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.

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

6. For M.Sc Botany, Kannur University

7. For M.Sc Botany, Kannur University
Sexual reproduction
 Heterothallic
 Gametangium
 Spherical Zygospore