Ascobolus furfuraceus

A coprophilous fungus characteristic of herbivorous animal dung, those in this study on cattle dung, with disc- or cup-shaped apothecia, yellowish to light brown, 1 to 5 mm in diameter; in the mature state, the hymenium presents tiny black dots corresponding to the apex of the asci containing the ascospores.

Ectal or outer excipulum composed of spherical to ovoid cells, hyaline, 30 to 70 µm in diameter.

Asci cylindrical-clavate with a short pedicel, 8-spored, operculate, 200 to 250 µm long, 20 to 22 µm wide, with spore arrangement within the ascus ranging from irregular to biseriate, thin-walled, without observed croziers, and with a faintly amyloid reaction of the ascus wall in Melzer's reagent.

Paraphyses abundant, filiform, very slender, with multiple septa, 2 to 4 µm wide, sparingly or not branched, not protruding above the level of the asci.

Ascospores initially hyaline within the ascus, gradually acquiring dark violet hues and displaying 7 to 9 longitudinal, sinuous, anastomosed ridges on their surface, 20 to 25 µm long and 10 to 12 µm wide.