Mucorales

Mucorales is an order of fungi in the division Zygomycota. The order consists of roughly 300 species, which are typically found in soil, dung, and decaying organic matter. Some species are parasitic or pathogenic to plants and animals, including humans.

Taxonomy

The order Mucorales was first described by the German botanist Gottlob Ludwig Rabenhorst in 1860. The order is part of the division Zygomycota, which is characterized by the formation of a distinctive type of spore called a zygospore.

Characteristics

Mucorales species are typically fast-growing, producing colonies that are white to gray in color. They reproduce both sexually and asexually, with asexual reproduction being the most common. The fungi produce spores that are dispersed by air currents.

Ecology

Mucorales species are found worldwide and are most commonly found in soil, dung, and decaying organic matter. Some species are also found in the digestive tracts of animals.

Pathogenicity

Some species of Mucorales are pathogenic to plants and animals, including humans. In humans, they can cause a disease known as mucormycosis, which can be life-threatening in individuals with weakened immune systems.

Treatment

Treatment for mucormycosis typically involves antifungal medications and, in severe cases, surgery to remove infected tissue.

See also

• Zygomycota
• Mucormycosis
• Fungi

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