1. Classification of Fungi
Unit 17 Lesson 2

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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