Fungus commonly known as sac fungi or ascomycetes, constitute the largest taxonomic group within the Eumycota. These fungi form meiotic spores called ascospores, which are enclosed in a special sac-like structure called an ascus. This phylum includes morels, a few mushrooms and truffles, unicellular yeasts (e.g., of the genera "Saccharomyces", "Kluyveromyces", "Pichia", and "Candida"), and many filamentous fungi living as saprotrophs, parasites, and mutualistic symbionts (e.g. lichens). Prominent and important genera of filamentous ascomycetes include "Aspergillus", "Penicillium", "Fusarium", and "Claviceps". Many ascomycete species have only been observed undergoing asexual reproduction (called anamorphic species), but analysis of molecular data has often been
Chromera velia for understanding the biochemistry, physiology and evolution of the malaria parasite, other apicomplexan parasites, and dinoflagellates. "Apicoplast" is a specialised word, derived from the word "plastid". Initially the word plastid was more suitable than "chloroplast" when describing organelles of apparent algal descent in any protist, but that lack any chlorophyll or light absorbing pigment. Those found in apicomplexan parasites are a prominent example. The majority of members of the apicomplexan lineage still contain a genome in the plastid, indicating the organelle of the lineage's ancestors was once photosynthetic, but these plastids have no light absorbing pigments or light reaction machinery.