Neocallimastix patriciarum
Neocallimastix patriciarum is a species of fungus that lives in the rumen of sheep and other ruminant species. N. patriciarum is an obligate anaerobe and is an important component of the microbial population within the rumen. Only one of a few rumen fungi, this species is interesting and unique within the fungal world. Originally thought to be a flagellate protists, species within the phylum Neocallimastigomycota were first recognized as a fungus by Colin Orpin in 1975 when he demonstrated that they had cell walls of chitin Taxonomic classification N. patriciarum, along with other species in Neocallimastix, were originally considered part of Chytridiomycota. They have since been more accurately classified into the newly named phylum Neocallimystigomycota which encompasses only one family: Neocallimastigaceae. The classification of N. patriciarum in Chytridiomycota was primarily due to the presence of flagellated zoospores, a defining characteristic of the Chytridiomycota phylum. Neocallimystigomycota has been elevated to phylum level based on significant differences in morphological traits and molecular phylogenetics. Morphology Thallus N. patriciarum have monocentric thalli. The young thallus is made up of incipient zoosporangium and rhizoids, as is typical of monocentric thalli. The rhizoids are coiled and a septum delineating the zoosporangium is present in the mature