Trichia versus badhamia

[tomkirby]

Lacking the benefit that prolific finds bestows on the field mycologist, experience, I am unable to give a reliable answer to this question....Is there an easy way to determine by observation in the field, with loupe, the difference (post plasmodium but pre sporangia) between Trichia varia and Badhamia foliicola?
Both species have been recorded well above average in this wet year but I fear we are getting false records.
Tom Kirby NEFSG

[NicholasAplin]

Hi Tom,

I think I know what you mean - IMO a myxomycete cannot be named in the field with 100% certainty at these stages:

In truth, there are quite a few myxomycetes that (at some stage) look quite similar to the species you've named - I certainly wouldn't trust any record of a mature species that hadn't been microscopically examined.

It would be interesting to see if anyone's brave enough to have a stab at the ID's of the above images in order to prove me wrong....

Cheers,
Nick

[tomkirby]

I wouldn't!
Thanks, Nick.

Fortunately or not these Myxos are pretty distinguishable one from the other once conidiospores are mature...trouble is, things move fast. Arcyria sp., though, seem to hold up well once they are pom-poms!
Best,
Tom