The taxonomic position of slime moulds has baffled naturalists and scientists for centuries. When “the father of taxonomy” Swedish botanists Carl Linneus devised his system of classification he included slime moulds (and fungi) in the plant kingdom. Slime moulds were subsequently placed in various kingdoms but are now regarded as amoebozoans.

Sarah Lloyd has observed the eucalypt forest at Birralee Tasmania for 13 years, which is now considered a hotspot for myxomycetes, with over 120 species documented from the site including 4 hitherto undescribed species, one new genus and more new species awaiting further study. In this webinar Sarah will discuss these and also describe the important ecological roles of slime moulds.

Sarah Lloyd has had a lifelong love of birds, and an interest in plants, bryophytes, fungi and slime moulds since 1988 when she moved to live in a forest at Black Sugarloaf, Birralee in central north Tasmania. She has contributed to several citizen science projects including the Australian Bird Count, and Fungimap, a project to record Australia’s undocumented fungal species. It was through Fungimap that she was introduced to slime moulds. In 2019 she was awarded an OAM (Order of Australia medal) for “services to conservation – and slime moulds”.