Myxomycetes

Chachuła, Piotr, Melke, Andrzej, Ruta, Rafał & Szołtys, Henryk, 2021, Myxomycete-Coleoptera associations in the Polish Carpathians, Journal of Natural History 55 (27 - 28), pp. 1749-1768 : 1753-1754

Myxomycetes

During the survey, 152 samples (= sporocarps or groups of sporocarps) of slime moulds ( Figure 4 ) were found: beetles were collected from 112 (73.7%), whereas the other 40 (26.3%) did not contain any beetles ( Figure 5 ). Thirty species and varieties of slime moulds were found, 23 of which were associated with beetles ( Table 1). No associated beetles were found on the following seven species: Lepidoderma tigrinum (Schrad.) , Rostaf., Metatrichia vesparia (Batsch) , Nann.-Bremek. ex G.W. Martin & Alexop., Dictydiaethelium plumbeum (Schumach.) , Rostaf., Hemitrichia serpula (Scop.) , Rostaf. ex Lister, Licea variabilis Schrad , Lycogala flavofuscum (Ehrenb.) , Rostaf. and Reticularia liceoides (Lister) Nann. - Bremek. The genus Fuligo was the most often inhabited by beetles: 64 (57.1%) of its sporocarps contained insects. The other species commonly inhabited by beetles were Lycogala epidendrum – six cases, Stemonitis axifera , Trichia decipiens and Tubifera ferruginosa – five cases for each species, Cribraria argillacea , Lycogala exiguum , Metatrichia floriformis and Stemonitis fusca – three cases for each species, Lindbladia tubulina , Reticularia lycoperdon and Stemonitis ferruginea – two cases for each species. Only a single sporocarp or a single group of sporocarps with beetles were found in the other species hosting beetles.

Slime moulds inhabited by beetles were found mostly in forests (103 sites), copses (6) and along forest margins (3). Most sporocarps of xylobiontic slime moulds were found on fir Abies alba (73 records) and beech Fagus sylvatica (33); there were significantly fewer records from spruce Picea abies (3), and single records from sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus , ash Fraxinus excelsior and grey alder Alnus incana . The majority of slime moulds inhabited by beetles were found on tree logs (92), with fewer (11) on snags, 5 on stumps and 2 on fallen branches and uprooted stumps.

In most cases (102 records), the beetles inhabited mature, loose sporocarps (stage III). Sporocarps in the initial, sticky phase of their formation (stage I) were inhabited seven times, whereas maturing sporocarps (stage II) were found to be inhabited by beetles only three times. All 37 species of beetles (643 individuals) were collected in mature sporocarps. The following seven species and 19 beetle individuals were collected on sporocarps in the initial phase of their growth: Agathidium mandibulare (3 individuals), Anisotoma castanea (2), A. humeralis (1), A. orbicularis (2), Latridius hirtus (1), Liodopria serricornis (8) and Mniophila muscorum (2). Only 3 species and 12 individuals were collected on maturing sporocarps: Anisotoma castanea (1), A. humeralis (3) and Liodopria serricornis (8).

Figures

Figure 4. Sporocarps of selected slime moulds of the studied area. (a) Fuligo septica on silver fir Abies alba; (b) Fuligo septica var. rufa; (c) Lindbladia tubulina; (d) Trichia decipiens.

Figure 5. Percentage of slime mould samples containing a specific number of beetle taxa.