Willaertia
| Willaertia | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | |
| (unranked): | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | Willaertia de Jonckheere et al. 1984 |
| Species | |
| |
Willaertia /ˈwɪləɹʃə/ is a genus of non-pathogenic, free-living, thermophilic amoebae in the family Vahlkampfiidae.
Originally discovered in 1984 by Johan De Jonckheere, their life cycle, like that of other heteroloboseans, has been found to alternate between three distinct stages: a cyst, amoeba, and temporary flagellated stage. Willaertia lives in a variety of environments and in recent years has been researched to potentially become a biocide for Legionella pneumophila.