Elephant dung-inhabiting macrofungi in the Western Ghats

Abstract

Six species of macrofungi in five genera were documented growing on elephant dung located in the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary of Western Ghats of Karnataka (Conocybe pubescens, Coprinus patouillardii, Panaeolus fimicola, Podosordaria elephanti, Psilocybe coprophila and P. fimetaria). Among these, Coprinus patouillardii, Panaeolus fimicola and Psilocybe fimetaria are the first record, while Conocybe pubescens is new record on elephant dung in the Western Ghats. Including the present study, so far a total of 31 species of macrofungi have been reported on elephant dung of the Western Ghats. Some of the elephant dung-inhabiting macrofungi were also found on other herbivore dung in the Western Ghats and elsewhere. Future inventories on macrofungi inhabiting on dung of domestic/tamed, conserved and wild elephants to fill our knowledge gap on their diversity and to open up scope to harness their bioactive potential.