Isolation of monocentric and polycentric fungi from the rumen and feces of cows in Georgia

Three monocentric and two polycentric obligately anaerobic zoosporic fungi were isolated from the rumen, freshly voided feces, and dry and moist feces. Rumen isolates were morphologically similar to fecal isolates from the same animal. The monocentric isolates were Piromyces communis, Neocallimastix frontalis, and Caecomyces communis. The polycentric isolates were Orpinomyces bovis and Orpinomyces sp. type PC3. Piromyces communis and N. frontalis were obtained from feces stored for 3 and 6 months, respectively. Orpinomyces bovis and Orpinomyces sp. type PC3 were isolated from dry feces, but not moist feces, stored for 3 and 6 months, respectively. Caecomyces communis was isolated only from feces stored for 6 weeks. All the isolates, except C. communis, formed melanized sporangia in pure culture. Structures that were morphologically similar to the melanized sporangia of rumen fungi were observed in fecal smears.The fecal isolates grew under conditions similar to the rumen, but not under aerobic conditions....