Decomposers: 1-Yellow-Footed Micropore (Microporus Xanthopus) is funnel shaped yellow or black smooth and shiny fungus. Fungus is a great decomposer and recycles nature, when a tree dies it must decompose nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients before it is avaliable for plants. When they break down organic material plants can resuse the nutrients which helps rainforests grown on bad soil. They grow on fallen twigs, branches and logs near coastal rainforests. Can be found by itself or in groups. Like all fungus they do not photosynthesise, but can ingest food like animals do, they are heterotrophic. This means they get energy from the food they eat known as dead or living plants and animal tissue. Water is essential for all fungus, they need moisture in the wood that they digest. Fungi have relationships with parasites and mutalists. They reproduce by producing spores. They can be used to make alcohol,cheese, and soy.
2- Firm Cup Fungi (Pezizaceae) This fungi is a part of the Ascomycota family,known as sac fungi. They are named for the microsopic sacs thier spores form in. Sexual reproduction happens by budding, that results in the production of an ascus, placing them in the Ascomycota family. The fungi can produce sexually and asexually. It is the largest in the fungi kingdom, it has 65,000 species. They approximately account for 75% of fungi, they range in size from microscopic to the size of a large mushroom. Known to be economically important. It has both consumer and decomposer for its niche. It creates yeast, which gives the body protein and is a big factor for bread, it can be an edible mushroom.
3- Vermillion Wax Cups (Hygrocybe Miniata) This fungi is small red or yellow wasx cups, the stem is long. The cap of the fungi is dry and thin. It grow in the early summer through fall, It can be found worldwide, this fungi is cosmopolitan. Grows in the woods, on the ground, and fields. They are edible but not recommened.
4- Pink Bracket Fungi (Formito Lilac Inogilva) most of them are wood-rotters. They live on tree trunks or branches consuming the wood, are found on living or dying trees or on dead or fallen wood. They are an important to the carbon cycle and production of forest ecosystems and are found more in old forests. A number of this fungi and their species are under threat of extinction due to logging and deforestation. Are used for traditional medicine, are tough and heavy.
5- Witches Butter (Tremella Mesenterica) is shiny bright yellow jelly fungus usally found on dead fallen branches. Formed during wet periods of the year. When wet it becomes slimy and tough, becomes hard when dry. It is edible but flavorless. In China, the fungus is used by vegetarians to prepare "an immunomodulating cooling soup with lotus seed, lily bulbs, jujube, etc.". Can produce polysaccharides that are used in the medical field.
Detritivores: 1-Beetles
Auger beetle Bostrichidae
Reddish brown to brownish black in color, it can live between 1-6 years. They feed on all wood products and bamboo.
Rhinoceros beetle (Dynastinae)
The Rhinoceros Beetle is very strong it can lift 850 times it own body weight, more than any other animal recorded. They are a popular pet in Asia, they can cost up to $350 dollars. They can reach 6 inches, this makes them the largest species of the Rhino Beetle. The male beetle has horns on thier head that are used for digging underground and fighting other males to find a mate, but the female has no horns. They are harmless to humans, they dont bite, sting, or have any poisonous venom in them. Main predators for them are birds and snakes, during the day they hide under logs to keep away from predators They eat rotting fruit, tree sap, and decaying wood.
2-Ants
Green Weaver Ant (Oncyphilla)
They are known for thier unique ability to weave together to construct nests by weaving together leaves using larval silk. Weaver Ants eat small insects and honeydew from small insects thye eat. They are reddish to yellowish brown depending on thier species. If they feel in danger they can will leave a painful bite. Weaver ants are used as natural biocontrol agents against agricultural pests. They protect insects that milk for honeydew. Farmers use the ants on thier farm, they provide shelter,food, and a place to keep them protected. They can be used as a protien and food source since they are edible for humans and high in protien.
3-Moths
Fruit-Piercing Moth (Eudocima Phalonia)
Is a fruit piercing moth and is one of the biggest fruit pests in the world. Head is reddish brown, wings brown with some green and back wings are orange and black. Breeding occurs throughout the year, less likley during the dry season in Queensland. The female moth lays its yellowish green eggs on the leaves of trees. When they hatch they eat the leaves, the process takes about 30-60 days depending on the weather. They eat mostly at night and eat bananas, citrus, fig,tomato, kiwifruit, and mango. They causing damage to fruits by punchuring the fruit.
Hawk Moth (Sphingidae)
They fly in the air and eat the nectar from flowers during the day, some may think they are a hummingbird. On the male the antenna is thicker and has more markings than the female. The larvae eat soft leaves and chew and mash the food into very small bits. Adults feed on nectar, and some steal honey from bees. They can be found in gardens, parks, and bushes. They have the worlds longest tongue of any other moth or butterfly.
4-Spiders
Golden Silk Spider (Nephila)
They are reddish to greenish yellow in color. Their name comes from the yellow threads they produce that look like gold in the sunlight. When the spiders web is in the sunlight and looks golden it at attracts bees. The spider can rebuild portions of the web, build new thingson the web thats needs to be, and spin the new spirals. First it a non sticky spiral, then leaves space for two to twenty more spirals in between. They will eat flies, wasps, bees, small moths, and butterflies,small birds and snakes. Fisherman on the coast of the Pacific take the webs form them into a ball. Then throw them in the water, and it unfolds and catches fish. If bitten by this spider its not deadly, but you will have swelling and redness.
Wolf Spider (Lycosidae)
The Wolf Spider is brown, grey, or black with markings.They have excellent eyesight they live and hunt alone, thay can live up to 11 years. They carry their eggs attached to them. They have 8 large legs and 8 eyes. They depend on camouflage to stay protected. If they feel threatend they will bite leaving venom in the system. They can be found in deserts, rainforests, and grasslands while hunting at night for insects.
5-Wasps
Paper Wasps
These wasps gather dead wood and planty stems, then they mix with their saliva to make water resistant nests. At the end the nests look like they are mad efrom paper. The wasps produce a chemical that repels ants away from the nest. Nests are found in sheltered areas, and will only attack if they feel the nest is in danger. The wasps feed on nectar and pollen. They are benifitial because they help with pollination by feeding on nectar.