slime mold decisions: another example (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 18:19 (1382 days ago) @ David Turell

Spore formation:

https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/APB6XjoTAbggXw07_Qh3-DDjD54?reason=invalid_...

"Though they may resemble something from another planet, these strange, mushroom-like structures are in fact the reproductive phase of Physarum album, a slime mould species that feeds on bacteria on forest floors.

"Perched on top of each “stem” is the slime mould’s fruiting body, containing thousands of spores that burst and release their contents when the mould is ready to reproduce. Intricate though these structures are, most are only a few millimetres high. This makes them “painstakingly difficult to find”, says photographer Andy Sands from Hertfordshire in the UK, who took this shot.

"Slime moulds start out as single cells and can remain in this form all their lives if enough food is available. However, when supplies are scarce, hundreds of thousands of individuals can merge into a single, moving mass in the search for food."

Comment: amazing evolution from single cells of mold. This story is part of mailed in website to me. Nothing more to see