This amoeba is responsible for causing disease in several species of crabs and lobster. It is a feared parasite amongst crab fishermen and Maryland foodies as epizootics can cause very high mortality of crabs such as blue crabs and gray crabs, by destroying their connective tissue.
Image from micro*scope.
But it has such beautiful surface scales!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bch.umontreal.ca/protists/paramoeba/ultrastructure.html
If I'm not mistaken, I think you can even see them in that micrograph: the little o-shaped things all over the surface!
It is a pretty critter, isn't it?
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