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Species of myxomycetes associated to beetles found in the Dois Irmãos State Ecological Reserve, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. A-B. Hemitrichia calyculata (Speg.) M. L. Farr; C-D. Arcyria cinerea (Bull.) Pers.; E. Lycogala epidendrum (L.) Fr.; F-H. Tubulifera microsperma (Berk. and Curtis) Lado; I-J. Hemitrichia serpula (Scop.) Rostaf.ex Lister; L-M. Arcyria denudata (L.) Wettst.
Source publication
The relationship between myxomycetes and insects was investigated in a fragment of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest located in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, north-eastern Brazil. Sixteen excursions into the Dois Irmãos State Ecological Reserve (7°55′43′′ to 8°09′17′′ S, 34°52′05′′ to 35°00′59′′ W, 387.4 ha) were carried out during different seas...
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Citations
... The myxomycetes that occur on plants are probably brought in on soil and culture materials, and their occurrence does not affect the normal growth of crop plants if removed in time. Myxomycete spores are likely transmitted to affected crop plants via wind (Kamono et al., 2009), water (Lindley et al., 2007), insects (Nunes Lemos et al., 2010;Kataoka and Nakamori, 2020), other animals (Trimble, 2021), and human activities. In addition, the spores of myxomycetes can survive inhospitable environments. ...
Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) are eukaryotic protist predators that are associated with wood, leaf litter, and soil in forests, where they feed on bacteria, protozoans, and (to a more limited extent) fungi. The health of crop plants is essential because they represent a primary food source for humans. However, when myxomycetes produce numerous fruiting bodies on the stems and leaves of crop plants, which is herein referred to as a myxomycete colonization, this has the potential of interfering with plant photosynthesis, transpiration and respiration by blocking out light and covering stomata. Myxomycetes are not pathogens, but their occurrence on plants can be mistakenly interpreted as some type of infection. However, this phenomenon has been largely ignored. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the taxonomic and economic diversity of the organisms involved in myxomycete colonization. In addition, the various types of myxomycete colonization reported in the literature are described and discussed, a number of images provided, and cultural and chemical prevention and control measures are summarized. The latter should be of significant relevance for local production of crops and plant protective stations. While myxomycetes are not pathogens of crop plants, some species can seriously impact commercially grown mushrooms. Reports of myxomycetes affecting mushrooms are also described in this paper.
... Interactions between beetles and slime moulds have been investigated in different parts of the world: North America (Stephenson et al. 1994), South America (Wheeler 1980;Lemos et al. 2010), south-east Asia (Newton and Stephenson 1990) and Europe (Benick 1952;Rehfous 1955;Dudka and Romanenko 2006). Papers focusing on taxonomy (Miller and Wheeler 2005), ecology (Wheeler 1984b) or feeding patterns, sometimes including an analysis of gut contents (Dudka and Romanenko 2006) were published. ...
Few papers have been published on the interactions between slime moulds and beetles in Europe. The available knowledge was usually acquired incidentally to mycological studies and concerns common and easily identifiable slime moulds. The beetles in those studies were frequently identified to genus only, and sometimes only selected families were studied. In 2018-2019, a comprehensive survey of Myxomycete-Coleoptera associations was carried out in the Pieniny National Park (Carpathians, S Poland). A total of 164 sporocarps from 30 species of slime moulds were examined, and beetles were found in 112 sporocarps of 23 slime mould species. The sporocarps were inhabited by 674 individuals from 37 species of beetles. To date, this is the most comprehensive study of beetles associated with slime moulds in Europe. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Also, species of Haeteriinae (Histeridae) and Sphinginae (Sphindidae) are found in myxomycetes. Probably these beetles visit the myxomycetes in search of prey since the species of these families are carnivorous (Lemos et al. 2010). ...
Beetles are a very diverse group of insects, both in terms of food habits and distribution across different habitats. Most of them live in the terrestrial environment, but many species are aquatic or semiaquatic. Although they are responsible for agricultural and public health damage, beetles are essential in several ecological processes and ecosystem services. The survey is one tool widely used to answer ecological and taxonomic questions involving beetles, and the choice of proper collecting methods is usually a difficult task. In this chapter, our objective is to provide information regarding the appropriate collecting methods for beetles relating to their habits and habitats. We structured the chapter grouping the methods according to beetle habitats (terrestrial, aquatic and semiaquatic, and subterranean), a specific topic for immatures, and mentioned collection methods for molecular studies. For each habitat, in which beetles live, we included active and passive collecting methods. We present 30 types of collecting methods that the collector can employ in beetle surveys. Furthermore, we provided information about the habit and habitat of 79 Coleoptera families. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of selecting the aims before sampling because each collecting method has advantages and disadvantages.
Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds or myxogastria) are a group of amoeboid protists occurring throughout the world; they have the highest diversity documented in terrestrial ecosystems. Myxomycete spores are dispersed by wind and animals, enabling spores to reach a suitable habitat for germination. Although myxomycetes have been recorded in every terrestrial ecosystem (e.g., tropical, temperate and boreal forests; forest tundra; deserts; alpine snowbanks), these organisms are not equally abundant in all forest types. Within forests, myxomycete species inhabit many different substrata (microhabitats), including bark, litter, dung, inflorescences, soil, fungi, and even the integument of animals. Moreover, many environmental factors (e.g., temperature, moisture, substratum pH, the water-holding capacity of the substratum, and the epiphytes of the substratum) interact to influence the occurrence and distribution of myxomycetes.
