Black fungi or lichen plus interesting poo

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

To be honest I photographed this poo as it contained interesting, undigested parts of its creators recent meals. It was only when I had the image on screen that I noticed the black fungi/lichen.

So, would really appreciate help with identification:



Bruce

ps - Also posting this image in the general wildlife forum.

[Ditiola]

Hi
I see no one seems interested in your poo picture, even though there are some fungi present.

It will be an ascomycete fungus. There are a few genera that have species with black fruit bodies. The two genera that look the best match from my quick scan of photo's are Claussenomycetes and Durella.

Peter

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your help Peter - much appreciated.

Yes, I posted in this forum hoping to get a pointer on the black fungi heads and posted separately in the General Wildlife forum to get input on the poo (probably not poo but a corvid pellet).

Bruce

[Chris Yeates]

it's clearly lichenised (and therefore - with respect to Peter - neither a Claussenomyces nor a Durella); many genera of lichens have black apothecia . . . in the genus Lecidea or one of its relatives / lookalikes I would suggest

cheers

Chris

[Ditiola]

Thanks Chris

I don't mind being corrected on these little ascomycetes, as in this area I consider myself very much a beginner. Although I suppose recognising them as ascomycetes was getting part way there, but I still have a long way to go.

Peter

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your help Chris .

Bruce

[Bruce Williams]

Doubt if this will help much but....

Took this pic at the same location:



Bruce

[JennyS]

Could be worth posting (with a larger view showing more of the thallus) in the Lichen forum - I'm stumped on this one but AlanS might be able help

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for the suggestion Jenny, I'll see what I can do. I know exactly where to look, but other than the off-white, porridge-like material seen in the last image I don't recall seeing any obvious evidence of a thallus.

Please see this related posting in the Lichen Forum (with high mag. image): Unidentified lichen with black apothecia

Bruce

[AlanS]

I have posted a longer reply to the parallel post in the lichen forum, but in brief:

This is the lichen Lecidella stigmatea.

The porridge-like material is indeed the lichen thallus.

Alan