These shapeshifting organisms can grow to one metre across and weigh twenty kilograms.
In short: Myxogastria, or slime moulds, are bizarre, monocellular entities that cycle through microscopic amoeboid phases and massive, visible plasmodia. Capable of pulsating movement and complex survival strategies, these organisms challenge our understanding of biological individuality. They thrive in temperate forests, yet have been discovered in deserts, underwater, and even under snow.
Myxogastria, also known as acellular slime moulds, are defined by a complex life cycle involving distinct morphological phases. They begin as microscopic, haploid cells—either crawling myxamoebae or swimming myxoflagellates—that consume bacteria and fungi. When two compatible cells fuse, they form a diploid zygote, which undergoes repeated nuclear division without cellular division to become a multinucleated plasmodium. This massive, viscous organism can reach up to one metre in size and weigh as much as 20 kilograms, moving via pulsating cytoplasmic streaming at speeds up to 1000 micrometres per second.
These organisms exhibit remarkable environmental plasticity. When faced with adversity, such as extreme temperatures or food shortages, they can transform into dormant, long-lived states like microcysts or hardened sclerotia. Their movement is guided by chemotaxis and negative phototaxis, allowing them to hunt for nutrients while avoiding light and toxins. When ready to reproduce, they abandon feeding and move toward light to produce fruit bodies, which release spores that can remain viable for decades. Some spores have even been documented germinating after 75 years in herbarium collections.
Despite their ubiquity, Myxogastria remain a subject of taxonomic debate. While modern classifications integrate molecular phylogenetics with morphological traits, their evolutionary history is unsettled. Fossil records are exceptionally rare, limited mostly to spores or specimens trapped in amber. Findings from Burmese and Baltic amber suggest that these organisms have maintained morphological stasis for nearly 100 million years. Today, researchers continue to uncover new species, with estimates suggesting the total number of species may reach 1500, far exceeding earlier counts.
Their ecological role is equally fascinating. They maintain symbiotic relationships with bacteria, which can assist in decomposing complex organic materials like lignin or provide tolerance to heavy metals. While they are primarily found in temperate forest deadwood, their presence in extreme environments like the Sonora Desert or the Antarctic highlights their resilience. Though historically misclassified as fungi, their unique biology—bridging the gap between animal-like movement and fungal-like reproduction—continues to intrigue biologists.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Myxogastria
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