Members of
Vacuolamoeba are irregular amoebae with diversely shaped
pseudopodia and an anterior hyaloplasmic
lamellipodium free of
cytoplasmic inclusions. Their acanthopodial (tooth-shaped) extensions can form from all areas of the cell body. Occasionally, the cells produce filose uroidal extensions in their locomotive form. The cells mostly have one vesicular
nucleus with a central
nucleolus, although cells with two nuclei have been observed. The cell body often has around 4 or 5
vacuoles, sometimes with one or more contractile vacuoles. The
cysts are between round and irregularly shaped, with a single wall, and usually form individually rather than in clusters. In particular,
V. acanthoformis is often uninucleate with a single round centrally positioned
nucleolus. It has a mean cell length or breadth of 22.5 μm, a
nucleus with a diameter from 3.2 to 5.5 μm, and a
nucleolus with a diameter from 1.1 to 2.2 μm. The cyst diameter is approximately 8.0 μm. ==References==