Exploring the hidden diversity of widespread predatory amoebae of the order Vampyrellida (Rhizaria)

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The order Vampyrellida comprises predatory amoebae forming a large and genetically diverse clade of rhizarian protists. We know that these intricate microbes specifically prey on other eukaryotes, but their actual diversity and ecological roles are still fragmentarily known. We will sample freshwater, marine and terrestrial habitats, establish vampyrellid cultures by single cell isolation, study their cell structure by light and electron microscopy, and shed light on their feeding ecology with lab experiments. This will be combined with next-generation sequencing techniques to assess the genetic vampyrellid diversity in poorly sampled habitats, and to resolve the evolutionary relationships of the major vampyrellid clades (families). With that, the planned work will further our phenotypic understanding of these widespread and ecologically interesting microbes, and provide a basis for their identification.