Apodera

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Apodera is a genus of shelled amoebae in the Hyalospheniidae family. They are testate amoebae, meaning their cell body builds pseudopods and is enclosed in a mineral shell (test). The shells are taken from their prey, a trait called xenosomic, typically from euglyphid amoebae.

A distinctive feature of Apodera shells is a clear, deep constriction that separates the neck from the body, giving a noticeable neck/body division.

The genus was first proposed by Jung in 1942 and later validated in 1961 by Loeblich & Tappan. Apodera is closely related to the genera Alocodera and Padaungiella, and it sits as the sister group to the clade that includes those two.

There are four species of Apodera: A. angatakere, A. crenata, A. vas, and A. wellingtonia.