MACRO FORMATIONS I35 



{After Krzemifniewski. Drawn /torn the photomicrographs.) 



Fig. 59 

 MYXOBACTERIAL FRUITING BODIES 



B: THE MYXOBACTERIAL SWARM 

 (11, 12, 16) 



111 the vegetative stage also, myxobacteria give the impression of a degree 

 of organisation far beyond that of other bacteria. The swarm moves outwards 

 from the centre of germination in a regular fashion, following the hues of 

 physical stress in the substrate. It concentrates in chosen areas, converging 

 towards the incipient fruiting body, and piling up, the bacteria crawling over 

 each other, to encyst in an elevated mass. The appearance of ordered purpose 

 is most remarkable in so lowly an organism. 



C; THE SWARM OF PROTEUS 



(9, 12, 13, 15) 



Some degree of cell-specialisation and organisation in the swarm of Proteus 

 is indicated by Klieneberger-Nobel (1947) and other workers. It is suggested 

 that the swarm commences its activity when an initial generation of large 

 cells has produced a sufficient concentration oi metabolites to provide the 

 energy for swarming. The swarm cells are filamentous. They move out 

 rapidly over the substrate until their reserve oi energy is exhausted, and then 

 f rest until it becomes possible to repeat the process. Although this phenomenon 



