What is this?

crotermund · Post by **crotermund** » Tue May 22, 2007 2:49 pm

I don't know what this is, but I do have some suspicions as to what it might be. I bet someone on this forum probably knows so I thought it might be fun to see how quickly it is identified. I don't like the picture very much, but I thought it was an interesting subject.

I'll answer any questions (if I can) about it that might help in identification.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:17 pm

Got me completely flummoxed

Will follow developments with interest.

Bruce

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:20 pm

Have a feeling I saw it somewhere already but different color.

What size is this thing and on which substrate you found it?
Maybe Ken know it? Kind of fungi?
By the way, are you sure it is organic?

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:28 pm

Reproductive slime mold. Very nice.

crotermund · Post by **crotermund** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:12 pm

Well that didn't take too long. Thanks a lot, Gordon, I was puzzled by it. I thought it was some sort of fungus too, Nikola. It was approximately 4 inches across and maybe a couple inches high growing on top of a log. Each one of the growths had a hair like base to it. Oddly, I brushed up against a couple and it sent a cloud of brown dust in the air. Very peculiar. Thanks again.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:48 pm

Stemonitis axifera to be exact. A wonderful image of a very fine specimen. I envy you on being the first to post one.

Yes indeed Plasmodial Slime Moulds, very wonderful and amazing creatures. You should see what you have photographed back when it was an animal!

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:32 am

Does lighter color variant exist?
There is in my memory something like this but much brighter creamy more white - yellow like cappuccino.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:31 am

Nikola asked:

Does lighter color variant exist?
There is in my memory something like this but much brighter creamy more white - yellow like cappuccino.

A lighter color of this myxomycete does exist but only in the early stages of development from the plasmodium. They usually do not last long.

Craig mentioned a "cloud of dust" rising into the air from having brushed against them, that cloud was a cloud of tiny spores. As for the height of them, I have not seen any several inches in height, not to say that it could not be though. Usually they are no more than 10mm in height. Soon they will release most of their spores to the wind and Cryptic Slime Mould beetles and their larvae will finish off the rest. Snails also feed on them too but mostly during the formation of the sporangia.

By the way to refesh the memory of some and to enlighten others. Slime Moulds are not a member of the Kingdom of Fungi. They begin life as an animal but their end is entirely different. Neither plant, animal, nor fungi. Even though they exhibit fungal traits by producing spores and each spore, by the way is capable of producing one microscopic ameoba or myxoamoeba. Sometimes refered to as amoebo-flagellates, though they have the ability to change back and forth from one, amoeba, to the other, amoebo-flagellate, also known as "swarm cells."

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:49 am

Excellent photo Craig. Very exciting find. This will be the start of the slime mold season once again. Do a search for slime mold anda few other words ken stated, and you will find many fine photos from last years season