Syncephalastrum is a filamentous fungus commonly found in soil and animal feces in tropical and subtropical regions. It requires two mating strains to produce zygospores through sexual reproduction. Syncephalastrum racemosum is the only species in the genus. It has a branched, coenocytic thallus and reproduces asexually through the production of merosporangiospores on finger-shaped sporangia that form on swollen vesicles at the ends of sporangiophores. Sexual reproduction occurs through the fusion of gametangia to form spherical zygospores.
Cyathodium bryophyte: morphology, anatomy, reproduction etc.
Syncephalastrum
1. Muhammed haneef k a
Asst. Professor
Dept. of botany
Govt. brennen college, thalassery
2. For M.Sc Botany, Kannur University
Order: Mucorales
Family: Syncephalastraceae
Genus: Syncephalastrum
3. For M.Sc Botany, Kannur University
Syncephalastrum is a filamentous fungus that is commonly
isolated from soil and animal feces particularly in tropical and
subtropical areas.
It is a heterothallic fungus and requires a mating strain to
produce zygospores.
Syncephalastrum is commonly considered as a contaminant.
It is very rarely associated with human disease.
Cutaneous infections and onychomycosis
The genus Syncephalastrum contains a single
species; Syncephalastrum racemosum.
4. For M.Sc Botany, Kannur University
Thallus
Branched
Adventitious Rhizoids present
Aseptate
Coenocytic
Colonies are very fast growing, cottony to fluffy, white
to light grey.
Become dark grey with the development of sporangia.
Appear like Aspergillus
5. For M.Sc Botany, Kannur University
Asexual reproduction
Syncephalastrum produces an abundant aerial
mycelium - Sporangiophores.
Sporangiophores terminate in swollen vesicles
Merosporangia (finger-shaped, tubular sporangia)
develop from swollen vesicle.
Each merosporangium contains a single row of 3-18
merosporangiospores.
Merosporangiospores are one celled and spherical to
cylindrical in shape
