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slime mold


slime mold
Photo Information
Copyright: Bob Harrison (BobH) Silver Note Writer [C: 2 W: 0 N: 42] (112)
Genre: Protoctista
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-06-26
Camera: Olympus 700C UZ
Exposure: f/8, 1/30 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Slime moulds - Myxomycetes - Protoctista [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-12-16 5:01
Viewed: 1586
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
...and now for something completely different.

Unless my biology fails me totally, this photo shows a slime mold in the plasmodium phase of its bizarre life cycle. Since it is quite damp sometimes along the Atlantic coast, Maine probably has many slime molds. However this is both the largest and most obvious of the few I've seen there.

I have no clue where it falls taxonomically, and Wikipedia offers several diverse possibilities. If you have never heard of slime molds or just don't know anything about them, this article there (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mold) is a fascinating and worthwhile read.

While the non-biologist may think these weird organisms are just a curiosity, anyone with a modern biology degree knows otherwise and has certainly heard a lot about them. A species of Dictyostelium slime mold is "one of the model organisms chosen by the National Institutes of Health as part of its model organism initiative" (http://dictybase.org/tutorial/summary.htm). They are useful because the surprisingly close evolutionary relationship to higher organisms allows scientists to study a lot of relevant cell and molecular biology in a simple and easy to culture organism.

The specimen in my photo surprised me because the only other place I've seen a slime mold anywhere near this size was in the perpetually damp temperate rain forest part of Olympic National Park in Washington state. In the picture you can see the portion of the plasmodium I scooped out with a small wood chip, plus the hole left behind. Most slime molds I've seen have the consistency of prepared mustard, and this one was no exception. The only large ones I've seen also look like mustard- different strange shades of orange-yellow. I can't say if they taste like mustard, but I don't think I'll be testing that idea anytime soon.
gerbilratz, Dave, extramundi has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To extramundi: slime moldBobH 1 12-16 13:25
To Dave: edible or toxic?BobH 1 12-16 11:50
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Critiques [Translate]

I think I would have wanted a longer stick before probing some of that stuff...sure it's from this planet!! unusual subject, but good notes and not a bad photo!! TFS

  • Great 
  • Dave Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 522 W: 47 N: 668] (2151)
  • [2007-12-16 9:35]
  • [+]

"I can't say if they taste like mustard, but I don't think I'll be testing that idea anytime soon."
Are the edible or toxic? I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig used to find out either.
I find your note and picture very educational. The photo composition is very good and the wood chip and finger parts helps put the size all in perspective. Nicely done.

Hi Bob.
Thanks for showing one of my favourite subjects, and this one looks really weird :)
I added the photo to a personal theme, where I collect all slime moulds I came across, as Protoctista genre is corrupt with other photos.
Thanks and regards, Felipe.

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