Original articleThe preference of Morulina alata (Collembola: Neanuridae) feeding on some fungal sporocarps and the effects of passage through the gut on spores

- Morulina alata had a preference for fungus species of sporocarps in the field.
- Field collected M. alata contained spores in the gut.
- After gut passage of M. alata 9.2%-97.2% of spores were appeared intact.
- The endzoochory by M. alata was likely possible in the preferred fungus species.
- The role of springtail species in fungus endozoochory of may vary with their mouth part structures.

Some soil invertebrates, such as springtails, feed on fungal sporocarps, which produce spores for reproduction. These soil invertebrates are likely to carry spores to fungal substrates in soil, even for fungal species for which the spores are believed to be primarily wind-dispersed. Few studies have examined the possibility of endozoochory for springtail species without molar plates. In Japan, Morulina alata (Neanuridae), which lacks molar plates, has been observed on sporocarps. This study determined 1) on which fungal species M. alata occurs most frequently and abundantly in the field, 2) whether it feeds on spores in the field, and 3) whether spores are damaged during gut passage in the laboratory. We observed the feeding habits of M. alata on Cortinarius anomalus, Inocybe fastigiata, and Mycena pura. In the field, M. alata was found on I. fastigiata and M. pura sporocarps, but not on C. anomalus. Spores of I. fastigiata and M. pura were also found in the gut of M. alata. Feeding experiments showed that almost all C. anomalus and I. fastigiata spores, and some M. pura spores, appeared to be intact after passage through the gut. Our results suggest that dispersal of intact spores of I. fastigiata and M. pura after ingestion by M. alata is possible. The movement of M. alata remains to be studied.