Friday, December 21, 2012

Fungal Word Friday: Coprophilous

Coprophilous is a term used to denote that a fungus grows on dung.

Many fungi that grow on dung must find ways to launch their spores far enough away that they have the potential to be picked up by animals that would not eat near dung. The most famous of these fungi are those in the Pilobolus genera, which launch their spores with the fastest acceleration in the living world.

Pilobolus sp. growing on some poo.
Photo Cred: By 19Adelheid (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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