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Amoeba

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The Sarcodina include the amoeboid protozoa. These are distinguished by the presence of pseudopods, temporary cytoplasmic projections that are involved in locomotion and ingesting food. The different amoeboid body forms have evolved a number of times, and come in four main groups: those with lobose, filose, and reticulose pseudopods, which are unsupported, and those with axopods, which are rigid projections around microtubules.


The main groups of protists with axopods are:

Actinophryida
Centrohelida
Desmothoracida
Gymnosphaerida
Acantharea
Polycystinea
Phaeodarea

The last three of these are collectively referred to as the Radiolaria, and are typically marine forms with intricate mineral skeletons. The others, collectively referred to as the Heliozoa, are typically freshwater forms, usually sphere-shaped and covered in ray-like axopods that gather food (hence the name, sun animal).


Reticulose pseudopods are cytoplosmic strands that branch and anastomose to form a net. They are found among the Granuloreticulosa, which includes primarily the Foraminifera - marine amoeboids with multichambered tests.