Chytridiaceae

/ˌkaɪtrɪdiˈeɪsiː/ noun

Definition

A family of primitive water-dwelling fungi that produce motile spores with whip-like flagella, representing some of the most ancient fungi on Earth.

Etymology

Scientific Latin family name derived from 'chytridium' plus the '-aceae' suffix used in biological taxonomy to denote families.

Kelly Says

Chytridiaceae are basically living fossils—these fungi have barely changed in 400 million years, which makes them a window into what some of the earliest fungi on Earth probably looked like.

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