The family Vampyrellidae is a subgroup of the order Vampyrellida (or Aconchulinida) within the supergroup Rhizaria. Based on molecular sequence data, the family currently comprises the genus Vampyrella, and maybe several other vampyrellid amoebae (e.g. Gobiella).

In former times the family Vampyrellidae contained several genera (e.g. Vampyrella, Gobiella, Leptophrys, Platyreta, Theratromyxa) and was identical with the order Vampyrellida, also known under the name "Aconchulinida". However, based on molecular sequence data the family Vampyrellidae was restricted to a subgroup containing only the genus Vampyrella, and a different family Leptophryidae was established for the genera Leptophrys, Platyreta and Theratromyxa. A few other vampyrellids are parasitic on fungi. As such, these vampyrellids can be an important control of parasitic rust fungus of wheat and other crops.

Vampyrellids characteristically have mitochondria with tubular cristae. Together with the nucleariids they include the majority of the naked filose amoebae.

Systematics and phylogeny

Genera and species

There are at least 19 credibly described species that are either proved or likely to belong to the family Vampyrellidae, all of them belonging to the genus Vampyrella.

  • http://starcentral.mbl.edu/microscope/portal.php?pagetitle=assetfactsheet&imageid=932
  • http://tolweb.org/tree?group=The_other_protists&contgroup=Eukaryotes