Testate amoeba diversity in Chilapata Forests: An elephant corridor of West Bengal, India
Aradhana Chaudhary
Raja Peary Mohan College, Uttarpara, Hooghly - 712258 India Email: chaudharyaradhana@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
A preliminary study on the testate amoeba diversity in the Chilapata forests, a protected area in West Bengal was carried out during 28th November to 3rd December 2022 and a total of 25 species were recorded. The phylum Tubulinea dominated in the study area while the prominent Genus was Arcella Ehrenberg 1830, Centropyxis Stein 1857, Difflugia Leclerc 1815, Euglypha Dujardin 1841 and Trinema Dujardin 1841. The species richness and abundance of testate amoeba in this moist deciduous forest indicates healthy soil dynamics, nutrient recycling and resilient ecosystem in this region. Protecting and enhancing the health of this forest will help this elephant corridor to conserve the biodiversity in the region and also in the connecting protected areas.