Dothideomycetes

Dothideomycetes is the largest and most diverse class of Ascomycota fungi. It comprises 11 orders, 90 families, 1300 genera and over 19,000 known species. This class includes many plant pathogenic fungi, lichens, and other ecologically important species.

Taxonomy

The class Dothideomycetes is divided into two subclasses: Dothideomycetidae and Pleosporomycetidae. The former includes the orders Capnodiales, Dothideales, Hysteriales, and Myriangiales, while the latter includes Pleosporales.

Characteristics

Dothideomycetes species are typically characterized by their asci, which are bitunicate, meaning they have two layers. The outer layer is designed to build up turgor pressure to forcibly discharge the ascospores, while the inner layer houses the ascospores.

Ecology

Dothideomycetes are found in a wide range of habitats, including soil, plant debris, and as endophytes in plant tissues. Many species are also found in aquatic environments. Some species are pathogenic to plants and can cause significant crop losses.

Economic Importance

Several species of Dothideomycetes are of economic importance due to their role as plant pathogens. For example, species in the genus Mycosphaerella cause leaf spot diseases in a variety of crops, while Venturia inaequalis, the cause of apple scab, is a member of the Dothideomycetes.

See Also

• Ascomycota
• Fungi
• Mycology