Diversity and Distribution of Naked Amoebae in Different Types of Water Bodies in Ukraine

Forty-four species of naked amoebae were identified across different types of water bodies in Ukraine. The highest number of species was recorded in rivers (44 species), while the lowest was found in swamps (15 species); 27 species were found in floodplains and 23 species in lakes. Based on cluster analysis, two distinct species complexes were identified: one for swamps and another encompassing lakes, floodplains and rivers. The specificity of the species complexes of naked amoebae was determined by abiotic factors of the aquatic environment, such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentrations and organic substances in water, analysed using the permanganate oxidation method. According to the Chekanovsky–Sørensen index of similarity, a high degree of similarity was observed between the studied water bodies. In freshwater bodies, species of naked amoebae are unevenly distributed and form species complexes differentiated by key environmental factors.