Arcyria denudate

Since slime molds (moulds) were once considered fungi, but are now not because they were discovered to be so much cooler, I wanted to include this one in my collection.

The plasmodium with it’s fruiting bodies.
The plasmodium with it’s fruiting bodies.

Carnival Candy Slime Mold

 

Arcyria denudate Figure 2
Tiny fruiting bodies (sporangia) resembling tiny loofah.
Arcyria denudate Figure 3
Close up of the fruiting bodies, some spores and ameba present but hard to view at this magnification.

 

Since slime molds (moulds) were once considered fungi, but are now not because they were discovered to be so much cooler, I wanted to include this one in my collection. These little fellows form spores that hatch into ameba that will go and eat decomposers, bacteria and other small organisms,  which is why these cute little fellows are found on decaying things. When two compatible ameba meet they will form a plasmodia, which is just one big multi-nucliate blob that goes around eating things, and either forms a resting body, sclerotia, or a fruiting body, sporangia. This species is found all over the globe, and as an FYI slim molds are kind of a way of life not really a phylogenetic grouping.

  • PLP847_2018_1 CollectionDate: 9-6-18
  • Collector: Anna Stouffer-Hopkins
  • Taxonomy
  • Phylum: Mycetozoa
  • Class: Myxomycetes
  • Order: Trichiida
  • Family: Trichiidae
  • Genus_species: Arcyria denudata
  • Genus: Arcyria
  • Species: denudata
  • Authority: (Linnaeus) Wettstein 1886 or Fries 1851
  • Location: Haslett, Michigan
  • Latitude: 42.7687° N
  • Longitude: 84.3922° W
  • Habitat: Wooded area, oak and maple forest
  • Substrate: On rotting log

Macro-Description: Tiny red sponge like( resembling a loofah) ellipsoid on a black-brown stalk. Grouped together in an almost forest like bunching.    

Micro-description: Hyphae looking structure that resembles a tangled mass of vertebrate spines spores and ameba present

Rationale for ID: Color and fruiting body morphology match the species description

 

Refrences:

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