saprobes or parasites, having mycelia, asexual reproduction by fragmentation, sexual reproduction by fusion of gametes
slimy mass of multinucleate protoplasm, having pseudopodia-like structures for engulfing food, reproduction through fragmentation or zoospores
prokaryotic organisms, cellular or acellular, saprobes or autotrophic, reproduce by binary fission
eukaryotic, single-celled or filamentous, saprobes or autotrophic, asexual reproduction by fusion of two cells or their nuclei.
Solution
Complete answer:
Myxomycetes are a phylum of fungus-like organisms also known as slime molds, more specifically, plasmodial or acellular slime molds.
- They exhibit characteristics of both fungi and protists, and are included in the kingdom Protista.
- They have a slimy covering which is a multinucleate protoplasm known as the plasmodium. It absorbs nutrients through phagocytosis. The nutrients include bacteria, protists, dissolved substances, moulds, higher fungi, and small particles of organic material. It is a part of the vegetative phase.
- The plasmodium gives rise to fruiting structures known as sporangia with one or many spores at the head of a stalk. Most species bear spores within the sporangium.
Additional Information:
- Myxomycetes are most commonly found in decaying plants.
- A resting state, the 'sclerotium', may occur in the vegetative phase. It is a hardened, resistant form composed of numerous "macrocysts", which enable the myxomycetes to survive in adverse conditions, for example during winter or dry periods.
- Mature plasmodia also produce fruiting bodies under some circumstances.
So, the correct answer is option (b) 'Slimy mass of multinucleate protoplasm having pseudopodia-like structures for engulfing food, reproduction through fragmentation or zoospores'.