Dimargaris bacillispora – novel records from cave environment and its isolation in culture

The coprophilous Dimargaris bacillispora is a rarely found and more rarely isolated microfungal species. In this study, we report the repeated observation and isolation of this fungus from a cave sediment used to rear cave-inhabiting isopods and springtails in the laboratory, originating from the Domica Cave, Slovakia. Dimargaris bacillispora was also observed and isolated from the faeces and cadavers of these laboratory-reared invertebrates. Subsequently, pure culture isolates of D. bacillispora were obtained from these substrates, characterised and identified. Finally, this species was then isolated directly from the cave sediment of the Domica Cave after several days of exposure of agar slants to the cave environment. This is the first record of this species from Europe and from a subterranean environment. Additionally, this study reports a new growth substrate for a fungus which was considered to be strictly coprophilous and mycoparasitic. This study suggests that this species is probably more widely distributed in nature than is reported in the literature, due to the difficulties of viewing its delicate sporophores and growing it in culture.