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Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Opisthokonts
Genus: Fonticula

Fonticula is a cellular slime mold which forms a fruiting body in a volcano shape.[1] As long ago as 1979 it has been known to not have a close relationship with either the Dictyosteliida or the Acrasidae, the two well-established groups of cellular slime molds.[2] A 2009 paper finds it to be related to Nuclearia, which in turn is related to fungi.[3]

Fonticula, Nuclearia, and Fungi have been united into the Nucletmycea, which is sister to the Holozoa.


  1. ^ Mary C. Deasey and Lindsay S. Olive (31 July 1981), "Role of Golgi Apparatus in Sorogenesis by the Cellular Slime Mold Fonticula alba", Science 213 (4507): 561–563, doi:10.1126/science.213.4507.561 
  2. ^ Ann C. Worley, Kenneth B. Raper and Marianne Hohl (Jul–Aug 1979), "Fonticula alba: A New Cellular Slime Mold (Acrasiomycetes)", Mycologia 71 (4): 746–760, doi:10.2307/3759186, JSTOR 3759186 
  3. ^ Matthew W. Brown, Frederick W. Spiegel and Jeffrey D. Silberman (2009), "Phylogeny of the "Forgotten" Cellular Slime Mold, Fonticula alba, Reveals a Key Evolutionary Branch within Opisthokonta", Molecular Biology and Evolution 26 (12): 2699–2709, doi:10.1093/molbev/msp185, PMID 19692665