THE TESTATE AMEBAS FROM THE SONDRE-STROMFJORD REGION (WEST-GREENLAND) - THEIR BIOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

A survey of the testate amoebae fauna of the inland area near Sondre Stromfjord (West Greenland) revealed 79 taxa belonging to 18 genera. Dry moss habitats are characterized by the Assulina muscorum and Corythion dubium assemblages, while the Arcella rotundata assemblage is found in the wettest ones. The mesotrophic-eutrophic waters bear a Difflugia gramen assemblage, while the Trinema lineare assemblage is one of those living in oligotrophic waters. In soils, the content of organic material and perhaps of CaCO3 differentiate the Plagiopyxis, the Centropyxis aerophila - Centropyxis minuta and the Centropyxis aerophila - Phryganella acropodia assemblages. An evaluation of the composition of the fauna, based on the importance of the genus Centropyxis and the poor representation of Difflugia in the waters, the occurrence of taxa so far only known from the Arctic, and the presence of the arctic-alpine Centropyxis pontigulasiformis, indicates a rather low-arctic biogeographic position for the studied region.