Movement

• Amoebae move when cytoplasm flows out into a long extension of the cell; this crawling, flowing motion is called psuedopodia.
  
  

Habitat

• Most amoebae live in pond water, moist soil or the ocean; some species are parasitic, living inside the body of another organism.
  
  

Diet

• Amoebae are heterotrophic and ingest food through phagocytosis (the process whereby a cell engulfs a piece of food and ingests it). Basically tiny predators, they feed mainly on other microorganisms.
  
  

Osmoregulation

• Amoebae that live in freshwater ponds must deal with water constantly rushing into the cell. Organelles called contractile vacuoles constantly fill with excess water, and pump it out of the cell. Without a contractile vacuole, the amoeba would explode in a freshwater environment.
  
  

Size

• Although they are fairly large cells, most amoebas are too small to see with the naked eye; however, some species grow to grape size.
  
  

Respiration

• Gas exchange in the amoeba occurs solely due to passive diffusion.