Application of Scanning Electron Microscopy to Myxomycete Taxonomy
Taxonomy of the Myxomyoetes has been based primarily on morphological characteristics observed in the light microscope. Although the fruiting stage is sensitive to environmental conditions, most species exhibit a distinctive although variable category, and thus characteristics of this stage have been used for morphological differentiation. There has been and still is, however, much disagreement concerning the classification and relationships between members of this group. Although capillitial and spore morphology are used in taxonomic classifications, because of their small dimensions they are often poorly defined or not visible in the light microscope. These characteristics are easily discernible by surface scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The purpose of this initial study was to investigate appropriate sample preparations and determine if taxonomically valuable information could be provided with the use of SEM.