Classification of Fungi Unit 17 Lesson 2

FUNGAL PHYLA Fungi are classified into 5 phyla according to their reproductive structures: Chytridiomycota Zygomycota Basidiomycota Ascomycota Glomeromycota

CHYTRIDIOMYCOTA Chytridiomycotic fungi are also known as chytrids. Although many are saprobic, some chytrids are especially parasitic to lake-dwelling organisms. In chytrids, asexual reproduction takes place by way of motile zoospores, while sexual reproduction takes place by way of sporangiospores. Two chytrid zoospores in the skin of a clown frog

ZYGOMYCOTA Zygomycotic fungi are called sporangium fungi or common molds. Some types of common mold include: black bread mold and pin mold. Sporangium fungi reproduce asexually by way of sporangia, and sexually by way of hyphae fusion. Mucorales, a fungus commonly known as pin mold, on a bell pepper

BASIDIOMYCOTA Basidiomycotic fungi are also known as club fungi. Some types of club fungi include: mushrooms, toadstools, and puffballs. Club fungi rarely reproduce asexually. During sexual reproduction, their fruiting bodies are called basidiocarps and their zygospores are called basidiospores. Most edible mushrooms are club fungi.

ASCOMYCOTA Ascomycotic fungi are called sac fungi. Some types of sac fungi include: yeast, truffles, and powder mildew. Sac fungi can reproduce sexually by way of specialized hyphae called ascocarps and asexually by way of specialized hyphae called conidia. Ascocarps contain sacs called asci that contain ascospores. Sporothrix schenckii, a type of skin-infecting fungus

GLOMEROMYCOTA Glomeromycota are a type of soil-borne fungi that are only found in terrestrial habitats. Glomeromycotic fungi are mostly mycorrhizal. Mycorrhizae live symbiotically in plant roots and play an important role in soil biology. Soil-borne fungi only reproduce asexually by way of spores called glomerospores. Plant roots colonized with mycorrhizae.

DEUTEROMYCOTA Fungi that do not fit neatly into a phylum are often classified into an unofficial group called Deuteromycota. The Deuteromycota classification generally includes fungi that only reproduce asexually and fungi whose reproduction cycles have never been observed. Deuteromycotic fungi are often called imperfect fungi. Conidium, a type of non-motile asexual spore

THE SIX GROUPS Group Common Name Hyphae Reproduction Chytridiomycota Chytrids coenocytic Asexual: motile zoospores Sexual: sporangiospores Zygomycota Common molds Asexual: sporangiospores Sexual: zygospores Basidiomycota Club fungi septate Mostly Sexual: basidiospores Ascomycota Sac fungi Asexual: conidiospores Sexual: ascospores Glomeromycota Mycorrhizae Asexual: spores or fragmentation Deuteromycota Imperfect fungi Asexual: conidiospores