The document summarizes the five major phyla of fungi: 1) Chytrids, which are the only fungi with flagellated cells and mostly live in water. 2) Zygomycetes, which are terrestrial decomposers with hyphae that lack septa. 3) Glomeromycetes, which form important mycorrhizal relationships with plants. 4) Ascomycetes, which include yeasts, molds, morels and truffles and help digest plant materials. Many form lichens. 5) Basidiomycetes, which include important decomposers and ectomycorrhial fungi and reproduce sexually through mushrooms.

2. • Mycorrhizae fungi: Symbiotic Fungi
• Saprotrophic fungi: Decomposers
• Parasitic fungi: Fungi that leech nutrients from other
organisms
• Pathogenic fungi: Disease-causing fungi

3. • Most mycologists currently recognize
five phyla of fungi.

4. • Name: Chytrids
• 1,000 species
• Asexual spores and sexual gametes are
motile; they have flagella.
• They are the only fungal group with
flagellated cells.
• They live mostly in water.
• Are thought to be one of the earliest
fungal groups to branch off from other
fungi.

5. • Name: Zygomycetes
• 1,000 species
• They are terrestrial, meaning they live on
land.
• They are mostly saprotrophs
(decomposers), though there are some
parasitic species, and a very small
percentage that are neutral.
• The hyphae (filaments) lack septa (internal
cross walls); only in their reproductive
structures are there septa.
• The hyphae of some grow rapidly into food
or fruits.

6. • Name: Glomeromycetes
• 160 species
• Because of their arbuscular
mycorrhizae, these fungi are very
important ecologically.
• Many plants form mycorrhizal
relationships with glomeromycetes.

7. • Name: Acomycetes
• 65,000 species
• Commonly known as sac fungi.
• A diverse group that includes organisms that live in
marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats.
• Examples: yeast, molds, morels, truffles
• Important in digesting cellulose (found in plants), lignin
(found in wood) , and collagen (found in connective
tissues of animals).
• Many form lichens which share a symbiotic relationship
between fungi and a photosynthetic cell.

8. • Name: Basidiomycetes
• Often make important decomposers and
ectomycorrhial fungi.
• Commonly called club fungi.
• Unusual in having long-lived, dikaryotic
mycelium.
• The fruit of the organisms are what we call
mushrooms.
• Asexual reproduction is rare.