False colour scanning electron micrograph of a bread mould, Mucor mucedo, growing on a slice of bread. Spores circulate freely in the air. When they a

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False colour scanning electron micrograph of a bread mould, Mucor mucedo, growing on a slice of bread. Spores circulate freely in the air. When they alight on a favourable medium, they germinate an extensive network of hyphae (threads), the function of which is to absorb nourishment for growth & for the production of spores. Spores may be borne in saclike structures called sporangia (globular bodies). They are carried at the ends of specialised hyphae called sporangiophores. In this species the wall of the sporangium splits & fragments as the spores (seen here) mature. They are dispersed by the wind. Magnification: X 130 at 35mm size. Original is BW print b250/336.

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Size: 4404px × 2977px
Photo credit: © DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: bread, eumycota, fungal, fungi, fungus, hyphae, mold, mould, mouldy, mucedo, mucor, mycology, nature, naturemycology, sporangium