Study Guide

Name at least two synapomorphies that are common between fungi and animals: what traits make fungi more closely related to animals vs. plants? Review: 'synapomorphy' definition: a trait present in an ancestral line of organisms, that is then shared by all the evolutionary descendants of that line; or the presence in 2+ different organisms of the same characteristic (even in a modified form) which share that trait because it originated from their common ancestor 2. What is remarkable about fungal habitats? Are they live, dead, or both? 3. Are most fungi single-cells or are most fungi multicellular? Name two single-celled fungi. 4. What makes the cell walls of fungal cells different from plant cell walls? 5. What is chitin? What are the building blocks? 6. What is ergosterol, where is it found, what does it do, and why is it medically important? 7. What are mycelia? What are haustoria; why are they different than other mycelia? Name a fungi with haustoria. 8. Describe the two different types of hyphae - based on how the cells are organized. 9. What is are the biological purposes of hyphae, meaning to what advantage, or why would an organism evolve to have them? 10. Are fungi sexual or asexual or both? 11. What’s the difference between 'fungi' and yeasts? 12. Are spores haploid or diploid, what is karyogamy, what does 'dikaryon' mean? 13. Does mitosis occur in sexual or asexual plant growth? Tricky: look at slide life cycles. 14. What are the six (6) main groups of fungi? a. Name one distinguishing characteristic of each, setting them apart from other groups b. Name at least one example fungus in each group - where does it grow? 15. Why are microsporidia an “outgroup”? What synapomorphy makes them different. 16. Where are chytrids found? 17. How are chytrids affecting amphibians? 18. What is interesting about a zygosporangium structure? Is it haploid or diploid? 19. What is the defining feature of an ascomycete fungus? Name three common ascomycetes? 20. Are ascomycete fungi haploid or diploid? 21. How do fungi make ants crazy (watch video)? 22. Why do leaf cutter ants ‘farm’ fungi? 23. What is unique about basidiomycetes? Name four common basidiomycetes. 24. Why are fairy rings shaped like that? Why aren’t there clubs or fruiting bodies in the center of the ring? 25. What is the evidence that ancient fungi existed? 26. Why are fungi critical to the carbon cycle? What do they breakdown, what do they produce/create? Vocabulary: o Heterotroph o Chemoheterotroph o Saprophyte o Symbiosis o Mutialism o Parasite o Hyphae o Septa o Coenocytic o Haustoria o Mycelia o Arbuscular o Micorrhizae o Soredia o Mushroom vs. fruiting body o Thrush o Dikaryon o Plasmogamy o Karyogamy o Spore 2 o Sporangia o Conidia o Zygote o Ascus