Question

In fungi, sporangiospores and ascospores are found in bag-like structures but are always present in even numbers. These spore types are not same because
a. They are basically the same, but the sporangiospores are always larger.
b. Ascospores are formed as a result of meiosis, while sporangiospores are a result of mitosis.
c. Sporangiospores are produced by sexual recombination, while ascospores are produced asexually.
d. They are basically the same, but ascospores are always larger.
e. The structures are the same, but they were named differently before they were determined to have the same function.

Answer 1

Sporangiospores are asexual spores produced by fungi of the group Chytridiomycota and Zygomycota while ascospores are the sexual spores that are produced by the fungi ascomycetes.

Complete answer:

Option (A) is incorrect. They are not the same because ascospores are a set of sexual spores that are produced inside the ascus of ascomycetes while the sporangiospores are a set of asexual spores that are produced inside the sporangium.

Option (B) is correct. Ascospores are a set of sexual spores that are eight number and haploid, produced from the diploid zygote by one meiotic and one mitotic division while sporangiospores are a set of asexual spores that are produced by mitotic divisions.

Option (C) is incorrect. Sporangiospores are not produced by sexual recombination but they are produced asexually inside the sporangium while ascospores are produced sexually after the formation of zygote inside the ascus.

Option (D) is incorrect. The structures of these spores are not the same because the sporangiospores are flagellated motile spores while the ascospores are non-flagellated ones. They were named differently because they were either produced meiotically or mitotically.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Ascospores which are non-flagellated, are usually 8 in numbers that are a set of sexual spores that are produced inside the ascus of ascomycetes. These spores are produced by one meiotic and one mitotic division of diploid zygote that is produced due to the karyogamy in between the two nuclei inside the ascus.
Sporangiospores which are flagellated, are asexual spores that are produced by cytoplasmic division inside the sporangium.