General Characteristics of Slime Moulds
- The slime moulds are found creeping on debris, decaying on twigs or leaves, in soil, on tree canopies and moist found on the tree, on the forest floor, and in cold and dark conditions.
- The protoplast is not surrounded by a cell wall in the vegetative phase. They lack chlorophyll and are saprophytic, they feed on microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and yeasts, and decompose dead organic matter.
- Few slime moulds are parasitic and they are found in the roots of cabbage and other plants of the Brassicaceae family.
- The plasmodial stage is similar to protozoa and fruiting bodies form spores similar to fungi. The cell wall of spores is made up of cellulose and is resistant to adverse conditions. They can survive for many years.
Slime Moulds
All the living organisms on earth are grouped together according to their similarities, dissimilarities and phylogenetic order. The scientific method of arranging organisms into different groups and subgroups is known as biological classification. Classification of organisms is important as it helps in identifying new organisms. The study of every organism is not possible so they are divided into separate groups and selective organisms of the group are studied which gives sufficient information about the group. A better understanding of relationships among different groups of organisms.
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