Coprinopsis laanii fruiting on mammal carcasses in an underground mine

ABSTRACT

Fungi are important decomposers of organic material, including animal waste. Ammonia and postputrefaction fungi grow in soil enriched in ammonium and nitrogen from carcasses. In 2014, we observed mushrooms fruiting on the flesh of a dead muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in an abandoned underground copper mine in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. We placed an adult beaver (Castor canadensis) carcass near the muskrat to facilitate fungal colonization and fruiting. The beaver carcass was colonized by a variety of molds, especially Acaulium caviariforme. We observed mushrooms of an unidentified copriniid on the flesh 6 years and 9 months after carcass placement. Using morphological and molecular (nuclear internal transcribed spacer [nrITS]) data, we identified the mushrooms as Coprinopsis laanii, a rarely encountered species generally considered lignicolous. We discuss the role of C. laanii, and other postputrefaction fungi, in cave environments.

KEYWORDS:

• Ammonia fungi
• cave fungi
• corpse mushrooms
• postputrefaction fungi
• psathyrellaceae

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Howie Huynh, Jordi Segers, and Lori Phinney for help with field work. We also thank Travis Estabrooks for access to the mine, located on his private property. We are grateful to David Malloch for fruitful discussions on the project. The New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development generously provided the beaver carcasses. Steve Hinds, New Brunswick Geological Surveys Branch, was very helpful in locating information on the history of the Dorchester Mine study site and providing geological background.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00275514.2024.2311038

Additional information

Funding

Funding for field work was supported by grants from the New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund.