Netherlands, France, Argentina.
The first time I found several specimens of this amoeboid in a sample from the river Saar near Saarburg, Germany, 2014. Two weeks later I found this species in a sample from Crailoo, the Netherlands. In 2015 I also found it in a clean ditch near Montfoort, the Netherlands. In July 2015 I found it in a sample which I took from a small stream in Bretagne, France. After that I have found it in many more places, e.g. a mountain stream in Argentina and the Wannsee in Berlin.
It is quite common in oligotrophic and mesotrophic water types, but you can only detect it in wet mounts kept for some days in a moist chamber.
Remarks: Its taxonomic position is unclear.
