Syringammina corbicula sp nov (xenophyophorea) from the Cape Verde Plateau, E. Atlantic

A new xenophyophore species, Syringammina corbicula, is described and illus trated from live specimens collected at 3106 ni on the Cape Verde Plateau, off West Africa. This species is characterized by its epibenthic habitat an d the unique basket-like depressions that rim the periphery of its hemisphe rically-shaped test of anastomosing, agglutinated tubes. Morphological feat ures of the test and cytoplasm of S. corbicula are described in detail and contrasted with other known xenophyophore species grouped in the genus Syri ngammina. Laboratory observations of the pseudopodia extruded by live indiv iduals are presented and the potential feeding behavior of S. corbicula is discussed briefly.