The Hypothallus of the Myxomycete Family Trichiaceae

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Walter Piorkowski
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Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:42 pm
Location: South Beloit, Ill

The Hypothallus of the Myxomycete Family Trichiaceae

Post by Walter Piorkowski »

Image
Image 1 - A pair of sporangium emerging from a common hypothallus.

Image
Image 2 – A single sporangium emerging from the same hypothallus.

Image
Image 3 – A complete view of a pair of sporangium of which the subject in image 2 is the left hand member.


Image 1 - Leitz 10X Pv objective
Horizontal F.O.V. approx. 1.5 mm
Image stack, 93 images at 5 micron increments
Reflected light, Diffused dome, fiber optic illumination

Image 2 - Leitz 10X Pv objective
Horizontal F.O.V. approx. 1.5 mm
Image stack, 121 images at 5 micron increments
Reflected light, Diffused dome, fiber optic illumination

Image 3- Leitz 4X Plan fluorite objective
Vertical F.O.V. 3.0 mm
Image stack, 30 images at .0025 inch increments
Reflected light, Diffused dome, fiber optic illumination

Leitz Ortholux microscope
Canon 10D
Combine ZM and Photoshop processing.

Every once in a while everything goes right in the photography of these difficult subjects. I have finally got my lighting technique down so that I can record the shiny clear membrane of the hypothallus. This plastic looking material is deposited by the plasmodium and forms a continuous surface layer where the fruiting bodies emerge and can connect the bases of a number of fruiting bodies, in this case four. In this particular example the hypothallus was actually on a mass of dung left over from what I expect were pill bugs digesting the decaying tree trunk.

My subjects here are either Hemitrichia calyculata or Trichia decipiens of the Family Trichiaceae. It is too early to tell at this point as the spores and capillitium must be examined in detail and they have not yet formed. Not even the stalk has formed, although the orange peridium sphere is well developed.

The myxo is already under fungal attack and a single strand of hypha, a filamentous cell of the fungus, is seen between the two. Remarkably the process resolved the tubular cell wall. Some more hyphae can be seen in image 3. Enjoy!

Walt

BJ
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Location: England

Post by BJ »

Walter,

Extraordinary photos - I think they must be the results of great patience and not a little skill -congratulations!

The stacking seems to have worked very well.

I particularly like the third photo.

Thank you

BrianO

Walter Piorkowski
Posts: 693
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:42 pm
Location: South Beloit, Ill

Post by Walter Piorkowski »

Thank you Brian, glad you enjoyed looking at them.
Walt

Aynia
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Post by Aynia »

Walter, I always look at your photos... they are fantastic. - just from a nature point of view. :D

ralfwagner
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Post by ralfwagner »

Walter,

these are phantastic and I agree 150 % with BJ, I couldn't express my admiration of that great job better. The third one is my favorite, too

Walter Piorkowski
Posts: 693
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:42 pm
Location: South Beloit, Ill

Post by Walter Piorkowski »

Hello Aynia and Dr. Wagner, thank you so very much. You people and BJ too, are fanatstic as well. Such high praise makes all the effort that goes into this endeavor worth every minute of it.
Regards Walt

Raul G
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WOW

Post by Raul G »

Congratulations Walt!
Very nice lighting work.

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

For one who is an adamant admirer of slime moulds, I don’t have a favorite, I like them all. :o Sort of reminds me of molten rock though, lava. I still cannot get over though, how the plasmodium goes through such a drastic physiological transition from protoplasm, to a myxomycete. :D

Walter Piorkowski
Posts: 693
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:42 pm
Location: South Beloit, Ill

Post by Walter Piorkowski »

Thanks guys. Ken you really need to go back to school, get a couple PhDs and answer some of these perplexing questions.
Walt

rjlittlefield
Site Admin
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Walt, I keep coming back to these images. Just lovely, especially #3.

Could you please check your PM's and email for a message from me? I've been trying to get some other info from you offline.

Thanks!

--Rik

Walter Piorkowski
Posts: 693
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:42 pm
Location: South Beloit, Ill

Post by Walter Piorkowski »

Thank you Rik, I will check in tonight. Walt

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