PRIMERA CONTRIBUCIÓN AL CONOCIMIENTO DE LA DIVERSIDAD AMEBAS TECADAS (PROTOZOA RHIZOPODA) EN HUMEDALES DE IBERÁ (CORRIENTES, ARGENTINA).

This study aimed to present a list of taxa of testate amoeba from one of the largest wetlands in South America, the Iberá. Due to the key role in habitat structuring in these environments, the influence of macrophytes on testate amoeba communities was examined. Plankton and periphyton samples were collected in water bodies of the Portal Carambola, Iberá (Province of Corrientes, Argentina), in July and December 2018. Also, the physical-chemical parameters were measured at the sampling sites. This study confirms the presence of 17 morphospecies of testate amoebae belonging to six families, with the Difflugiidae family exhibiting the highest diversity of taxa. The results showed that the highest number of testate amoebas was found in the plankton. Regarding the constancy index, plankton showed the highest constant (41,2 %) and accidental (35,3 %) morphospecies. The taxa identified as constant in all habitats analyzed were Arcella megastoma, Difflugia pyriformis, Euglypha acanthophora, Galeripora discoides y Lesquereusia modesta. D. correntina y D. urceolata were identified only in the plankton and both as accidental. Given that this topic has been scarcely addressed in the region, the results presented in this study represent a significant contribution to the understanding of the composition and structure of testate amoeba communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]