Fauna
Species

Red Raspberry Slime Mold

Tubifera ferruginosa

Also known as Raspberry Slime Mold, Red Raspberry Slime

Red raspberry slime mold begins life as a mobile, single-celled plasmodium creeping silently over decaying wood to engulf bacteria and fungal spores. When ready to reproduce, it congregates into eye-catching clusters of tightly packed, cylindrical sporangia that resemble miniature raspberries. Over several days, the brilliant coral-pink or crimson globes mature, turning dull purplish-brown before releasing powdery brown spores on the wind.

ColorfulWoodlandDecomposer
Red Raspberry Slime Mold reference1 / 7
(c) Kirill Ignatyev, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyBacteria, Fungal spores, Microscopic organic debris
Predators
  • Slime mold beetles
  • Slugs
  • Snails
ThreatsSevere forest fires, logging, clear-cutting of old-growth coarse woody debris
HabitatsTemperate forests, damp woodlands, decaying conifer and hardwood logs
Life spanDays to weeks as a fruiting body; months in plasmodial or spore states
Classification
  1. FamilyTubiferaceae
  2. SpeciesTubifera ferruginosa
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Look on damp wood: Search shady, rotting logs and decaying stumps after humid summer rains.
  • Observe color shifts: Revisit colonies over 48 hours to watch them transform from vivid pink to dull brown.
  • Use a hand lens: Magnification reveals the fine, tightly bundled hexagonal tubes that form the cluster.
Related species
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