What is the Difference Between Apothecium and Perithecium

Thekey differencebetween apothecium and peritheciumis that apothecium is a disc-shaped fruiting structure ofascomycetesfungi, while perithecium is a rounded or flask-shaped fruiting structure of ascomycetes fungi.

The fruiting structure of fungi of the phylumAscomycotais also known as ascocarp or ascoma.它通常出现from vegetative filaments known ashyphaeaftersexual reproduction. Moreover, an ascocarp contains saclike structures called asci, which normally bear four to eightascospores. Apothecium and perithecium are two different types of fruiting structures of fungi of the phylumAscomycota.

CONTENTS

1.Overview and Key Difference
2.What is Apothecium
3.What is Perithecium
4.Similarities – Apothecium and Perithecium
5.Apothecium vs. Perithecium in Tabular Form
6.Summary – Apothecium vs. Perithecium

What is Apothecium?

Ascocarps, which are normally bowl-shaped or disc-shaped, are known as apothecia. The singular form of apothecia is apothecium. An apothecium can also be a wide, open, saucer-shaped, or cup-shaped fruiting structure in fungi of the phylumAscomycota. Apothecium is usually sessile (immobile), large and fleshy.

The structure of apothecium is mainly divided into three parts: hymenium, hypothecium, and excipulum. The hymenium is the upper concave surface, while the hypothecium and excipulum are defined as the foot of the structure. The asci are generally present in the hymenium of the apothecium. The asci are freely exposed in the hymenium of the apothecium at the time of maturity. For example, the fertile layer of the members ofDictyomycetesfungi is free, so many spores can be dispersed simultaneously due to freely exposed asci. However, sometimes inMorchella, the true morels have a mass of apothecia fused together in a single large cap. Other genera that produce apothecium may includeHelvellaandGyromitra. The members ofHelvellaandGyromitra haveapothecia, which are very similar toMorchella.

What is Perithecium?

子囊壳是一个圆或瓶形的和微观scopic fruiting structure. The plural form of perithecium is perithecia. Perithecia are flask-shaped structures that are opened by a pore called ostiole. Through this pore, ascospores usually escape.

The canal of the ostiole may have hair-like structures called periphyses. Examples of perithecia-like ascocarps containing fungi are found among members of Sphaeriales and Hypocreales. Other than that, perithecia are also found in Xylaria, Nectria, Claviceps, andNeurospora. Moreover, sometimes the perithecia are free, but in many species, they are embedded within either the substrate it is fruiting or in a dense sterile tissue of haploid cells called a stroma.

What are the Similarities Between Apothecium and Perithecium?

• Apothecium and perithecium are two different types of fruiting structures in fungi of the phylumAscomycota.
• Both fruiting structures are derived from vegetative filaments known as hyphae after sexual reproduction.
• Both fruiting structures contain ascospores.
• They help in fungal reproduction and multiplication.

What is the Difference Between Apothecium and Perithecium?

Apothecium is a disc-shaped fruiting structure of fungi of the phylumAscomycota,while perithecium is a rounded or flask-shaped fruiting structure of fungi of the phylumAscomycota. Thus, this is the key difference between apothecium and perithecium. Furthermore, apothecium is very large in size, while perithecium is microscopic in size.

The infographic below presents the differences between apothecium and perithecium in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Apothecium vs. Perithecium

The fruiting bodies or structures of fungi contain spores, which are dispersed for reproduction purposes. The fruiting bodies that are formed by sexual reproduction in the phylum Ascomycota are calledascocarps. There are three main types: apothecium, perithecium and cleistothecium. Apothecium is bowl-shaped or disc-shaped, while perithecium is rounded or flask-shaped. Moreover, apothecium is very large in size, while perithecium is microscopic in size. So, this summarizes the difference between apothecium and perithecium.

Reference:

1. “3.5.2: Types of Ascocarps.” Biology LibreTexts, Libretexts.
2. “Perithecium.” Science Direct.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Apothecium” ByRichard Droker(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)via Flickr
2. “Chaetonium (Acremonium) perithecium 40X“通过Ninjatacoshell——自己的工作(CC BY-SA 3.0)via Commons Wikimedia