Fungi Kingdom: What is, characteristics, classification and examples

He Fungi or Mycota kingdomcommonly known as the Kingdom of true fungi (Eumycotas domain), constitutes, together with the Animalia Kingdom, the Planate Kingdom, the Protist Kingdom and the Monera Kingdom, the taxonomic kingdoms of biological evolution or the 5 kingdoms of nature that include each and every one of the different life forms that exist on earth.

In the Fungi kingdom all the eukaryotic organisms that belong to the classification of fungi, within which we can count until approximately 144,000 different species. The diversity of life forms and morphological structures that the fungi present makes the Fungi kingdom a group overflowing with a really spectacular biodiversity. Within the fungus kingdom we can find:

• Yeasts
• Mold
• Mushrooms

The science that studies fungi, Mycologyalone Know 5% Of the fungi and estimates that there are 1.5 million fungi that we still do not know.

In the next sections we will see many of the main Fungi Characteristicsas well as their classification and some examples to differentiate them and know them more closely.

Since they appeared on the face of earth, the organizations of the Fungi kingdom have been developing numerous and diverse characteristics that allow them to adapt to some of the strangest and most surprising environments of nature.

Let’s look at a list of the main characteristics of the Fungi Kingdom or fungi:

• They are heterotrophic organisms: That is, they acquire their nutrients from outside. Here are more information about heterotrophic organisms: what are, characteristics and examples.
• They have one Resistant cell wall of chitina: On many occasions they prevents them from discarding or suffering other inconveniences related to environmental conditions.
• They are reproduced by spores: They also have determined anatomical structures for their production, such as disgust (contain disgust) and basidia (with basidospores). In fungi, reproduction can be as asexual (without formation of a fruitful body) as sexual. Learn more about this in this other post about what the spores are.
• There is an immense variety of forms: Another characteristics of the Fungi Kingdom is that its organisms have very different and peculiar colors and sizes.
• Have a complex structure: The commonly called “true body of the fungus” is called mycelium and is composed of long filaments, hyphae. On the other hand, the most visible and known parts of these organisms are usually their “fruitful bodies”, responsible for producing spores for sexual reproduction. Discover more about the structure of fungi, here.
• Grow differently: Some fungi do it in the form of “shelf” on tree trunks, others instead grow as “drinks”, or even “star.” In this way, we are talking about the organisms of the fungus kingdom are motionless.

According to the morphology of fructifications or fruitful bodies that present the fungi, these are classified into the 5 large groups of the Fungi Kingdom:

• Basidiomycetes: fungi with basidioso and fruitful fruit body.
• Ascomycetes: These fungi contain ascospores within the reproductive structures called ASCAS.
• Glomeromicetos: The main characteristic that defines this group of fungi is the formation of mycorrhizae, structures that establish an interspecific relationship of symbiosis with plants, also with glomerosporas.
• Zigomicetos: It is the group of commonly known as molds, which includes around 1000 species. His spores are called Zigospores.
• Removal: This last group of the current fungal classification includes all those microscopic organisms of the Fungi kingdom, with zoospores or flagellated gametes as reproductive cells.

After knowing all these details, including the Fungi classification More common, let’s see in the next section some of the most common and characteristic examples of fungal species, many of which you know for their eating and medicinal properties.

Beyond the well -known and tasty mushrooms (Agricus bisporus)the Fungi kingdom includes a wide variety of fungi. These are some examples of the Fungi kingdom or examples of fungi:

Ascomycetes examples

As we have mentioned, some examples of the Fungi kingdom that belong to the ascomycetes are:

• Penicillium citrinum: Vid fungus used in obtaining wines.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae: brewer’s yeast and bread elaboration (although of different strains).
• Molds of the genus Penicillium: they are an example of the Fungi kingdom that serve to make blue cheese.

Basidiomycetes examples

Other examples of the Fungi Kingdom are the fungi that belong to the basidiomycetes. Such as:

• Cow tongue (Hydnum repandum): A edible fungus.
• Trumpet of the dead (Craterellus cornucopioides): A edible fungus (the image below).
• Judas ear (JUDAE AURICULA AUTICULAR): A edible fungus.
• Puffball (Lycoperdon Perlatum): A edible fungus, but only when it is white.
• Gallipier (Macrolepiota Procera): It is a edible fungus and is the largest mushroom in Spain.
• Seta Matamamas (Amanita Muscaria): poisonous and even mortal fungus.
• Versicolor tramets (Versicolor tramets): It grows on trees trunks and is widely used in MTC or traditional Chinese medicine.
• Bermellón and Bermellón fungus (Pycnoporus Sanguineus): On trunks of tropical areas trees.
• Earth Star (Geastrum Saccatum): It has a star -shaped growth and is a non -edible fungus.
• Amanita Panther (Amanita Pantherina): They are poisonous fungi, even fatal.

Within natural ecosystems, fungi play a fundamental role in the correct Balance of biological communitiessince they are the Decomponent organisms par excellence, thus allowing a correct recycling and maintenance of energy and organic and inorganic elements of the ecosystem.

On the other hand, in anthropic ecosystems, human beings maintain a very close relationship with fungi in our day to day, since we use them in:

• Obtaining drinks: Wines and beers.
• Obtaining food: cheeses and bread, taking advantage of its biochemical and metabolic properties.
• Direct consumption: In the case of mushrooms and other edible fungi.

They also highlight for their use within the world of medicine and drugs, since numerous Active antibiotics and ingredients Useful to combat diseases are obtained from immunosuppressive and anti-epidemic properties of fungi. Other times, on the other hand, fungi act like some of The pathogens more feared for the health of people, animals and plants, as well as with poisonous and hallucinogenic properties.

To understand this better, we recommend reading these other two articles of Ecology Verde about the ecosystem in equilibrium: what it is and how it is maintained and what are the living beings decomposing with examples.

You can also take a look at the next video of Ecology Verde on the Five Kingdoms of Nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs34sny_p4o

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