Mastigamoeba

Mastigamoeba is a genus of pelobionts, and treated by some as members of the Archamoebae group of protists. Mastigamoeba are characterized as anaerobic, amitochondriate organisms that are polymorphic. Their dominant life cycle stage is as an amoeboid flagellate. Species are typically free living, though endobiotic species have been described.

The genus is relatively understudied, and under contention regarding the composition of the genus. While dozens of species have been described (some in other genera such as Phreatamoeba, Dinamoeba, and Mastigina), the well described species are Mastigamoeba aspera Schulze, 1875; Mastigamoeba simplex Kent, 1880; Mastigamoeba chlamys Frenzel, 1897 Lemmermann, 1914; Mastigamoeba viridis Prowazek, 1900; Mastigamoeba trichophora Lauterborn, 1901; Mastigamoeba balamuthi (Chàvez et al., 1986) Simpson et al., 1997; Mastigamoeba schizophrenia Simpson et al., 1997; and Mastigamoeba punctachora Bernard, Simpson and Patterson, 2000. Mastigamoeba balamuthi was initially referred to as Phreatamobea balamuthi and are treated by some as indistinguishable at the generic level, though this is not universally accepted. All species share many similarities with other pelobionts, such as Mastigella and the related Entamoeba.