Survival and Growth in vitro of Paramoeba perurans Populations Cultured Under Different Salinities and Temperatures.

Growth rates of Paramoeba perurans cultures under different temperature and salinity conditions were investigated in vitro over a 15 day period. Optimal population growth, under the experimental conditions, was observed at 15 degrees C and a salinity of 35 parts per thousand, with amoebae populations doubling every 14 h. Positive P. perurans populations growth was observed at 15 degrees C between salinities of above 20 parts per thousand and 50 parts per thousand, and at 8 degrees C, 11 degrees C and 18 degrees C at salinities between 25 parts per thousand and 50 parts per thousand, 50 parts per thousand being the maximum salinity tested. Amoebae numbers were sustained at 4 degrees C. Therefore, lower temperature and salinity thresholds for P. perurans population growth lie between 4 to 8 degrees C, and salinities of 20 to 25 parts per thousand, respectively. Upper limits were not determined in this study. The populations remained relatively stable at 4 degrees C and 2 degrees C at permissive salinities with respect to numbers of viable amoebae over the 15 day exposure period. Crown Copyright (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.