In 2010 I started photographing and collecting slime moulds (myxomycetes) in the tall wet eucalypt forest that surrounds my home at Black Sugarloaf, Birralee in Northern Tasmania. I knew virtually nothing about them and never imagined that I would still be searching for them all these years later, let alone finding numerous ‘new’ species, and even a new genus!
In April 2024 I was successful in obtaining a National Science Week grant to have an exhibition of the photographs, micrographs, and numerous specimens I have accumulated over the past 14 years.
The exhibition will be opened by renowned wildlife biologist, Dr Sally Bryant AM, at 2pm Saturday 10th August at Westbury Town Hall, 26 Lyall Street. Local musician Karlin Love will perform ‘myxomusic’ inspired by slime moulds, and I will then present a talk ‘Cryptic Wonders’ that describes what they are, their ecological roles and how the forest at Birralee is becoming known as a world centre of myxomycete diversity. My field work and microscopic examination of over 163 species, coupled with genetic sequencing by collaborators in Ukraine, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland are revealing the richness of the forest, where I have found one new genus (Tasmaniomyxa umbilicata), 4 new species (Alwisia lloydiae, Tubifera venderhueliae, T. glareata and T. tomentosa), and many more, including two Lamproderma species, that are yet to be scientifically described and named.
Slime moulds invariably impress people when they get the chance to see the beauty and intricacy of their exquisite miniscule fruiting bodies and learn about their intriguing life cycle, which includes 3 distinctly different stages. They have a single-celled amoeboid stage that lives in the soil where the amoebae feed on bacteria and other single-celled organisms; a plasmodial stage that moves about and feeds and is able to successfully negotiate a maze; and the fruiting body stage, which is the main focus of my work.
Large format photographs of slime mould fruiting bodies and their microscopic details are a feature of the exhibition. A selection of specimens that have been collected, dried and placed in labelled boxes will be displayed alongside images that reveal their details. Microscopes will be available to view specimens. ‘Biodiversity Panels’ depicting fungi, ferns, mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, mosses, invertebrates, and plants with be displayed with a brief description of their biology and ecological roles.
A display of material related to bandicoots and responsible cat ownership will build on the work being done in Westbury by the local community group, Westbury Backyard Bandicoots.
Several items will be available to purchase including Sarah’s books ‘Where the Slime Mould Creeps’ 4th Ed (2023); Myxomycetes at Black Sugarloaf Tasmania, Australia (2020); and Tasmanian Bush Birds, a photographic guide.
‘Bandicoots Live Here’ sign will also be available for purchase by those people fortunate enough to have these delightful marsupials living in their gardens.
Tasmanian Myxomycetes 