Ascomycota
phylum of fungi
Ascomycota is a phylum of fungi (kingdom Fungi). Members are commonly known as the sac fungi. They have a sac, the ascus, which contains four to eight ascospores in the sexual stage.
Ascomycota | |
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Sarcoscypha coccinea: shown is the ascocarp, a "fruit body" | |
Scientific classification | |
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Phylum: | Ascomycota (Berk 1857) Caval.-Sm. 1998[1]
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The structure defines the group and distinguishes it from other fungi. The ascus is a tube-shaped sac, which contains the sexual spores produced by meiosis and which are called ascospores.
It was used in genetics because it contains the results of crossing-over between chromosomes.
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ Cavalier-Smith, T. (1998). "A revised six-kingdom system of Life". Biol. Rev. Camb. Philos. Soc. 73 (3): 203–266. doi:10.1017/S0006323198005167.