heterothallic
/ˌhɛtəroʊˈθælɪk/
adjective
- Describing a fungus or alga that requires two different mating types to reproduce sexually.
- In heterothallic fungi, a single spore cannot complete sexual reproduction alone.
- Many species of bread mold are heterothallic, needing opposite mating types to fuse.
- The biologist identified the strain as heterothallic because it only produced spores when paired.