The Invisible ABCs

Exploring the World of Microbes...

Letter a

Mucor

Habitat:

 

Mucor is a fungus that is found everywhere—in soil, plants, and decaying fruits and vegetables.

 

Importance:

 

Many species of Mucor are important because they are involved in the breakdown of dead plant and animal material.  By degrading this material, the fungi return the nutrients to the environment so that they can be used by other living things.

A few species of Mucor can cause infections in humans, frogs and other amphibians, cattle, and pigs.  Mucor infections in humans usually only occur when a person already has a serious condition that makes their immune system function poorly.

 

Classification:

 

Mucor is a fungus that grows in thread-like filaments and forms spores to reproduce. 

 

Size:

 

Mucor is a long filament about 10 mm in width.