Taxonomy is an evolving and controversial science that deals with naming, describing, and classification of all living and extinct organisms.
It has a heirarchical structure listing items from broad to ultra specific with Latinised words.
Dependent on which sources you cite, there are 6 Kingdoms;
Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, Eubacteria, Archaebacteria.
This webpage only focouses on the Fungi kingdom.
The main characteristic that makes fungi different from other kingdoms is that their cell walls contain chitin. Chitin is a polysaccharide that forms resileint yet flexible structres. Chitin also makes up the exoskeleton of many anthropods and crustaceans (e.g. beetles and lobsters).
Other characteristics unique to fungi are their method of sourcing energy. Fungi are heterotrophs (as are animals and bacteria); meaning they can't make thier own food source (see photosynthesis). The majority of fungi are decomposers. By excreting digestive enzymes, they externally "digest" organic matter such as dead trees or a bag of bread. Without fungi being the prinicpal decomposers in nature, the Earth would be overrun by dead organic matter. Worms can only contribute so much to the effort.
When referring to fungi's classification, we refer to them by their genus and species. The genus is always capitalised. Let's look at the taxonomy of my favourite species of fungi.
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Hymenogastraceae
Genus: Psilocybe
Species: P. subaeruginosa
Fungi are more closely related to humans than plants, due to a common ancestor, and evoultionary and biochemical similarities.
Fungi can be pathogenic, neutral, or benifical to humans. Evidence shows fungi has been used as medicine for centuries. The earliest records date back to (X)
Bioluminescence is the phenomenon in which an organism produce light via a chemical reaction with an enzyme called luciferase. The light appears as a soft green glow.
Bioluminescence can be found in fungi, bacteria, insects (fireflies), and marine invertabrates (jellyfish), and fish (anglerfish).
There are around 125 species known to glow. Omphalotus nidiformis aka Ghost fungi is the most notable species.
