Phylum: Sarcomastigophora
Sub-phylum: Sarcodina
Super class: Rhizopoda
Class: Lobosea
Order: Amoebida
Family: Endamoebidae
Sub-phylum: Sarcodina
- Amoeba are classified under this sub-phylum
- They possess pseudopodia primarily for movement and don’t possess pellicle or cilia
- Most of amoeba are holozoic; ingesting their foods by means of pseudopodia
- Cytoplasm consists of food vacuole, nucleus and ectoplasm is relatively clear.
- Contractile vacuole are absent in parasitic amoeba or those living free in salt water.
- Reproduction is asexual by binary fission. Most species form cyst.
Genus : Entamoeba
- Amoeba belong to this genus are commonly found in intestine of vertebrates and invertebrates. Usually do not cause any serious disease in domestic animals except histolytica which causes amoebic dysentery in human.
- Cysts have one to eight nuclei and may have rod-like chromatid bodies.
- Species of this genus are divided into four groups on the basis of trophozoite and cyst morphology.
- Histolytica group : histolytica , E. hartmanni, E. equi (horse), E. anatis (ducks).
- Coli group: coli (mans, primates, dogs, pig), E. wenyoni (goats), E. gallinarum (Chicken, turkey), E. muris ( rat, mice)
- Bovine group: bovis (cattle), E. ovis (Sheep and goats) , E. bulbalis, E. suis (pigs) and E. chattoni.
- Gingivalis group: gingivalis (Man, dog, cat, primates), E. equibucaalis (horse), E. canibuccalis (dogs), E. suigingilialis (pig).
- E. histolytica is only pathogenic species infecting mammals particularly man, dogs, cats, pigs ( in rare cases).