# Dog Vomit Slime Mold (*fuligo septica*) Despite its unappealing common name, the Dog Vomit Slime Mold (Fuligo septica) is a fascinating, complex organism that is not a fungus, but rather a single-celled amoebozoan. During its active plasmodial stage, it exists as a giant single cell containing millions of nuclei, behaving like an animal as it slowly crawls across substrates in search of food. It plays a critical ecological role as a decomposer, recycling nutrients back into the soil. Often appearing overnight on mulch or rotting logs, this colorful organism undergoes a dramatic transformation into a crusty, spore-bearing structure called an aethalium, demonstrating nature's ability to thrive in unexpected forms. - **Category:** [Animal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/animal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 23 - **Habitat:** Commonly found in temperate and tropical forest floors, particularly on wood mulch, decaying logs, leaf litter, and occasionally on living plants. ![Dog Vomit Slime Mold](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/238145280/medium.jpeg) Photo: Mandy Hackney, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/238145280) ## Appearance In its active plasmodial stage, Fuligo septica resembles a bright yellow, white, or occasionally pinkish, foamy or spongy mass, spreading up to several decimeters across. As it matures and prepares to release spores, it hardens into a crust-like structure that becomes duller yellow, tan, or grayish-white, containing a dark brown or black powdery spore mass inside. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Protozoa - **Phylum:** Mycetozoa - **Class:** Myxomycetes - **Order:** Physarales - **Family:** Physaraceae - **Genus:** Fuligo ## Interesting facts - Despite its animal-like movement and fungus-like appearance, it is actually a single giant cell containing millions of nuclei. - In Scandinavian folklore, this slime mold was believed to be the vomit of troll cats, mythical creatures that stole milk and butter from farms. - It is known for its extreme tolerance to toxic heavy metals, specifically zinc, which it can tolerate at levels that would kill almost any other organism. ## Special abilities - **Rapid Sclerotium Formation:** Under dry or unfavorable conditions, it can dry up into a hardened, dormant mass called a sclerotium, allowing it to survive for years until moisture returns. - **Heavy Metal Tolerance:** This species can tolerate and accumulate extraordinarily high levels of toxic zinc and other heavy metals, converting them into harmless crystalline forms. - **Plasmodial Movement:** Lacking muscles or nerves, it uses a mechanism of coordinated cytoplasmic streaming to crawl at speeds of up to one centimeter per hour to find food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 2-30 cm ## Diet & Feeding It feeds by engulfing bacteria, fungal spores, yeasts, and other organic matter through a process called phagocytosis. - **Age differences:** The spore stage does not feed; only the active plasmodial stage consumes organic nutrients. - **Primary Foods:** Bacteria, Fungal spores, Yeasts, Decomposing plant matter - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Slime Mold Beetle (*Anisotoma humeralis*) — Adults and larvae of this beetle feed directly on the mature, crusty spore mass of the slime mold. - **Competitor:** Wolf's Milk Slime Mold (*Lycogala epidendrum*) — Competes for substrate space and bacterial resources on decaying wood. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dog Vomit Slime Mold? The easiest way to identify Dog Vomit Slime Mold is to use the Snappit nature identifier app. ### How long is Dog Vomit Slime Mold? 2-30 cm ### What does Dog Vomit Slime Mold eat? It feeds by engulfing bacteria, fungal spores, yeasts, and other organic matter through a process called phagocytosis. ### Where is Dog Vomit Slime Mold usually found? Commonly found in temperate and tropical forest floors, particularly on wood mulch, decaying logs, leaf litter, and occasionally on living plants. ### How does Dog Vomit Slime Mold hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Black Hawk State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-hawk-state-historic-site) — Illinois, US · Park - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Brookfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brookfield-park) — Virginia, US · Park [View all places to see Dog Vomit Slime Mold](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dog-vomit-slime-mold) ## More Animal - [Coquina](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coquina) (*Gymnoscelis coquina*) - [Crystal Jelly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crystal-jelly) (*Aequorea forskalea Péron &*) - [Nautilus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/nautilus) (*Nautilus*) - [Sea Anemone](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sea-anemone) (*unclassified Amphianthus (in: sea anemones)*) --- Source: [Dog Vomit Slime Mold: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dog-vomit-slime-mold)