Thaumatomonas sp.

Diagnosis: Amoeboid with a flexible tectum of many minute scales which are only light microscopically visible in dried specimens. Pseudostome variable in shape, irregular, usually elongated oval and nearly as long as the diameter of the cell body, but also strongly folded. Pseudopodia conical shaped, relatively short with rounded tips. Nucleus spherical with central nucleolus. Cells resemble disturbed Cochliopodium species, but never spread like these. Cells adhere poorly to glass. One or more contractile vacuoles.

Dimensions: 30-40 µm, nucleus c. 6.9 µm, nucleolus c. 3.5 µm.

Ecology: Dry moss at the base of an oak tree, Kaapse bossen, the Netherlands. The moss was washed in rain water. The sediment was covered with a layer of 5 cm of water. Wet mounts were kept in a moist chamber for two weeks and than investigated. Many specimens of Penardeugenia had multiplied.

It feeds on bacteria and algae.

Sample location: Doorn, Kaapse bossen, the Netherlands: 52.039076, 5.353842