An Ultrastructural Examination of the Structure and Germination of Asexual Propagules of Four Mucoralean Fungi

Abstract

The distinction between zygomycete conidia and sporangiola with single spores remains poorly defined despite recent ultrastructural studies of Mucorales (2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 20, 21). Some workers (1, 4, 5, 9, 15, 19) have not recognized a valid distinction between the two types of single asexual propagules. This problem is of particular interest and importance as the families of the Mucorales are erected in part on the basis of asexual reproductive structures (4, 15). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to demonstrate that conidia and single-spored sporangiola are not synonymous and may be readily distinguished from one another on the basis of ultrastructural changes during germination.