Dictyosteliomycota

Taxobox
name = "Dictyosteliomycota"


image_width = 220px
image_caption = "Grex"
domain = Eukaryota
regnum = Amoebozoa
phylum = Dictyosteliomycota
subdivision_ranks = Classes
subdivision =
Dictyosteliomycetes

"Dictyosteliomycota" is a phylum of the Kingdom Amoebozoa related to protists.

The name "dictyosteliomycota" comes from the Greek: dictyo= "net-like", stelio="pillar"

Some would also consider "Dictyosteliomycota" as a kingdom unto itself, but the debate is as of yet unsettled due to conflicts between EF1-alpha and developmental phylogenetics.

Reproduction

When resources, such as water or food become limiting, the amoeba will release pheromones such as acrasin to aggregate amoebal cells in preparation for movement as a large (thousands of cells) grex or "slug".

The large blob-like mass of amoebae glides along on its own secretions, engulfing bacteria, fungi, and decaying organic matter for food.

When it reaches a location it finds suitable, the cells will pile upon each other to form a pillar of cells (sorocarp), eventually desiccating and forming with each being able to sporulate (produce spores), with the choice position for dispersal being on top, where air currents are most favorable.

Spores germinate into more amoebae, (myxamoeba), which can asexually reproduce mitotically.

Amoeba can further undergo plasmogamy to create a diploid macrocyst that is resistant to desiccation, heat, and low levels of resources. When conditions become favorable, the macrocyst will undergo meiosis and recombination to create 1N amoebae.

All stages are 1N in ploidy, excepting for the short-lived Macrocyst stage.

ee also

*Myxomycota
*Acrasiomycota

References

*C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., "Introductory Mycology, 4^th ed." (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004) ISBN: 0-471-52229-5