AN ANALYSIS OF THE PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS OF 15 TAXA OF FAMILY AMOEBIDAE

Phylogenetic relationships were determined for 15 taxa representing 4 genera of family Amoebidae. Focusing on 191 isozymic, morphological, physiological and ecological characters, it is established that these genera constitute a monophyletic group. Although intergeneric relationships are only tentative, intrageneric relationships indicate that Amoeba carolinensis is the most primitive and Amoeba proteus the most derived of the taxa constituting genus Amoeba. Amoeba borokensis is a sister taxon of A. proteus and Amoeba amazonas, and A. amazonas is a sister taxon of A. borokensis and A. carolinensis. It is postulated that the hypothetical ancestors of the 15 taxa are mononucleated with multinucleated taxa arising from 2 of these ancestors to form A. carolinensis and Chaos nobile.