-
Microorganisms Sep 2023Evidence from molecular studies indicates that myxomycetes (also called myxogastrids or plasmodial slime molds) have a long evolutionary history, and the oldest known... (Review)
Review
Evidence from molecular studies indicates that myxomycetes (also called myxogastrids or plasmodial slime molds) have a long evolutionary history, and the oldest known fossil is from the mid-Cretaceous. However, they were not "discovered" until 1654, when a brief description and a woodcut depicting what is almost certainly the common species was published. First thought to be fungi, myxomycetes were not universally recognized as completely distinct until well into the twentieth century. Biodiversity surveys for the group being carried out over several years are relatively recent, with what is apparently the first example being carried out in the 1930s. Beginning in the 1980s, a series of such surveys yielded large bodies of data on the occurrence and distribution of myxomycetes in terrestrial ecosystems. The most notable of these were the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) project carried out in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Planetary Biodiversity Inventory Project (PBI) carried out in localities throughout the world, and the Myxotropic project being carried out throughout the Neotropics. The datasets available from both past and ongoing surveys now allow global and biogeographical patterns of myxomycetes to be assessed for the first time.
PubMed: 37764126
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092283 -
Mycology 2023Species in the class Myxomycetes (or Myxogastrea) are essential components of biodiversity and play important ecological roles in terrestrial ecosystems, especially in... (Review)
Review
Species in the class Myxomycetes (or Myxogastrea) are essential components of biodiversity and play important ecological roles in terrestrial ecosystems, especially in forests. Studies on the taxonomy and diversity of these organisms started late in China. However, significant progress in China has been made in modern taxonomic studies on myxomycetes based on long-term species surveying and specimen collecting. The existing achievements have shown that comprehensive and continuous studies on the taxonomy and diversity of myxomycetes in China have the potential to enhance global biodiversity and improve the geographic distribution pattern of myxomycetes. Therefore, building on the current research foundation and expanding myxomycete research in a wider and more in-depth approach is imperative.
PubMed: 38187883
DOI: 10.1080/21501203.2023.2255031 -
Animal Cognition Nov 2023Sensing, communication, navigation, decision-making, memory and learning are key components in a standard cognitive tool-kit that enhance an animal's ability to... (Review)
Review
Sensing, communication, navigation, decision-making, memory and learning are key components in a standard cognitive tool-kit that enhance an animal's ability to successfully survive and reproduce. However, these tools are not only useful for, or accessible to, animals-they evolved long ago in simpler organisms using mechanisms which may be either unique or widely conserved across diverse taxa. In this article, I review the recent research that demonstrates these key cognitive abilities in the plasmodial slime mould Physarum polycephalum, which has emerged as a model for non-animal cognition. I discuss the benefits and limitations of comparisons drawn between neural and non-neural systems, and the implications of common mechanisms across wide taxonomic divisions. I conclude by discussing future avenues of research that will draw the most benefit from a closer integration of Physarum and animal cognition research.
Topics: Animals; Physarum polycephalum; Cognition; Learning
PubMed: 37166523
DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01782-1 -
Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2024The family Physaraceae (Physarales, Myxomycetes) is represented in Brazil by eight genera and 75 species. Based on data obtained from the GBIF, SpeciesLink, Flora and...
The family Physaraceae (Physarales, Myxomycetes) is represented in Brazil by eight genera and 75 species. Based on data obtained from the GBIF, SpeciesLink, Flora and Funga do Brasil platforms, collections from the IPA and URM Herbaria and material collected since 1960 deposited in the UFP Herbarium, the microhabitats and distribution of Badhamiopsis (1sp.) and Badhamia (10 spp.) in Brazilian biomes are commented. An identification key for the species and the first report of B. melanospora from the state of Paraíba, B. panicea from the state of Paraná and B. ovispora from Brazil are presented.
Topics: Myxomycetes; Brazil; Ecosystem
PubMed: 38451623
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202420220698 -
PeerJ 2024A new myxomycete species, , was described based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses. The species was discovered in the arid region at the confluence of...
A new myxomycete species, , was described based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses. The species was discovered in the arid region at the confluence of the Badain Jaran desert and Tengger desert on the leaves of and was cultivated in a moist chamber culture. Morphologically, the species is distinguished by the greenish-yellow calcium carbonate crystals on the surface and the spores covered with small warts, some of which are connected into a short line. A phylogenetic analysis of strongly supports its classification as a separate clade. The spore to spore agar culture of . requires 23 days, and this study provides a detailed description of its life cycle.
Topics: Myxomycetes; Phylogeny; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Desert Climate; Spores, Protozoan; Physarida
PubMed: 38213774
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16725 -
Applications in Plant Sciences 2024Traditional moist chamber cultures (MCs) prepared in aseptic laboratory environments using sterile Petri dishes are commonly used to quantify the microbiota of...
PREMISE
Traditional moist chamber cultures (MCs) prepared in aseptic laboratory environments using sterile Petri dishes are commonly used to quantify the microbiota of rough-bark tree species and woody vines. MCs are typically expensive and may be difficult to make, so a less expensive option made from easily available supplies was developed. These cost-friendly MCs were compared with standard laboratory methods to demonstrate their efficacy.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Modified MCs were made using inexpensive, store-bought supplies; compared to a standard laboratory setting, the modified MCs are shown to be less expensive with a faster setup time and larger size that facilitates a variety of tree and woody vine species. MC use resulted in the discovery of new species of fungi and myxomycetes with associated locality records. We provide detailed instructions for creating modified MCs, as well as a list of myxomycete species and their associated bark characteristics, pH values, and water-holding capacity.
CONCLUSIONS
This new, low-cost MC technique makes the study of microbiota more inclusive and accessible for those in research laboratories, classrooms, and homes, including both amateurs and professionals. MCs are easy to prepare, versatile, and applicable for many areas of botany and the biological sciences, potentially allowing exploration into unexplored areas in urban ecosystems.
PubMed: 38638615
DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11578 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2024As a result of the ten years (2012-2022) work under the critical revision of the genera of Reticulariaceae, a set of papers was published. Collection data of hundreds of...
BACKGROUND
As a result of the ten years (2012-2022) work under the critical revision of the genera of Reticulariaceae, a set of papers was published. Collection data of hundreds of specimens, used as a material for these studies, were provided as supplements of corresponding papers, but remained unpublished in biodiversity databases.
NEW INFORMATION
Here, we represent an occurrence dataset "Barcoded Reticulariaceae of the World", published in GBIF. It includes data on 523 myxomycete collections (including 36 types) gathered from five continents and spanning 24 countries. The dataset encompasses 43 distinct species and one subspecies of myxomycetes, including rare, endemic, and recently-described taxa. Species included to the database mainly belong to the genera , , , , and (Reticulariaceae), but as well and (Cribrariaceae). Nearly all of the research material, with the exception of several old collections, underwent molecular barcoding, primarily involving the 18S rDNA gene, but also the elongation factor 1α gene and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. For those sequences that are stored in the NCBI GenBank, accession numbers are provided in the dataset. Newly-described species make up a significant part of the studied herbarium collections; many of them can be characterised as common for their region. A particularly high level of taxonomic novelty is observed in Australia, which may be explained by the endemism of the local myxomycete biota.
PubMed: 38469226
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e115630 -
Distribution characteristics and diversity of myxomycetes in three parallel rivers in Yunnan, China.PloS One 2024Three Parallel Rivers is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. However, the research on myxomycetes diversity is scarce in this area. Random sampling was used to...
Three Parallel Rivers is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. However, the research on myxomycetes diversity is scarce in this area. Random sampling was used to investigate myxomycetes' diversity and distribution characteristics in this area. One hundred and seventeen species, including three varieties, were obtained, belonging to 28 genera, nine families, and six orders, with Arcyria cinerea and Physarum viride being the dominant species. Moreover, four species and one variety were first reported in China. Twenty-six species and one variety were first reported in Yunnan Province. The species' most commonly utilized substrate for fruiting bodies was decaying wood, and Cribraria was the dominant genus. The species diversity was most abundant in mixed broadleaf-conifer forests. Species similarity between coniferous and broad-leaved forests was much higher than the pairwise comparison of other forest types. NMDS analysis shows that substrate and forest types had insignificant effects on myxomycetes communities, while river valley had a significant effect. The myxomycetes community similarity between river valleys is unrelated to geographical proximity.
Topics: Humans; Myxomycetes; Rivers; China; Forests; Biodiversity; Tracheophyta; Trees
PubMed: 38165993
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293260 -
Optics Express Feb 2024Brilliant colors in nature arise from the interference of light with periodic nanostructures resulting in structural color. While such biological photonic structures...
Brilliant colors in nature arise from the interference of light with periodic nanostructures resulting in structural color. While such biological photonic structures have long attracted interest in insects and plants, they are little known in other groups of organisms. Unexpected in the kingdom of Amoebozoa, which assembles unicellular organisms, structural colors were observed in myxomycetes, an evolutionary group of amoebae forming macroscopic, fungal-like structures. Previous work related the sparkling appearance of Diachea leucopodia to thin film interference. Using optical and ultrastructural characterization, we here investigated the occurrence of structural color across 22 species representing two major evolutionary clades of myxomycetes including 14 genera. All investigated species showed thin film interference at the peridium, producing colors with hues distributed throughout the visible range that were altered by pigmentary absorption. A white reflective layer of densely packed calcium-rich shells is observed in a compound peridium in Metatrichia vesparium, whose formation and function are still unknown. These results raise interesting questions on the biological relevance of thin film structural colors in myxomycetes, suggesting they may be a by-product of their reproductive cycle.
Topics: Myxomycetes; Amoebozoa; Calcium; Nanostructures; Photons
PubMed: 38439270
DOI: 10.1364/OE.511875 -
Biodiversity Data Journal 2024A significant body of valuable data about the myxomycetes of Ukraine lies in a "grey zone". This encompasses undigitised historical books and articles published in...
BACKGROUND
A significant body of valuable data about the myxomycetes of Ukraine lies in a "grey zone". This encompasses undigitised historical books and articles published in languages such as Polish, French or German, as well as proceedings from local conferences, articles featured in local scientific journals and annual reports submitted to public authorities by employees of protected areas, published in Ukrainian or Russian. Yet, due to their exclusive existence in print and often the Cyrillic alphabet, these publications remain neither findable nor accessible to a wider audience.
NEW INFORMATION
The datasets presented here aim to summarise over 150 years of myxomycetes research in Ukraine. The majority of the data has been extracted from published literature sources spanning the years 1842 to 2023, with a minor supplement from unpublished herbarium specimens. The datasets include 5036 georeferenced occurrences, 339 taxa and 91 literature sources. Seventy-one of the used literature sources, mostly published before 2010, were uploaded to Zenodo and are available in open access.
PubMed: 38645470
DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e120891