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degradation

The primary ecological function of fungi involving the recycling of biomass.

hyphae

The branching, threadlike tubes that make up the bodies of multicellular fungi.

mycelium

A densely branched network of the hyphae of a fungus.

germ tube

The initial tube-like outgrowth that develops from a conidium or spore.

ringworm

A highly contagious fungal infection of the skin or scalp.

Armillaria ostoyae

Known as the world's largest organism.

sapotrophs

Organisms that ingest dead organic matter externally, through secretion of digestive enzymes.

chitin

A structural polymer made of glucose that provides toughness and flexibility.

fungi

Eukaryotic organisms that have cell walls and absorb food through spores.

septum

Internal cross-walls in fungi that allow for material flow between cells.

Woronin body

Seals up the septum if the hypha tip bursts, preventing damage.

yeast

Unicellular fungi.

spores

Single-celled reproductive propagules capable of developing into new organisms.

Chytridiomycota

A primitive division of fungi that live in water and produce gametes with flagella.

morphological species concept

Characterizes a species by body shape and structural features.

phylogenetic species concept

Defines a species based on evolutionary history.

zoospores

Flagellated spores located in sporangia of chytrids.

coenocytic

Hyphae without septa.

cytoplasmic cleavage

Process where spores are made all at once and then released.

Blastocladiomycota

Fungi with single flagella and unflagellated zoospores.

Zygomycota

Fungi with true hyphae and no septa, possessing a cell wall of chitin.

mating type

Determined by a single locus with idiomorphic genes for each type.

homothallic

Describes a mycelium with only one mating type present.

heterothallic

Describes a mycelium with both mating types present.

Pilobilus

Fungi that grows on herbivore dung.

zoopagomycota

Fungi that lack septa and are terrestrial pathogens of animals.

biocontrol

Use of fungi to combat insects without chemicals.

Ascomycota

Division of fungi that store spores in a sac called ascus.

conidiospores

Asexual spores produced in the conidiophores of ascomycetes.

Gametangial fusion

The process involving cell fusion to create a dikaryotic phase.

dikaryotic

Referring to a mycelium with two haploid nuclei per cell.

Ascocarps

Fruit bodies of fungi that can take on various shapes like perithecium.

Mitosporic fungi

Species that lack a known sexual cycle.

Holomorph

A fungus comprising all sexual and asexual stages in its life cycle.

Anamorph

Asexual form of fungi.

Teleomorph

The sexual state of a fungus.

Basidiomycota

Known as club fungi; produce basidium and fruiting structures.

clamp connections

Hyphal structures that help distribute nuclei during cell division in basidiomycetes.

dolipore septum

A septum characteristic of some basidiomycetes.

similarities between basidiomycetes and ascomycetes

Both exhibit compartmentalized mycelium, dikaryotic stage, and specialized pores.

Rhizopus Stolanifer

black bread mold, model system for mating

Phycomyces Blakesleanus

Model system for mating

Typical Zygomycota

reproduces quickly, makes many offspring, utilizes simple sufars, R-Selected

Bactrachocytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)

pathogen of frogs, toads, responsible for amphibian declines around the world

Basidiobolus Ranarum

Zoopagomycota, pathogen of humans

Entomophthora Muscae

insect pathogen

Asexual

mitotic

Sexual

meiotic