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Fungal evolution: diversity, taxonomy and phylogeny of the Fungi

Summary

Fungi are found everywhere on Earth and play critical roles in breaking down organic matter, supporting plant growth, and providing food and medicines. Scientists have recently reorganized how fungi are classified into nine major groups using genetic analysis, which has helped clarify evolutionary relationships that were previously unclear. This comprehensive review explains what distinguishes each fungal group, how they are related to each other evolutionarily, and why fungi deserve more attention in biology education given their importance to human life and global ecosystems.

Background

Fungi are hyperdiverse heterotrophic eukaryotes characterized by chitinous cell walls and complex cellular organizations. Despite their ubiquity and importance in global biogeochemistry, plant symbiosis, and human applications, fungi have historically received less academic attention than animals and plants. The taxonomy of fungi has undergone major revisions with the advent of genomics and phylogenomics.

Objective

This review comprehensively examines the current status of fungal phylogeny and taxonomy, providing an overview of the nine currently defined phylum-level fungal clades. The authors discuss the main traits, diversity, and evolutionary relationships among major fungal groups while exploring phylogenetic and taxonomical controversies.

Results

Nine phylum-level fungal clades are defined: Opisthosporidia, Chytridiomycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Zoopagomycota, Mucoromycota, Glomeromycota, Basidiomycota, and Ascomycota. Recent phylogenomic studies have resolved previous taxonomic uncertainties regarding paraphyletic groups and clarified the positions of Microsporidia, Rozella, and Aphelidea within the fungal kingdom.

Conclusion

Modern phylogenomics has substantially clarified fungal taxonomy, transforming it from a turbulent history into a more stable classification system. The nine defined phyla represent monophyletic groups with distinct evolutionary histories, ecological roles, and cellular characteristics, though several controversies remain regarding the positions of certain lineages and the significance of recently discovered environmental clades.
  • Published in:Biological Reviews,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1111/brv.12550, PMID: 31659870
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