Formerly Zygomycota

Question 1

What are the 4 recognized clades (subphyla) Zygomycota? What is their evolutionary origin?

Answer 1

Mucoromycotina
Entomophthoromycotina
Kickxellomycotina
Zoopagomycotina

this unrecognized phylum is polyphyletic (of different origins) but each clade is monophyletic - ie., the clades are not necessarily closely related, but the organisms within the clades are of single evolutionary origin (i think)

Question 2

What are the common lifestyles for Zygomycota?

Answer 2

many are saprophytes that degrade wide range of substrates (plant and animal)

many are primary colonizers of substrates with simple carbon sources

some are highly specialized parasites and pathogens

Question 3

Describe the common morphology of the mycelium for Zygomycota

Answer 3

haploid mycelium often multinucleate and nonseptate but can become septate

Question 4

Which is the more dominant life stage for Zygomycota?

Answer 4

usually haploid vegetative (asexual) mycelium
short-lived or restricted diploid phase - may be just resting

Question 5

What environments are Zygomycota found in?

Answer 5

mostly terrestrial but some are aquatic (usually parasites)

Question 6

Do Zygomycota have motile spores?

Answer 6

no flagellum

Question 7

what is the lifestyles for subphylum Mucoromycotina?

Answer 7

saprophytes, parasites
rapid, early colonizers
abundant asexual spore production

Question 8

what is the reproduction strategy for subphylum Mucoromycotina?

Answer 8

mostly heterothallic, some homothallic
both asexual and sexual stages but sexual spores are persistent (zygospores or zygosporangium)

Question 9

Describe the sexual phases of the life cycle for Mucoromycotina

Answer 9

no distinct morphology for haploid mycelia

anamorphs fuse (haploid mycelia) = zygospore (teleomorph)
plasmogamy then karyogamy = diploid cell (zygospore)
thick wall forms around it

Question 10

Give an example of subphylum Mucoromycotina

Answer 10

Rhizopus stolonifer

Question 11

What is a zygosporangium?

Answer 11

the structure that produces the releases haploid hyphae that will produce sporangiophores

this structure can be used to ID species

Question 12

What are sporangiophores?

Answer 12

the sporangia that produce the haploid mycelium

modified hyphae

Question 13

What are gametangia?

Answer 13

the sexual organs that produce gametes

Question 14

What is a zygospore?

Answer 14

the thick-walled resting (diploid) cell
product of sexual reproduction

Question 15

What structure can be used for species ID in Mucoromycotina?

Answer 15

Zygosporangia

Question 16

WHat produces asexual sporangiospores in Mucoromycotina?

Answer 16

sporangia located at the end of the sporangiophores (modified hyphae)

Question 17

How do Mucoromycotina most commonly exist (in what form)?

Answer 17

asexual phase most common and will exist and grow as long as nutrients are sufficient

Question 18

What purpose does the zygosporangia provide for Mucoromycotina?

Answer 18

the zygosporangia produces the thick-walled persistent zygospore which can survive adverse conditions

the zygosporangia also undergoes sexual reproduction which increases genetic variation

Question 19

What is the main purpose of the anamorph/asexual stage of Mucoromycotina?

Answer 19

dispersal - huge diversity for different ecologies and species

Question 20

Give an example of how dispersal is key to the Mucoromycotina anamorphs and the diversity of strategies

Answer 20

Pilobolus - the hat thrower:

phototrophic sporangiophores, ejects spores out of sporangia up to 2 meters away to land on vegetation to be consumed by herbivores and pooped out elsewhere and colonize the poop

Question 21

What is phototrophic dispersal?

Answer 21

a method of dispersal in which the sporangiophore aims the sporangia toward the sun with a subsporangial vesicle and builds turgor pressure to eject the sporangia

Question 22

What lifestyles does subphylum Entomopthoromycotina have? give an example of a species and its host

Answer 22

insect pathogens - ‘ENTOmology ‘ = insect
‘entomophthora’ = ‘insect destroyer

ex. Entomopthora muscae infects house flies with sticky sporangiospores

Question 23

What lifestyles does subphylum Kickxellomycotina have?

Answer 23

saprobes - soil or dung
can recolonize substrates

Question 24

How does the morphology of subphylum Kickxellomycotina hyphae differ from other Zygomycetes?

Answer 24

unlike other Zygomycota, which do not have hyphal septa, Kickxellomycotina usually have regular septa

Question 25

Which of the Kickxellomycotina phases are more complex in morphology?

Answer 25

asexual anamorph spores are very complex to target specific hosts

Question 26

Give an example of Kickxellomycotina

Answer 26

Coemansia sp. grow on rodent or bat dung
Spirodactylon aureum grows on mouse and rat dung (spiral sporangiophores produce sporangioles)

Question 27

What are the lifestyles of Subphylum Zoopagomycotina?

Answer 27

obligate parasites and pathogens of insects, crustaceans, invertebrates, other zygomycetes, soil microfauna

highly specialized association with hosts

Question 28

What environments do Zoopagomycotina live in?

Answer 28

terrestrial and aquatic (marine and freshwater) but they are obligate parasites/pathogens

Question 29

Give an example of Zoopagomycotina and a host species

Answer 29

Zoophagus insidians - rotifer trapping fungus (forms a lethal lollipop) that catches rotifers and digests it