BIO 411 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Mucoromycotina, Zygospore, Entomophthoromycota
Document Summary
No motile component to their life cycle. Adapted for a terrestrial existence relationships still being worked out; some recent research suggests that the features that unite them evolved multiple times. Asexual and/or sexual reproduction, so that there are frequently anamorph and teleomorph components to the lifecycle. Asexual spores termed mitospores (result of mitosis) or aplanospores (because they are not motile) or sporangispores (because they are housed in sporangia) Mucoromycota/mucoromycotina >700 spp have the classic features initially described for the zygomycota important saprotrophs like bread mold and relatives that live on dung. Key feature that distinguishes the mucoromycotina from other fungi: Sexual reproduction that results in the formation of a zygospore. Zygospores are thick-walled resistant structures that can survive poor conditions. Members of the mucoromycotina can be homothallic or heterothallic. Hyphae come into contact & exchange chemical signals. If compatible, form a gametangium through hyphal anastamosis. Thick-walled ornamented sporangium forms that holds spores.
