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)