''Protostelium'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
protosteloid amoebozoa
Amoebozoa is a major Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group containing about 2,400 described species of Amoeba, amoeboid protists, often possessing blunt, fingerlike, Pseudopod#Morphology, lobose pseudopods and tubular mitochondrial cristae. In trad ...
ns, i.e., amoebae capable of forming simple fruiting bodies composed of a stalk and a ball of spores.
It contains numerous species, including ''
P. aurantium'', which was initially classified in a different genus ''Planoprotostelium''.
Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ''Planoprotostelium'' branches from within the genus ''Protostelium'', making them
synonyms.
The genus is placed in the family Protosteliidae within the monotypic order Protosteliida, which is part of a larger group of
amoebozoa
Amoebozoa is a major Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group containing about 2,400 described species of Amoeba, amoeboid protists, often possessing blunt, fingerlike, Pseudopod#Morphology, lobose pseudopods and tubular mitochondrial cristae. In trad ...
ns known as
Variosea.
Classification
Many species from the genus ''Protostelium'' have been transferred over time to other
protosteloid genera. The following species remain:
* ''
Protostelium apiculatum''
* ''
Protostelium aurantium'' (=''Planoprotostelium aurantium'' )
* ''
Protostelium mycophaga''
* ''
Protostelium nocturnum''
* ''
Protostelium okumukumu''
References
{{taxonbar, from1=Q605509, from2=Q21228893, from3=Q15104004, from4=Q21228898, from5=Q15104001, from6=Q15104015
Amoebozoa genera
Taxa described in 1960