Part 3

66(45) Asci 4-spored. Spore clusters 42-58 × 14-20µm. Spores 16.5-23 × 9.5-12µm, smooth to finely punctate, but with a thick cap or girdle of reticulated or warted pigment. _Saccobolus quadrisporus_ - Asci 8-spored. 67

67(66) Spore clusters ± globular, 17-26(39) × 15-20µm. 68 - Spore clusters elongated, 2-3 times as long as wide. 69

68(67) Spore clusters compact, subglobose, with only the exposed surface of spores pigmented, ornamented with small and coarse warts. _Saccobolus dilutellus_ - Spores loosely united in cluster, ornamented with small isolated warts covering most of their surface. _Saccobolus globuliferellus_

69(67) Apothecia yellow. Spores in 4 rows of 2 longitudinally arranged spores (fig. 10). 70 - Apothecia hyaline or violaceous (some mature darker). Spores in 2 rows of 3 and 1 row of 2 (fig. 10). 73

70(69) Spore clusters 40µm or longer. 71 - Spore clusters up to 40µm long. 72

71(70) Spore clusters 50-71 × 16-25µm. Spores 22-29 × 8.5-14.5µm, smooth or rarely finely punctate, with distant irregular cracks. _Saccobolus glaber_ (fig. 10) - Spore clusters 43-51 × 14-17µm. Spores 16-22 × 7.5-9µm, with fine isolated warts. _Saccobolus citrinus_

72(70) Spores 14-17.5(19.5) × 7.5-8.5(10)µm, easily separated at maturity. Spore clusters becoming shorter and more rounded with maturity. Apothecia up to 300µm diam., inconspicuous due to their solitary nature and the predominantly brownish colour due to the mature spores. _Saccobolus truncatus_ (fig. 10) - Spores 11.5-13.5 × 5.5-6.5µm. _Saccobolus minimus_

73(69) Apothecia white, covered with tapering squamules composed of septate hyphae. Spore clusters 38-43 × 15-17µm. Spores 16-17.5 × 7-8.5µm, smooth or finely punctate. _Saccobolus caesariatus_ - Apothecia not white, without tapering scales. 74

74(73) Spore clusters mostly over 40µm long. 75 - Spore clusters mostly under 40µm long. 76

75(74) Spore clusters 38-62 × 14-19µm. Spores 13-21.5 × 6.5-9.5µm, smooth, finely warted or with reticulate cracks. Apothecia 0.2-2mm diam. _Saccobolus versicolor_ (fig. 10) - Spore clusters 42-60 × 18-24µm. Spores very coarsely warted, 17.5-23 × 8.5-10µm (inc. warts). _Saccobolus beckii_

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_

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 Perithecia occurring singly or in groups, but directly (key 1,2) 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. (_Sporormiella_) 11

8(7) Spores 16-20-celled. 9 - Spores 29-32-celled, 130-160 × 4-6µm. _Sporormia mirabilis_

9(8) Spores 16-celled, 85-116 × 5-6.5µm. _Sporormia fimicola_ - Spores smaller. 10

10(9) Spores 16-celled, 37-45 × 3µm. Asci 50-60 × 10-12µm. _Sporormia sp._ (fig. 17) [recorded as _S. fimetaria_ by Richardson (1972); see also Bell (1983) and Dissing (1992)] - Spores 16-20-celled, 50-57 × 3.5-4.5µm. Asci 70-80 × 12-16µm. _Sporormia fimetaria_ (These two taxa may represent the extremes of _S. fimetaria_).

11(7) Spores 4-celled. 12 - Spores more than 4-celled. 22

12(11) Spores more than 65-70µm long. 13 - Spores less than 65-70µm long. 15

13(12) Spores 65-95 × 15-18µm. _Sporormiella megalospora_ - Spores longer than 90µm. 14

14(13) Spores 90-118 × 15-20µm. Asci tapering gradually from the broadest part near the apex to a 'stipe'. _Sporormiella ovina_ (figs 18, 21) - Spores 91-114 × (14)18-21µm. Asci cylindrical, abruptly contracted below to a short 'stipe'. _Sporormiella borealis_

15(12) Spores mostly less than 35µm long. 16 - Spores mostly between 35-60µm long. 19

16(15) Spores less than 25µm long. 17 - Spores 25-35(38)µm long. 18

17(16) Spores (15)17-24(26) × 5-7µm, end cells broadly conical. Ascospores uniseriate. Asci 120-135µm long. Pseudothecia 250-300µm diam. _Sporormiella pulchella_ - Spores 16-22 × 4.5-5.5µm, end cells subovate. Ascospores biseriate. Asci 95-125µm long. Pseudothecia 300-350µm diam. _Sporormiella nigropurpurea_

18(16) Spores 30-38.5 × 5.5-6.5µm. Asci clavate, tapering gradually below to a 'stipe'. _Sporormiella leporina_ - Spores 27-36(38) × 4-6(8)µm, tending to break in two at the middle septum. Asci cylindrical, abruptly contracted below. _Sporormiella minima_ (fig. 21)

19(15) Spores with end cells rounded. Asci cylindrical, abruptly contracted below. 20 - Spores with end cells tapered and slightly conical. Asci clavate, tapering gradually to a long stalk. 21

20(19) Spores 45-65 × 8-11.5µm. _Sporormiella intermedia_ (figs 19-21) - Spores 38-46 × 6.5-8µm. _Sporormiella australis_

21(19) Spores 45-60 × 11.5-14µm, germ slits parallel with long axis. _Sporormiella grandispora_ - Spores 35-45(48) × 7-9(10)µm. _Sporormiella lageniformis_ (fig. 21)

22(11) Spores 5-celled, 70-80 × 17-19µm. _Sporormiella pentamera_ - Spores more than 5-celled. 23

23(22) Spores 7- or 8-celled. 24 - Spores 13-celled, 46-60 × 9-10µm. _Sporormiella antarctica_

24(23) Spores 7-celled. 25 - Spores 8-celled. 26

25(24) Spores 40-55 × 7-9µm, readily disarticulating, the end cells longer than wide, the rest shorter than wide. _Sporormiella vexans_ (fig. 21) - Spores 70-80 × 16-18µm, end cells rounded. _Sporormiella heptamera_

26(24) Spores mostly longer than 45µm. 27 - Spores less than 50µm long, not disarticulating at the central septum. 28

27(26) Spores 45-60 × 5-7.5µm, disarticulating at the central septum, all cells the same width. _Sporormiella bipartis_ (fig. 21) - Spores 50-59 × 10-12µm, not disarticulating, 3rd cell down wider than the others. _Sporormiella corynespora_

28(26) Spores (33)37-40(49) × 7-9µm, cylindrical. Asci abruptly contracted below. _Sporormiella pascua_ - Spores 40-48 × 7-8µm, fusiform cylindrical. Asci gradually tapered below. _Sporormiella octomera_

29(6) Spores obviously 2-celled at maturity. 30 - Spores 1-celled, or appearing 1-celled at maturity. (Those of _Podospora_, _Schizothecium_ etc. are 2-celled in early stages of their development, but only one cell matures to become pigmented; the other remains hyaline, often collapses, and may be difficult to see). 47

30(29) Spores 23-28 × 13-17µm, upper cell dark, 15-19µm, with close, blunt spines giving the impression of a pitted spore surface, with apical germ pore, the lower cell hyaline, 6-8.5µm, smoky-brown. Asci unitunicate, 4-spored. Perithecia 400µm diam. _Apiosordaria verruculosa_ (fig. 24) - Both cells of spore similar in shape, size and colour. 31

31(30) Asci unitunicate. Spores with a 'gelatinous' appendage at each end. Perithecial neck with setae. 32 - Asci bitunicate. Spores without gelatinous appendages, although a sheath may be present. 33

32(31) Spores 38-48 × 11-14µm, appendages longitudinally fibrillate. _Zygospermella striata_ - Spores 46-68 × 11-17µm, appendages hollow, not fibrillate. _Zygospermella insignis_ (fig. 25)

33(31) Spores with each end truncated by a germ pore. Pseudothecia with dark bristles at neck. (_Trichodelitschia_) 34 - Spores with rounded ends and germ slits along the sides. Pseudothecial neck smooth or hairy, but without setae. (_Delitschia_, fig. 26) 36

34(33) Spores 28-34 × 9-12µm. _Trichodelitschia aedelphica_ - Spores smaller. 35

35(34) Spores 20-27.5 × 8-11µm. _Trichodelitschia bisporula_ (figs 22, 23) - Spores 18-21 × 6-7µm. _Trichodelitschia munkii_

36(33) Asci ca 256-spored. Spores 14-15 × 6-8µm. _Delitschia myriaspora_ - Asci 8-spored. 37

37(36) Spores less than 20µm long. 38 - Spores more than 20µm long. 41

38(37) Spores 8-11 × 3-5µm. _Delitschia perpusilla_ - Spores 10-20µm long. 39

39(38) Spores 10-14 × 5-6µm. _Delitschia marchalii_ - Spores longer. 40

40(39) Spores 14-18 × 6-10µm, uniseriate. Asci 70-90 × 7-16µm. _Delitschia niesslii_ - Spores (16)18-20(22.5) × 6-7.5µm, biseriate. Asci 80-145 × 20-25µm. _Delitschia consociata_ (fig. 26)

41(37) Spores mostly wider than 20µm. 42 - Spores mostly less than 20µm wide. 43

42(41) Spores 50-64 × 19-23µm. _Delitschia furfuracea_ - Spores 50-70 × 25-33µm. _Delitschia winteri_ (fig. 26)