Fungus Like Protists

Charachteristics Prefer cool, shady, moist places and are usually found under fallen leaves or rotten logs. Show both animal like and fungus like stages. Saprotrophic- decomposers Example:Slime molds

Life Cycle of a Fungilike Protist

Plasmodium Colorful, slimy mass containing many nuclei. Slowly moves along the forest floor and decomposes rotting logs and other decaying material. Leaves a slime trail behind- hence the name slime mold

Plasmodium When conditions become unfavorable, the plasmodium stops moving around and develops reproductive structures called fruiting bodies. They produce spores which are released and carried away by the wind. If conditions are favorable, these spores develop into gametes called swarm cells. The swarm cells are chemically attracted to each other and fuse to form a zygote. The zygote then grows into a new plasmodium.