Slime molds can produce spores, but move with amoeba-like gliding motility, thus exerting features of both fungi and protists. In their vegetative state, cellular slime molds consist of single amoeboid cells, while acellular slime molds (like Physarum polycephalum) are composed of plasmodia (amorphic masses of protoplasm); slime molds feed on bacteria and other microorganisms via phagocytosis. Environmental factors can trigger differentiation into fruiting bodies for spore production and dispersal (image by Bernard Spragg (NZ) retrieved from Flickr; image modified by MIC). The cover is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.