Keys to Fungi on Dung - M. J. Richardson; Roy Watling

Perithecial neck with rigid setae, as well as agglutinated hairs (which may be greatly reduced). Asci 140-210 × 19-25µm, broadest at the markedly rounded apex. Spores 18-23 × 11-14µm.

Schizothecium pilosum

Perithecial neck without rigid setae. Asci broadest in the middle.

[66]

66([65])

Spores mostly over 23µm long.

[67]

Spores up to 23µm long.

[69]

67([66])

Spores 22-25(27) × 11-13µm. Scales at neck distinct.

Schizothecium hispidulum

Spores wider, 12-19µm

[68]

68([67])

Perithecia 0.5-1mm high, scales at neck usually well developed. Spores (23)26-30 × 12-17µm.

Schizothecium conicum ([fig. 27])

Perithecia 1-2mm diam., subpyriform, neck velvety with indistinct scales. Spores 24-28 × 15-19µm.

Schizothecium squamulosum

69([66])

Spores 17-23 × 8.5-13.5µm, primary appendage slender cylindrical, 6-8 × 2µm. Perithecia 0.25-0.7mm high, sometimes with poorly developed scales.

Schizothecium vesticola ([fig. 28])

Spores 11-14 × 6-8µm, primary appendage short, 2µm long, almost triangular. Perithecia 0.3-0.45mm high, with short agglutinated hairs.

Schizothecium cervinum

70([60])

Asci 4-spored. Spores 35-40 × 18-19µm.

Podospora pauciseta

Asci with more than 4 spores.

[71]

Fig. 27. Perithecia, from left, of Podospora appendiculata, Schizothecium conicum, P. excentrica and P. decipiens, with detail of hairs.
Fig. 28. Ascospores of, from left, Podospora excentrica, P. appendiculata, S. vesticola, S. nanum, P. decipiens, 'P. dagobertii' and Arnium sp.
Fig. 29. Cercophora coprophila, immature (l) and mature (r) ascospores.

71([70])

Asci 8-spored.

[72]

Asci with more than 8 spores.

[82]

72([71])

Spores more than 45µm long.

[73]

Spores less than 45µm long.

[74]

73([72])

Spores 48-60 × 27-31µm, caudae apparently striate. Perithecia superficial, covered with rigid, nonagglutinated hairs up to 120µm.

Podospora fimiseda

Spores 50-68 × 22-32µm, caudae apparently segmented, with an intestine-like appearance. Perithecia immersed to superficial, with a long neck, tomentose with long flexuous hairs when young, more or less glabrous when mature.

Podospora intestinacea

74([72])

Perithecia superficial, ovoid to globose, covered with short (up to 100µm), sparse, radiating, hyaline tipped, hairs. Spores 24-31 × 11-15µm, with simple caudae.

Podospora appendiculata (figs [27], [28])

Perithecia with base immersed in substrate, pyriform, without such hairs.

[75]

75([74])

Perithecial neck with short tubercular hairs, up to 20µm long. Spores 32-42 × 17-22µm, with a long but withering primary appendage. Caudae in two rings, one inserted near the base of the primary appendage, the other at the spore apex. The individual filaments may be free, but often clump together to form an apparently broad appendage.

Podospora decipiens (figs [27], [28])

Perithecial hairs longer. Caudae single or 4 at each end.

[76]

76([75])

Spores with 4 caudae at each end.

[77]

Spores with a single cauda at each end.

[78]

77([76])

Spores 40-45 × 22-25µm.

Podospora gwynne-vaughaniae

Spores 29-40 × 16-25µm.

Podospora communis

78([76])

Spores less than 30 × 15µm.

[79]

Spores larger than 30 × 15µm.

[80]

79([78])	Spores 21-28 × 11-14µm, primary appendage 12-14 × 4µm. Perithecia 0.3-0.5mm diam., neck setose with rigid cylindrical hairs. Asci 200-250 × 22-26µm, broadest in the middle.
Podospora ellisiana
-	Spores 18-23 × 11-14µm, primary appendage 4-8 × 3µm. Perithecia 0.2-0.3mm diam., neck setose with rigid hairs. Asci 140-210 × 19-25µm, broadest at the markedly rounded apex.
Schizothecium pilosum
80([78])	Perithecia ca O.9-1.4mm high × 0.6-0.7(0.85)mm diam., neck not hairy. Spores (29)36-45 × (17.5)22-27µm, caudae ephemeral and difficult to see, even in Indian ink.
Podospora pyriformis
-	Perithecial neck with tufts of rigid hairs.	[81]
81([80])	Perithecia 0.38-0.53mm high × 0.21-0.38mm diam., ± immersed, with hairs at the neck up to 335µm long, grouped in rigid fascicles. Spores slightly flattened on one side, 30-37 × 18-24µm, caudae invisible in water.
Podospora excentrica (figs [27], [28])
-	Perithecia ca 0.8-1.4mm high × 0.4-0.7mm diam., semi-immersed, hairy all over, flexuous below, rigid and pointed at the neck up to 170µm. Spores 33-45 × 22-27µm.
Podospora perplexens
82([71])	Asci 16-32-spored. Perithecial neck with short tubercular hairs. Spores 25-36 × 15-24µm. Caudae in two rings, one inserted at the base of the primary appendage, the other at the spore apex; individual filaments may be separate or clumped to appear as a broad single appendage (cf. P. decipiens).
Podospora pleiospora
-	Asci with more than 32 spores.	[83]
83([82])	Perithecia with tufts of rigid hairs at neck. Asci with more than 64 spores.	[84]
-	Perithecia without tufts of rigid hairs. Asci 64-spored.	[87]
84([83])	Spores 14-17 × 9-11µm. Asci 256-spored. Perithecia ca 500µm diam., immersed, except for the neck, which has tapered tufts of hairs up to 300µm.
Podospora curvicolla
-	Spores larger. Perithecia semi-immersed.	[85]

85([84])

Spores (18)20-26 × 12-16µm, caudae of 2-several filaments covered with granules. Asci 512-spored. Perithecia up to 1mm high × 0.95mm diam., neck with rigid but non-agglutinated hairs up to 130µm long.

Podospora granulostriata

Caudae simple, without granular appearance. Asci 128-spored. Perithecia not larger than 750µm high × 500µm diam., with rigid, non-agglutinated hairs up to 190µm long at neck.

[86]

86([85])

Spores 17-19 × 10-12µm.

Podospora setosa

Spores 19-24 × 11-16µm.

Podospora tarvisina

(See discussion in Lundqvist (1972) on these last three names)

87([83])

Spores 24-34 × 14-19µm, caudae in two rings, one inserted at the base of the primary appendage, the other at the spore apex; individual filaments may be separate or clumped to appear as a broad single appendage (cf. P. decipiens/P. pleiospora). Perithecia ca 0.6-1.1mm high × 0.4-0.5mm diam., covered with flexuous hairs or rarely smooth.

Podospora myriaspora

Spores 15-20 × 10-15µm, caudae small, simple and evanescent. Perithecia 0.4-0.5mm high, covered with long flexuous hairs.

Podospora collapsa

88([47])

Spores with primary appendage.

[89]

Spores without primary appendage.

[93]

89([88])

Spores with primary appendage directed towards base of ascus.

[90]

Spores with primary appendage directed towards apex of ascus.

(Anopodium) [91]

Fig. 30.. Perithecia of, from left, Coniochaeta ligniaria, C. scatigena and C. hansenii.
Fig. 31.. Ascospores of C. scatigena (l) and C. ligniaria (r).

90([89])	Spores 34-45 × 19-25µm, without caudae but surrounded by a thin (ca 5µm) gelatinous sheath. Perithecia ca 0.5-0.7mm diam., ± smooth.
Podospora globosa
-	Spores 17-20 × 8-9.5µm, flattened on one side, convex on the other. Perithecia 0.3-0.45µm diam., with distal cells of agglutinated hairs fimbriate.
Podospora fimbriata
91([89])	Perithecia hairy. Spores 27-32 × 16-19µm, appendage 15-18 × 2.5-3µm.
Anopodium ampullaceum
-	Perithecia glabrous.	[92]
92([91])	Spores 28-32 × 16-21µm, appendage 12-15 × 3-3.8µm.
Anopodium epile
-	Spores 30-37 × 16-20µm, appendage 24-27 × 5µm.
'Podospora' dagobertii ([fig. 28])
	(The combination in Anopodium has not been made; see Lundqvist, 1964, 1972)
93([88])	Spores flattened, disc shaped, with a germ slit around the edge. Perithecial neck with short (up to 120µm) setae.
(Coniochaeta, figs [30], [31]) [94]
-	Spores ellipsoid. Perithecial neck without setae or with very prominent (up to 950µm) tufts of agglutinated hairs.	[99]
94([93])	Asci with numerous (64-128) spores.	[95]
-	Asci 8-spored.	[96]
95([94])	Spores 6-10 × 5-9 × 4-7µm. Perithecial setae up to 120µm long.
Coniochaeta hansenii ([fig. 30])
-	Spores 13-16 × 9.5-13.5 × 5.5-8µm. Perithecial setae up to 35µm long.
Coniochaeta sp.
96([94])	Spores 7-9 × 6-8 × 5-6µm, slightly flattened.
Coniochaeta leucoplaca
-	Spores larger.	[97]
97([96])	Spores narrowly elliptical in face view (length more than 2 × width), ca 13-18 × 6-9 × 4-6µm.
Coniochaeta saccardoi
-	Spores broadly elliptical to nearly circular in face view (length less than 2 × width).	[98]

98([97])

Spores (9)10-16(20) × 7.5-10(15) × (4)5-8µm. Neck setae 20-50µm long.

Coniochaeta ligniaria (figs [30], [31])

Spores (16)17-23 × (10)13-19 × 7.5-10(15)µm. Neck setae 40-80µm long.

Coniochaeta scatigena (figs [30], [31])

99([93])

Perithecial neck with prominent agglutinated tufts of rigid setae up to 950µm long. Spores 43-54 × 20-29µm, with apical germ pore. A gelatinous sheath which surrounds the whole spore swells in water, and appears fringed at the margin and radially striate.

Arnium macrothecium

Perithecial neck without setae. Gelatinous sheaths may be clearly visible around spores, but are not complex in structure.

[100]

100([99])

Spores with germ slit along the side. Ascus with a large and complex plug at the tip staining blue or red in KI (other genera have asci with blue staining ascus tips, but the feature is very pronounced in this genus and is unlikely to be mistaken). Perithecia form singly or severally in a stroma which is usually of limited extent, often without a definite margin. [N.B. if orange and with a stroma see Selinia, 119].

(Hypocopra, [fig. 32]) [101]

Spores without germ slits, but often asymmetrical, and with a small papilla at the basal end. Asci without complex apical plug.

(Sordaria, [fig. 33]) [107]

101([100])

Spores mostly less than 25µm long.

[102]

Spores more than 25µm long.

[104]

102([101])

Spores 9-14 × 6-7µm.

Hypocopra parvula

Spores larger.