Black Fungus Gnat
Asindulum nigrum
The Black Fungus Gnat (Asindulum nigrum) is a small, dark-colored dipteran insect characterized by its distinctive black coloration and delicate wing structure. These gnats play a crucial ecological role as decomposers, with their larvae feeding on decaying organic matter and fungal mycelia in forest floor environments, while adults serve as pollinators for various understory plants.
8
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Diptera
Family
Keroplatidae
Genus
Asindulum
Black Fungus Gnat belongs to the family Keroplatidae, order Diptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The Black Fungus Gnat (Asindulum nigrum) is a small, dark-colored dipteran insect characterized by its distinctive black coloration and delicate wing structure. These gnats play a crucial ecological role as decomposers, with their larvae feeding on decaying organic matter and fungal mycelia in forest floor environments, while adults serve as pollinators for various understory plants.
The Black Fungus Gnat faces significant threats from habitat degradation and loss of suitable breeding substrates in forest ecosystems. Climate change and altered precipitation patterns are disrupting the delicate moisture conditions required for fungal growth, which this species depends on for larval development and adult feeding.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Inhabits moist deciduous and mixed forests with rich organic soil layers and abundant fungal growth on decaying wood and leaf litter. Requires stable humidity levels and undisturbed forest floor microhabitats with diverse mycorrhizal networks.
Threats
Habitat degradation and deforestation
Loss of fungal substrate diversity
Climate change affecting moisture regimes
Pesticide use in adjacent agricultural areas
Soil compaction and disturbance
Found in 8 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Black Fungus Gnat (Asindulum nigrum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/black-fungus-gnat