Slime mold plasmodia, coenocyte/syncytium, P. roseum

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Ramos Kenneth D
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Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Slime mold plasmodia, coenocyte/syncytium, P. roseum

Post by Ramos Kenneth D »

Physarum roseum, quite different from Physarum polycephalum as far as coloration, looking more like the bloody remains of a roadkill. To my understanding, the color can be the result of the substrate pH. I used to look for them occurring naturally in the wild but now obtain specimens by the use of moist chamber cultures and various substrates from the wild, known to be slime mold habitats. Slime mold plasmodia are referred to as being either a coenocyte or a syncytium, both are multinucleate and in this example here there must be millions of nuclei. This one is a few months old. To my understanding a coenocyte does not involve the accompanying cytokinesis involved with the syncytium. Still I am quite unsure of their exact use or correct terminology, because I have both heard, in discussions and read of them being used interchangeably. I would assume they are either one or the other. :) Image data: Canon EOS 7D w/Sigma f/2.8 EX DG 105mm macro @ 1:1 w/Canon 2.5 diopter close-up lens attached. Processing accomplished using PhotoScape X. :)
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