Slimemould "feeding" on Trametes

RobSutton · #1 (**permalink**) 21-11-2011, 07:32 PM

I pass this old beech trunk with a really nice collection of Trametes versicolor brackets on my walk to work and have been following the progress of a slime-mould that seems to be "feeding" on them.

The first shot shows the situation on the 15th November when I first noticed it:

The brackets at the left hand end of this chain were slowly being covered by the slime-mould:

By the 18th November this cluster of brackets was almost covered:

By the 21st the slime-mould was leaving this section and moving onto the next tiers of brackets.

There seems to have been a substantial modification of the surface layers of the Trametes. The grey new growth seen in the very first shot seems to have been "bleached" as the slime-mould has moved off. Presumably there has been some type of "feeding" taking place.

New plasmodia of the slime-mould have been appearing at other sections of the same fallen trunk:

... and perhaps this is the first sign of formation of the spore producing stage. There seems to be a slight hexagonal differentiation beginning on this specimen:

There isn't much to go on identification wise at the moment, as things hopefully develop further I'll try and get a few more shots of the different stages.

Lancashire Lad · #2 (**permalink**) 21-11-2011, 07:45 PM

Brilliant series so far Rob!

Nothing more than an educated guess at this stage, but Badhamia utricularia (which does have a bright yellow plasmodium) seems to specialise in growing on T.versicolor fruitbodies - but I thought older brackets, more in a state of decay than these seem to be.

Will be very interesting to see how this goes.

Regards,
Mike.

RobSutton · #3 (**permalink**) 26-11-2011, 10:44 AM

Thanks Mike

I'm still waiting for the spore forming stage to form. It has continued to move one from Trametes whorl to the next and then on again. It's been 11 days so far and its gone about 20cm.

RobSutton · #4 (**permalink**) 27-11-2011, 02:04 PM

Today all the plasmodial stage has disappeared from the Trametes and after a bit of searching I found these developing on the underside of the fallen trunk the thing was growing on.

Mike your suggestion of Badhamia utricularia is looking pretty good. I'll try and follow it for a couple of more days to see what happens next ....

stickman · #5 (**permalink**) 27-11-2011, 03:14 PM

Hi Rob

Mike's suggestion is obviously a good one.

Interestingly I always find B.utricularis in (early) spring, presumably eating brackets that have been damaged by the cold weather.

I've enjoyed watched this thread develop - I hope we get more like this as often a 'snap-shot' of one stage of the life-cycle is not all that helpful!

We are just missing a final shot of the mature sporangia

. They are rather beautiful at this stage and it will cetainly be worth re-visiting the site in a day or so...

Cheers,
Nick

Lancashire Lad · #6 (**permalink**) 27-11-2011, 03:17 PM

Hi Rob,

Great photos!!

I must say, I've never yet seen B.utricularia at this colourful stage of its lifecycle.

But from what can bee seen on the developing sporangia, they do look to have the typically granular appearance beginning to form. - And the clustered - "hanging on long thin yellowy stems" disposition looks very typical of that species.

This looks like being a very useful thread for WAB's myxo forum. - Not often that the full cycle from plasmodium to mature sporocarps / dehiscence can be followed.

Looking forward to seeing the next stage(s).

Regards,
Mike.

RobSutton · #7 (**permalink**) 29-11-2011, 03:01 PM

28th November - more of the spheres are tunring a reddish colour bit not much else happened so far:

19th November - and now they're going black, taken in appalling weather, driving rain and low light and I had to use flash to freeze the movement of the dead trunk in gale force winds. Reflections from the film of water spoils the shot a little. Hopefully it will dry up overnight and they'll still be there so I can get a better shot tomorrow:

Lancashire Lad · #8 (**permalink**) 29-11-2011, 03:20 PM

Looking good so far Rob!

I've seen B.utricularia a few times now, and the mature sporangia have always lasted for quite a few days.

The last mature colony I saw was there for well over a fortnight, so there should be every chance of your being able to get more photos in better weather.

Regards,
Mike.