3.2: Aquatic Fungi (Chytrids)
- Page ID
- 35307
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Like many of the earlier fungal lineages, this group has been divided into several distinct lineages. Once all classified as Chytridiomycota, these early, aquatic fungi are now grouped into Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Neocallimastigomycota. Though likely not directly related, these fungi share a few characteristics:
- Primarily aquatic, though some are parasites of terrestrial plants
- Swimming spores (zoospores) with a single whiplash flagellum
Saprotrophic Chytrids
![A somewhat elongate sporangium (darker) at the end of a hyphal filament](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45232/2.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=480&height=406)
![Two sporangia (darker) at the end of a hyphal filament. Where the first is produced, the filament takes a turn, goes around it, and ends by producing the second.](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45233/3.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=381&height=406)
Parasitic Chytrids
![Micromyces zygogonii, a chytrid fungus, living inside the cells of Spirogyra](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29857/Micromyces_Fahrenheit_66_CC-BY-NC-SA.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=706&height=504)
![A compilation of 6 pictures, A-F, each with a diatom being parasitized by a chytrid (large, globose structures attached to frustule)](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45234/5.jpg?revision=1)
![Synchytrium papillatum causing pink pustules on a Geranium](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29858/Synchytrium_James_Bailey_CC-BY-NC.jpeg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=690&height=424)
![A frog with lesions on its skin, caused by the chytrid pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29859/Bd.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=512&height=656)