So far I have only found Parachaos zoochlorellae in the uppermost mud layer in the Simmelried. However, I find Parachaos zoochlorellae rarely.

At low magnifications, Parachaos zoochlorellae can easily be confused with Mayorella viridis. However, Parachaos zoochlorellae is considerably larger, has rounded pseudopodia (not mammilliformed or conically) and about 50 nuclei (Mayorella viridis has only one nucleus). Under the coverslip, Parachaos zoochlorellae often takes on a monopodial form. The polypodial can be observed less frequently.

Willumsen (1982) does not give any information on the number of contractile vacuoles and symbiotic algae in his description. According to my observations, only one contractile vacuole is present, which is often centrally located (s. fig. 2 a), sometimes also near the uroid. I was able to determine the number of symbiotic algae at 100–200 (s. fig. 3). Their diameter is 4.6–5.2 µm and they appear to be of the Chlorella type. The chloroplast is cup-shaped and each algal cell has its own nucleus.

Numerous crystals are scattered in the cytoplasm of Parachaos zoochlorellae. These are described by Willumsen as plate-shaped. In my population, all crystals were polyhedric and located in separate vacuoles (s. fig. 3). The crystals had a size of 3–4 µm.

Further images and information on Parachaos zoochlorellae: Ferry Siemensma-Microworld-Parachaos zoochlorellae