Physarum polycephalum three groups of slime
molds (eumycetozoans)
Protozoa Eukaryota Amoebozoa Mycetozoa Myxogastria
1 plasmodial slime molds (myxomycetes) (Physarum polycephalum) 2 cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) 3 slime nets-Labyrinthulomycota
Physarida Physotaaridae Physarum
Physarum polycephalum
MOVEMENT
of individual amoeba
METAMORPHOSIS
COMMUNICATION
fruiting body
chemical signal
emitted by each amoeba
flow through substrate simple random walk
pheromone, cAMP
During this aggregation process, a chemical signal (cAMP) is emmited by cells to guide the collective movements
formation of multicellular body
the emitted chemical force produces accumulation in the most densely inhabited zones.