Abstract

STEPHENSON, Steven L.; URBAN, Lillis A.; ROJAS, Carlos  and  MCDONALD, M. Shoaf. Myxomycetes associated with woody twigs. Rev. Mex. Mic [online]. 2008, vol.27, pp.21-28. ISSN 0187-3180.

The moist chamber culture technique was used to investigate the assemblage of myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds or myxogastrids) associated with the microhabitat represented by fallen woody twigs. Samples of twigs (<1.0 cm in diameter) were collected from study areas in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Virginia in the United States, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia and southern Argentina. A majority (67%) of the 256 cultures prepared with twigs yielded some evidence (either fruiting bodies or plasmodia) of myxomycetes. As a general observation, twigs from temperate deciduous forests were more productive than twigs collected in other types of forests or woodlands. The least productive set of samples (23% positive for 47 cultures and just five species) was collected from a high-elevation (3120 m) oak forest in Costa Rica. In contrast, two sets of cultures prepared with samples obtained from temperate deciduous forests yielded >85% positive cultures and >15 species. The species of myxomycetes recorded from twigs included Arcyria cinerea (represented by the largest number of collections), Stemonitis fusca var. nigrescens, Perichaena depressa, Perichaena chrysosperma and Physarum pusillum.

Keywords : Ecology; myxomycetes; slime molds; twigs.

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