52 BIOMYXA. 



GENUS BIOMYXA. 



Animal without a shell ; initial form spherical, but in- 

 cessantly changing, consisting of a glary, colorless, finely 

 granular protoplasm, which has the power of expanding 

 and extending itself in any direction, and of projecting 

 pseudopodal filaments, which freely branch and anasto- 

 mose. Granules circulate along the body and pseudopods ; 

 contractile vesicles numerous and minute, occurring in 

 both the body and in the pseudopods. Nucleus present 

 or absent. It is uncertain whether the animal which is 

 described under this genus is a Rhizopod, or the plas- 

 modium of a fungus, or whether it should be classed 

 among the Monera. It may be one of the naked Rhizo- 

 pods, and in some cases looks like detached portions of 

 the sarcode of Gromia. A nucleated form has been 

 observed. 



