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🔬 Biology  ·  Biological Classification  ·  NEET

Rhizopus (bread mould) belongs to which class of fungi and shows what type of mycelium?

Answer: Phycomycetes, coenocytic mycelium.

  • A Ascomycetes, septate mycelium
  • B Phycomycetes, coenocytic mycelium
  • C Basidiomycetes, branched mycelium
  • D Deuteromycetes, septate mycelium

Correct answer: B. Phycomycetes, coenocytic mycelium

Explanation: Rhizopus belongs to class Phycomycetes, which is characterized by coenocytic (aseptate) mycelium, meaning the hyphae lack septa (cross walls) between cells.

Whittaker's Five KingdomsMoneraprokaryotesProtistaunicell. eukaryotesFungichitin wallPlantaecellulose wallAnimaliano wallNOT in any kingdom: Viruses (non-cellular), Viroids (RNA, no coat), Lichens (alga+fungus symbiosis)Classification criteria: cell structure, nutrition mode, body organisation, reproduction, phylogeny

Whittaker's five-kingdom system (1969) groups all cellular life by cell structure and nutrition; viruses, viroids, and lichens fall outside this system entirely since they aren't independently classifiable as one of the five.

Concept context

Whittaker's five kingdom system covering Monera, Protista, Fungi, plus viruses, viroids, and lichens. A foundational NEET chapter on how living organisms are grouped.

Read the full Biological Classification notes →