Amoebae are single cellular protozoa that move via pseudopodia, engulfing organics and bacteria cells. They are common in "young sludge" conditions, but testate (shelled) amoeba are also common in older sludges. The big issue I have with using amoeba as indicator organisms is that many operators only look for the typical amoeba view (below)
Free Moving Amoeba
However, this is not the only way amoeba appear under the microscope. They also frequently look like this:
Testate Amoeba
Amoeba - top down view
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