Members of this order are obligate anaerobes that grow in the rumen, hindgut or caecum of various mammalian herbivores. They decompose cellulose and break the lignin deposits into smaller pieces with more surfaces for lignin-decomposing bacteria. They may be monocentric or polycentric with one member (Caecomyces) having a unique developmental pattern. Some representative genera are Neocallimastix, Pyromyces, and Orpinomyces.
The zoospores of the Neocallimastigales are posteriorly uniflagellate or posteriorly multi-flagellate. A second centriole has not been found associated with the kintetosome; the latter also lacks props.
References and Keys:
Ho, Y.W. and D.J.S. Barr. 1995. Classification of anaerobic gut fungi from herbivores with emphasis on rumen fungi from Malaysia. Mycologia 87: 655 - 677. (Keys to genera and species)
Li, J. and I.B. Heath. 1993. Chytridiomycetous gut fungi, oft overlooked contributors to herbivore digestion. Can. J. Microbiol. 39: 1003 - 1013. (Review)
Trinci, A.P.J., D.R. Davies, K. Gull, M.I. Lawrence, B.B. Nielsen, A. Rickers, and M.K. Theodorou. 1994. Anaerobic fungi in herbivourous animals. Mycol. Res. 98: 29 - 152. (Review)
Rumen Chytrids -Dr. Daniel Wubah's site