ACTA MyCoLoGICA Vol. 46 (1): 83–107 2011 Geophilic dermatophytes and other keratinophilic fungi in the nests of wetland birds Teresa KoRnIŁŁoWICz-Kowalska1, IGnacy KIToWSKI2 and HELEnA IGLIK1 1Department of Environmental Microbiology, Mycological Laboratory University of Life Sciences in Lublin Leszczyńskiego 7, PL-20-069 Lublin,
[email protected] 2Department of zoology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13 PL-20-950 Lublin,
[email protected] Korniłłowicz-Kowalska T., Kitowski I., Iglik H.: Geophilic dermatophytes and other keratinophilic fungi in the nests of wetland birds. Acta Mycol. 46 (1): 83–107, 2011. The frequency and species diversity of keratinophilic fungi in 38 nests of nine species of wetland birds were examined. nine species of geophilic dermatophytes and 13 Chrysosporium species were recorded. Ch. keratinophilum, which together with its teleomorph (Aphanoascus fulvescens) represented 53% of the keratinolytic mycobiota of the nests, was the most frequently observed species. Chrysosporium tropicum, Trichophyton terrestre and Microsporum gypseum populations were less widespread. The distribution of individual populations was not uniform and depended on physical and chemical properties of the nests (humidity, pH). Key words: Ascomycota, mitosporic fungi, Chrysosporium, occurrence, distribution INTRODUCTION Geophilic dermatophytes and species representing the Chrysosporium group (an arbitrary term) related to them are ecologically classified as keratinophilic fungi. Ke- ratinophilic fungi colonise keratin matter (feathers, hair, etc., animal remains) in the soil, on soil surface and in other natural environments. They are keratinolytic fungi physiologically specialised in decomposing native keratin. They fully solubilise na- tive keratin (chicken feathers) used as the only source of carbon and energy in liquid cultures after 70 to 126 days of growth (20°C) (Korniłłowicz-Kowalska 1997).