#myxomycetes

[myxomycota]

Cribraria rufa amongst liverwort

by Andy Sands

[wild-e-eep]

This is Polycephalomyces tomentosus a tiny fungus that grows on slime mould sporangia.

[titipounamu]

more coral slime / Ceratiomyxa sp • aotearoa

[pickleweed2]

orange slime myxomycetes, unable to exactly ID this species. Found on decaying Sitka spruce limbs.

first two images composed of 150 images stacked

Big Lagoon, California

[memoriesofthepark]

Coral slime mold 》 Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa

Southeast Texas, 6 Sept. 2024

[orofeaiel]

Slime Mold on Rock

[rebeccathenaturalist]

I have been loving the slime molds popping up this season! I've mostly just been finding Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa and Fuligo septica, but they've been out in force. (I also managed to get an entire class of about ten adults to all gently poke a Lycogala epidendrum to see how it feels different from fungi, which I found vastly entertaining.)

[coffeenuts]

[collemblogging]

slime mold with eupodid mite

[amoebadiscovery]

In the Shadows of Slime: Uncovering the Role of Sporangia in Slime Mold Life

Imagine walking through a damp, moss-covered forest floor, when you suddenly spot something strange: a bright, glistening mass of yellow-orange goo. It looks like something out of a science fiction movie, but it’s actually a plasmodial slime mold, one of nature’s most bizarre and fascinating creatures. These organisms are neither fungi nor plants, but something entirely different, existing in a world all their own.

One of the most mind-blowing aspects of plasmodial slime molds is their method of reproduction, which involves the formation of sporangia. But what exactly are sporangia? Simply put, they are spore-producing structures that serve as the slime mold’s way of multiplying and spreading its species. These sporangia usually emerge at the end of the plasmodial stage, after the slime mold has spent time exploring its environment, moving across surfaces like a slow, undulating wave.

Now, here’s the kicker: the slime mold’s plasmodium is a giant, multi-nucleated mass of protoplasm, which doesn’t have individual cells like most organisms do. It's essentially one big, living blob that “decides” when to form sporangia. This decision is made in response to environmental conditions—often when food is scarce or the mold has completed its spread. The plasmodium’s ability to adapt and respond in such a complex way, without a brain, is what scientists find so captivating. The slime mold "chooses" the right moment to produce sporangia, which will release spores that can survive harsh conditions and begin the cycle again.

In a sense, plasmodial slime molds are like tiny, living puzzle pieces, piecing together an ancient survival strategy. Their ability to create sporangia and spread spores helps them survive and thrive in unpredictable environments. And even though these creatures don’t have a brain or nervous system, they exhibit an incredible form of “intelligence” when it comes to solving problems like finding food or navigating through mazes.

So the next time you find yourself lost in the woods, take a moment to appreciate the strange and wonderful world of plasmodial slime molds. With their sporangia, they’re not just a blob of goo—they’re survivors, masters of adaptation, and proof that intelligence can come in many forms.

[myxomycota]

top slime molds of 2024 by Barry Webb

[wild-e-eep]

... 8 hours later:

This is Arcyria cinerea much beloved of various small, creeping things, and me also. <3

[titipounamu]

big patch of coral slime (Ceratiomyxa sp) being absolutely feasted on by a congregation of springtails :)

[pickleweed2]

Stemonitis splendens, growing on well decayed alder wood along a Sitka/Alder forest edge.

100, 300, 95, and 91 image stacks

Big Lagoon, California

[memoriesofthepark]

Coral slime mold! 》 Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa

Featuring a smooth land slug, genus Deroceras, enjoying a coral slime breakfast.

Found out on the trails while foraging for wild onions! I've seen pictures of this genus on my dash but this was my first time encountering it in person!

Southeast Texas, 12 April, 2024

[orofeaiel]

The iridescent sheen on this Stemonitopsis typhina 😍