What is the Difference Between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes

The main difference between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes is that Basidiomycetes is a club fungus, whereas Deuteromycetes is an imperfect fungus. 

Basidiomycetes and deuteromycetes are two classes of higher fungi. The other type of higher fungus is the class Ascomycetes. Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. They are heterotrophs. Also, they contain a chitin cell wall. Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes belong to a subkingdom, Dikarya, which generally produces dikaryons.     

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Basidiomycetes
– Definition, Facts, Features
2. What is Deuteromycetes
– Definition, Facts, Features
3. Similarities Between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes
– Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ – Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes
– Answers to frequently asked questions

Key Terms  

Anamorphic Fungi, Basidiomycetes, Deuteromycetes, Dustbin Fungi, Imperfect Fungi

What is Basidiomycetes

Basidiomycota is a division of fungi characterized by the exogenous formation of basidia and basidiospores. Moreover, due to the presence of sexual spore-bearing cells called basidia, the fungi under the Basidiomycota division are called club fungi. Here, millions of spores occur on the club-shaped basidia on the gills’ surface. Therefore, another name for Basidiomycota is gill fungi. Around 25,000 species of Basidiomycota have been identified so far. These fungi can be either decomposers, mycorrhizal, or plant pathogens. Additionally, Basidiomycota can break down large polymers such as lignin in the plant cell wall.

Figure 1: Basidiomycetes Types 

Furthermore, sexual reproduction is the most prominent form of reproduction in Basidiomycota. It starts with fusing two haploid, mating-type hyphae (+ and -) to form a dikaryotic hypha. These dikaryotic hyphae can produce a fruit body or a gilled mushroom under favorable environmental conditions. Then, basidia form on the surface of the gills. After that, the karyogamy has the diploid nucleus in each basidium, followed by the immediate meiosis to form four haploid nuclei. Each nucleus migrates into the appendages and develops into basidiospores, which migrate via wind and germinate to produce haploid hyphae.

What is Deuteromycetes

Deuteromycetes are an artificial grouping of fungi that do not contain a sexual reproduction. Imperfect fungi, anamorphic fungi, and dustbin fungi are other names of the Deuteromycetes. The key feature of the class Deuteromycetes is the absence of sexual reproduction. It only reproduces by asexual reproduction. Moreover, deuteromycetes have three forms depending on the type of asexual spores: conidiophore-producing forms, acervulus, sporodochium-producing forms, and pycnidia-producing forms. The center of the conidiophore contains conidia. Also, hyphae, which are small or large cushion-like masses, form the bed of short conidiospores. Acervuli are formed from conidiophores. Meanwhile, pycnidia are more or less globose or flask-shaped, hollow sporocarps. Conidia are produced inside the pycnidia. Commonly, the color of conidia is black. However, pycnidium contains an opening through which conidia escape.

Figure 2: Types of Conidia in Imperfect Fungi

Moreover, the mycelium of the class Deuteromycetes is branched and septate. On the other hand, some members of Deuteromycetes are saprophytes or parasites. A large number of them are decomposers involved in mineral recycling.  

Similarities Between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes

• Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes are two classes of higher fungi.
• They belong to the phylum Eumycophyta.
• They live in terrestrial and marine habitats.

Difference Between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes

Definition

Basidiomycetes refers to a fungus whose spores develop in basidia; they include most familiar mushrooms and toadstools. In contrast, Deuteromycetes refers to an artificial grouping of fungi in which an actual sexual state is uncommon or unknown.

Shape

Basidiomycetes is a club fungus, while Deuteromycetes is an imperfect fungus.  

Sexual Reproduction

Sexual reproduction is present in Basidiomycetes, while sexual reproduction is absent in Deuteromycetes. 

Asexual Reproduction

Asexual reproduction of Basidiomycetes occurs through the formation of occurs by oidia, conidia, or chlamydospores. Higher groups of Basidiomycetes lack asexual reproduction, while asexual reproduction of Deuteromycetes occurs through the formation of conidiospores. 

FAQ: Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes

What is the difference between Basidiomycota and Basidiomycetes? 

Basidiomycota is one of the large divisions forming the subkingdom Dikarya and the division Ascomycota. Members of the division Basidiomycota are known as Basidiomycetes. 

What is the difference between Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes? 

Ascomycetes is a phylum of fungi that shows both asexual and sexual reproduction. However, Deuteromycetes is another fungus that only shows asexual reproduction but not sexual reproduction.  

How is Deuteromycetes different from other fungi? 

Deuteromycetes are a type of fungi known as molds. They have no sexual state in their life cycle. They only reproduce by producing spores by mitosis. The asexual state of fungi is called the anamorph state.  

Conclusion

In brief, Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes are two classes of fungi that belong to the phylum Eumycophyta. Both classes are higher fungi. Basidiomycetes is a club fungus. It contains sexual reproduction, but asexual reproduction is absent. In comparison, Deuteromycetes is an imperfect fungus. However, only asexual reproduction occurs in Deuteromycetes. Therefore, the main difference between Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes is shape and sexual reproduction. 

References:

        1. Sharma, B. (n.d.). Basidiomycota and Deuteromycotina. mmcmodinagar. 

Image Courtesy:

1. “03 03 02 basidia of smut fungi, Basidiomycota (M. Piepenbring)” By M. Piepenbring – Own Work (CC BY SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “04 02 03 types of conidia, asexual fungi, imperfect fungi (M. Piepenbring)” By M. Piepenbring – Own Work (CC BY SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia