Public helps give 28 slime mould species Estonian names

More than 200 people helped choose Estonian names for 28 slime mould species after a call by scientists at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, ERR reports.

The public submitted more than 2,600 suggestions. After the proposals were organised and linguistically reviewed, the naming committee considered just under 1,800 options. The final list covered eight more species than originally planned.

The committee assessed how accurately each name described the organism, whether it was clear and memorable, and whether it was likely to remain suitable over time. It also considered how often the same name had been suggested independently.

For example, needle-inspired names for species in the genus Comatricha were submitted 25 times. These slime moulds have a thin stalk topped by a dark spore-bearing head. The selected name for Comatricha nigra translates as “slender night needle.”

Other names reflect the organisms’ appearance or habitat. The fruiting bodies of the “golden fairy cup” resemble tiny cups, while the “silky wolf cushion” has a smooth, silvery outer covering. The “honeycomb stump” grows on decaying wood, and its clusters of tubes resemble empty wasp nests after the spores have been released.

Suggestions ranged from “witch earplug” to “moose pavlova.” The committee also coined the name “lime knot” for the species-rich genus Physarum, referring to lime deposited at junctions in the fine network of tubes that supports the spores. Physarum viride was named “vivid lime knot” for its bright greenish-yellow colour.

The naming committee included mycologists Kadri Pärtel and Iryna Yatsiuk from the Estonian University of Life Sciences and the University of Tartu, Ülle Sihver, head of the Estonian University of Life Sciences language centre, slime mould specialist Veiko Kastanje, and master’s student Siim Kaisel.

What are slime moulds?

Slime moulds are organisms that are neither plants, animals nor fungi. Based on their life cycle and structure, they belong to the amoebae kingdom, Amoebozoa.

They change considerably in appearance and lifestyle as they develop. They begin as tiny amoebae in soil or plant remains. In favourable conditions, they join or grow into a large, moving mass of slime called a plasmodium, then form fruiting bodies to spread spores.

The spores are carried by wind, raindrops and small animals. At this stage, slime moulds look like fungi and are usually collected, identified and preserved in fungal collections.

Slime moulds feed on organisms including algae cells, fungal spores and bacteria. They are most often found on decaying wood, stumps, fallen leaves and other damp places rich in microorganisms. By helping break down organic matter, they play an important role in forest nutrient cycles.