WAR  of  the  MICROWORLDS  

How do I kill Thee?   Let me count the Ways!   (# 13)  click here for full list

Dactylella passalopaga:   Testaceous rhizopods (walled amoebae) feed on hyphae and spores of fungi by drilling a hole through the wall, entering the hypha, and sucking up the contents.   This predatory fungus turns the tables and captures the amoeba when it attaches to the wall and attempts to feed.  The fungus bonds to the 'mouth' of the amoeba at the openinmg in he shell and then assimilative hyphae penetrate into the body of the amoeba and digest it.

Testaceous rhizopods (walled amoebae) captured by germinating conidium of Dactylella passalopaga

Conidia of Dactylella passalopaga

Hyphal system of Dactylella passalopaga with captured rhizopods.  Resources of the captures are eploited  for extensive growth of hyphal system to capture more amoebae and eventually in the production of asexual spores (conidia) for dispersal of the fungus.