''Tetramyxa'' is a
cercozoan
Cercozoa (now synonymised with Filosa) is a phylum of diverse single-celled eukaryotes. They lack shared morphological characteristics at the microscopic level, and are instead united by molecular phylogenies of rRNA and actin or polyubiquitin. ...
protist
A protist ( ) or protoctist is any eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, land plant, or fungus. Protists do not form a natural group, or clade, but are a paraphyletic grouping of all descendants of the last eukaryotic common ancest ...
, member of the
plasmodiophore
The plasmodiophores (also known as plasmophorids or plasmodiophorids) are a group of obligate endoparasitic protists belonging to the subphylum Endomyxa in Cercozoa. Taxonomically, they are united under a single family Plasmodiophoridae, order Pl ...
s,
parasite
Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...
of several
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s.
It was first described by
Karl von Goebel in 1884, in his work ''Flora''.
The genus is characterized by the appearance of resting spores (or cysts) in groups of four.
Taxonomy
There are two accepted species:
*''
Tetramyxa parasitica'' (=''Thecaphora ruppiae'' ) – parasite of ''
Zannichellia
''Zannichellia'' (common name horned pondweed) is a genus of submerged aquatic flowering plant, with threadlike leaves and tiny flowers. It is fully adapted to an aquatic life cycle, including underwater pollination
Pollination is the transfe ...
'', ''
Potamogeton
''Potamogeton'' is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed (''Elodea canadensis' ...
'' and ''
Ruppia
''Ruppia'', also known as the widgeonweeds, ditch grasses or widgeon grass, is the only extant genus in the family Ruppiaceae, with 11 known species. These are aquatic plants widespread over much of the world. The genus name honours Heinrich Be ...
'' roots.
*''
Tetramyxa marina'' – parasite of ''
Halophila stipulacea
''Halophila stipulacea'' is a species of seagrass in the Hydrocharitaceae family. It is native to the Indian Ocean that spread into the Mediterranean after the opening of the Suez Canal. This seagrass is widespread through the Gulf of Aqaba. Rec ...
'' petioles.
The following additional species, though recognized as ''Tetramyxa'', are listed as doubtful in some sources:
*''
Tetramyxa rhizophaga'' – parasite of ''
Juniperus communis
''Juniperus communis'', the common juniper, is a species of small tree or shrub in the cypress family Cupressaceae. An evergreen conifer, it has the largest geographical range of any woody plant, with a circumpolar distribution throughout the coo ...
'' roots.
*''
Tetramyxa triglochinis'' (=''Molliardia triglochinis'' ) – parasite of ''
Triglochin maritimum'' stems, ovaries and stamens.
*''
Tetramyxa elaeagni'' – parasite of ''
Elaeagnus multiflora
''Elaeagnus multiflora'', the cherry elaeagnus, cherry silverberry, goumi, gumi, or natsugumi, is a species of ''Elaeagnus'' native to China, Korea, Japan and Ukraine.
Description
''Elaeagnus multiflora'' is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub o ...
'' roots.
References
Parasitic rhizaria
Parasites of plants
Rhizaria genera
{{Cercozoa-stub