Noodle Fungus

[martycon]

What is it? This grew on the underside of a leaf on a bush, in suburban MackayNoodle fungus_8140082_sized.jpgNoodle fungus_8140086 detail sized.jpg. It is the first of it's like I have seen. I made a simple web search for "filamentous fungus", and was rewarded with a hundred or more images, but none looked like this. I am sure AusPhotographypedia will provide an answer.

[Brigitte]

No idea but as one individual is hanging in mid air in the first photo I would be inclined to say it is some sort of aphid or other insect. Very interesting looking, hope it is not damaging your plant!

[Mary Anne]

Maybe some kind of Scale.

[martycon]

The plant was damaged by me, by bending the twig to give better light. After some 8 days the leaf has died, and the phenomenon vanished. It reminds me of a small version from Dr Who many years ago.

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Thanks MA, I will search "filament scale".

[NikonNellie]

I think it's a bit alien like - spooky!

[martycon]

Agreed, glad it is not 100 times bigger!

[Mark L]

Posting this in the nature forum may get a wider audience and answer? (Mr Axford probably doesn’t look here.)
Nothing wrong with getting positive CC on the first photo.

[martycon]

Thanks for the prompt Mark, I will do so as I am intrigued that no one has identified it.

[martycon]

Contacted DPI. Not a fungus, but a LERP.http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/...melaleucae.htm Larvae of a Psyllid insect (Jumping Plant Louse). Aust native Boreioglycapsis melaleucae. The noodles are waxy, exuded by the larvae. They were imported to Florida USA to combat melaleuca trees which are a pest there.
I now need to find a psyllid to photograph and post. Apparently they are about 3mm long, and look a bit like a tiny cicada.