Description of Hyalodiscus flabellus sp nov (Vampyrellida, Rhizaria) and Identification of its Bacterial Endosymbiont, Candidatus Megaira polyxenophila (Rickettsiales, Alphaproteobacteria)

The genus Hyalodiscus Hertwig and Lesser, 1874 comprises naked freshwater amoebae with a unique set of characters, namely a vibrant orange -red colour, a discoid or fan-shaped morphology, and a characteristic rolling locomotion. Some species feed on the chloroplasts of green algae and were regarded as relatives of Vampyrella Cienkowski, 1865. However, because of striking morphological differences and the lack of molecular data, the exact relationship of Hyalodiscus to vampyrellids is still obscure. Here, I describe Hyalodiscus flabellus sp. nov., a bright orange, fan -shaped amoeba feeding on Oedogonium (Chlorophyceae), which likely is a close relative of the type species H. rubicundus Hertwig and Lesser, 1874. Sequence comparisons of the SSU rRNA gene revealed that H. flabellus belongs to a deep-branching, so far uncharacterised lineage of the order Vampyrellida (Rhizaria), here defined as family Hyalodiscidae POCHE, 1913. Based on these results, the systematic position of the genus Hyalodiscus could be finally clarified, accompanied by the revision of relevant diagnoses and a taxonomic summary. Furthermore, the work reports on endosymbiotic bacteria inhabiting the cytoplasm of H. flabellus, which were identified as Candidatus Megaira polyxenophila (Rickettsiales, Alphaproteobacteria) using the full cycle rRNA approach with newly designed FISH probes for this widespread endosymbiotic bacterium.