Morphological and molecular characterization of a new terrestrial allogromiid species:: Edaphoallogromia australica gen. et spec. nov (Foraminifera) from northern Queensland (Australia)

The foraminiferal family Allogromiidae occurs mainly in marine environments, although some genera are described from brackish and freshwater habitats. We report here the occurrence of a terrestrial allogromiid foraminiferan. Phylogenetic relationships were investigated by sequencing part of the SSU rDNA. DNA sequence analysis confirms a close relationship of the new species to the genus Allogromia. Morphological studies corroborate the affiliation to the family Allogromiidae but the lack of an entosolenian tube and an internal septum as well as the different ecology do not allow a classification into a known genus of this family. Taking the molecular, morphological and ecological differences into account, a new genus Edaphoallogromia with the type species E. australica is erected.