Taxonomy and classification
Nomenclature
The Latin name ''Myxomycota'' comes from the Ancient Greek words μύξα ', which means "mucus", and μύκης ', which means "fungus". The name ''Myxogastria'' was introduced in 1970 by Lindsay Shepherd Olive to describe the family Myxogastridae, which was introduced in 1899 byRange
The continuous classification of new taxa reveals that the class is not fully described. The class comprises around 900–1000 species. According to a 2000 inquiry, there were 1012 officially acceptedClassification and phylogeny
The following classification is based on Adl ''et al''. (2005) while the classes and further divisions on Dykstra & Keller (2000) who included the Myxogastria in Mycetozoa. The sister taxon is the subclass Dictyostelia. Together with theCharacteristics and life cycle
Monocellular, mononuclear phase
Spores
The spores of Myxogastria areMyxamoebae and Myxoflagellates
In those species which reproduce sexually, haploid cells bud from the spores. Depending on the environmental conditions, either a myxamoeba or a myxoflagellate buds from the spore. Myxamoebae move likeZygogenesis
If two cells of the same type meet in this phase, they cross-fertilise to a diploid zygote through the fusion ofPlasmodium
The second trophic phase begins with the development of theFructification
Mature plasmodia can produce fruit bodies under appropriate circumstances, the exact triggers for this process are unknown. According to laboratory researchers, changes in humidity, temperature orAsexual forms
Some Myxogastria species may produce asexually. These are continuously diploid. There is no meiosis before the germination of the spores and the production of the plasmodium proceeds without germination of two cells.Distribution and ecology
Distribution
Myxogastria are distributed worldwide; species were found by early researchers on all continents. However, as many parts of the world were yet not discovered or explored, the exact distribution is not fully known. Europe and North America are often considered the basic habitat of the Myxogastria species. According to recent research, the majority of species are not widely distributed. The Myxogastria are most commonly found in temperate latitudes, and rarely in the polar regions, the subtropics or tropics. The physical features of the substrate and climatic conditions are the major aspects of the species' presence.Habitats
The majority of Myxogastria species live terrestrially in open forests. The most important microhabitat is deadwood, but also thRelationship to other creatures
The relationships of the Myxogastria to other creatures have not been thoroughly researched as of 2012. Their natural predators include manyFossil records
Fossil records of ''Myxogastria'' are extremely rare. Due to their short lifespan and the fragile structures of the plasmodia and theHistory of research
Because of their unprepossessing nature, the Myxogastriae were for a long time not well researched. Thomas Panckow first named the mould ''Lycogala epidendrum'' as "''Fungus'' cito crescentes" (fast-growing fungus) in his 1654 book ''Herbarium Portatile, oder behendes Kräuter- und Gewächsbuch''. In 1729,Notes
References
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q46309, from2=Q19830063, from3=Q23892105, from4=Q10334205 Amoebozoa classes