Have you ever seen this strange creature ?

Have you ever seen this strange creature ? About 2-3cm in diameter. 

Please read on until the end, as I will explain the situation how I took these photos later.

This is another creature having a sphere shape about 1cm in diameter.

Now you understand, don't you?  These are fruiting bodies of common slime molds. 

This is called Chocolate tube slime mold (Stemonitis axifera).

I found these slime molds at a certain event. Now, I will explain this event.

 A friend of mine, Mr. K. , the former science teacher at junior high school, now has run the antiquarian bookshop and the café in Hikone City, Shiga prefecture. He has the surprising side, that is to say the specialist of the slime molds. 

 At his shop, he has been holding an event named science café monthly on the various scientific themes, such as cleaning of fossils and natural dyeing. This month’s theme is the slime molds. In fact, he holds the science café concerning slime molds every year at this time. I have participated twice in the past.

 This time, he plans to hold the science café on slime molds (Myxomycetes) in the precincts of a certain shrine in Hikone City. Usually, Japanese shrines have been built in the precinct surrounded by tall trees like in the forest. This is a good environment for slime mold to grow. In addition, in this shrine, decayed logs cut from dead trees were piled up in the corner. These are the most favorable conditions for slime mold to develop.

　Seven children and adults including me joined this science café to observe slime molds. He prepared various tools such as magnifying glass, tweezers, microscopes, paper specimen box, illustrated books and taxonomy books on Myxomycetes and some drinks. (July 27th)

 By the way, I think the scientific term "Myxomycetes" and the common term "slime molds" are almost the same meaning. Strictly speaking, they are slightly different, but I have no idea how to explain it simply.

 Participants are observing many thick dead logs and branches piled in a shady corner of the shrine's precinct, with magnifying glass and tweezers in hands. They collected various Myxomycetes and put them in shallow white plastic containers.  I think these large decayed logs in the shade are the best environment for Myxomycetes.

 I think it is the rare case that so many decayed thick logs lying in the precinct of the shrine.

  Actually, there were also some decayed logs opposite side across the precinct from this location (sorry no photo). I was curious, then I observed those decayed logs by myself independently.

Children are listening to the explanation on Myxomycetes from Mr. K. 

 Later, they made microscopic observation, while they were learning from the expert Mr. K. or reffering photo books. Based on these informations,  they researched the name of slime molds. Then they put the slime molds in small specimen box made of thick paper and wrote the name on the box. I think they could collect many kinds of the Myxomycetes.

Sequel

 Three months later, I visited this shrine again to look for slime molds by myself. 

At first, I tried to search for the surface of dead decayed logs piled in the precinct in an elaborate way. But I couldn’t find any slime molds.  I pulled myself together and I made my mind to look for once more before I went home. 

Soon after that, I noticed Pretzel slime mold and Yellow-fuzz cone slime mold at the edge of dead logs by coincidence. （Please see the below photo)

Dead logs piled at the corner in the precinct of the shrine, the same as the photo mentioned above.

Pretzel slime mold (Hemitrichia serpula)

 I found the curious slime mold, named Pretzel slime mold. It's actually much larger and has a more complex pattern, but this looks compact, probably because the quantity of original amoeba of its slime mold was small.

 Needless to say, a pretzel is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. I think this slime mold resembles a pretzel (baked pastry), and this fact is the origin of the name of this slime mold.

Yellow-fuzz cone slime mold (Hemitrichia clavata var. calyculata)

 It may be a little hard to see, but please look at the slime molds indicated by the yellow arrow. It seems like as if a yellow fuzz (a curly hair) were resting on a cone cup. I think this is the origin of this curious name.

This is a Yellow-fuzz cone slime mold that has not yet lost its initial shape.

Last updated 29th, October 2024.