Is It A Clever Nematode-Trap Or Just Claptrap?
These are a few images of what I believe is but one type of nematophagous fungi that has developed in response to the presence of prey. In this case the prey are mysterious "sugar snakes", motile cyanobacteria?, or a type of nematode?
While I never see any actual movement, some of the red filaments seem as if are in motion. This fungus uses sticky knobs and almost looks like it's actively going after it's "victim."
Here is a hair-like nematode that's trapped under several mycelial strands:
This one's not going anywhere!
It's looped itsef in circles:
An obvious white "snake" is stuck:
Now a close-up of what it's stuck on, it's held down by a sticky knob while a sticky loop forms in the background. There's also a dark colored one crossways:
This fiber-optic specimen has attracted something:
The close-up reveals the red fungus starting to wrap around the larger, brightly lit "sugar snake":
Here, caught in a mycelial trap, are two separate "snakes" crossing each other. One is much larger: