Zygomycetes
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Zygomycetes are a diverse group of molds responsible for the rot of foods as well as parasitism upon animal hosts. Many species have hyphae that are coenocytic, meaning that they do not have septa that separate cells. Instead, the mycelium is made up of a single cytoplasm with many nuclei.
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The species Rhizopus stolonifer is a common type of black mold as seen in the picture above. The diagram to the left is the life cycle of the species.
Asexual reproduction is very simple for zygomycetes. They simply have to grow sporangia from the myelium and release spores identical haploid spores.
Sexual reproduction involves hyphae of opposite mating types touching a going through plasmogomy. Through that process, a structure called the zygosporangia is formed. Over time and with certain environmental stimuli, karyogamy and meiosis occur within zygosporangia. After meiosis, the zygosporangia germinates into a sporangia that releases genetically diverse spores.
Asexual reproduction is very simple for zygomycetes. They simply have to grow sporangia from the myelium and release spores identical haploid spores.
Sexual reproduction involves hyphae of opposite mating types touching a going through plasmogomy. Through that process, a structure called the zygosporangia is formed. Over time and with certain environmental stimuli, karyogamy and meiosis occur within zygosporangia. After meiosis, the zygosporangia germinates into a sporangia that releases genetically diverse spores.