Slime Moulds
Slime moulds were previously classified under fungi, but later they were placed in the kingdom Protista with other small multicellular and unicellular eukaryotic organisms. The name ‘slime’ comes from the gelatinous or jelly-like appearance of macroscopic slime moulds. They are found in different sizes varying from a few centimetres to several square meters. They are saprophytic and feed on dead and decaying organic matter. When there is abundant food, they can live as single-celled organisms, primarily cellular slime moulds. When food is in short supply, these organisms merge together and start moving as a single body. Acellular or plasmodial slime moulds form aggregates under unfavourable conditions.
Classification
In modern taxonomy, the true slime moulds fall under Mycetozoa. Slime moulds are categorized under the Protista kingdom. They also resemble fungi and protozoa. They are further classified into several different classes.
- Dictyostelium – These are cellular slime moulds mainly related to plasmodial slime moulds. They don’t form huge coenocytes and remain individual.
- Myxomycetes – These are multinucleated plasmodium through multiple nuclear cell divisions without further cell division. They are characterized by the plasmodial stage, and syncytial.
- Acrasia – Cellular slime moulds that have a similar lifestyle to dictyostelids, but their amoebae behave differently, having eruptive pseudopodia.
- Protostele A – These are intermediate between myxomycetes and dictyostelids. Minute, simple, and amoeboid slime moulds.
- Labyrinthula – Slime nets that are marine, they form a network of tubes in which an amoeba without pseudopodia can travel freely.
- Plasmodiophomycetes – These are mainly parasitic slime moulds. It is parasitic protists that can cause cabbage club root disease and powdery scab tuber disease. These are internal parasites of plants.
- Fonticula – These are cellular slime moulds that form a multicellular fruiting body in a ‘volcano’ shape.
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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