Dictyostelium discoideum

organism

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July 18, 2026

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Dictyostelium discoideum is a species of amoeba that exhibits social behavior, often referred to as a "social amoeba" or "cellular slime mold." Under normal conditions, these organisms exist as individual, free-living amoebas. However, when food becomes scarce, they aggregate to form a multicellular structure called a pseudoplasmodium, which resembles a slug. This slug-like structure can then move and eventually develops into a fruiting body, where some cells form a stalk and others develop into spores. This life cycle demonstrates a fascinating transition from unicellular to multicellular existence and cooperation among individuals.12

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animal social behavior
Social interactions involving cooperative breeding and eusociality
…as the “social amoeba” (Dictyostelium discoideum). Clones of Dictyostelium form a multicellular fruiting body called a plasmodium. Superficially, the plasmodium resembles a slug, but it is essentially an aggregation of free-living, haploid, amoeba-like, cells that will later grow a sterile stalk. The stalk raises the spores off the ground…
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…as the “social amoeba” (Dictyostelium discoideum). Clones of Dictyostelium form a multicellular fruiting body called a plasmodium. Superficially, the plasmodium resembles a slug, but it is essentially an aggregation of free-living, haploid, amoeba-like, cells that will later grow a sterile stalk. The stalk raises the spores off the ground…
Read More