Coprophilous

/kəˈprɑːfɪləs/ adjective

Definition

In ecology and botany, describing organisms (especially fungi and plants) that thrive in or are attracted to fecal matter or dung as a habitat or food source.

Etymology

From Greek 'kopros' (feces) + 'philos' (loving). Used in mycology and ecology to describe species that prefer manure, dung, or fecal habitats for growth and reproduction.

Kelly Says

Some of the most fascinating mushrooms are coprophilous—they grow exclusively on animal dung and produce spores perfectly timed to spread through the guts of animals that eat the fungi. Nature's most elegant waste-recycling system.

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