Spizellomycetales is an order 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 from ...

in the

Chytridiomycetes Chytridiomycetes () is a class of fungi. Members are found in soil, fresh water, and saline estuaries. They are first known from the Rhynie chert. It has recently been redefined to exclude the taxa Neocallimastigomycota and Monoblepharidomycet ...

. Spizellomycetalean chytrids are essentially ubiquitous

zoospore A zoospore is a motile asexual spore that uses a flagellum for locomotion. Also called a swarm spore, these spores are created by some protists, bacteria, and fungi to propagate themselves. Diversity Flagella types Zoospores may possess one or mo ...

-producing fungi found in soils where they decompose pollen. Recently they have also been found in dung and harsh alpine environments, greatly expanding the range of habitats where one can expect to find these fungi.

Role in the environment

Spizellomycetalean chytrids have beneficial roles in the soil for nutrient recycling and as parasites of organisms that attack plants, such as nematodes and oospores of downy mildews. On the other hand, they also have detrimental roles as parasites of arbuscular mycorrhizae, symbiotic fungi that help plants gain essential nutrients. Culture isolation studies and molecular characterization of these fungi have demonstrated a great deal of undescribed diversity within the Spizellomycetales, even for isolates collected within the same geographic location. Thus, these understudied fungi await greater exploration.

Taxonomy

The order includes the following

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 ...

: * Family Caulochytriaceae Subramanian 1974 ** Genus '' Caulochytrium'' Voos & Olive 1968 * Family Powellomycetaceae Simmons 2011 ** Genus '' Fimicolochytrium'' Simmons & Longcore 2012 ** Genus '' Geranomyces'' D.R. Simmons 2011 ** Genus '' Powellomyces'' Longcore, D.J.S. Barr & Désauln. 1995 ** Genus '' Thoreauomyces'' Simmons & Longcore 2012 * Family Spizellomycetaceae Barr 1980 ** Genus '' Brevicalcar'' Letcher & M.J. Powell 2017 ** Genus '' Bulbomyces'' Letcher & M.J. Powell 2017 ** Genus '' Gaertneriomyces'' D.J.S. Barr 1980 ** Genus '' Gallinipes'' Letcher & M.J. Powell 2017 ** Genus '' Kochiomyces'' D.J.S. Barr 1980 ** Genus ''

Spizellomyces Spizellomycetales is an Order (biology), order of fungi in the Chytridiomycetes. Spizellomycetalean chytrids are essentially ubiquitous zoospore-producing fungi found in soils where they decompose pollen. Recently they have also been found in dun ...

'' D.J.S. Barr 1980 ** Genus '' Triparticalcar'' D.J.S. Barr 1980

References

External links

Chytrid Fungi Online
by the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...

Chytridiomycota Fungus orders {{Chytridiomycota-stub

Role in the environment

Taxonomy

See also

References

External links