Slime mould spores. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of spores (orange) of the slime mould Metatrichia floriformis. The surface of the spor

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Slime mould spores. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of spores (orange) of the slime mould Metatrichia floriformis. The surface of the spores is spiny (echinulate). The spores are associated with a mass of thread-like structures (grey), collectively known as the capillitium. Changing moisture levels cause the threads to move with a wriggling action; this flicks the spores away, helping to disperse them. Slime moulds are not fungi, but a separate group with a variety of complex life cycles. Magnification: x1000 at 6x6cm size.

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Size: 4000px × 4000px
Photo credit: © EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: capillitium, close, close-, coloured, dispersal, echinulate, elator, eumycota, floriformis, fungal, fungi, fungus, metatrichia, mold, mould, mouldy, mycetozoa, mycology, myxomycete, myxomycota, nature, plasmodial, reproduction, reproductive, sem, slime, spined, spines, spiny, sporangium, spore, spores, sporulation, surface, threads, trichia