Endogonales is an
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...
of
fungi
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 fr ...
within the
phylum
In biology, a phylum (; plural: phyla) is a level of classification or taxonomic rank below kingdom and above class. Traditionally, in botany the term division has been used instead of phylum, although the International Code of Nomenclature ...
of
Zygomycota
Zygomycota, or zygote fungi, is a former division or phylum of the kingdom Fungi. The members are now part of two phyla: the Mucoromycota and Zoopagomycota. Approximately 1060 species are known. They are mostly terrestrial in habitat, living ...
.
It contains 2
families, Endogonaceae, with four
genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
and 27 species and Densosporaceae, with one genera and 5 species.
Genera
''Endogonaceae'';
* ''
Endogone''
* ''
Jimgerdemannia''
* ''
Jimwhitea''†
* ''
Peridiospora''
* ''
Sclerogone''
* ''
Youngiomyces''
''Densosporaceae'';
* ''
Densospora'' (Species: D. nanospora – D. nuda – D. solicarpa – D. tubiformis)
Life cycle
The
life cycle of the Endogonales is distinguished by their production of small
sporocarps containing many
zygospores, which are eaten by rodents and distributed by their faeces.
They also produce a fetid odour that attracts
mammal
Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur ...
s and encourages them to eat their fruiting bodies, and so spread their spores.
[
]
Food
Like all fungi, they are heterotroph
A heterotroph (; ) is an organism that cannot produce its own food, instead taking nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal matter. In the food chain, heterotrophs are primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, but ...
s with some being described as saprobes (with weak evidence).[C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., ''Introductory Mycology, 4th ed.'' (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004) ]
References
Zygomycota
Fungus orders
{{Zygomycota-stub