''Phialophora'' is a form genus of
fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...
with short
conidiophore
A conidium ( ; ), sometimes termed an asexual chlamydospore or chlamydoconidium (), is an Asexual reproduction, asexual, non-motility, motile spore of a fungus. The word ''conidium'' comes from the Ancient Greek word for dust, ('). They are al ...
s, sometimes reduced to
phialide
The phialide ( ; el, phialis, diminutive of phiale, a broad, flat vessel) is a flask-shaped projection from the vesicle (dilated part of the top of conidiophore) of certain fungi. It projects from the mycelium without increasing in length unless ...
s; their
conidia
A conidium ( ; ), sometimes termed an asexual chlamydospore or chlamydoconidium (), is an asexual, non-motile spore of a fungus. The word ''conidium'' comes from the Ancient Greek word for dust, ('). They are also called mitospores due to the ...
are unicellular. They may be
parasites
Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of lif ...
(including on humans), or
saprophytic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi (f ...
(including on
apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
s).
Genetic analysis of ''Phialophora'' shows that it is a
paraphyletic
In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...
grouping.
The conidia are produced from a flask shaped phialide. Mature, spherical, to oval conidia are extruded from phialides and usually accumulate around it.
Some members of ''Phialophora'' are involved in symbiotic relationships with
leafcutter ants
Leafcutter ants, a non-generic name, are any of 47 species of leaf-chewing ants belonging to the two genera ''Atta'' and ''Acromyrmex''.
These species of tropical, fungus-growing ants are all endemic to South and Central America, Mexico, and part ...
where they grow on the cuticle of the ants and fulfill a
saprophytic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi (f ...
role that aids in the fungal gardening on which the ants rely.
References
External links
*
Eurotiomycetes
Eurotiomycetes genera
{{Eurotiomycetes-stub