Use of moist chamber cultures permits observation and collection of these species. Bark of Living Trees Myxomycetes occurring on the bark surface of living trees are known as corticolous species. Until the advent of the moist chamber culture technique, very little was known about these species. Now more than 100 species are known from the bark microhabitat. Myxomycetes appearing on bark in moist chamber cultures include Calomyxa metallica, Comatricha fimbriata, C. nigra, Enerthenema papillatum and Perichaena chrysosperma .
Conifers have a more acidic bark than broad-leaved species.
In addition, the presence of bryophytes and lichens may help to trap myxomycete spores, which are for the most part wind-disseminated. Myxomycetes Associated with Leaf Litter Diderma effusum, D. testaceum, Didymium melanospermum, Lamproderma scintillans, Physarum bivalve and P. cinereum exhibit an affinity for leaf litter. Although Arcyria cinerea is found on all types of litter, Stemonitis herbatica appears to prefer litter from broad-leaved trees, while Cribraria microcarpa prefers coniferous litter. Although distributional data is limited, over 80 species of coprophilous myxomycetes have been recorded, with some species occurring exclusively on dung. Their role in dung decomposition is thus far unknown.