Fungi

Fungi commonly produce spores during sexual and asexual reproduction. Spores are usually haploid and grow into mature haploid individuals through mitotic division of cells (Urediniospores and Teliospores among rusts are dikaryotic). Dikaryotic cells result from the fusion of two haploid gamete cells. Among sporogenic dikaryotic cells, karyogamy (the fusion of the two haploid nuclei) occurs to produce a diploid cell. Diploid cells undergo meiosis to produce haploid spores.

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Classification of spores

Spores can be classified in several ways:

By spore-producing structure

Asci of Morchella elata, containing ascospores

In plants, microspores, and in some cases megaspores, are formed from all four products of meiosis.

In contrast, in many seed plants and heterosporous ferns, only a single product of meiosis will become a megaspore (macrospore), with the rest degenerating.

Fungi

In fungi and fungus-like organisms (e.g. Pseudofungi), spores are often classified by the structure in which meiosis and spore production occurs. Since fungi are often classified according to their spore-producing structures, these spores are often characteristic of a particular taxon of the fungi.

Red algae

By function

  • Chlamydospores: thick-walled resting spores of fungi produced to survive unfavorable conditions.

  • Parasitic fungal spores may be classified into internal spores, which germinate within the host, and external spores, also called environmental spores, released by the host to infest other hosts.[3]