First records of Myxomycetes associated with members of the Cactaceae in Australia
Steven L. Stephenson A and Todd F. Elliott
B *
A Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
B Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
Australian Journal of Botany 70(8) 531-538 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT22032
Submitted: 22 March 2022 Accepted: 2 December 2022 Published: 21 December 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Cacti are endemic to North and South America, but numerous species have been spread all over the world after Europeans visited the Americas. Their global spread has impacted various aspects of terrestrial ecosystems, including the distributions of succulenticolous myxomycetes.
Aims: In this study, we examine the association of myxomycetes (also known as plasmodial slime moulds or myxogastrids) with three introduced species of cacti in Australia.
Methods: Using the moist chamber culturing technique we prepared 33 cultures from dead portions of three species of cacti collected in New South Wales and Queensland.
Key results: Eighty-eight percent of moist chamber cultures yielded evidence of myxomycetes (either plasmodia or fruiting bodies). A total of 12 species representing six genera were recorded. Physarum compressum was the most abundant species (appearing in 20 of the 33 cultures), with species such as Perichaena depressa also relatively common. We also report the first records of Perichaena luteola in Australia.
Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate the assemblages of myxomycetes associated with members of the Cactaceae in Australia, and we highlight the occurrence of succulenticolous myxomycetes on the continent.
Implications: This study leads to a better understanding of the biogeography, distribution and ecology of succulenticolous myxomycetes. We also add a new species record for Australia.
Keywords: Amoebozoans, biogeography, Harrisia, microbial ecology, moist chamber cultures, Opuntia, slime moulds, succulenticolous myxomycetes.
References
Blackwell M, Gilbertson RL (1980) Sonoran desert myxomycetes. Mycotaxon 11, 139–149.Crotty FV, Adl SM, Blackshaw RP, Murray PJ (2012) Using stable isotopes to differentiate trophic feeding channels within soil food webs. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 59, 520–526.
| Using stable isotopes to differentiate trophic feeding channels within soil food webs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Domico T (2018) ‘The Great Cactus War: true story of the greatest plant invasion in history.’ (Turtleback Books: Sydney, NSW)
Eliasson UH (1991) The myxomycete biota of the Hawaiian Islands. Mycological Research 95, 257–267.
| The myxomycete biota of the Hawaiian Islands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Estrada-Torres A, Wrigley de Basanta D, Conde E, Lado C (2009) Myxomycetes associated with dryland ecosystems of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Fungal Diversity 36, 17–56.
Ferreira IN Ferreira IN (2011) Myxomycetes associados a cactáceas no agreste e sertão de Pernambuco, Brasil. Biotemas 24, 1–11.
| Myxomycetes associados a cactáceas no agreste e sertão de Pernambuco, Brasil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Frawley J (2007) Prickly pear land: transnational networks in settler Australia. Australian Historical Studies 38, 323–338.
| Prickly pear land: transnational networks in settler Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gilert E (1995) Taxonomic evaluation of the myxomycete Calonema luteolum. Mycological Research 99, 311–316.
| Taxonomic evaluation of the myxomycete Calonema luteolum.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kowalski DT (1969) A new coprophilous species of Calonema (Myxomycetes). Madrono 20, 229–231.
Lado C (2005–2022) An on-line nomenclatural information system of Eumycetozoa. Available at http://www.eumycetozoa.com [Accessed 20 December 2021]
Lado C, Mosquera J, Beltrán-Tejera E (1999) Cribraria zonatispora, development of a new myxomycete with unique spores. Mycologia 91, 157–165.
| Cribraria zonatispora, development of a new myxomycete with unique spores.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lado C, Estrada-Torres A, Stephenson SL (2007a) Myxomycetes collected in the first phase of a north-south transect of Chile. Fungal Diversity 25, 81–101.
Lado C, Mosquera J, Estrada-Torres A, Beltrán-Tejera E, Wrigley de Basanta D (2007b) Description and culture of a new succulenticolous Didymium (Myxomycetes). Mycologia 99, 602–611.
| Description and culture of a new succulenticolous Didymium (Myxomycetes).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lado C, Wrigley de Basanta D, Estrada-Torres A, García Carvajal E, Aguilar M, Hernández-Crespo JC (2009) Description of a new species of Perichaena (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Argentina. Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 66, 63–70.
| Description of a new species of Perichaena (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Argentina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lado C, Wrigley de Basanta D, Estrada-Torres A (2011) Biodiversity of Myxomycetes from the Monte Desert of Argentina. Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 68, 61–95.
| Biodiversity of Myxomycetes from the Monte Desert of Argentina.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lado C, Wrigley de Basanta D, Estrada-Torres A, Stephenson SL (2013) The biodiversity of myxomycetes in central Chile. Fungal Diversity 59, 3–32.
| The biodiversity of myxomycetes in central Chile.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lado C, Wrigley de Basanta D, Estrada-Torres A, Stephenson SL, Treviño I (2019) Diversity of Myxomycetes in arid zones of Peru part II: the cactus belt and transition zones. Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 76, e083
| Diversity of Myxomycetes in arid zones of Peru part II: the cactus belt and transition zones.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Martin GW, Alexopoulos CJ (1969) ‘The Myxomycetes.’ (University of Iowa Press: Iowa City, USA)
Mosquera J, Lado C, Estrada-Torres A, Beltrán Tejera E, Wrigley de Basanta D (2003) Description and culture of a new myxomycete, Licea succulenticola. Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 60, 3–10.
| Description and culture of a new myxomycete, Licea succulenticola.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nature (1933) Eradication of prickly pear in Australia. Nature 131, 613
| Eradication of prickly pear in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ndiritu GG, Spiegel FW, Stephenson SL (2009) Distribution and ecology of the assemblages of myxomycetes associated with major vegetation types in Big Bend National Park, USA. Fungal Ecology 2, 168–183.
| Distribution and ecology of the assemblages of myxomycetes associated with major vegetation types in Big Bend National Park, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Osmond CB, Nott DL, Firth PM (1979) Carbon assimilation patterns and growth of the introduced CAM plant Opuntia inermis in Eastern Australia. Oecologia 40, 331–350.
| Carbon assimilation patterns and growth of the introduced CAM plant Opuntia inermis in Eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rollins AW, Stephenson SL (2011) Global distribution and ecology of myxomycetes. Current Topics in Plant Biology 12, 1–14.
Stephenson SL (1988) Distribution and ecology of Myxomycetes in temperate forests. I. Patterns of occurrence in the upland forests of southwestern Virginia. Canadian Journal of Botany 66, 2187–2207.
| Distribution and ecology of Myxomycetes in temperate forests. I. Patterns of occurrence in the upland forests of southwestern Virginia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stephenson SL (2009) First records of myxomycetes from Ascension Island. Sydowia 61, 105–115.
Stephenson SL (2021) ‘Secretive slime moulds: Myxomycetes of Australia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Australia)
Stephenson SL, Stempen H (1994) ‘Myxomycetes: a handbook of slime molds.’ (Timber Press: Portland, Oregon, USA)
Stephenson SL, Wrigley de Basanta D, Lado C, Estrada-Torres A, Darrah R (2019) Myxomycete biodiversity revealed in the Namib desert. South African Journal of Botany 124, 402–413.
| Myxomycete biodiversity revealed in the Namib desert.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stephenson SL, Kaur G, Payal N, Elliott TF, Vernes K (2020) Myxomycetes associated with arid habitats in northeastern South Australia. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 144, 139–153.
| Myxomycetes associated with arid habitats in northeastern South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stephenson SL, Elliott TF, Elliott K, Vernes K (2022) Myxomycetes associated with Australian vertebrate dung. Australian Zoologist
| Myxomycetes associated with Australian vertebrate dung.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
White MA, Elliott TF, Kennedy BPA, Stephenson SL (2020) First records of myxomycetes from Bathurst Island (one of the Tiwi Islands) in the Northern Territory, Australia. Austral Ecology 45, 1183–1187.
| First records of myxomycetes from Bathurst Island (one of the Tiwi Islands) in the Northern Territory, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wrigley de Basanta D, Lado C, Estrada-Torres A (2008) Morphology and life cycle of a new species of Didymium (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Mexico. Mycologia 100, 921–929.
| Morphology and life cycle of a new species of Didymium (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Mexico.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wrigley de Basanta D, Lado C, Estrada-Torres A, Stephenson SL (2009) Description and life cycle of a new Didymium (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Argentina and Chile. Mycologia 101, 707–716.
| Description and life cycle of a new Didymium (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Argentina and Chile.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wrigley de Basanta D, Lado C, Estrada-Torres A, Stephenson SL (2013) Biodiversity studies of myxomycetes in Madagascar. Fungal Diversity 59, 55–83.
| Biodiversity studies of myxomycetes in Madagascar.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
