Difference between Algae and Fungi

The main difference between Algae and fungi is that algae are found in water while fungi are found on land. More differences between fungi and algae are given below in detail.

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Algae Definition

Algae are a large and very diverse group of mainly aquatic autotrophic organisms ranging from single-celled members to large multicellular seaweeds.

Characteristics of Algae

1. Chlorophyllous: All the Algae have chlorophyll so they are autotrophic, they make their own food by photosynthesis.
2. Cell wall: Their cell walls are made up of cellulose.
3. Habitat: Algae are mostly marine found in the sea. while others are found in freshwater lakes, ponds, puddles, streams, and rivers, and they are also found in damp soil.
4. Plant body: Their plant body is called a thallus without a true root, stem, or leaf.
5. Pigments: Algae are sometimes classified on the basis of the pigments they contain. Their green color can be marked by the presence of their pigments.
6. Reserved Food: Their reserved food material is starch.
7. Wide variety: Algae have a wide variety from unicellular algae.

Types of Algae

• Green Algae
• Brown Algae
• Red Algae
• Golden brown Algae
• Diatoms

Fungi Definition

Fungi are a group of living organisms having a body called mycelium made up of hyphae which are coenocytic, non-chlorophyllous, and have a cell wall of fungal cellulose.

Characteristics of Fungi

General characteristics of Fungi are:

1. Non- Chlophyllous: All the fungi are chlorophyll.
2. Fungal Cellulose: Their Cell wall is made up of fungal cellulose.
3. Coenocytic: Fungi are coenocytic — their cytoplasm contains many nuclei.
4. Mycelium: The body of fungi is called mycelium, which is made up of threadlike cells called hyphae.
5. Reserve food: The reserve food is in the form of glycogen particles and oil globules.
6. Asexual reproduction: They reproduce asexually by means of spores or by budding or fragmentation.
7. Sexual reproduction: They reproduce sexually by conjunction.
8. Model of nutrition: The mode of nutrition may be saprophytic, parasitic, or symbiotic.
9. Origin: There are two views about their Origin. Either they have evolved from algae or from certain unflagellated protozoa.
10. Distinguish character: The fungi are distinguished primarily by their sexual reproductive structures.
11. Habitat: They are found mainly on land.

Examples of fungi

Common examples are:

• Yeast
• Agaricus
• Penicillium
• rhizopus

Difference between Algae in Fungi in Tabular form

Algae	Fungi
They are green as they have chlorophyll.	They are non-green as they lack chlorophyll.
They are found in water and damp places.	They are found on Land.
The plant body is called the thallus.	The plant body is called mycelium.
They are autotrophic as they can make their own food.	They are heterotrophic as they can not make their own food.
Their cell wall is made up of cellulose.	Their cell wall is made up of chitin.

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