What are the two basic morphological types of fungi?

What are the two basic morphological types of fungi?

• A. Nonfilamentous (yeast) and filamentous (mold)
• B. Bacteria and algae
• C. Protozoa and helminths
• D. Fission yeast and budding yeast

Answer: (A)

The two basic morphological types of fungi are nonfilamentous, single-celled yeasts and filamentous molds. Yeasts are typically oval or round and exist as individual cells; they reproduce mainly by budding (or fission in a few species) and do not form long thread-like structures. Molds grow as networks of hyphae, which bundle into a mycelium and produce spores for dissemination, giving a fuzzy, filamentous appearance on culture. Some fungi are dimorphic and can switch form under different conditions (for example, yeast-like at body temperature and mold-like in the environment), but the fundamental contrast is between yeast and mold. The other options point to organisms that aren’t fungi or describe variations within one fungal type. Bacteria and algae are separate kingdoms, not fungal forms. Protozoa and helminths are animal-like organisms. Fission yeast and budding yeast are both yeasts, representing two ways a single morphological type can reproduce, not two basic morphologies.

The two basic morphological types of fungi are nonfilamentous, single-celled yeasts and filamentous molds. Yeasts are typically oval or round and exist as individual cells; they reproduce mainly by budding (or fission in a few species) and do not form long thread-like structures. Molds grow as networks of hyphae, which bundle into a mycelium and produce spores for dissemination, giving a fuzzy, filamentous appearance on culture. Some fungi are dimorphic and can switch form under different conditions (for example, yeast-like at body temperature and mold-like in the environment), but the fundamental contrast is between yeast and mold.

The other options point to organisms that aren’t fungi or describe variations within one fungal type. Bacteria and algae are separate kingdoms, not fungal forms. Protozoa and helminths are animal-like organisms. Fission yeast and budding yeast are both yeasts, representing two ways a single morphological type can reproduce, not two basic morphologies.