Volume 11, Part 4, November 1997

David, A. (1982) Etude monographique du genreSkeletocutis. Naturaliste Canadien 109: 235 - 272.

Gilbertson, R. 1. & Ryvarden, 1. (1986 - 87) NorthAmerican Polypores. 885 pp, Oslo: Fungiflora.

Marr, C. D. (1979) Laccase and tyrosinase oxidation ofspot test reagents. Mycotaxon 9: 244 - 276.

Pilat, A. (1936 - 42) Polyporaceae I - II. Atlas desChampignons de l'Europe. 624 pp. Prague.

Reid, D. A. (1975) Type studies of the largerBasidiomycetes described from southern Africa.Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 7: 1 - 255.

Renvall, P. & Niemela, T. (1992) Polypores of the timber-line in Lapland 3. Two new boreal polypores with

intricate hyphal systems. Karsterua 32: 29 - 42.Ryvarden, L. & Johansen, 1. (1980) A Preliminary

Polypore Flora of East Africa. 636 pp. Oslo:Fungiflora.

Ryvarden, 1. & Gilbertson, R. L. (1993) EuropeanPolypores 1. Abortiporus - Lindtneria. SynopsisEungorum 6: 1 - 387.

Ryvarden, 1. & Gilbertson, R. 1. (1994) EuropeanPolypores 2. Meripilus - Tyromyces. SynopsisFungorum 7: 395 - 743.

Stalpers, J. A. (1978) Identification of wood-inhabitingAphyllophorales in pure culture. Studies in Mycology16.248 pp.

TOADSTOOLS AND SPRINGTAILS

Springtails are insects of the order Collembola.They are the tiny creatures (sizes between 0.5mm and 6.0 mm) which jump when leaf litter isdisturbed. This they do with a springing organat the rear end of the body. Their main diet isdecomposing plant fragments, fungal hyphae andspores, although one species at least is said tohave carnivorous habits.

Among other investigations of these creatures,I have, when the opportunity afforded itself,examined their distribution on toadstools. Thisstudy is only beginning but there are some rela-tionships which seem to be interesting.

In October 1996 the toadstools on my lawn(which has two birch trees at the edge) were fair-ly prolific, mainly the five species Mycenaaetites, Mycena [lavo-alba, Marasmius oreades,Laccaria laccata and Lactarius glyciosmus. Thefruiting bodies of each species were collectedinto separate plastic containers. They yieldedthree species of springtail which were roughlyclassified on the ACFOR scale (abundant, com-mon, frequent, occasional, rare). Only Laccarialaccata had all three, these being Lepidocyrtuscurvicollis (R), Isotoma viridis (R), andLepidocyrtus cyaneus (F), the last a beautifulblue-purple one is generally found with rottinggrass clippings in the garden. This species wasthe only one collected from three of the fungalspecies: Mycena aetites (C), Mycena flavo-alba(F), and Marasmius oreades (F). Remarkably,no springtails were found on Lactarius glycios-mus although over thirty specimens growingamongst and beyond the others were examined.This absence of springtails is not, I think, justchance.

In an examination of Flammulina velutipes inmy garden (28 January 1997), I found abundantnumbers of Onychiurus burmeisteri, which I have

not otherwise found on a toadstool. No otherspringtails were present.

In other sporadic searching, there werezero returns for Lactarius subdulcis, Lepistainversa, Mycena clavicularis, Macrolepiota pro-cera, Clitocybe infundibuliformis. These are allsmall samples and not meaningful in themselves.The springtail Hypogastrura denticulata hasturned up most abundantly of all others onRussula rosea (A), Lepiota cristata (A), Collybiadryophila (A), Xerocomus chrysenteron (C),Russula ochroleuca (R) and Laccaria laccata (R),between August and October in different places.The springtail Lepidocyrtus curvicollis has beenfound on more species than any other but nevermore than in ones or twos. Ten species ofspringtails have been seen altogether on fruitingbodies out of 52 species which I have recognisedso far in Gloucestershire. Since I have so farmade only thirty examinations of toadstoolspecies, these figures are only suggestive indica-tors of the ecology of these fascinating littleorganisms. Questions are raised: Do Lactariusspecies ever have springtail grazers? Is the pres-ence seasonal, related to available populationsand quite adventitious? Or do different spring-tails select particular toadstool species?

The easiest way of collecting the insects is to'pooter' them into a tube, then drop them intowarm alcohol. Springtails can be dislodged fromtoadstool caps by tapping or being shaken in aclosed container. Any specimens will be wel-come, with of course, information on source anddate.

Brian CaveKingford, Napping Lane,

Longhope, Gloucestershire GL17 OQH

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