slime mold

slime mold

n.

1. Any of various primitive organisms of the phylum Acrasiomycota, especially of the genus Dictyostelium, that grow on dung and decaying vegetation and have a life cycle characterized by a slimelike amoeboid stage and a multicellular reproductive stage. Also called cellular slime mold.

2. Any of various organisms of the phylum Myxomycota that grow on decaying vegetation and in moist soil and have a similar but more advanced life cycle. Also called myxomycete.

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slime mold

Any of various organisms that exist as slimy masses and are commonly found on decaying plant matter. They are classified among the protists as two distinct phyla, Dictyolsteliomycota (the cellular slime molds) and Myxomycota (the plasmodial slime molds). The two phyla are not directly related to each other. Cellular slime molds live as single, amoeba-like cells moving about feeding on bacteria. When food becomes scarce, they combine into a large, slug-like, mobile colony. This migrates to a new area before developing into a multicellular stalked structure that produces and releases spores. Each spore then develops into a new amoeba-like cell. Plasmodial slime molds exist as a mass of amoeba-like protoplasm (called a plasmodium) that contains many nuclei within a single cell membrane. A single organism can spread out thinly and cover up to several square meters. The slimy mass moves along ingesting bacteria, fungi, and other organic matter. When food grows scarce, they stop moving and grow multicellular, spore-producing stalks. The plasmodial slime molds are also called myxomycetes.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

slime mold - a naked mass of protoplasm having characteristics of both plants and animals; sometimes classified as protoctists slime mould acellular slime mold, myxomycete, plasmodial slime mold, true slime mold - a slime mold of the class Myxomycetes cellular slime mold - differing from true slime molds in being cellular and nucleate throughout the life cycle fungus - an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia