What are the four phyla of fungi and identify the main characteristics of the members of each phylum?

Answer 1

Basidiomycota- spores born externally on a club shapped structure called basidum, and forcibly discharged

Ascomycota -spores born internally in a sac called an ascus

Zygomycota- sexual spores are thick walled resting spores called zygosprores

Chytidimycota-sexual and asexual spores motile with posterior flagella

Answer 2

threadlike fungi,club fungi,sac fungi,imperfect fungi

1-thread like fungi:molds

2- sac fungi: yeast

3-club fungi:mushrooms

4-imperfect fungi:pecillium, athlet's foot

Answer 3

Phylum: Chytridiomycota (Chytrids)

Fungi in the phylum Chytridiomycota are called Chytrids.

DNA evidence indicates that this group may have been the first fungi to evolve.

These fungi live mostly in water and soil.

Unlike other fungi, the spores (called zoospores) have flagella. These are the only fungi with flagellated cells.

Phylum: Zygomycota

Fungi in the phylum

Zygomycota

are called

zygomycetes.

The zygomycetes are terrestrial. They are usually saprotrophs but there are some parasites.

The hyphae are coenocytic (theyn lack septa). Septa are found only in the reproductive structures.

Phylum: Glomeromycota

Glomeromycetes are an ecologically important group because they form arbuscular mycorrhizae.

Phylum: Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)

Examples: Yeasts, molds, morels, truffles

Ascomycetes are important in digesting resistant materials such as cellulose (found in plant cell walls), lignin (found in wood), and collagen (a connective tissue found in animals). This group also includes many important plant pathogens.

Many, perhaps half of the species of ascomycota form lichens- a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a photosynthetic cell such as a green algae or a cyanobacteria. The fungal component of most lichens is an Ascomycete.

Phylum: Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)

Some examples of basidiomycetes are mushrooms, puffballs, shelf fungi, birds nest fungi, and stinkhorns.

This group includes some serious plant diseases such as rusts and smuts.

Answer 4

The four main phyla of fungi are Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Zygomycota, and Chytridiomycota. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota are the largest phyla and are characterized by the production of sexual spores in specialized structures (asci for Ascomycota and basidia for Basidiomycota). Zygomycota reproduces sexually by forming resistant zygospores, while Chytridiomycota are unique for producing motile spores called zoospores.