The document summarizes key information about Zygomycota (zygote fungi): 1) Zygomycota is a division of fungi that reproduces both asexually through sporangiospores produced in sporangia, and sexually through conjugation forming a zygospore. 2) They are characterized by coenocytic (mostly aseptate) hyphae and the formation of zygospores during sexual reproduction. 3) A major 2001 taxonomic change found the phylum Zygomycota to be polyphyletic, distributing its taxa among the phylum Glomeromycota and four subphyla.

1. ZYGOMYCOTA : CHARACTERS, CYCLE, TAXONOMY&
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RHIZOPUS & MUCOR
COURSE TEACHER:
Dr. PARTHASARATHY. S
Asst. Prof., (Plant Pathology)
STUDENTS:
Mr. NANDA GOVIND G.R
Mr. ROHITH. S
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-3)
Kullapuram (Po),ViaVaigai Dam, Theni-625 562

2. ZYGOMYCOTA (OR) ZYGOTE FUNGI
 Zygomycota or zygote fungi is a division of the
kingdom fungi.
 They are mostly terrestrial in habitat, living in
soil or on decaying plant or animal material.
 Approximately 1050 species are known.
 These are usually fast growing fungi
characterized by primitive coenocytic (mostly
aseptate) hyphae.

3. ZYGOMYCOTA (OR) ZYGOTE FUNGI
 Zygomycota, a small group in the fungi kingdom, can
reproduce asexually or sexually, in a process called
conjugation.
 Its common name is Bread mold.
 The way Zygomycota reproduce asexually is also
distinctive. With asexual reproduction, asexual spores
called sporangiospores are produced in sporangia.
Typically, three sporangia are produced, but
there are variations within asexual reproduction.

4. CHARACTERISTICS OF ZYGOMYCOTA
 They are mostly terrestrial in habitat, living in soil or
on decaying plant or animal material.
 The Zygomycota, or conjugation fungi, include molds,
such as those that invade breads and other food
products. The identifying characteristics of the
Zygomycota are the formation of a zygospore during
sexual reproduction and the lack of hyphalcell walls
except in reproductive structures.

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF ZYGOMYCOTA
 They grow primarily as mycelia, or filaments of long
cells called hyphae. Unlike the so-called 'higher fungi'
comprising the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota which
produce regularly septate mycelia,
most Zygomycota form hyphae which are generally
coenocytic because they lack cross walls or septa.
 There are however, several exceptions and septa may
form at irregular intervals throughout the older parts of
the mycelium or are regularly spaced in two sister
orders of Zygomycota.

6. CHARACTERISTICS OF ZYGOMYCOTA
 The unique character (synapomorphy) of
the Zygomycota is the zygospore. Zygospores are
formed within a zygosporangium after the fusion of
specialized hyphae called gametangia during the
sexual cycle. A single zygospore is formed per
zygosporangium.
 Most Zygomycota are thought to have a zygotic or
haplontic life cycle.

7. LIFE CYCLE OF ZYGOMYCOTA

8. ZYGOMYCOTA

9. TAXONOMY OF ZYGOMYCOTA
 The first major taxonomic change in the
phylum Zygomycota that was based on the
molecular phylogeny was made in 2001.
 They proposed to eliminate Zygomycota
because the phylum was found to be
polyphyletic and the taxa conventionally placed
in Zygomycota were distributed among the
phylum Glomeromycota and 4 subphyla of
uncertain placement.

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