Tubifera ferruginosa

Morphological Features:

Plasmodium creeping amoeboid that can form flagellated cells if environmental conditions are suitable, allowing it to move across the substrate in this phase while phagocytizing small organisms such as bacteria. Initially white, it quickly turns coral red, eventually becoming a matte rust-brown. It rarely exceeds 5 cm in length. Following zygote formation and multiple cell divisions, spores are produced; these are endogenous, as they develop within sporangia that enclose them.

Pseudocarp composed of numerous closely aggregated sporangia, giving the appearance of a single entity. These sporangia are cylindrical and exhibit a striking coloration similar to that of the plasmodium. The cylinders measure barely 1 mm in diameter and less than 5 mm in length; due to tight packing, they may become deformed. They form a mucilaginous mass only 3 to 4 cm across, roughly resembling trout roe. Over time, the interior of these sporangia becomes a powdery brownish mass.

Spores more or less rounded and possessing a peridium, measuring 5 to 8 μm in size.

Habitat:

A very common Myxomycete that we encounter without difficulty each year. It appears most frequently in late summer and early autumn, always on decaying wood. In our region, it is commonly found on pine wood.

Observations:

It is the type species of this genus, characterized by its striking red coloration when young, its tube-like cylindrical sporangia that cluster together, and its habitat on pine wood. There are other species within the genus with which it may be confused, such as Tubifera stipitata or Tubifera papillata. However, inexperienced enthusiasts often mistake it for the egg mass of some insect.