Herbivore dung - Have a dung day!

[mollisia]

Hello,

I think the problem is solved. This should be Stilbella fimetaria (syn.: S. erythrocephala.

FungiJohn has an image in the Galery:


Thanks to Hermine Lotz-Winter and the forum Asco-France for the hint to that species!

best regards,
Andreas

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by mollisia

Hello,

I think the problem is solved. This should be Stilbella fimetaria (syn.: S. erythrocephala.

FungiJohn has an image in the Galery:


Thanks to Hermine Lotz-Winter and the forum Asco-France for the hint to that species!

best regards,
Andreas

One problem is the conidial measurements which Chris has given:
8-9.5 x 5-6µm - for Stilbella fimetaria/erythrocephala they should be 4-6 x 2-3.5µm . . . . . it might be worth taking some more measurements

that mention of it occurring only on one of a number of pellets is very Stillbella-like though; it would be interesting to know whether the general myco-biota of the pellet is very different from the others as Stilbella fimetaria/erythrocephala is well-known to be able to suppress growth of other fungi in its vicinity, it will often take over a pellet and virtually no other species will fruit on that pellet

cheers

Chris

[chrisjohnson]

Hello Andreas & Chris

Unfortunately, I don't think the problem is solved, but I have progessed the enquiry and may have some helpful additional information.

I looked closely at Stilbella fimetaria at the time but dismissed it on several points: all the images I have seen show an orange fruiting body not pink; it is consistantly globose or subglobose with a pedicel, mine are increasingly amorphous and sessile; and finally, as Chris pointed out, the spores are all wrong.

A different train of thought came from Stephan Helfer "This is probably a myxomycete, possibly Trichia...". Having looked at Trihcia, I couldn't find anything that matched but images and text are not easily found.

Yesterday, I communicated with Mike Richardson who couldn't think of anything fungal, but said "Your first two pictures - the stereomic views - look very like the fruit bodies of a myxomycete that is common on rabbit [sorry, don't do myxos, so don't recall its name!]"

Examining the specimen again this morning showed the fruiting bodies now cover 100% of the first pellet and 60% of an adjacent pellet 8mm away. The fruiting bodies are fairly evenly spread and not increased in size but have become rather amorphous. Of particular interest are two small fruiting bodies on the tips of two specimens of Schizothecium tetrasporum.

Chris

[mollisia]

Hello Chris,

if those spores/conidia originate from the pink blob, then it can't be a myxomycete.

Could you do some microscoping to tell us the structure of the basal part (the foot)? In AscoFrance Zotto asked for that.

The colour pink vs. orange wouldn't bother me too much. Iodophanus carneus e.g. can also have all this colours and additionally can come completely whitish.

best regards,
Andreas

[chrisjohnson]

Hello Andreas

Yes, I'll do that but am busy this evening so it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Regards,

Chris

[Chris Yeates]

I would also recommend carefully removing a portion of the pellet with several "fruit-bodies" on it and slowly drying it out/stressing them to see how they react

Chris

[chrisjohnson]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

I would also recommend carefully removing a portion of the pellet with several "fruit-bodies" on it and slowly drying it out/stressing them to see how they react

Chris

OK Chris, I'll isolate the second pellet which is 60% covered and slowly dry it.

Chris

[chrisjohnson]

Originally Posted by mollisia

Hello Chris,

if those spores/conidia originate from the pink blob, then it can't be a myxomycete.

Could you do some microscoping to tell us the structure of the basal part (the foot)? In AscoFrance Zotto asked for that.

The colour pink vs. orange wouldn't bother me too much. Iodophanus carneus e.g. can also have all this colours and additionally can come completely whitish.

best regards,
Andreas

Hello Andreas

There doesn't appear to be a 'base' to the pink blobs, just a mass of tiny spheres that sit on the surface. I have tried digging into the surface but find nothing but plant debris. Not found any more spores either.

Chris

[flaxton]

This .5mm pulvinate orangey Apothecia was found on rabbit pellets.

The spores are 16.5-17.5 x 10 and although this photo does not show it they are slightly granular.


The paraphyses are septate and the top section has granules in it.


The spores are too fat for Coprobia granulata and the paraphyses are too fat for Coprotus ochraceus

Any other suggestions.

Thanks
Mal

[stickman]

Hi Mal

Are you sure the cells in the last pic are paraphyses rather than marginal hairs?

Cheers,
Nick