Summary: Features include the minute, disc-shaped to cup-shaped, orange to yellow fruiting body, and microscopic characters.
Microscopic: spores 8.0-10.5 x 5-6.5 microns, elliptic, thin-walled, colorless, mostly 1-seriate, each with 1 de Bary bubble; asci 8-spored, 60-85 x 10-15 microns, cylindric, rounded in upper part, ending in a short stem; paraphyses filiform [thread-like], septate, simple or sparingly branched, slightly uncinate [hooked] in upper apart, enlarged to 3.5 microns, filled with numerous small yellow droplets
Notes: Coprotus luteus is found at least in BC, and also AB, ON, MT, NY, SD, WY, and Mexico (Kimbrough).
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Coprotus aurora (AB, ON, WY, DE, IL), is even more brightly colored and is distinguished by its larger more elliptic spores and more uncinate and highly pigmented paraphyses. Coprotus breviascus (WY, Austria), also with a yellowish to orange fruiting body, has short asci 45-55 x 15-18 microns and spores 10-13 x 6.5-8.5 microns. Coprotus ochraceus, with a pale yellow to orange fruiting body, has spores 15-18 x 9-10.5 microns. (all three from Kimbrough).
Habitat
scattered on dung of various animals (moose, cow, deer, goat, horse)