# Fungi

By [Letsob](https://paragraph.com/@letsob) · 2023-05-30

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[Fungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus) commonly produce spores during sexual and asexual reproduction. Spores are usually [haploid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haploid) and grow into mature haploid individuals through [mitotic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitosis) division of cells ([Urediniospores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urediniospore) and [Teliospores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teliospore) among rusts are dikaryotic). [Dikaryotic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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.

[https://opensea.io/assets/0xde28B72DD9ed114a39827D6B5457fae19025236D/1](https://opensea.io/assets/0xde28B72DD9ed114a39827D6B5457fae19025236D/1)

Classification of spores
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Spores can be classified in several ways:

### By spore-producing structure

[Asci](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascus) of [_Morchella elata_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morchella_elata), containing [ascospores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascospores)

In [plants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant), [microspores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microspore), and in some cases megaspores, are formed from all four products of meiosis.

In contrast, in many [seed plants](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_plant) and heterosporous [ferns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern), only a single product of meiosis will become a [megaspore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaspore) (macrospore), with the rest degenerating.

#### Fungi

In fungi and fungus-like organisms (e.g. [Pseudofungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxon) of the [fungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi).

*   [**Sporangiospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporangiospore): spores produced by a [sporangium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporangium) in many fungi such as [zygomycetes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygomycete).
    
*   [**Zygospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygospore): spores produced by a [zygosporangium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygosporangium), characteristic of [zygomycetes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygomycete).
    
*   [**Ascospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascospore): spores produced by an [ascus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascus), characteristic of [ascomycetes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascomycete).
    
*   [**Basidiospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basidiospore): spores produced by a [basidium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basidium), characteristic of [basidiomycetes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basidiomycete).
    
*   [**Aeciospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeciospore): spores produced by an [aecium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aecium) in some fungi such as [rusts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust_\(fungus\)) or [smuts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smut_\(fungus\)).
    
*   [**Urediniospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urediniospore): spores produced by a [uredinium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uredinium) in some fungi such as [rusts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust_\(fungus\)) or [smuts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smut_\(fungus\)).
    
*   [**Teliospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teliospore): spores produced by a [telium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telium) in some fungi such as [rusts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust_\(fungus\)) or [smuts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smut_\(fungus\)).
    
*   [**Oospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oospore): spores produced by an [oogonium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oogonium), characteristic of [oomycetes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oomycete).
    

#### Red algae

*   [**Carpospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpospore): spores produced by a [carposporophyte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carposporophyte), characteristic of [red algae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_algae).
    
*   [**Tetraspores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraspore): spores produced by a [tetrasporophyte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrasporophyte), characteristic of [red algae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_algae).
    

### By function

*   [**Chlamydospores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlamydospore): thick-walled resting spores of [fungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi) produced to survive unfavorable conditions.
    
*   [**Parasitic fungal spores**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungal_infection_in_plants) 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.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore#cite_note-3)

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*Originally published on [Letsob](https://paragraph.com/@letsob/fungi)*