Home • Mycotypha indica IMI 211999 v1.0
Figure 1) Mycotypha indica (strain 10x3463-300). Two typical vesicles covered with sporangiola. Figure 2) Mycotypha indica (strain 11x3399Z+-300). Zygospores on the agar surface. Figure 3) Mycotypha indica (strain 10x3400 Z+vesicle-300). A zygospore and
sporophore showing a side-by-side comparison of the size differences. Images by Gerald Benny.
Figure 1) Mycotypha indica (strain 10x3463-300). Two typical vesicles covered with sporangiola. Figure 2) Mycotypha indica (strain 11x3399Z+-300). Zygospores on the agar surface. Figure 3) Mycotypha indica (strain 10x3400 Z+vesicle-300). A zygospore and sporophore showing a side-by-side comparison of the size differences. Images by Gerald Benny.

Mycotypha indica P.M. Kirk & Benny (Benny et al. 1985) is a zygomycete fungus classified in the family Mycotyphaceae (Mucorales). This species has been isolated from soils and dung collected from India and Venezuela (Benny et al. 1985; Ávila et al. 2007). Mycotypha produces a cylindrical vesicle (Figs. 1 and 3) at the tip of simple or branched sporangiophores. The vesicle bears two types of small projections; one that is short and bears a globose, unispored sporangium (Fig. 1) and a second, longer projection that gives rise to an obpyriform uni-spored sporangium (Benny et al. 1985). This species is homothallic (self-fertile) bearing ornamented and pigmented zygospores between opposed suspensors (Figs. 2 and 3; Benny et al. 1985). Species of Mycotypha are dimorphic and can grow as a yeast in nutrient-rich agar or as a filamentous colony of hyphal strands on standard media. Sequencing of M. indica will advance the 1000 Fungal Genome Project by providing a representative genome for Mycotyphaceae, an important family of “zygomycetes.” This genome is particularly important because it will provide additional insight into the evolution of dimorphic growth among the early-diverging fungi.

References:

Ávila, A.E.D., Garcia L.M.U., and A.J.P. Chávez. 2007. Mycotypha indica P.M. Kirk & Benny, in turkey dung, a new record for Venezuela. Multiciencias Universidad del Zulia, Venezuela 7(2):176-180.

Benny, G.L., P. M. Kirk, and R. A. Samson. 1985. Observations on Thamnidiaceae (Mucorales). III. Mycotyphaceae fam. nov. and a re-evaluation of Mycotypha sensu Benny & Benjamin illustrated by two new species. Mycotaxon 22:119-148.

Kirk, P.M., and G.L. Benny. 2008. Mycotypha indica. IMI descriptions of fungi and bacteria no. 1776, 2 pp.