Wildlife
Hat-thrower fungi earn their name from their habit of firing spore capsules away from the parent fungus. The spores stick to grass and can safely pass through a grazing animal's digestive tract, so that they emerge from the other end in a dollop of dung. These fungi then grow in the dung completing the life cycle. This fungus rarely reaches 5cm in height, but can propel the spore capsule a mighty 2m away.
Scientific name: Pilobolus crystallinus
Rank: Species
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Zone of repugnance
The fastest living thing on the planet does 0-20mph in 2 millionths of a second.
The fastest living thing on the planet does 0-20mph in 2 millionths of a second.
Hat-throwing fungus
This fungus spreads its spores in an unusual way.
This fungus spreads its spores in an unusual way.
The Hat thrower fungus can be found in a number of locations including: Australia, China, Europe, North America, Russia, United Kingdom. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Hat thrower fungus distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Dung eaterAdditional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Pilobolus crystallinus var. crystallinus, commonly known as the "Dung Cannon" or "Hat Thrower", is a species of fungus belonging to the Mucorales order. It is unique in that it adheres its spores to vegetation, so as to be eaten by grazing animals. It then passes through the animals' digestive systems and grows in their feces. Although these fungi only grow to be 2–4 cm (0.8–1.6 in) tall, they can shoot their sporangium, containing their spores, up to 2 m (6.6 ft) away. Due to an increase of pressure in the vesicle, the sporangium can accelerate 0–45 mph in the first millimeter of its flight, which corresponds to an acceleration of an incredible 20000 g. Using a mucus-like substance found in the vesicle of the fungus, the sporangium can adhere itself onto whatever it lands, thus completing its life cycle.
The basionym of this species is Hydrogera crystallina F.H. Wigg. 1780.
The ability of this fungus to cause problems for florists was noted in the scientific literature in 1881:
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Broadleaf forest
Coniferous forest
Temperate grassland
Tropical grassland