Amoeba Metacyst

Amoeba Metacyst: Description and Features

Metacystic amoeba, or Metaamoeba sp., is a protist from the class Amoebozoa. It gets its name from the presence of metacysts - special structures used to capture food and protect itself.

Amoeba metacystis has an oval shape and reaches sizes up to 10 micrometers in diameter. It lives in fresh water bodies, where it feeds on bacteria and other small organisms.

One of the features of this amoeba is the presence of metacysts - special structures that are located around the central core. Metacysts are circle- or bowl-shaped and contain small hair-like projections called cilia, which the amoeba uses to move and capture food.

In addition, metacystic amoeba can form pseudopodia - pseudopods, which it uses to move and capture food. Pseudopodia are formed due to the concentration of cytoplasm at a certain point, which leads to the extension of part of the cell forward.

Amoeba metacystis also has the ability to amoeboid movement - moving along the surface with the help of pseudopodia, which makes it similar to other amoebas.

Although amoeba metacystis poses no threat to humans, it plays an important role in the freshwater ecosystem. Its abilities to capture food and participate in feeding cycles are important elements of the food chain.

Thus, amoeba metacystis is an interesting and unique organism with several unique features. Its presence in freshwater bodies is an important element of the ecosystem and is a reminder that there are many diverse life forms in the world that still need to be explored and understood.



Amoebas are quite dangerous for humans and animals if infection occurs due to any weakening of the host’s body or when the density of amoebas in the host’s body increases. Cases of human infection are relatively rare, but once a very severe amoebic dysentery occurred, life-threatening to a person, his close relatives and surrounding people