Dry rot The term "dry rot", or "true dry rot", refers to the decay of timbers from only certain species of fungi that are thought to provide their own source of moisture and nutrients to cause decay in otherwise relatively dry timber. However, there has been no published experimental evidence to support the phenomenon. In modern texts, the term 'dry rot' is used in reference to damage inflicted by either: "Serpula lacrymans" (formerly "Merulius lacrymans") predominantly in the United Kingdom and northern Europe; and/or "Meruliporia incrassata" (which has a number of synonyms, including "Poria incrassata" and "Serpula incrassata") in North America. Both
Serpula vigorous pumping movements of the abdomen and also by the activity of the ciliary tracts. The well-developed longitudinal muscles of the body wall of serpulids lack a special blood supply. The body surface in the larger serpulids, like "Serpula", has a rich blood supply, and the water in contact with this surface is constantly renewed. It seems probable that the outer body surface of serpulids serves as a respiratory membrane, supplying oxygen to the underlying muscles by diffusion. The biochemistry of the blood of "Serpula" is especially unusual in that the blood contains not only hemoglobin, but also chlorocruorin. While