Which organism is not a fungus?

• A. Candida spp.
• B. Microsporum spp.
• C. Plasmodium spp.
• D. Aspergillus spp.

Answer: (C)

Fungi are a distinct group of organisms that include yeasts and molds, characterized by features like chitin in their cell walls and reproduc­tion through spores. Among the options, Candida is a yeast and Aspergillus is a mold, both classic examples of fungi, and Microsporum is a dermatophyte mold—also a fungus. Plasmodium, however, is a protozoan parasite in the group Apicomplexa. It has a very different biology: a complex life cycle that alternates between mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts, intracellular stages, and no chitin-containing cell wall or fungal-type spores. Because of these fundamental differences in taxonomy, structure, and life cycle, Plasmodium is not a fungus.