Ascobolaceae

The Ascobolaceae are a family of fungi in the order Pezizales. A 2008 estimate places 6 genera and 129 species in the family.^[1]

Ascobolaceae
Ascobolus spp. growing on cow dung
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Pezizomycetes
Order:	Pezizales
Family:	Ascobolaceae Boud. ex Sacc. (1984)
Type genus
Ascobolus Pers. (1972)
Genera
Ascobolus Ascophanus Cleistoiodophanus Cubonia Saccobolus Thecotheus

Description

Most fruiting bodies of the disk-like ascobolaceae examined, are round and without conidium. All members of this family of fungi have a saprobiontic lifestyle, feeding on decaying and dead matter.^[2]

Taxonomy

• Ascobolaceae with 4 different genera^[3]
  • Ascobolus
  • Cubonia
  • Saccobolus
  • Thecotheus

Examples

Ascobolus michaudii and Ascobolus albidus live as decomposers on the feces of large herbivore and omnivore mammals and depend on their survival, due to the specialized habitat they inhabit.^[4]

• 
  Weißlicher Kotling Ascobolus albidus, Northern Velebit National Park^[4]
• 
  Ascobolus scatigenus
• 
  Ascobolus carbonarius dwells on burnt material
• 
  Ascobolus stercorarius:James Sowerbys Coloured Figures of English Fungi or Mushrooms
• 
  Saccobolus citrinus
• 
  Thecotheus holmskioldii