Synapomorphies that distinguish the fungi:• Absorptive heterotrophy• Chitin in cell walls
Fungi• The fungi live by absorptive nutrition,
secreting digestive enzymes that break down large food molecules and absorbing the breakdown products.
• Some are saprobes (feeding on dead matter); others are parasites. Some are active predators
• A few have mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationships with other organisms.
Fungi - body structure of the three most highly evolved clades
Fruiting structure - mushroom
Mycelium = mat of interwoven hyphae
Fungi – many hyphae are coenocytic
Fungal hyphae
Fungal hyphae – many attack living cells
Fungal hyphae – or even catch prey
Fungal hyphae – or consume dead/decaying
organic matter
Fungal hyphae – or live in symbiotic relationships
Mycorrhizae on a eucalyptus root
Fungal hyphae – or live in symbiotic
relationships: Fungi + green algae = lichens
Fungi
Fungi - Chytridiomycota• most primitive types are
chytrids• aquatic or parasitic• grouped with rest of
fungi by molecular evidence
• evolved from flagellated protists.
Fungi - Zygomycota
Reproduction by producing sporangiophores – asexual reproduction
Reproduction by producing zygospores
(sexual reproduction)
Zygospore development
Fungi –Glomeromycota – mycorrhizal fungi – symbionts w/ plant roots
Fungi - Ascomycota (sac fungi)
Ascomycota reproduction
Note : some species have given up sexual reproduction altogether – see next slides….
Ascomycota (Penicillium) chemical defenses
Ascomycota (Saccharomyces
cerevisiae)
Basidiomycota (club fungi,mushrooms)
Basidiomycota (bracket fungus, puffball)
Releasing spores
Basidiomycota- poisonous Amanita muscaris
and edible Agaricus bisporus
Basidiomycota reproduction
Lichen (fungi/green algae
symbiosis)