Evening star., 1936-10-22

A new sort Of lfe-and-death battle In
the microscopic world between tiny
shelled animals and hesh-devouring
fungi has been found by DR.. Charles
Dreschler, fungus specialist of the Bureau
Of Plant Industry.
The discovery, reported by Dreschler
in the October journal of the Washington
Academy of Sciences, includes that OF
hitherto unknown variety Of fungus. The
phenomenon might be likened to that OF
q tree catching and eating big turtles.
When culture Of diseased plant roots
is made, the Agriculture Department
scientist explains, there soon appear
great numbers of microscopic plants ana
animals, including bacteria, fungi, amoe-
bae, nematodes and other lie 1orms'
Immediately starts the struggle Tor sur
vival, the animals trying to eat tne
plants and vice versa. Among the hvlng
things which appear are great numoers
of creatures known as rhizopods. Prac-
tically unknown except to specialists,
these microscopic creatures have played
an important part in the economy OF LIE:
They are probably the best equipped OF
all the new arrivals to survive. since tneir
soft bodies are covered with relatively
heavy shells.
Some years ago DR.. Dreschler first re-
ported the existence of predacious, meat
eating fungi-parasitic forms OF plant
life which literally lassoed sucn un.
protected animals as amoebae ana
thread-like mematodes and proceeded 10
devour them at leisure by the process OF
inflltrating their bodies. 1t would seem
offhand as If the armored creatures
would be thoroughly protected from tnese
ferocious plants which appear under the
microscope as thread-like forms.
But the rhizopod has weak spot In
its defenses. It must get its mouth out
side its shell in order to eat. Apparently
the most inviting forage at hand is the
innocent appearing fungus. Tne amman
proceeds to suck at it with movements
which DR.. Dreschler describes as similar
to sucking an egg"
The rhizopod has small mouth. once
It has sucked in any OF the Fungus ltS
doom is sealed, for. says DR.. Drescnier,
"to such undiscriminating voraclty the
fungus responds by rapidly pron1eratins
from the partly ingested portion ouio-
GUS outgrowth slightly larger tnan tne
mouth so that the rhizopod is securely
held"
Then the unfortunate shelled animal Is
like fish caught on hook. 1t struggles
vainly to get away. 1t rushes, but the
fungus simply lets out the line until the
rhizopod Is brought to an abrupt stop
and can be hauled In. The line is q
fiIament connecting the body OF the
fungus with the bulb in the animals
mouth.
Once its prey is secure the fungus
proceeds to send out growths from the
bulb through the creatures fiesh, Literally
eating 1t alive. Occasionally rhizopod.
like q hooked fish, is able to break away,
DR.. Dreschler found. A single one OF
these thread-like fungi In the course OF
its life will capture many OF the shelled
animals, lining them up securely mouth
to mouth on both sides OF itself. Its
method Of nourishment is literally to
move into them and absorb their sub
stance at.its leisure.
The other predacious fungi found by
DR.. Dreschler have definite external
organs for capturing their prey. This
one has no external appendages and
appears completely innocent and inert
until 1t is stimulated to action BY the
sucking Of the rhi1opod.
y
The lovely morning glory Is also. In its
uncultivated forms. the countrys worst