Morphological, keratin colonizing and degrading characters of some keratinophilic fungi and related dermatophytes isolated from Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur

Morphological keratin colonizing and degrading characters of some keratinophilic fungi and related dermatophytes have been studied. Colonization of different substrates by fungi did not show any correlation with their morphological characters. However, it was possible to distinguish isolates on the morphological and biochemical basis as fungi with rhexolytically dehiscing conidia displayed similar enzyme-specificity in degrading chicken feathers while, Gymnoascus subumbrinus with schizolytically dehiscing conidia could not degrade it.