BULLETIN OF T H E U N I V E R S I T Y OF U T A H
V olum e 35
Novem ber 15, 1944
No. 8
T w o Protozoans from
Great Salt Lake
BY
DAVID T. JONES
BIOLOGICAL SERIES, Vol. VIII, No. 4
PUBLISHED BY
THE UNIVERSITY OF U TAH
S A L T LA K E CITY
THE
UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY
SALT
OF
LAKE
PRESS
UTAH
CITY
Two Protozoans from Great Salt Lake
By
D a v id
T.
J ones
Amoeba flowersi new species
The amoeba inhabiting the waters o f G reat Salt Lake, which has
been previously referred to Am oeba Umax (D u ja r d in ). Named fo r
mv colleague at the U niversity o f U tah, D r. Seville Flowers. T y p e
l o c a l t i v , Garfield Beach, G reat Salt Lake, U tah. T y p e figures 1 to 3.
Small amoebae, 18 to 40 micra in diameter. Nucleus (n o f fig. 2 )
obscure, appearing o f the com pact type, finely granular when stained
with methylene blue. Nucleus often obscured both b y fo o d particles
of a similar size and by pink and green algal cells in the cytoplasm ,
the green ones (a o f fig. 1) p robably symbiotic. The pink algal cells
break down into clusters o f angular granules o f a bright red color (r
of fig- 3 ). Dr. Flowers suggests that the intensification o f the color
nuiy be due to the p H o f the cytoplasm .
Pseudopodia are chiefly blunt lobopodia com posed o f ectoplasm
onlv. These appear to grow rapidly from a small area o f the margin,
but while growing, suddenly the original margin gives way, resulting
in an eruption o f cytoplasm , that encompasses perhaps about a third
of the circumference o f the cell (a s in fig. 2, dotted line). This usually
stops the grow th o f the pseudopodium.
Pseudopodia are very variable at different dilutions. A t con ­
centrations around 20 per cent often only one broad pseudopodium
appears (figs. 9 -1 2 ), which makes the animal appear very “ Umax-like.”
At greater dilutions more pseudopodia appear, some o f which arc very
delicate, thin, angular sheets o f ectoplasm , similar to but smaller and
narrower than, the pseudopodia o f Am oeba verrucosa Ehrenberg. A t
higher concentrations these appeared to be nipple-like p rojection s
(fig. 3 ) as on Am oeba gu ttu la D ujardin. D r. Flowers, in an inde­
pendent series o f experiments at lesser concentrations (1 2 to 14 per
cent), has shown these are capable o f great distention (figs. 13-27 and
figs. 28-39 are his drawings o f the movements o f two amoebae respec­
tively). In these it is to be noticed that the thin pseudopodia ap­
parently serve as holdfasts or anchoring p rojection s. I f the grip is
retained as the amoeba moves in the opposite direction, these points
of attachment are produced into the long thin attenuated pseudopodia
trailing usually behind. Th e author later confirmed D r. Flowers’
observations.
In varying dilutions, a contractile vacuole appeared, as on the
more resistant o f Schaeffer’ s marine amoebae (Schaeffer, 1926, p. 1 9 ).
Amoeba flowersi, like these, shows no crystals. M an y aboebae were
induced to form contractile vacuoles. One o f these was observed to
discharge three times in thirty minutes.
1<
TWO PROTOZOANS FROM GREAT SALT I.AKK
Scrapings o f green algae living in 20 per cent to saturated con­
centrations show many cysts o f Amoeba flawersi. These transparent
cysts vary from 18 to 27 micra in diameter, usually approxim ating a
sphere. The walls o f a cvst vary from 1.5 to 2 micra according to
size and irregularities. In some cases (as in fig. 8 ) thickenings occur
on tlie walls. In watching amoebae emerge from cysts (as a result
o f dilution) it is evident that there arc two or more pores in the cyst
(see Curtis and Guthrie, 1938, p. 2 4 0 ).
Am oeba flow ersi was evidently first observed by Vorhies (1917,
p. 1*97) who commented on it as follow s: “ In M arch 1910, several jars
of a series, including one o f undiluted lake water, contained an abund­
ance o f these forms. The specimens were o f two or three varieties or
species, by fa r the most common being very like Amoeba Umax. I
should not have hesitated to call it that in a fresh-water culture. A
class o f some 15 students was well supplied with Amoebae fo r labora­
to ry work from one o f these ja r s .” Miss K irkpatrick (1 9 3 4 , p. 18)
reviews Vorhies’ account and restudies this species in 22 per cent
cultures. She describes the cysts, also notes “ the pseudopods are formed
almost explosively.” M iss Quinn (1 9 4 0 , p. 5 ) refers to “ an amoeba,
resembling Am oeba l i n a w which mis-spelling has appeared in some
subsequent accounts.
In the meantime the term, Am oeba Umax, originally applied to
most any amoeba with a single pseudopodium , has become restricted
to one fresh water form and even placed in a different genus, Vahlkam pfia Umax (D u ja r d in ), which (a ccord in g to K udo, 1939, p. 310)
has a vesicular nucleus and p olar caps during nuclear division. Fresh
water amoebae, form erly described as Umax, are now being classified
as Am oeba gu ttu la D u ja rd in , Amoeba limicola Rhumbler, or Amoeba
striata Penard, if they do not fit the description o f Vahlkampfia Umax
(D u ja rd in ).. A ccord in g to R oscoe (1 9 4 4 , p. 1 ) some such form has
been reported by Tanner from U tah Lake. Amoeba gu ttula has been
found in fresh water cultures t; iken at Salt Lake City. Schaeffer
(1 9 2 6 , pp. 1 9 -2 1 ) found a few o f his marine species o f amoebae re­
sistant enough to change from salt to fresh water or vice versa. They
withstood all concentrations but did not reproduce in fresh water,
hence the cultures would die out therein. In spite o f this r e m a r k a b le
resistance which he demonstrated, because o f the reproductive failure,
he concludes: “ T h e fa ct then remains that at present aquatic amebas
are rigidly separable into two grou ps, one grou p living in fresh water
the other in salt water.” W ith our Great Salt Lake much saltier than
the ocean, Am oeba flowersi living therein, though very resistant to
varyin g concentrations, can b y no stretch o f the imagination be re­
garded as equivalent to any fresh water species.
R eaders interested in changes in protozoans at varying concen­
trations m ay not have found Dean P a ck ’ s (1 9 1 9 ) classical a c c o u n t
o f such variations o f U roleptus packii Calkins and P rorod on (no"
C hU ophyrya) utahensis (P a c k ), both inhabitants o f G reat Salt Lake
D A V ID T. JONES
g
if.
4 and 5 ). These in our culture, along with Chlamydomonas (fig.
' • u n i (|ie brine shrimps, Artcm in gracilis- Verrill, were d ep a u p era te,
I cnee oui' specimens o f Am oeba flmcersi approach the lower limit. Dr.
Flowers’ culture contained specimens more nearly the size described by
p ick
Our culture was constantly airated fo r over a year, whereas
that of Dr. Flowers was not. In the form er, reproduction was much
e d e d u p ? many generations o f brine shrimps appeared, and their
hibernation was prevented from their appearance two weeks after the
time of collection, June 8, 1943, till A u g. 194*4 when they again
hibernated. Amoeba florcersi first appeared in numbers in Feb. 1944.
T)r Flow ers’ culture was taken from the same loca lity in Jan. 1943.
Euglena chamberlini new species
A small species inhabiting the waters o f G reat Salt Lake. Named
for Dr. R alph V. Chamberlin, head o f the B iology D ep t., University
of Utah. T y p e locality, Garfield Beach, G reat Salt Lake, U tah. T y p e
figu re 7.
Length approxim ately 20 m icra, probably usually larger. P ro­
portions and general appearance much like E uglena gracilis Klebs.
Nucleus elongate. B od y with chrom atophores and pyrenoids. P aramylon bodies not observed. Flagellum less than b od y length. Stigma
small. Vorheis (1 9 1 7 ) reports seeing a similar Euglena once. Miss
Kirkpatrick also glimpsed it, but it escaped before she could make a
tracing. I have seen only the one specimen in all b y observations oil
Amoeba flowersi. Fortu n ately I had the mount under oil immersion
and had the camera lucida adjusted fo r outlining. The specimen was
active at first, then became immobilized bv the pressure o f the coverglass. It disintegrated from pressure, soon after the tracin g and
observations were made.
In the historical discussion o f L. P. Johnson’ s (1 9 4 4 ) paper, arc
mentioned C arter’ s (1 9 3 7 ) description of Euglena vermiformis in
brackish water and W erm al’ s (1 9 2 4 ) description o f Euglena sima in
marine water, species from a somewhat similar habitat.
6
TWO PROTOZOANS FROM GREAT SALT LAKE
P la te
I.
Figs. 1. 2, and .'i. Type figures of Amoeba flowersi, new species, showing
three successive forms in the movements of one individual.
a — algal cell
n — nucleus
r — red pigment
Fig. 4.
Uroleptus packii Calkins.
c.v. — contractile vacuole
Fig. 5.
Cliilophrya utaliensis (P ack).
Fig. fi.
Chlamydomonas.
Fig. 7.
Euglena chamberlini, new species.
s — stigma
Fig. 8.
Cyst of Amoeba flowersi Jones.
Figs. 9, 10. 11, and 12. Amoeba flowersi Jones.— Successive figures showing
the movement o f one individual. One broad pseudopodium dominant
as in figure 10, at 20 per cent concentration.
8
TWO PROTOZOANS FROM GREAT SALT LAKE
P la te
II.
Figs. 13-27. Amoeba floxversi Jones.— Dr. S. Flowers’ figures of the suc­
cessive movements of one individual.
Fig. 28-39. Amoeba flowersi Jones.— Dr. S. Flowers’ figures of the suc­
cessive movements of another individual.
DAVID T. JONES
References Cited
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in t e k t o n
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P
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ar rish
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R.
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Q
u in n
, B
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