Survey Priority (slime molds)

[Ken Kinman]

      Glad to hear the slime molds (which are, BTW,  non-eumycotan protists)
are getting some attention in the Smokies.  I must admit I would much rather
be looking for butterflies and spiders when on a "nature" walk or collecting
trip, but the scientist in me often gravitates toward the systematics of
overlooked or misunderstood groups (even if they are somewhat
physically-----how to put it---- "unattractive").  My hat goes off to anyone
who studies biodiversity anywhere, but especially when they tackle something
unpopular like slime molds (not something that I collect myself, but maybe I
should try it sometime).
     Slime molds are not a coherent group and they are not "eumycotans".  It
is now widely recognized that water molds and slime nets are heterokont
protists, but it is perhaps less well-known that the slime molds don't
belong in Subkingdom Eumycota (aka "Fungi") either.
     Most slime molds are mycetozoans (plasmodial slime molds), which are
not directly related to the  Plasmodiophorid slime molds or to the Acrasids
(lobopodian cellular slime molds).  So not only are slime molds polyphyletic
(and therefore very diverse), but even the "cellular slime molds" don't
refer to a coherent group (filopodian and lobopodian are separate types).
      The point is that saprophytes have popped up many different times in
Kingdom Protista, each being more closely related to various groups of
flagellates than they are to each other.  And one of the reasons I often
rail against recognizing a formal taxon "Fungi".
      In any case, slime molds are a lot more diverse than most people might
think, and worthy of our attention (and our thanks to those who collect and
study them).
                 Have a good weekend,
                               Ken
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