what are the characteristics of phylum ascomycota?

The Sac Fungi (Phylum Ascomycota) are a diverse group. Most of these fungi do not produce substantial mushrooms; even fewer produce mushrooms worth eating. But Ascomycota do produce some of the most highly valued mushrooms: Morels and Truffles as well as the more unusual mushrooms such as the Candlesnuff fungus pictured here.

Sac fungi produce spores inside cases (asci) which may open at one end. This gives Ascomycota the ability to discharge spores forcefully by squeezing the asci. Several species including the Helvella and Xylaria pictured here release a cloud of spore “smoke” when disturbed. This phenomenon is quite interesting to observe and is also a useful diagnostic for identification: if the mushroom releases a cloud of light spores it is probably in this Phylum. (Note, though, that Puffballs and Earthstars may also release spores in a cloud, but they require an external force to eject the spores.)

Members of the Phyla Ascomycota and Deuteromycota produce many plant diseases (e.g., powdery mildews, anthracnose, wilts, rots, leaf spots, ergo of rye, apple scab, chestnut blight, etc.) and some animal and human mycoses (e.g., candidiasis, ringworm infections, histoplasmosis, aspergillosis, toxic black mold syndrome, etc.). Most species and groups are symbiotic, commensalistic, or saprobic.

* Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes produce septate hyphae.

* Deuteromycetes (produce no sexual stage, only asexual structures – e.g., conidia, chlamydospores, arthrospores, sterile mycelium – no spores at all).

o Conidia may be formed in a number of different ways (conidiogenesis) and possess many morphologies.

o Coelomycetes are anamorphic fungi in which the conidia are produced within a protective structure, an acervular or pycnidal conidioma. A conidioma is a multihyphal structure producing conidia.

o Hyphomycetes are conidial anamorphs producing exposed conidiophores, not enclosed in any protective structure.

* Ascomycetes (produce a sexual stage [i.e., bags of spores – ascus with ascospores] + [asexual spores – sometimes?].

* The Holomorph (whole fungus) = Anamorph (asexual reproduction) + Teleomorph (sexual reproduction).

* Sexual Reproduction defines whether a fungus belongs to the phylum Ascomycota or not.

o An ascus (pl. asci) usually contain 4, 8 or multiples of 4 or 8 sexual spores. These can be associated with no other fungal tissue (i.e., naked asci) or with other fungal tissue to form a fruit body, also called an ascocarp or ascoma (i.e., cleistothecium, perithecium, or apothecium).

o Asci may be (1) unitunicate-Operculate, unitunicate-inoperculate, prototuncate, and bitunicate

Phylum Ascomycota

Ascomycota Characteristics

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RE:
what are the characteristics of phylum ascomycota?

Well I don’t know much about fungi but I do know what their mineral in their roots is called mycelium. Well yeah I’m not really into those kind of things but hey!

http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Ascomycota&contgroup=Fungi

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