Classification and Characteristics of Kingdom Fungi

General Kingdom Fungi Characteristics

  • Cell Structure: Eukaryotic cells containing hyphae or pseudohyphae and cell walls composed of chitin.

  • Organization: Multicellular, with the exception of unicellular yeasts and chytrids.

  • Cytology: Mono- or dikaryotic, or coenocytic (syncytium).

  • Habitat: Primarily terrestrial or parasitic, though freshwater chytrids are an exception.

  • Nutrition: Decomposers characterized as absorptive chemoheterotrophs.

  • Reproduction: Involves sexual spores and/or asexual spores.

Phylum Zygomycota

  • Description: Simple molds with a loose mycelium meshwork.

  • Examples: Rhizopus, Fusarium, Mucor, and Pilobolus.

  • Spores: Zygospores (produced 1 at a time) and various asexual spores.

Phylum Basidiomycota

  • Classification: 'Regular' macrofungi.

  • Forms: Mushrooms, toadstools, bracket fungi, rusts, puffballs, coral/gel fungi, and stinkhorns.

  • Spores: Basidiospores (produced 4 at a time on hypha cells of gills) and various asexual spores.

Phylum Ascomycota

  • Classification: 'Weird' macrofungi.

  • Forms: Cup and saddle fungi, morels, mildews, truffles, ergots, and Aspergillus molds.

  • Yeasts: Includes Saccharomyces and Candida albicans.

  • Reproduction: Ascospores (produced 8 at a time in asci or sacs), various asexual spores, or budding.

Phylum Glomeromycota

  • Role: Mycorrhizae forming mutualistic symbiosis with plants.

  • Importance: Essential for 80−90%80-90\% of vascular plants.

  • Spores: Limited to various asexual spores only.

Phylum Chytridiomycota

  • Attributes: Mostly parasitic, unicellular, and found in freshwater aquatic environments.

  • Impact: Notable for contributing to amphibian extinctions.

  • Reproduction: Zoospores or budding.

Phylum Deuteromycota

  • Alias: 'Fungi Imperfecti'.

  • Status: A temporary holding category reserved for fungi where only various asexual spores have been observed; remains until sexual spores are identified.

Phylum Lichenes (Mycophycophyta)

  • Composition: Combination organisms consisting of ascomycotans ('weird' fungi) paired with photosynthetic partners such as algae or cyanobacteria.

  • Dispersal: Spread via soredia, which consist of an algal cell plus several hyphae that waft on the breeze.