Can you ID this fungus?

pnwpdf · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2011, 02:21 AM

I've never seen this before. All of a sudden it has popped up in my crested gecko viv, and I thought I'd see if any of you have experience with this or at least know what it is. It isn't really doing much besides growing on the rocks and dead pillow moss (which makes great springtail food apparently). It hasn't affected the springtails visibly, though they don't seem to really be eating on it.

Edit: if you are wondering, it is the white/yellow dippin' dots in the picture.

LaSelva · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 09:20 PM

I can't see the fungus very well in the picture, but from the gross structure I would guess it's some sort of zygomycete, probably harmless. If it produces thin stalks tipped with balls, it is definitely a zygomycete, if not it could easily still be a zygomycete but might also be a variety of primitive asco. I might be able to do better for you from a closer picture, but I'm 99% sure that I can't give you a species unless you feel like taking a sample and mailing it to me, in which case I could do some microscopy and have it looked at by the mycology department.

LaSelva · #3 (**permalink**) 10-13-2011, 09:18 PM

mycologist says possibly in Xylariales

eos · #4 (**permalink**) 10-13-2011, 10:28 PM

Could be eggs too... have you tried touching them?

pnwpdf · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2011, 06:06 PM

Thanks for the ID. A quick google search turned up some info that is helpful. I have touched them, and am certain they aren't eggs. There aren't any bugs in that viv that could lay eggs like that. There are about 6 billion springtails, but I'm sure their eggs are smaller than these.