Table 2.

Morphology based family structure of the Mucorales adopted from Zycha et al. 1969, Hesseltine & Ellis 1973, Benjamin 1979, Benny 1982, von Arx 1982.

Family	Main characteristics
Chaetocladiaceae	Unispored sporangiola formed on fertile vesicles, discoid columella, dichotomous branched fertile hyphae, sterile spines, chlamydospores absent, zygospores rough-walled, suspensors opposed
Choanephoraceae	Sporangia and sporangiola, on different sporangiophores, zygospores striate, suspensors apposed or tongs-like
Cunninghamellaceae	(Fig. 3a), unispored sporangiola, sporangia absent, zygospores warty, suspensors opposed
Gilbertellaceae	Sporangiospores appendaged; zygospores rough-walled, suspensors opposed
Mucoraceae	Sporangia present, specialized sporangiola absent, zygospores smooth to warty, variously shaped suspensors: opposed, naked, appendaged, polyphyletic
Mycotyphaceae	Sporangiola on pedicels (Fig. 4k)
Phycomycetaceae	Sporangiophores large and unbranched, zygospores with coiled tongs-like suspensors and branched appendages
Pilobolaceae	Spores are actively liberated, zygospores smooth, suspensors tongs-like or apposed (Fig. 5)
Radiomycetaceae	Sporangia absent, sporophores with a primary vesicle bearing secondary ampullae, sporangiola originating from ampullae, zygospores smooth, suspensors apposed, appendaged
Saksenaeaceae	Provisionally classified together with Lobosporangium (currently Mortierellomycotina) because of the unusual-shaped sporangia
Syncephalastraceae	Merosporangia, zygospores warty, suspensors opposed (Fig. 4g)
Thamnidiaceae	Sporangiola present, sporangia absent or apically on the sporangiophores, zygospores warty, suspenors opposed (Fig. 4n, o)