Quadrulella madibai, Anush Kosakyan, Daniel J. G. Lahr, Matthieu Mulot, Ralf Meisterfeld, Edward A. D. Mitchell & Enrique Lara, 2016

Anush Kosakyan, Daniel J. G. Lahr, Matthieu Mulot, Ralf Meisterfeld, Edward A. D. Mitchell & Enrique Lara, 2016, Phylogenetic reconstruction based on COI reshuffles the taxonomy of hyalosphenid shelled (testate) amoebae and reveals the convoluted evolution of shell plate shapes, Cladistics 32, pp. 606-623 : 620

Quadrulella madibai sp. nov. Kosakyan, Lahr, Mulot, Meisterfeld, Mitchell and Lara

Description. Test ovoid or pyriform, slightly elongated, with a rounded posterior end, laterally compressed towards the aperture. Test colourless, composed of square plates, regularly arranged in rows. The plates are smaller near the aperture (5 – 6 µm) then gradually become larger (9 – 11 µm) toward the posterior end of the test. Dimensions (based on five individuals) of the test: L = 83 – 91 µm, B = 37 – 45 µm. Aperture 21 – 23 µm wide, strongly curved and bordered by a thin organic lip.

Differential diagnosis. See diagnosis of Q. symmetrica .

Type locality. Pitse mire, a valley peatland in a landscape of upland grassland in the Welgevonden Game Park adjacent to Marakele national park, South Africa; 24 ° 24 I 29.3 II S; 0 27 ° 48 I 43.8 II E.

Holotype. Fig. 4b .

Etymology. This species was named to honour Nelson Mandela, the South African revolutionary and later president, who was called Madiba by his friends in reference to the name of his clan.

Figures

Fig. 4. Light micrographs of two Quadrulella madibai sp. nov. barcoded cells: (a) cell Q- 11; (b) cell Q- 9. Scale bars = 10 µm.