Kingdom+Fungi

=The Hat Thrower Fungus= //BBC Nature in the United Kingdom//. (2009). [Photograph]. Retrieved from []

Hat Thrower Fungus, Cap Throwing Fungus, Dung Cannon
 * Common Names: **


 * Latin Name: **
 * //Pilobolus crystallinus//**

Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Zygomycota Class: Zygomycetes Order: Mucorales Family: Pilobolaceae Genus: //Pilobolus// Species: //Pilobolus crystallinus//

The Zygomycota Phylum reproduce sexually through zygospores, and asexually through sporangia. They produce cell walls containing chitin.
 * Description of Phylum: **

The Hat Thrower Fungus is a fungus that is found on animal dung. It is very small, but with unique features and abilities that enable its small size to be overcome.
 * Introduction to the Species: **

This fungus has a clear, translucent body. It is 1/4 of an inch tall, but it can throw its spores up to eight feet. This is done by projecting the entire head that contains all of the spores up into the air. It has a yellow tip that turns into an olive green colour then to a black colour, until it is shot up into the air.
 * Morphological Features: **

Barron, G. //Pilobolus crystallinus.// [Photograph]. Retrieved from //[]//

The Hat Thrower Fungus attempts to get spores from the animal dung (where it lives) to the grass surrounding it. This is the reason why it projects the spores far away; it ensures that the spores be ingested by grazing animals, and excreting as dung once again, continuing the life cycle. The stalks grow towards the sun in order to gain maximum distance in spore projection. Herbivores who graze on the grass will ingest and expel spores as waste, where the life cycle continues. __Life Cycle:__ The yellow points of the Hat Thrower Fungus grow up towards the sun, and the yellow colour slowly moves up while the bottom is left a translucent milky white. The yellow concentration at the top form a sort of flattened spherical shape, which turns an olive green colour to a pure black colour. The area beneath that black flattened sphere swells up as to imitate an eyeball-like appearance. The spores are blasted off and the fungus deflated and dies.
 * Anatomical/Physiological Features: **

Whitney, K. (2007). //Visuals Unlimited, Inc.// [Photograph]. Retrieved from []

The Hat Thrower Fungus lives on the surface of moist animal (usually cow) dung, where there is plenty of sunlight. They are found in pastures and barnyards where animal feces are abundant.
 * Where Does It Live? **

The Hat Thrower Fungus's unique ability to shoot up its spores up to eight feet enable it to shoot them over grazing animals.
 * Interesting Facts: **

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 * References: **

//Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences //. (n.d.) Retrieved from []

Currey, F. (1857), On a Species of //Pilobolus//. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London. Botany, 1: 162–167. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.1857.tb02442.x

James, T., & O'Donnell, K. (2009). //The Tree of Life Web Project //. Retrieved from []

//Jevstar Ltd. //(2010). Retrieved from []