Description of Neoparamoeba longipodia n. sp. and a new strain of Neoparamoeba aestuarina (Page, 1970) (Amoebozoa, Dactylopodida) from deep-sea habitats

Two strains of lobose amoebae have been isolated from the deep-sea bottom sediments of the Sea of Japan (3.6 km deep) and Western Atlantic Ocean (5.1 km deep). Amoebae of both strains have a dactylopodial mophotype, intracellular kinetoplastid symbiont (Perkinsela-like organism) and have no microscales on the cell surface. The morphology and molecular data of the Sea of Japan strain allow us to unambiguously identify it as Neoparamoeba aestuarina (Page, 1970). At the same time, the Atlantic strain is described as a new species Neoparamoeba longipodia as it differs from other species of the genus Neoparamoeba in morphology and gene sequence data. The data presented expand the range of known habitats for the genus Neoparamoeba and permit further analysis of the phylogenetic relationships within this clade with the expanded set of molecular data.