Stemonitis axifera, spore mass/capillitium

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Ken Ramos
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Stemonitis axifera, spore mass/capillitium

Post by Ken Ramos »

Continuing on with my fascination for plasmodial slime molds, I took things a bit further than usual. I have observed the capillitium, the mesh network of the sporangia which contains or holds the spores, many times before but have never observed them at 1000X. Usually I refrain from using oil immersion but it is getting to where it is going to be a neccessity. For accurate identification of myxmycetes, as well as other fungi, the characteristics of the spores is most important. Suitable work can be done at 400X but 1000X is highly recommended by most botonists/mycologists for the proper identification of species.
Image
Stemonitis axifera, spore mass (Spores 5 to 7 micrometers in dia.)
Sony DSC P200
1/6 sec. @ f/2.8 ISO 100 EV +0.7
Zeiss Axiostar Plus 100X/1.25 CP Achromat (oil)
Halogen illumination w/blue diffuser

Image
Sony DSC P200
1/60 sec. @ f/2.8 ISO 100 EV +0.7
Zeiss Axiostar Plus 100X/1.25 CP Achromat (oil)
Halogen illumination w/blue diffuser

With suitable conditons, the spores germinate to produce one to four haploid, unwalled protoplasts. These protoplasts are liberated through a small pore that forms in the spore wall or as a result of the spore being cracked open. (Ref: Myxomycetes, A Handbook of Slime Molds by Steven L. Stephenson and Henery Stempen) The arrow indicates what may be the location of one of the afore mentioned pores.
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Kenneth Ramos
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Kens Microscopy
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