Fungi, Protists & Viruses, ACE-FRI

Fungi, protists, and viruses may not be the most cuddly of organisms, but they’re no less worth studying for it. Fungi, whose ranks include yeasts, rusts, molds, and mushrooms, are among the most widely distributed organisms on Earth. Protists such as algae and protozoans are microscopic eukaryotic organisms. Viruses are infectious agents of small size and simple composition that can multiply only in living cells of animals, plants, or bacteria.
Back To Fungi, Protists & Viruses Page

Fungi, Protists & Viruses Encyclopedia Articles By Title

acervulus
acervulus, an open, saucer-shaped asexual fruiting body found in fungi (kingdom Fungi). Always developed below......
Acetabularia
Acetabularia, genus of single-celled green algae (family Polyphysaceae) found in subtropical seas. The algae are......
Acrasieae
Acrasieae, class name for cellular slime molds (division Myxomycophyta). The class contains a single order, Acrasiales,......
actinomyxidian
actinomyxidian, any parasitic microorganism of the class Actinomyxidia (Actinosporea), phylum Myxosporidia (Myxospora).......
adenovirus
adenovirus, any virus belonging to the family Adenoviridae. This group of viruses was discovered in the 1950s and......
aecium
aecium, a cluster-cup or fruiting body of certain rust fungi (phylum Basidiomycota, kingdom Fungi). Yellow to orange......
Agaricales
Agaricales, order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes (phylum Basidiomycota, kingdom Fungi). One of the most diverse......
amanita
amanita, (genus Amanita), genus of several hundred species of mushrooms in the family Amanitaceae. Some species......
amoeba
amoeba, any of the microscopic unicellular protozoans of the rhizopodan order Amoebida. The well-known type species,......
Aphanomyces
Aphanomyces, genus of parasitic funguslike organisms in the class Oomycetes (phylum Oomycota, kingdom Chromista).......
apicomplexan
apicomplexan, any protozoan of the (typically) spore-producing phylum Apicomplexa, which is called by some authorities......
apostome
apostome, any protozoan of the small order Apostomatida (fewer than 50 species). Many are parasitic on marine crustaceans.......
arbovirus
arbovirus, acronym derived from arthropod-borne virus, any of a group of RNA viruses that develop in arthropods......
arenavirus
arenavirus, any virus belonging to the family Arenaviridae. The name of the family is derived from the Latin arenosus,......
Armillaria
Armillaria, genus of about 35 species of parasitic fungi found throughout northern North America and Europe, principally......
Arthur, J.C.
J.C. Arthur was an American botanist who discovered basic facts about the parasitic fungi known as rusts. Graduated......
ascocarp
ascocarp, fruiting structure of fungi of the phylum Ascomycota (kingdom Fungi). It arises from vegetative filaments......
Ascomycota
Ascomycota, a phylum of fungi (kingdom Fungi) characterized by a saclike structure, the ascus, which contains four......
ascus
ascus, a saclike structure produced by fungi of the phylum Ascomycota (sac fungi) in which sexually produced spores......
asfarvirus
asfarvirus, any virus belonging to the family Asfarviridae. This family consists of one genus, Asfivirus, which......
Aspergillus
Aspergillus, genus of fungi in the order Eurotiales (phylum Ascomycota, kingdom Fungi) that exists as asexual forms......
astome
astome, any uniformly ciliated protozoan of the order Astomatida, commonly found in annelid worms and other invertebrates.......
Babesia
Babesia, genus of parasitic protozoans of the sporozoan subclass Coccidia. Babesia species are parasites of vertebrate......
bacteriophage
bacteriophage, any of a group of viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages were discovered independently by......
Balantidium
Balantidium, genus of ovoid protozoans of the holotrichous order Trichostomatida. Uniformly covered with longitudinal......
ballistospore
ballistospore, in fungi, a spore forcibly propelled from its site. The basidiospores of the mushrooms, produced......
Bary, Heinrich Anton de
Heinrich Anton de Bary was a German botanist whose researches into the roles of fungi and other agents in causing......
basidiocarp
basidiocarp, in fungi, a large sporophore, or fruiting body, in which sexually produced spores are formed on the......
Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota, large and diverse phylum of fungi (kingdom Fungi) that includes jelly and shelf fungi; mushrooms,......
basidium
basidium, in fungi (kingdom Fungi), the organ in the members of the phylum Basidiomycota (q.v.) that bears sexually......
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, fungus isolated as the cause of amphibian...
Batrachospermum
Batrachospermum, genus of freshwater red algae (family Batrachospermaceae) ranging in colour from violet to blue-green.......
beard lichen
beard lichen, (genus Usnea), genus of yellow or greenish fruticose (bushy, branched) lichens with long stems and......
Beijerinck, Martinus W.
Martinus W. Beijerinck Dutch microbiologist and botanist who founded the discipline of virology with his discovery......
Benzer, Seymour
Seymour Benzer was an American molecular biologist who developed (1955) a method for determining the detailed structure......
Blakeslee, Albert Francis
Albert Francis Blakeslee was a prominent American botanist and geneticist who achieved world renown for his research......
Blumberg, Baruch S.
Baruch S. Blumberg was an American research physician whose discovery of an antigen that provokes antibody response......
Boletaceae
Boletaceae, a family of fungi of the order Boletales (phylum Basidiomycota, kingdom Fungi), in which the fruiting......
Boletales
Boletales, a diverse order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes (phylum Basidiomycota, kingdom Fungi) that includes......
British soldiers
British soldiers, (Cladonia cristatella), species of lichen with erect hollow branches that end in distinctive......
brown algae
brown algae, (class Phaeophyceae), class of about 1,500 species of algae in the division Chromophyta, common in......
bunyavirus
bunyavirus, any virus belonging to the family Bunyaviridae. Bunyaviruses have enveloped virions (virus particles)......
calicivirus
calicivirus, any virus belonging to the family Caliciviridae. Caliciviruses have nonenveloped virions (virus particles)......
Callophyllis
Callophyllis, genus of about 60 species of red algae, the largest group in the family Kallymeniaceae, widely distributed......
candida
candida, any of the pathogenic and parasitic fungi that make up the genus Candida in the order Saccharomycetales,......
Ceratium
Ceratium, genus of single-celled aquatic dinoflagellate algae (family Ceratiaceae) common in fresh water and salt......
chanterelle
chanterelle, Highly prized, fragrant, edible mushroom (Cantharellus cibarius) in the order Cantharellales (phylum......
Charophyceae
Charophyceae, class of green algae (division Chlorophyta) commonly found in fresh water. The taxonomy of the group......
chikungunya virus
chikungunya virus, infectious agent of the genus Alphavirus in the family Togaviridae. The virus causes chikungunya......
Chlamydomonas
Chlamydomonas, genus of biflagellated single-celled green algae (family Chlamydomonadaceae) found in soil, ponds,......
Chlorella
Chlorella, genus of green algae (family Chlorellaceae) found either singly or clustered in fresh or salt water......
chloromonad
chloromonad, any protozoan of the phytoflagellate order Chloromonadida, sometimes considered a member of the algal......
choanoflagellate
choanoflagellate, any protozoan of the flagellate order Choanoflagellida (sometimes classified in the order Kinetoplastida)......
chonotrich
chonotrich, any small, vase-shaped, sessile (i.e., attached at the base) member of the protozoan order Chonotrichida.......
chrysomonad
chrysomonad, any aquatic, algaelike, solitary or colonial protozoa of the phytoflagellate (plantlike) order Chrysomonadida.......
Chytridiomycota
Chytridiomycota, a phylum of fungi (kingdom Fungi) distinguished by having zoospores (motile cells) with a single,......
ciliate
ciliate, any member of the protozoan phylum Ciliophora, of which there are some 8,000 species; ciliates are generally......
Cladonia
Cladonia, genus of lichens that includes those species commonly known as cup lichen, reindeer moss, and British......
Cladophora
Cladophora, genus of green algae (family Cladophoraceae) found growing attached to rocks or timbers submerged in......
cnidosporidian
cnidosporidian, any protozoan parasite of the subphylum Cnidospora. The approximately 1,100 known species are characterized......
coccidium
coccidium, (class Conoidasida), any of a large group of protozoan parasites of the sporozoan type. Coccidia live......
Codium
Codium, genus of about 50 species of marine green algae (family Codiaceae) usually found in deep pools along rocky......
Cohn, Ferdinand
Ferdinand Cohn was a German naturalist and botanist known for his studies of algae, bacteria, and fungi. He is......
conidium
conidium, a type of asexual reproductive spore of fungi (kingdom Fungi) usually produced at the tip or side of......
coronavirus
coronavirus, any virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae. Coronaviruses have enveloped virions (virus particles)......
Crithidia
Crithidia, genus of zooflagellate protozoan of the order Kinetoplastida. Crithidia is a parasite of invertebrates,......
cryoflora
cryoflora, algae that live in snow and ice. The well-known and widely distributed red snow (q.v.) is caused by......
cryptomonad
cryptomonad, (class Cryptophyceae), any of several genera of small biflagellate algae occurring in both fresh and......
cup fungus
cup fungus, any member of a large group of fungi (kingdom Fungi) in the order Pezizales (phylum Ascomycota) and......
cup lichen
cup lichen, any of several lichens of the genus Cladonia), so named for their cuplike growths. They are widely......
cytomegalovirus
cytomegalovirus (CMV), any of several viruses in the herpes family (Herpesviridae), frequently involved in human......
Dactylella
Dactylella, a genus of 30 species of fungi in the order Helotiales (phylum Ascomycota, kingdom Fungi) that exists......
death cap
death cap, (Amanita phalloides), species of poisonous mushroom, the deadliest known to humans. The death cap is......
desmid
desmid, (order Desmidiales), order of single-celled (sometimes filamentous or colonial) microscopic green algae,......
deuteromycetes
deuteromycetes, fungi (kingdom Fungi) in which a true sexual state is uncommon or unknown. Many of these fungi......
diatom
diatom, (class Bacillariophyceae), any member of the algal class Bacillariophyceae (division Chromophyta), with......
Dillenius, Johann Jakob
Johann Jakob Dillenius was a botanist who wrote several descriptive works on plants. His Catalogus Plantarum circa......
dinoflagellate
dinoflagellate, (division Dinoflagellata), any of numerous one-celled aquatic organisms bearing two dissimilar......
diplomonad
diplomonad, any member of the protozoan order Diplomonadida. Diplomonads are small zooflagellates that inhabit......
Dodge, Bernard Ogilvie
Bernard Ogilvie Dodge was an American botanist and pioneer researcher on heredity in fungi. After completing high......
dog lichen
dog lichen, (species Peltigera canina), foliose (leafy) lichen usually found in patches 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches)......
dulse
dulse, (Palmaria palmata), edible red alga (Rhodophyta) found along the rocky northern coasts of the Atlantic and......
ebolavirus
ebolavirus, genus of viruses in the family Filoviridae, certain members of which are particularly fatal in humans......
Eimeria
Eimeria, genus of parasitic protozoans of the spore-producing phylum Apicomplexa (previously Sporozoa). Eimeria,......
Endamoeba
Endamoeba, protozoan genus of the rhizopodan order Amoebida that inhabits the intestines of invertebrates. It had......
Endothyra
Endothyra, extinct genus of Foraminifera, protozoans with a readily preservable shell; found as fossils in Devonian......
Entamoeba
Entamoeba, protozoan genus of the rhizopodian order Amoebida. Most species are parasitic in the intestines of many......
entodiniomorph
entodiniomorph, any ciliated protozoan of the order Entodiniomorphida. They are harmless parasites in the rumen......
Epstein-Barr virus
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), virus of the Herpesviridae family that is the major cause of acute infectious mononucleosis,......
Euglena
Euglena, genus of more than 1,000 species of single-celled flagellated (i.e., having a whiplike appendage) microorganisms......
Eurotiomycetes
Eurotiomycetes, class of fungi in the phylum Ascomycota (sac fungi) within the kingdom Fungi. The members of Eurotiomycetes......
Farlow, William Gilson
William Gilson Farlow was a mycologist and plant pathologist who pioneered investigations in plant pathology; his......
filovirus
filovirus, any virus belonging to the family Filoviridae. Filoviruses have enveloped virions (virus particles)......
flagellate
flagellate, (subphylum Mastigophora), any of a group of protozoans, mostly uninucleate organisms, that possess,......
flavivirus
flavivirus, any virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae. Flaviviruses have enveloped and spherical virions (virus......
fly agaric
fly agaric, (Amanita muscaria), poisonous mushroom in the family Amanitaceae (order Agaricales) found in forests,......
foraminiferan
foraminiferan, any unicellular organism of the rhizopodan order Foraminiferida (formerly Foraminifera), characterized......
Fraenkel-Conrat, Heinz L.
Heinz L. Fraenkel-Conrat was a German-American biochemist who helped to reveal the complementary roles of the structural......
Fries, Elias
Elias Fries was a Swedish botanist and the developer of the first system used to classify fungi. Fries received......

Fungi, Protists & Viruses Encyclopedia Articles By Title