Zygomycetes from herbivore dung in the ecological reserve of Dois Irmãos, Northeast Brazil

Abstract

Thirty-eight taxa of Zygomycetes distributed in 15 genera were recorded from tapir (Tapirus terrestris), camel (Camelus bactrianus), horse (Equus caballus), deer (Cervus elaphus), agouti (Dasyprocta aguti), donkey (Equus asinus), llama (Llama glama) and waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) dung collected at the Reserva Ecológica de Dois Irmãos located in Recife, State of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. The samples were collected on a monthly basis from June 2005 to May 2006, taken to the laboratory and incubated in moist chambers. Higher number of taxa was observed in the excrements of tapir, followed by deer and donkey. The highest number of species was detected for Mucor, followed by Pilobolus. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in richness of Zygomycetes taxa between the herbivore dung types. Differences of species composition, however, were weak. Seasonality influenced the Zygomycetes species composition but not its richness. Variations in taxa composition between ruminants and non-ruminants dung were non significant.

Coprophilous Mucorales (ex Zygomycota) from three areas in the semi-arid of Pernambuco, Brazil

“…All species identified in the present study are being cited for the first time in the dung of herbivores in Caatinga areas. However, most of the species identified herein have been reported by other authors in excrement from other domains in Brazil, indicating that they are not endemic to the Caatinga 14, 15, 30…”

“…According to Krug et al, 6 Mucor is characterized by facultative coprophilous species, while Pilobolus is characterized by obligatory coprophilous species. Since the species of the former genus are very common in soil samples, 42 it is possible that the presence of these taxa in the inventoried excrement was due to the transition of propagules from the soil to the dung, as mentioned by Santiago et al 15 All species of Mucorales reported here are being cited for the first time as coprophilous in the Caatinga. In Brazil, the occurrence of Mucor species and/or Piloloblus in herbivore dung was reported by Batista and Pontual, 43 Trufem, 30 Trufem and Viriato, 13 Richardson, 31 Alves et al 14 and Santiago et al 15 .…”

“…Since the species of the former genus are very common in soil samples, 42 it is possible that the presence of these taxa in the inventoried excrement was due to the transition of propagules from the soil to the dung, as mentioned by Santiago et al 15 All species of Mucorales reported here are being cited for the first time as coprophilous in the Caatinga. In Brazil, the occurrence of Mucor species and/or Piloloblus in herbivore dung was reported by Batista and Pontual, 43 Trufem, 30 Trufem and Viriato, 13 Richardson, 31 Alves et al 14 and Santiago et al 15 . The greatest representation of Mucor and Pilobolus in relation to the number of taxa in the dung analyzed was confirmed by Santiago et al 15 …”

“…arrhizus and S. racemosum were reported by Alves et al 14 and by Santiago et al 15 in the dung of herbivores in the Atlantic Forest in Recife, PE. Lichtheimia ramosa (as A. ramosa ), C. muscae , M. hiemalis , P. crystallinus , P. kleinii and P. longipes were described by Trufem 30 and Trufem and Viriato 13 in the Atlantic Forest in São Paulo state.…”

“…Of these, 42 were isolated from herbivore dung, which is a highly favorable substrate for the growth of these fungi 12 . Although a number of authors have documented the occurrence of coprophilous Mucorales in Brazil,13, 14, 15 there are no reports addressing the diversity and ecology of these fungi on dung in semi-arid areas. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to assess and compare the Mucorales communities in dung from different species and breeds of herbivores in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco, based on the frequency of occurrence and species richness of these fungi.…”