A Sordaria fimicola's life cycle begins as a single cell dispersed from a multicelluler Sordaria fimicola. The individual cell does not normally travel too far from its source, but it may be carried away by external factors. Sordaria fimicola is often found in fecal matter, and thus may travel to new locations through an animal's excrement.
Within a day, the cell will begin to split and go through the process of mitosis. The steps of an individual cell in mitosis are interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. The end result of mitosis is a new cell.
As cells continue to duplicate, the Sordaria fimicola forms a mycelium, which is the non-sexual part of the fungus. The mycelium will eventually support the growth of the sexual aspects of the Sordaria fimicola.
After the mycelium has grown large enough to sufficiently support sexual growth, the Sordaria fimicola undergoes the process of meiosis. Meiosis creates ascopores, which are the original unicellular version of Sordaria fimicola.
Ascopores develop in ascocarp—also known as the perithecium—which is the fruiting body of the Sordaria fimicola. Once the fungus has fully matured, the ascopores are released. A Sordaria fimicola dies shortly after all of its ascopores have been released.