Amoebophilus
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| Amoebophilus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Thallus of Amoebophilus sp. infecting an unidentified amoeba. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Zoopagomycota |
| Class: | Zoopagomycetes |
| Order: | Zoopagales |
| Family: | Cochlonemataceae |
| Genus: | Amoebophilus Dangeard (1910) |
| Type species | |
| Amoebophilus penardii Dangeard (1910)[1] | |
Amoebophilus is a genus of zygomycete fungi that parasitizes amoeba.[2]
Amoebophilus species are ectoparasites of amoeba. The thallus is composed of an internal haustorium that can be heart-shaped, globose, or lobose. Trailing chains of four or more conidia are produced from the haustorium. Zygospores are spherical at first and become polyhedral with age.[2]
Ecology
Amoebophilus species have been reported from forest and agricultural soils and freshwater ponds where they infect free living amoeba.[2][3][4][5] Infection begins when a conidium comes in contact with an amoeba. The conidium produces a penetration tube to invade the host and form the haustorium. Once the haustorium is formed, the conidium germinates and gives rise to a chain of conidia.[2] Due to difficulties in identifying amoeba, the host ranges of most species are unknown, with the exception of Amoebophilus simplex, which is restricted to species of Mayorella.[4][5]