Two mating groups of Polysphondylium pallidum, a dictyostelid cellular slime mold

 Seven strains representative of Polysphondylium pallidum were examined in terms of mating relationship and morphology. By mating tests, two heterothallic mating groups were detected. By morphological comparisons, they were clearly different in number of branches and in shape of bases and tip cells of sorophores. These results suggested that these two mating groups were distinct taxa. Received: January 23, 2002 / Accepted: August 30, 2002 Present address:Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan (visiting researcher) Acknowledgments I thank Dr. James C. Cavender, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA, for providing the cultures of three strains, V-1, WS320, and WS543. Correspondence to:H. Hagiwara