First report of sporangia of a myxomycete (Physarum pusillum) on the body of a living animal, the lizard Corytophanes cristatus

Abstract

Myxomycetes are protists whose life cycle depends on aerially dispersed spores that germinate into motile myxamoebae, which then pair and fuse to form a larger, motile plasmodium. The plasmodium seeks out a suitable fruiting site (usually atop vegetative material or detritus) and transforms into fruiting bodies that release the spores. In this paper we report the first known instance of a myxomycete, in this case Physarum pusillum, sporulating on the body of a living animal, the cryptic lizard Corytophanes cristatus, which was collected in eastern Honduras in 2003.

• Corytophanes cristatus
• Corytophanidae
• Honduras
• Mosquitia
• myxomycete sporulation
• Physarum pusillum
• Rus Rus Biological Reserve

We thank James W. Kimbrough, who offered some preliminary assistance to JHT in identifying the myxomycete. Tomás Manzanares Ruiz, Luis Lacuth S. and Bolvin Lantaeth Graham R. provided field assistance at the Bodega site, and F. Wayne King, Max A. Nickerson, Fred G. Thompson and the Reptile and Amphibian Conservation Corps (RACC) provided money to support the fieldwork. Collecting and exportation permits were provided by Conrado Gonzalez, Martha Moreno and Hector Portillo of Admínístración Forestal del Estado-Corporación Hondureña de Desarrollo Forestal (AFE-COHDEFOR), Tegucigalpa. Mario Espinal also assisted in obtaining these permits.