zygomycete
[ zahy-guh-mahy-seet, -mahy-seet, zig-uh- ]
/ ˌzaɪ gəˈmaɪ sit, -maɪˈsit, ˌzɪg ə- /
noun Mycology.
any of a wide variety of common fungi constituting the phylum Zygomycota of the kingdom Fungi (or the class Zygomycetes of the kingdom Plantae), in which sexual reproduction is by the formation of zygospores.
Words nearby zygomycete
Example sentences from the Web for zygomycetes
Blakeslee has lately made some very important observations of the Zygomycetes.
British Dictionary definitions for zygomycetes
zygomycete
/ (ˌzaɪɡəʊˈmaɪsiːt) /
noun
any filamentous fungus of the phylum Zygomycota (or Zygomycetes), which reproduces sexually by means of zygospores, including the bread mould
Derived forms of zygomycete
zygomycetous, adjectiveMedical definitions for zygomycetes
Zygomycetes
[ zī′gō-mī-sē′tēz ]
n.
A subclass of fungi characterized by sexual reproduction resulting in the formation of a large multinucleate spore formed by union of similar gametes.
Scientific definitions for zygomycetes
zygomycete
[ zī′gə-mī′sēt′, zĭg′ə- ]
Any of various fungi belonging to the phylum Zygomycota, characterized by the absence of cross walls (called septa) in all of their hyphae except reproductive hyphae. The absence of septa allows cytoplasm to stream along the hyphae, and most species produce abundant, fast-growing hyphae. Many species of zygomycetes live on decaying plant and animal matter in soil, though some are parasites on plants, insects, and certain soil animals, and a few cause disease in domestic animals and humans. Zygomycetes reproduce both by producing asexual haploid spores in conidia at the end of their hyphae and by producing sexual haploid spores by meiosis after hyphae of different mating types conjugate and their nuclei fuse.