Can you identify this substance? (Growth on mussels)

That purple stuff is slim (Fungus), but what it's covering, I am not too sure. Are those clams?

They are mussels as in the topic. My first thought was fungus, but I'd never seen anything like that. What do you mean by "slim"? Is that a common name for it or something? Do you know what species it is?

Slime is a mold, technically any species that produces offspring from spores.

Background information: Slime molds fall into two distinct groups that are not closely related: the cellular slime molds and the true, or acellular, slime molds. A distinguishing morphological difference between the two groups is the vegetative state of cellular slime molds in a haploid amebiod cell, whereas the vegetative state of acellular slime molds is a multinucleate diploid ameboid mass called a plasmodium. Both groups grow in moist soil or decaying plant matter and are white, yellow, or red in color.

Identifying slime molds would require DNA analysis.

Haha. Slime! That makes much more sense than "slim"! Thanks!

Post Merge: 9 years ago

I'll see if I can find a local marine biologist that might know. Thanks again!

You're welcome.

lol @ slim