BIO 121 Chapter Notes - Chapter 24: Pezizaceae, Dikaryon, Dutch Elm Disease
Document Summary
Evolutionary origin of fungi is not known; they had evolved by about 570 million years ago; they may have evolved separately from protist ancestors. Some biologists propose that fungi evolved from red algae; both lack flagella in all stages of the life cycle (fungi share similarities and have differences with other groups of protists) Since fungi are generally multicellular & heterotrophic (saprophytic decomposers), r: whittaker argued for their own kingdom. Not knowing phylogeny, fungal groups are classified according to differences in life cycles and types of sporangia. Most are saprotrophs living off plant and animal remains in the soil or bakery goods in a pantry. Some are parasites of small soil protists, worms, or insects. With little cellular differentiation, fungal hyphae specialize for various functions the black bread mold, rhizopus stolonifer, is a common example. Stolons are horizontal hyphae that exist on the surface of the bread.
