Amphidiscophora

Amphidiscophora is a name that has appeared in paleontological and protistological literature as a proposed taxonomic designation for certain shelled, single-celled organisms. It is not currently recognized as a stable, widely accepted clade in modern taxonomy, and its use has varied among authors and over time.

In different treatments, Amphidiscophora has been placed within distinct higher groups or left as a provisional group pending clearer evidence. Some authors affiliated it with Foraminifera, while others used it to describe enigmatic disc-shaped fossil tests that may belong to Rhizaria or related protists. Because of inconsistent circumscription, consensus is lacking.

Morphology associated with Amphidiscophora, where described, includes discoid or amphidisc-like tests and distinctive, sometimes paired, radial features. However, the diagnostic characters are poorly defined in the literature, and the group lacks a single, universally accepted set of criteria. This contributes to ongoing debate about its validity as a taxon.

History and etymology: The name derives from amphidiscus, a two-disk configuration, with the suffix -phora meaning bearing. The term appears in older studies and has been cited or revised in subsequent reviews, often as a placeholder for poorly understood fossil or living protists rather than a settled taxonomic unit.

See also: Foraminifera, Rhizaria, Protists. This entry reflects historical usage and does not imply a settled or universally accepted taxonomic status.