Slime Moulds


Slime moulds are a diverse group of organsims that are neither plants, animals nor fungi. They spend most of their life as microscopic single-celled amoeboid individuals in leaf litter, soil or decaying wood, and when conditions are right they reproduce and form a larger, spreading structure called a plasmodium, which in turn produces fruiting bodies (Secretive Slime Moulds: Myxomycetes of Australia By Steven L. Stephenson). 

For beginners, here is a “A Key to Common Genera of Slime Moulds” written and illustrated by Peta McDonald, a Melbourne primary school teacher: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/A_Key_to_Common_Genera_of_Slime_Moulds.pdf

A more technical key can be found in “Taxonomic Keys and Plates from The Myxomycetes”, a book by George W. Martin and Constantine J. Alexopoulos: https://www.myxotropic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/MyxoKeys.pdf

For a photo gallery of slime moulds from around the world check out this one on a Spanish myxomycetes website: https://www.myxotropic.org/galeria/

Further information: 


Slime Moulds

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Discussion

Teresa wrote:
9 Jun 2025
The tiny dark tips on these 'fingers' are indicative of Heterotrichia fasciculata, but without microscopy its difficult to be certain and I tend to leave these at genus level

Heterotrichia spp.
maznee wrote:
19 May 2025
Thank you. I’ve always wanted to see a slime mould but never knew what I was looking for. Exciting to find two different species almost in the same spot. Probably only 20m apart! Thanks for your identification.

Physarum compressum
Teresa wrote:
19 May 2025
Such a surprise to come across such a beautiful sighting, which I believe to be Physarum compressum. Your pics are terrific, many thanks.

Physarum compressum
Teresa wrote:
15 May 2025
See Sighting 4660191 which I believe to be Heterotrichia obvelatoides

Heterotrichia spp.
Teresa wrote:
29 Apr 2025
Fantastic, hope there are a few more myxos

Fuligo septica
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