Fig. 10. Spore clusters of, from left, Saccobolus versicolor, S. glaber and S. truncatus

76([74])	Spore clusters compact, 26-43 × 13-19µm. Spores 13.5-18 × 7.5-9.5µm, epispore with fine or coarse warts. Apothecia 0.3-0.8mm diam.
Saccobolus obscurus
-	Spore clusters elongated, 28-37 × 10-13µm. Spores 10-14.5 × 5-7.5µm, epispore smooth or very finely granular. Apothecia 0.1-0.3mm diam.
Saccobolus depauperatus
77([4])	Asci operculate or bursting, without a subapical ring. Spores ellipsoid.	[78]
-	Apothecia white, often minutely hairy at the margin. Ascus dehiscing by a vertical slit; the slit is prevented from running right down the ascus by a subapical ring of thickening. Spores ellipsoid-fusiform.
(Ascozonus, figs [14], [15]) [90]
78([77])	Asci 16-spored. Spores ellipsoid, 11-16 × 7-10µm.
Coprotus sexdecemsporus
-	Asci more than 16-spored.	[79]
79([78])	Asci 32-spored.	[80]
-	Asci more than 32-spored.	[84]
80([79])	Asci very large, nearly 0.5mm long, spores 30-35 × 13-17µm (32-40 × 20-24µm in Kimbrough, 1969). Apothecia pale coloured.
Thecotheus pelletieri
-	Asci and spores smaller.	[81]
81([80])	Spores 10µm or longer.	[83]
-	Spores up to 10µm long.	[82]
82([81])	Spores ellipsoid, with minute scattered warts visible under oil-immersion, 7-9 × 4-4.5µm. Apothecia densely crowded, 90-120µm diam., with 8-13 asci. Asci 32-55 × 16-18µm with (24-)32 spores. Paraphyses 1.5-2µm, clavate to 4-4.5µm.
Thelebolus caninus
-	Spores subacute at apices, ca 6 × 4µm (described as 'minute'; this value is suggested by Boudier's comparison with R. dubius, for which measurements are given). Apothecia densely crowded, tawny yellowish-brown.
Ryparobius brunneus
83([81])	Spores 10-12.5 × 5-7.5µm. Asci clavate, 75-100 × 20-30µm. Paraphyses enlarged to 6µm at apex.
Coprotus albidus
-	Spores 13.5-17.5 × 7-8µm. Asci 10-15 per apothecium, 120-175 × 50-75µm. Paraphyses filiform.
Coprotus rhyparobioides

84([79])	Asci with up to 64 spores.	[85]
-	Asci with many more than 64 spores—impractical to count.	[86]
85([84])	Asci 64-spored, broad clavate with short stalk, 80-130 × 30-60µm. Spores 8-12 × 4-7µm.
Coprotus niveus
-	Asci broadly clavate with up to 64 spores, 60-100 × 20-30µm. Spores 7-10 × 4.5-5.5µm. Apothecia superficial, on the surface of the substrate, yellowish brown, gregarious, united into a crust.
Thelebolus crustaceus
86([84])	Apothecia superficial, 400-600µm diam., with prominent, acuminate, superficial, 1-2-septate hairs, 80-190µm long, often roughened towards their apex, with one 1000+-spored ascus, 110-240 × 15-27µm. Spores very variable, 6.5-16 × 3.7-8.8µm (mostly 7.5-13 × 4.5-7µm).
Lasiobolus monascus
-	Apothecia minute, rarely above 350µm diam., globose and immersed in substrate when young. Asci broad globose, with 100-200 spores. Usually only 1-3 asci in each apothecium, which dehisce by bursting at the apex.	[87]
	(Other Ryparobius spp. will key out here [e.g. R. dubius, R. myriosporus, R. pachyascus and R. polysporus]. They all have scattered to gregarious, immersed to semi-immersed apothecia 100-200µm diam., with relatively few asci, each with 100-250 ellipsoid to subacuminate ca 5-7 × 3-4µm spores. There are insufficient modern observations to allow their identification and separation with confidence).
87([86])	Apothecia with a few, but obvious, setae. Spores 9 × 7µm or larger.	[88]
-	Apothecia without setae. Spores ellipsoid, 6-9 × 3.5-4µm.	[89]
88([87])	Spores ellipsoid, 9-11 × 7-9µm. Setae up to 600µm long.
Trichobolus zukalii
-	Spores subglobose, 11-12 × 10-11µm. Setae up to 300µm long.
Trichobolus sphaerosporus ([fig. 11])
89([87])	Apothecia and asci large, 170-250µm diam.
Thelebolus stercoreus ([fig. 12])
-	Apothecia and asci small, rarely above 80-90µm diam.
Thelebolus nanus ([fig. 13])
90([77])	Asci 16(-24)-spored. Spores not closely aggregated into an imbricated mass, 13-14 × 6µm (8-9 × 4µm)[^[1]]. Apothecial hairs rough, subulate.
Ascozonus parvisporus
-	Asci with 32 or more spores.	[91]

91([90])	Asci 32-spored. Spores 16.5-18 × 4.5-5µm (11-12 × 3-3.5µm)^[1]. Apothecia with a single row of sharp, pointed, roughened hairs.
Ascozonus crouanii
-	Asci more than 32-spored.	[92]
92([91])	Asci 48-spored. Spores spindle-shaped, 12-14.5 × 2.5-4µm.
Ascozonus leveillei
-	Asci more than 48-spored.	[93]
93([92])	Asci 64-spored.	[94]
-	Asci more than 64-spored.	[95]
94([93])	Apothecia with a short base of globose cells, with minutely roughened marginal hairs up to 30 × 8µm. Spores elliptic-fusoid, 12-14 × 3-5µm.
Ascozonus woolhopensis (figs [14], [15])
-	Apothecia sessile, with aseptate smooth hairs. Spores 21 × 7.5µm (13-14 × 4.5-5µm)^[1].
Ascozonus cunicularis

Fig. 11. Trichobolus sphaerosporus, apothecium.
Fig. 12. Thelebolus stercoreus, apothecium.
Fig. 13. T. nanus, mature and immature apothecia, and detail of ascus dehiscence.
Fig. 14. Ascozonus woolhopensis, apothecium and apothecial hair.
Fig. 15. A. woolhopensis, ascus with spores and detail of dehiscence.

95([93])	Apothecia with a short base of globose cells, with short, irregular hairs. Asci 64-96-spored Spores elliptic-fusoid, 14-14.5 × 5-5.5µm (10-15 × 3.5-4µm)^[1].
Ascozonus leveillanus
-	Apothecia sessile, dotted with hairs in connate groups of 2-3. Asci with 128 or more spores. Spores 10 × 5µm (7 × 3.5µm)^[1].
Ascozonus subhirtus
96([3])	Apothecia stalked.	[97]
-	Apothecia not stalked.	[98]
97([96])	Apothecia up to 2mm diam., with a short cylindrical stalk, light brown. Asci 150 × 10µm. Spores hyaline, with 2 oil drops, occasionally 1-septate, 13-15 × 4.5µm.
Lanzia cuniculi
-	Apothecia up to 3mm diam., pale olivaceous to grey, with a long, slender, reddish-brown stalk arising from a sclerotium in the dung. Asci 30-40 × 4-5µm. Spores ellipsoid, grey-brown, 4-4.5 × 2µm.
Martininia panamaensis
98([96])	Spores 7-11(14) × 1.75-2.75µm. ellipsoid, ellipsoid-fusiform or slightly clavate. Apothecia yellowish brown when fresh, drying darker, up to 1mm diam. Asci 42-60 × 7.5-9µm, pore weakly blue in iodine.
Pezizella albula
-	Spores and asci smaller.	[99]
99([98])	Spores linear, 3-5 × 1µm. Asci 30 × 5µm, cylindrical with a short stipe. Paraphyses not clavate but fused to form an epithecium. Apothecia pale pellucid, 0.5-1mm diam.
Orbilia leporina
-	Spores longer, subulate, curved.	[100]
100([99])	Spores 7-8.5 × 1.2-1.8µm. Asci 36-40 × 3-5µm, gradually tapering to a short base. Paraphyses enlarged to 3µm at apex, covered with brown granules. Apothecia light brown, 0.4-1.mm diam.
Orbilia fimicola
-	Spores 8-10.55 × 0.9-1µm. Asci 30-45 × 3µm, cylindrical-clavate with narrow tapering base and truncate apex. Paraphyses 2µm diam., the tips with a crust-like secretion fusing together to form a shiny epithecium. Apothecia white to yellowish, 180-700µm diam.
Orbilia fimicoloides

Key 2. Perithecial, pseudothecial, cleistothecial and gymnothecial fungi

1
([key 1,2])

Perithecia occurring singly or in groups, but directly on the dung or buried in it (figs [16], [28], [19], [22], [27], [30], [32], [34]-[36]).

[2]

Perithecia occurring in or on a mass of fungal tissue (stroma) growing in or on the dung (figs [32], [37]).

[135]

2([1])

Spores black, brown or dark olive-greenish.

[3]

Spores hyaline or pale coloured, at least under the microscope (may be coppery red en masse).

[117]

3([2])

Spores smooth, without an ornamentation of hyaline pits.

[4]

Spores 1-celled, ornamented with hyaline pits.

(Gelasinospora) [114]

4([3])

Perithecia dark, olive, brown or black.

[5]

Perithecia reddish brown, orange or golden, globose, with a neck. Spores black, limoniform.

[116]

5([4])

Perithecia globose, surmounted by a dense tuft of greyish green hairs, which may be branched or simple, straight or curly. Spores olivaceous, limoniform. Asci clavate, soon disappearing. (A large genus not characteristic of dung, but occurring occasionally).

Chaetomium ([fig. 16])

Perithecia more pyriform, or if globose then with a distinct neck, may be setose but not densely hairy, with clavate or cylindrical asci.

[6]

6([5])

Each spore composed of 4 or more cells in a row (figs [17], [21]). Asci bitunicate (figs [20], [23]).

[7]

Spores 1- or 2-celled. Asci bitunicate or unitunicate.

[29]

7([6])

Spores 16-32-celled, united firmly together in a bundle both in the ascus and after discharge. Germ slits usually absent.

(Sporormia) [8]

Spores each with 4 or more cells, each spore free and surrounded by its own gelatinous sheath. Germ slits usually present.