F. Riemann et al., RETICULAMMINA-ANTARCTICA NOV SPEC (XENOPHYOPHORA, PROTISTA) FROM THE WEDDELL SEA, AND ASPECTS OF THE NUTRITION OF XENOPHYOPHORES, Polar biology, 13(8), 1993, pp. 543-547
Xenophyophores, large deep-sea rhizopodan protists, are very rare in A
ntarctic seas. One specimen of Reticulammina antarctica nov. spec. was
retrieved from bathyal depths in the Weddell Sea and preserved in a c
omparatively good condition, thus allowing a cytological description.
Faecal pellets (stercomata) enclosed within the test were found to con
sist primarily of mineral particles. The hypothesis is offered that nu
tritional nitrogen compounds adsorbed by clay minerals can be extracte
d by these deep-sea rhizopods.