• Taxonomy (ITIS)

 • Length: 50-60 mm

 • Description:

    Arcella is a beautiful, testate (shelled) amoeba. The test is circular, transparent, with a central aperture (hole). It's color is light yellow when young and its getting darker while aging. Usually, Arcella has two, sometimes more nuclei (visible well using phase contrast). Arcella can often be found among detritus, usualy only empty tests.

 • Similar genera: Centropyxis

 • Pictures:

 • Links:

• Protist Image Database: Arcella
• Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole: Arcella
• Testate amoebae illustrated identification guide (by Edward Mitchell)
• Natural History Museum's Microbiology video collection: Genus Arcella