A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Aseroe rubra
Amazing looking fungus. Bright red paired tentacles with a spongy white cylindrical stalk. Spore mass is in the centre of the tentacles and looks olive brown and slimy. Doesnt smell too good! Whole fungus emerges from an 'Egg' like body. Also known as the flower fungus and anemone fungus for obvious reasons. The species can be quite variable in its fruiting body from short thick tentacles to long fine ones.
Found in leaf litter and wood-chip mulch near Lake Karapiro in the North Island of new Zealand.
This fungus really looks like a cross between a 'Triffid' and something out of 'Alien'. I have taken a series of a few bodies showing the emerging process. Image #3 shows the egg, emerging and maturing body together. Enjoy!
Spotted on May 30, 2017
Submitted on Jun 1, 2017
13 Comments
Thank you for the comment Liz113. Yes they are fascinating looking fungi.
Wow! So neat!!
Thank you for the comment and support Rach. Much appreciated.
Definitely looks alien like. I had no idea there were even fungi that looked like this. I will keep an eye out for them down my way - or I may smell them before I see them.
Thank you Barb, Leuba and Mark for your comments. Kept looking behind me Mark but think it stayed put. Luck escape! ;)
Hope it didn't follow you home Rob.
That 4th pic reminds me of the first Alien movie for sure. Great photos & info. Thanks triggsturner.
Thank you Ashley for the nomination.
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
Thank you Dan, fernams and Jim for your comments. The 'egg' when it opens is quite otherworldly with slime and tentacles. These were my first ones too.
Wow...I would have guessed this to be some type of anemone. Another great spotting, Rob!
Nice!
So cool! I just saw my first one in Sri Lanka a few months ago, spectacular!