Creature 176: Physarum polycephalum

Can solve mazes without a brain.

Description:
Physarum polycephalum is a slime mold, much like Fulgio septica or Stemonitis fusca.

Like other slime molds, it has a mobile plasmodium phase in its life cycle which it enters when it is searching for food. Despite the fact that they have no brains or nerves or no cellular specialisation, these slime molds are capable of solving maze problems. Several experiments have been done showing their ability to arrange themselves in the shortest shape between 2 food sources. They have also been shown to solve networking problems between as many as 36 points with comparable efficiency to humans. We are not entirely sure how they manage to achieve this.

Physarum polycephalum can also survive in a dormant phase as a dried out husk.

Distribution:
Physarum polycephalum can be found all over the world in cool moist areas with low sunlight.

Classification:
Kingdom: Amoebozoa
Phylum: Mycetozoa
Class: Myxogastria
Order: Physarida
Family: Physaridae
Genus: Physarum
Species: Physarum polycephalum

Image Links:

http://genome.wustl.edu/genomes/detail/physarum-polycephalum/

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czk4xgdhdY4

Creature 139: Stemonitis fusca

No this is not an alien

Description:
Stemonitis fusca is a slime mold, and if you haven't heard of slime molds you should read my post on the dog vomit slime mold to learn a bit about this bizarre group of organisms. When it enters it's reproductive phase it looks quote bizarre.

Stemonitis fusca lives in rotting wood slowly consuming the decomposing plant matter. When conditions are right the form visible bubble like structures which fuse together. These the grow into elongate tubes. Then thin wiry stalks lift the whole structure up giving it as much height as possible so the slime mold can disperse it's spores. It will change color quote dramatically while reaching ripening. Watch it happen here:

Like most slime molds the individual cells are capable of living apart and then fusing together into a single multinuclear cell which forms the fruiting body.

Distribution:
Stemonitis fusca can be found on rotting wood anywhere in the world.

Classification:
It may look a bit like a mushroom, but I cannot emphasis enough that these arr not fungi. They were once classified as fungi, but have subsequently moved to the Kingdom Amoebozoa.

Kingdom: Amoebozoa
Phylum: Mycetozoa
Class: Myxogastria
Order: Stemonitida
Family: Stemonitidae
Genus: Stemonitis
Species: Stemonitis fusca

Image Links:

http://www.pouet.net/topic.php?which=1724&page=73

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/pictures/showphoto.php/photo/93656/size/big/cat/

Video Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUXrx7Fw6sg