Domain: Eukaryota, Phylum: Amoebozoa, Class: Archamoebae, Order: Amoenida, Genus: Entamoeba, Species: Entamoeba histolytica.
The image above depicts the Entamoeba histolytica with ingested red blood cells.
The protozoa or "first animals" are the simplest representation of the animal kingdom. The majority consists of a single cell with all the equipment necessary for its existence. They are found in freshwater, seawater and soil. Some species are parasitic and cause serious illness in humans. Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoon, the cause of amoebic dysentery.
Amoebas are nature's doodlers, constantly changing their shapes in order to move and feed. Some species produce only one psuedopodium (false feet). The one above, adapted from an electron microscope image shows three pseudopodia extending towards the bottom of the image.
