AMEBOID MOVEMENT 



117 



Although amebas in clavate shapes describe the smoothest waves 

 in their paths, waves may also be detected in the paths of amebas 

 that habitually form many pseudopods. The path of an Amoeba 

 dubia is shown in Figure 38. The ameba moved on an opal sur- 

 face under light-controlled conditions. If we had not already 

 seen how pro tens, disc aides, and especially bigemma formed 



Figure 38. Amoeba dubia usually moves with numerous large pseudo- 

 pods, but this illustration shows that there is very good reason for con- 

 cluding that there is a tendency in this ameba to move in wavy paths. 

 Length of the ameba, 400 microns. 



smooth waves in their paths, we should hardly be able to under- 

 stand the apparently aimless path of dubia. But having seen 

 how a regular succession of smooth waves appears under favor- 

 able conditions in the paths of these amebas, there can be little 

 question but that the staggering path of a dubia also is to be 

 interpreted as a succession of waves, although they are somewhat 

 irregular. 



These four species of amebas, proteus, dubia, discoidcs and 



