A type of fungal spore formed by the fragmentation of a hypha (fungal filament) into individual cells.
From Greek 'arthron' (joint) + 'spore' from Greek 'spora' (seed). The term describes how fungal hyphae break apart 'at the joints' into spore-like fragments, combining the jointing concept with reproductive structures.
Arthrospores are nature's way of spreading fungi by breaking apart like a chain—instead of making fancy spores, some fungi just snap their filaments into pieces, and each piece can start a new colony, which is why some fungal infections spread so rapidly.
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