Scientists are establishing a new genre after discovering new sea flogging

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have identified a species of unicellular organism previously unknown in sea water collected near the island of Hachijojima. The newly discovered species, named Viscidocauda, ​​Repens, belong to the Protiste Endomyxa group and are remarkable for having a persistent flagelle – marking the first recorded example of such a flogging within this group.

Endomyxa includes a diversified range of protists, including intracellular parasites that infect animals and plants, as well as free amoebas that are not based on a host. Until now, no member of this group has been known to present a continuous flagellum.

In their study published in the journal ProtisteScientists have succeeded in establishing a cultivation of the protiste flogging from seawater samples. A detailed microscopic analysis revealed that the organism displays a single morphology and an internal cellular structure distinct from all the flagellates previously identified. DNA sequence comparisons have confirmed that the Protist belongs to endomyxa. Based on these results, the researchers described it as a new genre and species: Viscidocauda RENESS.

This discovery questions the current understanding that endomyxa lacks flagelles or only has them during certain stages of life. The presence of a persistent flagellum in V. Repens suggests that the common ancestor of this group may have been flogged. These results offer valuable information on the evolutionary history and the biological diversity of the endomyxa.