The biodiversity of testate amoebae within the Mediteranean region of Israel

Abstract

The species composition of testate amoebae was studied for the first time in the northern and central parts of Israel. One hundred and eight species and infra-species taxa of Testacea belonging to 18 genera and 10 families were identified in 68 samples. The materials were collected along a transect in the Mediterranean phyto-geographical region of Israel, from Mt. Hermon 2100 m above sea level (part of the Anti-Lebanon Mt. Ridge), to the Sea of Galilee 200 m below sea level to the Mediterranean sea shore near Tel Aviv. All the species identified are Holarctic, most of them cosmopolitan. Some of the sampled testaceans require additional taxonomic studies and are possibly new species endemic to the country. A low α-diversity index was demonstrated for the specimens collected in the humid and swampy habitats, while the majority of the species assemblages, mainly eury-bionts, were similar among habitats.

Keywords:

• soil organisms
• testate amoebae
• ecology
• biogeography
• Israel
• Levant
• Mediterranean

Acknowledgements

Authors express a lot of thanks to Sandy Allan from US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Center for Medical, Agricultural & Veterinary Entomology, Behavior and Biocontrol Research Unit, USA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.