O status ecológico das comunidades de fungos coprófilos

We discuss the ecological status of coprophilous fungi communities lato sensu, presenting key points to the definition of scientific hypothesis and future studies aiming to understand the ecological factors that modulate the coprophilous lifestyle's choice by these fungi. We present a new scientific term (copromycodiversity) that better describes the magnitude of this group, considering the comprehensiveness of this fungal group, including the morphological, physiological and ecological diversities to a coprophilous fungi population recorded to a specific geographical region. Furthermore, we raised some questions related to the life cycle of these fungi, taking into account recent studies as well as the traditionally accepted assumption that supports the spore passage through animals's gut to its growth and development on dung. We expect that future research would best define these communities, avoiding uncertainties about the definition of the coprophilous lifestyle, even that some species would growth on others substrates (fimicolous fungi), but still displaying some connection with its animal host (coprophilia). While we are waiting for future directions, new hypothesis must be planned and tested aiming the predictors that truly modulates the occurrence of coprophilous fungi in different environments.