Comparison: Phycomycetes and Ascomycetes | Fungi

Learn about the comparison between phycomycetes and ascomycetes.

Habitat:

Most Phycomycetes are aquatic and even the terrestrial ones have aquatic tendency. They are largely saprophytic than parasitic. Reverse is the case with the Ascomycetes where very few- species are true aquatic. They are mostly para­sites of varying degree.

Somatic Body:

In the Phycomycetes it is very simple being composed of uni­cellular uninucleate, ill-developed mycelium to well-developed aseptate mycelium. In the Ascomycetes the mycelium in septate and may be developed to form plectenchymatous structures being differentiated into prosenchyma and pseudoparenchyma.

Asexual Reproduction:

In a large number of Phycomycetes asexual reproduction takes place by the development of flagellate spores which are borne in sporangia. But in the Ascomycetes such spores are non-flagellate and are not developed in sporangia.

Sexual Reproduction:

In many of the Phycomycetes sexual reproduction takes place by the formation of well-organized gametes developed in gametangia. But in the Ascomycetes there is usually absence of any such structure. Here the gametangia instead of bearing well-organized gametes contain nuclei embedded in a mass of cyto­plasm.

In the Phycomycetes karyogamy follows immediately after plasmogamy. Whereas, in the Ascomycetes there is interval between plasmogamy and karyogamy which is occupied by a phase of dikaryotic condition. Here sexual reproduction leads to the development of a fruiting structure composed of fertile and sterile tissue which is altogether absent in the Phycomycetes.