Question

PHYLUM ASCOMYCOTA - cup fungi

Asexual Reproductrion:

TYPE EXAMPLE:     Penicillium

Sketch	Notes
Figure 3: Sketch of Penicillium or Aspergillus	Notes: -   Specimen belongs to the Phylum    _____________________

Questions:

1. Some of the hyphae under the slides end in specialized brush like structures that in turn terminate into chains of tiny black spores? What is their function?

2. What is the proper term to describe the asexual spore produced by these specialized structures?

3. How do asexual spore-producing structures of Ascomycota/Basidiomycota and Zygomycota differ?

Answer 1

The slides under the microscope show some of the hyphae end in specialized brush like structures that in turn terminate into chain of tiny black spores- These represents highly branched multinucleated colourless hyphae in case of Penicillium sp., at the end of each branch is the presence of spherical constricted units called Conidia (vegetative reproductive spores) at the end of the Conidiophore(the specialized hyphae). The conidia is the major dispersal strategy of ascomycetes fungi and thus have a significant role in reproduction.

The asexual spore that are produced by these specialized structure are called- conidia, resulting from vegetative reproduction.

Difference of Asexual spore of Ascomycota / Basidiomycota/ Zygomycota-

Ascomycota also known as sac fungi has ascospores , which are formed inside the ascus and thus are endogenous in nature. It produce 4-spored or 8-spored ascus. They mainly undergo asexual reproduction.

Basidiomycota also known as club fungi has basidiospores , formed on the end of specialized cells called basidia and are exogenous in nature. It produces 1-spored to 8-spored basidia. They mainly undergo sexual reproduction.

Zygomycota also known as pin moulds. The zygomycota undergoes  both the form of reproduction- asexual and sexual. The spores formed through asexual reproduction are called mitospores through specialized hyphae called mitosporangiophores another type of asexual spore is called chlamydospores. However the sexual spore formed by zygomycota are called zygosphores .