Acrasidae

The Acrasidae are cellular slime molds, which are not related to the other slime molds, but belong to the excavata. They were set up as a separate taxon from two species, but later went on to Tetramitia.

Features

The Acrasidae are amoeboid protozoa, in which many cells form aggregates, which then form fruiting bodies, the hallmark of slime molds. In this case, however, the individual cells do not fuse with each other, but remain as cells: they form a Aggregationsplasmodium. As single cells, they also train flagellated stages. The nucleus disintegrates during nuclear division. In amoeboid stage they form eruptive Lobopodien.

The stems of Sorokarp not contain cytoplasmic material and consist of living cells, which are closely linked.

Way of life

The individual cells occur on wood, dung, rotting plant material and soil. You work as decomposers, but also feed on bacteria and other microorganisms.

System

The Acrasidae are not related to the other slime molds, in particular the large group of Eumycetozoa. They were put into the group of Heterolobosea within the excavata and included two genera with a total of four or five types:

• Acrasis
• Pocheina

Later they took with their classifications be sister, the Vahlkampfiidae and Gruberellidae, along to the group of Tetramitia.

Documents

• Sina M. Adl et al.: The New Higher Level Classification of Eukaryotes with Emphasis on the Taxonomy of Protists. The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, Volume 52, 2005, pp. 399-451 (Abstract and full text)