MYXOMYCETES XXV Stemonitis axifera

Walter Piorkowski · Post by **Walter Piorkowski** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:31 am

Upper image: Stand of Stemonitis axifera
Scale of frame, 18mm horizontal
Canon 10D
Fuji 50mm lens @ f/3.5 on extension tubes
Series of 102 images at .0025 inch increments
Diffused fiber optic illumination
Combine ZM, Photoshop

Lower two images: Early axifera emergence
Scale of frame, 5mm horizontal
Canon 10D
Canon 20mm Macro @ f/5.6 on extension tubes
Series of 95 images at .001 inch increments
Series of 118 images at .001 inch increments
Diffused fiber optic illumination
Combine ZM, Photoshop

Sorry to have neglected you all for a while. So busy. Stemonitis has many species but I believe that I am correct in naming this one. They are quite common and macroscopic. It may be hard to believe but the lower two images are of the same species. Seen here very early in emergence I watched the transformation of these blobs into something close to the top image over 12 hour period. Unfortunately as I and Ken have explained in previous posts they never mature properly so I had to go back into the field and take the sample you see in the top image to show the finished myxo ready to release it’s spores.

Walt

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:33 pm

Really getting after these myxo's are we Walt? The last two remind me of the egg mass from the movie Arachniphobia.

You know I am amazed that you have not ran across any Cryptic Slime Mold Beetles to photograph, especially around Stemonitis. By the way, I believe your ID is correct. There are two other speices I think, maybe one other, not sure, would have to look it up but anyway the stipe is much shorter on them whereas S. axifera is longer. Confusing little devils ain't they?

Walter Piorkowski · Post by **Walter Piorkowski** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 7:58 pm

Yes they are Ken. I have one other Stemonitis specimen from this years collecting that I haven't imaged yet that is so similar to this one but you can tell, even with the naked eye, that it is differant, in its color, height and stipe. I agree about those beetles, maybe next year.
Walt

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:51 pm

$\:D/$

Superb photos. Awesome stuff. I am (almost) speechless!

--Rik

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:02 am

Excellent images of a difficult (particularly pics 2 and 3 - small, white and reflective) but fascinating subject.

Thought provoking lifeform and images that are worth taking a little time to examine closely.

Bruce

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:11 am

I hope they rewrite the picture book on slime molds and use your pictures Walt...they are all incredible. Amazing detail and very 3D looking with your excellent stacking skills.

Walter Piorkowski · Post by **Walter Piorkowski** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:40 am

Thank you gentlemen for your kind comments. I am glad that you enjoy my images. I certainly do enjoy yours.
Walt

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:54 am

ive really been enjoying your myxo photographs, they are stunning.

what kind of magnification are most of your myxo's done at, my guess is around 5x 10x?

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:34 am

Adrian wrote:what kind of magnification are most of your myxo's done at, my guess is around 5x 10x?

Take a look at the image info, for example "Scale of frame, 18mm horizontal" (upper image) and "Scale of frame, 5mm horizontal" (lower two images).

These correspond to roughly what you would see through a 10-30X scope. The actual lens magnification onto the sensor of Walt's camera is much less, more like 1-3X.

--Rik

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:40 am

ahh i see thanks, i was thinking they would be smaller, thats interesting.