Deuteromycetes (Noun)
Meaning
Form class; coextensive with subdivision Deuteromycota.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Deuteromycetes are a form class of fungi that have not been placed in any of the three true fungal divisions due to their unknown reproductive structures.
- Deuteromycetes include some of the most common molds that grow on food, particularly in moist environments where nutrients are readily available.
- Most Deuteromycetes reproduce asexually through spores that grow into new organisms without undergoing fertilization.
- In addition to molds, some species of Deuteromycetes also have a yeast-like form that reproduces sexually.
- The Deuteromycetes were originally classified as imperfect fungi because they seemed to lack a true reproductive cycle, but it is now believed that they have evolved unique methods of reproduction.