Radiant dung beetle (Coprinellus radians) photo and description

Radiant dung beetle (Coprinellus radians)

• Agaricus radians Desm. (1828)
• A gardener’s coat Metrod (1940)
• Coprinus radians (Desm.) Fr.
• C. radians var. diversicystidiatus
• C. radians var. smoothed
• C. radians var. obturated
• C. radians var. pachyteichotus
• C. like Berk. & Broome

Current name: Coprinellus radians (Desm.) Vilgalys, Hopple & Jacq. Johnson, in Redhead, Vilgalys, Moncalvo, Johnson & Hopple, Taxon 50(1): 234 (2001)

The species was first described in 1828 by Jean Baptiste Henri Joseph Desmazieres, who gave it the name Agaricus radians. In 1838 Georges Métrod transferred it to the genus Coprinus. As a result of phylogenetic studies conducted at the turn of the 2001th and XNUMXst centuries, mycologists established the polyphyletic nature of the genus Coprinus and divided it into several genera. The current name, recognized by Index Fungorum, was given to the species in XNUMX.

head: In young fruiting bodies, until the cap begins to unfold, its dimensions are approximately 30 x 25 mm, the shape is hemispherical, ovoid or ellipsoid. In the process of development, it expands and becomes conical, then convex, reaching a diameter of 3,5-4 cm, rarely up to 5 centimeters in diameter. The skin of the cap is golden yellow to ocher, later light orange, fading to light gray-brown as it matures, with remnants of the common veil in the form of small fluffy fragments of yellowish-reddish-brown, darker in the center and lighter towards edges, especially a lot of them in the center of the cap.

The edge of the cap is distinctly ribbed.

plates: free or adherent, frequent, the number of complete plates (reaching the stem) – from 60 to 70, with frequent plates (l = 3–5). The width of the plates is 3–8 (up to 10) mm. Initially white, then from maturing spores become gray-brown to black.

Leg: height 30–80 mm, thickness 2–7 mm. Sometimes larger sizes are indicated: up to 11 cm high and up to 10 mm thick. Central, even, cylindrical, often with a club-like thickened or annular base. Often the leg grows from ozonium – red mycelium fibers that form a “carpet” in the place of growth of the radiant dung beetle. Read more about ozonium in the article Homemade dung beetle.

Pulp: thin, fragile, whitish or yellowish.

Smell: without features.

Taste: No particular taste, but sometimes described as sweetish.

Spore powder imprint: the black.

Споры: 8,5–11,5 x 5,5–7 µm, cylindrical ellipsoid or ellipsoid, with rounded base and apex, medium to dark red-brown.

The radiant dung beetle is quite rare, there are few confirmed finds. But, perhaps, in fact, it is much larger, it was incorrectly identified as Dung beetle.

In Poland, there are only a few confirmed finds. In Ukraine, it is believed that it grows on the Left Bank and in the Carpathian region.

It bears fruit from spring to autumn, probably distributed everywhere.

In a number of countries it is included in the list of endangered and protected species.

Saprotroph. It grows on fallen branches, trunks and logs of deciduous trees, on humus soil with a large amount of wood residues. Solitarily or in small clusters. It is found in forests, gardens, park areas, lawns and home gardens.

There are no exact data. Most likely, the radiant dung beetle is edible at a young age, like all dung beetles, “similar to home or shimmering.”

However, a case of fungal keratitis (inflammation of the cornea) caused by Coprinellus radians has been reported. The article “Rare Fungal Keratitis Caused by Coprinellus Radians” was published in the journal Mycopathologia (2020).

We will carefully place Dung beetle in the “Inedible Species” and advise respected mushroom pickers to remember to wash their hands after contact with mushrooms, especially if they suddenly want to scratch their eyes.

Dung beetle (Coprinellus domesticus)

It is very similar, and in some sources synonymous with Dung beetle, which has a slightly larger fruiting body and white, rather than yellowish, remains of a common veil on the hat.

Golden dung beetle (Coprinellus xanthothrix)

Coprinellus xanthothrix Very similar, especially when young, with buffy brown scales on the cap.

A list of similar species will be kept up to date in the article Dung beetle.