Difference Between Plasmodial and Slime Molds

What is the primary feeding stage of plasmodial slime molds?

Plasmodial slime molds have a multinucleate feeding stage called the plasmodium, where nuclei divide without cytoplasmic division.

How do plasmodial slime molds reproduce in harsh conditions?

They form stalks with fruiting bodies called sporangia. Inside the sporangia, cells undergo meiosis and release haploid spores.

How do cellular slime molds feed and reproduce asexually?

Cellular slime molds feed as individual amoeboid cells on bacteria and reproduce asexually through mitosis.

What happens when cellular slime molds face harsh conditions?

Haploid amoeboid cells aggregate (but do not fuse) into a slug-like structure, which forms a stalk with an asexual fruiting body to release haploid spores.

How do sexual reproduction processes differ between plasmodial and cellular slime molds?

In plasmodial slime molds, amoeboid cells fuse to form a diploid zygote that grows into a multinucleate plasmodium.

In cellular slime molds, haploid amoeboid cells may form a zygote, but it undergoes meiosis, releasing new haploid amoeboid cells.