Coprophilous fungi from dung of the Greater One-Horned Rhino in Kaziranga National Park, India and its implication to paleoherbivory and paleoecology

Researchers have identified coprophilous fungi, particularly Sporormiella, Saccobolus, Ascodesmis, Cercophora, and Sordaria, in the dung of the greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) within Kaziranga National Park, India. This discovery marks the first documentation of these fungi in rhino dung across both forest and grassland habitats. The Sporormiella–Ascodesmis–Saccobolus assemblage is notably abundant, providing insights into the ecological relationships between rhinoceroses, flora, and other fauna. By analyzing fungal spore distribution, the study offers a novel approach to reconstructing past herbivory patterns (paleoherbivory) and ecosystem dynamics (paleoecology), with implications for understanding historical animal distributions in India and surrounding regions.

Basumatary, S. K., & McDonald, H. G. (2017). Coprophilous fungi from dung of the Greater One-Horned Rhino in Kaziranga National Park, India and its implication to paleoherbivory and paleoecology. Quaternary Research, 88(1), 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2017.34