<p>Fungi able to germinate, feed and reproduce on herbivore dung form a restricted group of microorganisms, commonly referred to as coprophilous fungi. In this ecological group, species with specific morpho-functional qualitative traits are favored by parameters mainly associated with the dung pelleting, i.e., the number and area of exposed dung fragments. Two hundred and seventy samples of cattle, goat and horse dung were collected in equal proportion in an edaphic, vegetational and climatic gradient ranging from Atlantic Forest to the semi-arid Caatinga complex in northeastern Brazil. A total of 1286 occurrences, with ~ 8000 analyzed specimens, resulted in 141 identified species. A pelleting/dung scattering gradient, which includes contact with air currents, soil particles and insect visits, lower in cattle dung, intermediate in horse dung and higher in goat dung, resulted in a gradual response on species composition/community structure. The less pelleted dung favors endocoprophilous fungi, highly competitive and with clear adaptative traits related to coprophily (e.g. <i>Ascobolus</i> spp.), at one end of the gradient. Non-specialized, ubiquitous saprobes (e.g. eurotialean anamorphs and non-pilobolaceous zygosporic fungi), or species with insect-dispersed spores (e.g. <i>Kernia</i> spp.) are more common on highly pelleted dung. Being able to feed and to reproduce on dung, albeit not passing through the animal's gut, this latter group is presented here as exocoprophilous fungi. This study presents the results of this investigation and outlines patterns associated with the occurrence of these species. This qualitative, trait-oriented approach allows a degree of predictability and a clearer understanding of patterns associated with microbial community development in ephemeral, nutrient-rich and highly competitive “island ecosystems”, and also favors a qualitative, ecomorphological trait-based approach when accessing patterns of community composition.</p>