Galeripora succelli, González-Miguéns & Soler-Zamora & Villar-Depablo & Todorov & Lara, 2022

González-Miguéns, Rubén, Soler-Zamora, Carmen, Villar-Depablo, Mar, Todorov, Milcho & Lara, Enrique, 2022, Multiple convergences in the evolutionary history of the testate amoeba family Arcellidae (Amoebozoa: Arcellinida: Sphaerothecina): when the ecology rules the morphology, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 194 (4), pp. 1044-1071 : 1062

GALERIPORA SUCCELLI GONZÁLEZ- MIGUÉNS & LARA, SP. NOV.

( FIG. 3 )

Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:097341BF-C706-47DD-AB62-0467FC280DCB .

Holotype: MA-Algae11252 .

Specific diagnosis: Test diameter 180.06–200.14 µm, average of 187.77 µm (N = 19); aperture 24.37– 33.35 µm, average 29.56 µm (N = 10). Colour ranges from transparent to yellow-orange. Subhemispherical test shape, with flattened edges and dimples in the surface that gives the test a golf-ball shape.

The aboral side presents no ribs or keels. Building units are covered with an organic matrix that prevents observation of the building units, giving a smooth outlook to the test. The oral side is also flat and smooth, covered with an organic matrix that prevents observation of the test building units, with a central aperture. The only pores at the base of the test are localized around the aperture, following a circular pattern and curling slightly outwards to form a small ring or lip.

Intraspecific variability: The number of pores surrounding the aperture can be variable. There may be certain deformations in the test that prevent it from having a perfectly circular morphology.

Diagnosis with closely related species: Galeripora succelli can be diagnosed by its specific sequences of the mtDNA markers and by its phylogenetic placement. Galeripora succelli differs from Arcella guadarramensis by (1) its morphometric differences (see Morphometrics and morphology; Fig. 2 ) and it is larger than A. guadarramensis (see above); (2) a regular and marked granulation on the top of the test; and (3) the absence of pores along the edge of the arboral side of the test.

Habitat: Wet Sphagnum moss, in a bog.

Type locality: France, Frasne, La Tourbière (46°49’N 6°9’E).

Etymology: The name is derived from the Gaulish god Succellos (-or Succellus, in its latinized form). ‘ Cellos ’ meaning striker and the prefix ‘ su ’ good, the god’s name could, therefore, be translated as ‘the Good Striker’. As god of agriculture, forests and traditional medicine, he was believed to be in charge of keeping the soil fertile. We propose this name in referring to the type locality being a fertile place with a great abundance of vegetation and surrounded by many crops.

Figures

Figure 2. A, scatterplot of the scores of linear discriminants with x-axis representing discriminant function 1 (LD1) and y-axis representing discriminant function 2 (LD2). Colours represent the different mitochondrial clades and symbols refer to the different sections after Deflandre (1928): squares are for Section 1 ‘Vulgares’, circles for Section 2 ‘Carinatae’ and triangles for Section 3 ‘Aplanatae’. The drawings represent the different morphotypes. B, the table represents the results of a linear discriminant analysis which determines the relationship between predicted and observed specimens cells for each mitochondrial clade.

Figure 3. Galeripora succelli: scanning electron micrographs of the aboral and oral sides of the test. The images on the right represent a detail of the test and the structure of the aperture. Below left, a photograph of a typical habitat for the species, a peat bog. Above left, original drawing of the closest known resembling species, Galeripora artocrea (Leidy, 1879).