Slime mould (Physarum polycephalum). Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). This is the plasmodium phase of the slime mould's life cycle. It is a single,huge cell with multiple nuclei. It can move slowly,feeding on bacteria,fungi and decaying matter. Some species can seek out certain types of food. In poor conditions,the plasmodium produces mushroom-like fruiting bodies. These release spores that germinate into free-living,single-celled amoebas. These eventually fuse to produce new plasmodia. Slime moulds were once thought to be fungi,but are now classified separately. Magnification: x1000 when printed at 10 centimetres across | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Gschmeissner, Steve |
Taille de l’image : | 4740 px × 3687 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : | - |