Key Takeaways
| Fact | Description |
| What are they? | Cow dung mushrooms, also known as coprophilous fungi, are a type of fungi that grow on animal feces. |
| Why are they important? | They feed on the feces and turn it into something called organic matter that can go back into the ground. |
Introduction
Mushrooms are really cool because they can grow in lots of different places. They can grow in wood chips, sawdust, mulch, and even feces. Even though feces might not seem like a nice place to live, there are many types of mushrooms that grow in it because it’s full of nutrients. These mushrooms are really important for the environment and have a big job to do in nature.
What are Cow Dung Mushrooms?
Mushrooms that grow in animal feces have a special name called Coprophilous Fungi. They do a really important job in nature. They feed on the feces and turn it into something called organic matter that can go back into the ground. This helps make the soil better and helps plants grow.
How do Mushrooms End Up Growing in Animal Poop?
The life of the cow dung mushroom starts when herbivores eat the mushrooms along with the other plant matter around them. During digestion, the tough mushroom spores make it all the way through the animal’s digestive system and stomach acid without being broken down. The spores end up in the feces, which is full of nutrients that the spores need to grow. If the weather and other conditions are just right, the spores will start to grow into something called mycelium, and later, they’ll grow into a full-grown mushroom. Then, the cycle starts all over again when another herbivore eats the mature mushroom.
Types of Cow Dung Mushrooms
There are several types of mushrooms that grow on cow feces. Here are a few examples:
- Psilocybe cubensis: This is a large fleshy mushroom with a yellowish cap that has brown grills and it is known as the magic mushroom.
- Psilocybe coprophila: Also known as the dung-loving psilocybe, this is a sticky type of mushroom with a brownish cap and brown gills.
- Cheilymenia: It has bright orange color and discoid fruiting bodies.
- Poronia erici: This fungus grows on the feces of rabbits, hares, horses, or ponies. It has parts that look like tiny white nail heads or golf tees that are 3-8 mm wide. The flat surface covered in sparse, evenly spaced black dots. This fungus looks a lot like another one called Poronia punctata, but it has much bigger ascospores, which are like seeds for the fungus.
- Cyathus stercoreus: This is a basidiomycete, widespread in many other countries. The fruiting bodies, or perida, are funnel- or barrel-shaped, 6–15 mm tall, 4–8 mm wide at the mouth, sometimes short-stalked, golden brown to blackish brown in age.
Dangerous Cow Dung Mushroom
While some cow dung mushrooms are edible or psychedelic, others can be deadly. Here are a few examples of lethal mushrooms that grow on cow feces:
Conclusion
Cow dung mushrooms, or coprophilous fungi, are a fascinating part of our ecosystem. They play a crucial role in converting animal waste into organic matter that enriches the soil. While some of these mushrooms are edible or psychedelic, others can be deadly. Therefore, it’s important to be able to identify them correctly.
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