Dear Amr,
I'm not an authority in mycology. However, from the work I've done with fungi, the answer is yes. Zygomycetes are regarded as more primitive fungi, and their coenocytic filaments are a characteristic. Their hyphae are not entirely without septa; however, the septa are few and far between. Hyphae with regularly-spaced septa are a feature of the more advanced fungi, e.g., Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes.
I hope this information helps you.
Bill Colonna, Center for Crops Utilization Research, Dept. Food Science & Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA [email protected]
Dear Amr Hosny
You may see incomplete and malformed septum in some genera or species of Zygomycetes, specially in old colonies.
Most hyphae in Zygomycetes are coenocytic. Septae are formed in old mycelium, during reproduction (for example zygospore formation) and as a consequence of hyphal damage...
Dear Amr Hosny,
Zygomycetes hyphae may be coenocytic. I have received an information about Zygomycetes forming septa only where zygospore are formed or to wall of old or "dead" hyphae. Zygomycetes exhibit a special structure of cell wall. Most fungi have chitin as structural polysaccharide, while zygomycetes synthesize chitosan, the deacetylated homopolymer of chitin.
Best regards
Vladimir
Dear Amr,
Now zygomycetous fungi comprise a group of taxa because phylum Zygomycota was shown to be non-monophyletic and should not be considered as a taxon. So it would be incorrect to say that they all have aseptate hyphae because Entomophthoromycota and Zoopagomycotina may have septa and Kickxellomycotina are regularly septate. Mucoromycotina are considered to be predominantly coenocytic. Besides, some saprobic Mortierellales and Mucorales may be septate, constantly or in old cultures (as it it was pointed by Željko Savković). For references you can see Benny GL, Humber RA, Voigt K (2014) The zygomycetous Fungi: The phylum Entomophthoromycota and the subphyla Kickxellomycotina, Mortierellomycotina, Mucoromycotina, and Zoopagomycotina. In: McLaughlin DJ, Blackwell M, Spatafora JW (eds.) The Mycota Vol. VIIA: Systematics of fungi. 2nd edtion. pp. 209-250. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York and a paper in attachment.
With best regards,
Elena
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