Chytridiomycota

Chytridiomycota is a division of the Fungi Kingdom. The structure contains unreleased spores and in older classifications, chytrids were placed in the Class Phycomycetes under the Subdivision Myxomycophyta of the Kingdom Fungi. However, chytrids are actually protistans.

The chytrids are the most primitive of the fungi and are mostly saprobic, for they degrade chitin and keratin. Many chytrids are aquatic and most are found in fresh water. There are approximately 1000 chytrids species, in 127 genera, distributed among 5 orders, namely the Chytridiales, Rhizophydiales, Spizellomcetetales, Rhizophylctididales and the Lobulomycetales. These orders have been demonstrated that they are monophyletic, except for the current circumscription of the Chytridiales.

Both the zoospores and gametes of the chytrids can move with their flagella, with one whiplash per individual. The thalli are coenocytic and usually form no genuine mycelium, having rhizoids instead. Some species are unicellular; like other fungi, the cell wall in chytrids is composed of chitin.

Some chytrid species are known to kill amphibian in large numbers. The actual process, however, is undiscovered, with the infection is referred to as “chytridiomycosis”. The fall in frog populations have led to the discovery of this infection in year 1998 in Australia and Panama. Plant species may also be infected by chytrids; particularly, maize- and alfalfa- attacking species have been specified.

~ by mb0804myco on July 29, 2008.