Common Mold Library

Click on the mold genre below to be taken to its description:

• Alternaria
• Ascospores
• Aureobasidium
• Basidiospores
• Beltrania
• Bipolaris*
• Botrytis
• Chaetomium
• Cladosporium
• Curvularia
• Epicoccum
• Fusarium
• Memnoniella
• Myxomycetes**
• Nigrospora
• Penicillium/Aspergillus
• Pithomyces
• Rusts
• Scopulariopsis
• Stachybotrys
• Stemphylium
• Torula
• Ulocladium
• Zygomycetes

 

Alternaria

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Pigment — grey, green/brown, brown/black Texture — wooly
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, brown Conidiophores — septate, brown, simple or branched Conidia (spores) — septate, brown, muriform, oval, chains or single
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Hay Fever Asthma
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Alternariatoxicosis Alterariosis
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Ascospores

Colony Morphology	Multiple different genera included Colony appearance will vary based on genera/species
Microscopic Appearance:	Spores are produced in an ascus (sac — like structure) Multiple spores which vary based on genera/species
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Potential Health Hazard (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Yes — specific to the genera/species
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Aspergillus

Colony Morphology	Multiple different species included, each with a varying colony morphology
Microscopic Appearance:	Conidiophores end with a sac — like structure, phialides are attached to this sac — like structure (uniserate) or on cells called metula (biserate), and conidia are attached to phialides in chains
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen Asthma
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — reported amongst immunocompromised individuals, as well as normal hosts (rare occurrence in normal hosts)
Toxins Produced:	Yes — specific to the species Examples include aflatoxins and ochratoxin
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Aureobasidium

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Pigment — white, pale pink/yellow, brown/black in mature colonies
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline to brown (with maturation) Blastoconidia — hyaline Arthroconidia — brown (mostly), single — celled or bicellular
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen Upper Respiratory Irritant Asthma (rare) Hay Fever (rare)
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Basidiospores

Colony Morphology	Multiple different genera included (mostly mushroom types) Colony appearance will vary based on genera/species
Microscopic Appearance:	Spores are produced by basidia Spores have one nucleus and have an oblong shape Multiple spores which vary based on genera/species
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen Upper Respiratory Irritant Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Rarely considered a pathogen
Toxins Produced:	Yes — specific to the genera/species
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Beltrania

Colony Morphology	Pigment — brown, black Texture — velvet — like
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, brown Conidia — single — celled with separating midline
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Unknown
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Bipolaris*

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Texture — soft or fluffy appearance Pigment — whitish, dark olive/black on surface and reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, brown Conidiophore — brown, knee — like bends Poroconidia — brown, spindle shaped
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen Upper Respiratory Irritant Asthma
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — reported amongst immunocompromised individuals, as well as normal hosts
Toxins Produced:	Sterigmatocystin
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Botrytis

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Texture — wooly Pigment — white, grey/brown on surface, dark on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline to brown Conidiophores — large, septate, brown, branches at the tips comprised of vesicles Conidia (blastoconidia) — hyaline or pale brown, single — celled, round/oval
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Chaetomium

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Texture — wooly Pigment — white, grey/olive on surface, pale on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline to pale brown Perithecia (fruiting bodies) brown/black, round/ovoid, encompassed in long spine — like setae Ascospores — brown, single — celled, usually lemon — shaped
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — rare occurrence
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Cladosporium

Colony Morphology	Slow to rapid growth Texture — velvet — like Pigment — olive brown/brownish black on surface and reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, brown Conidiophores — brown, usually septate Blastoconidia — brown, composed in delicate chains, bicellular and shield — shaped at the base of chains, single — celled and ellipsoidal/round at the tips
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Upper Respiratory Irritant Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Curvularia

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Texture — wooly Pigment — white, olive brown on surface and reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, brown Conidiophores — brown, knee — like bends, simple or branched Poroconidia have distinct curves, brown, multiseptate with a central cell larger and darker than other cells
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Epicoccum

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Texture — wooly/felty Pigment — yellow, orange, red, brown on surface, deep brown on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline to brownish Conidiophores — short, grouped on tight clusters (sporodochia) Conidia — brown, muriform, irregular — walled, round — like
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Allergen
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Fusarium

Colony Morphology	Usually grows rapidly Texture — wooly/sometimes mucus — like Pigment — white, yellow, pink, purple, or pale brown on surface, pale, red, violet, brown, blue on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline Phialides — long or short, cylindrical, simple or branched Microconidia — single — celled, sometimes bicellular, hyaline, ovoid/ellipsoid in chains Macroconidia — curved, multicellular w/ a foot cell at the base
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — reported amongst immunocompromised individuals, as well as normal hosts
Toxins Produced:	Trichothecene toxins Vomotoxin T — 2 toxin Fumosin Zearalenone toxin
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Memnoniella

Colony Morphology	Grows moderately rapid Texture — powdery Pigment — white, pink, orange, black on surface, pale, orange, pink, black on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Conidiophores dark, simple, comprised at the tip are clusters of thick, short phialides Conidia consist in long chains, dark, single — celled
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Trichothecene toxins
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Myxomycetes

Colony Morphology	Myxomycetes do not grow on fungal media
Microscopic Appearance:	Spores are generally round with rough walls that can be spiny or warted
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	None
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Nigrospora

Colony Morphology	Usually grows very rapidly Texture — wooly Pigment — white/black on surface and reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline Conidiophores — hyaline, short and inflated Conidia — black, single — celled, ovoid/ellipsoidal, slightly horizontally flattened with smooth walls
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Penicillium/Aspergillus

Colony Morphology	Usually grows moderately rapid/rapidly Texture — velvet — like/powdery Pigment — green, blue — green, grey — green, white, yellow or pinkish on surface, pale/yellowish, sometimes red or brown on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline Conidiophores — simple or branched Phialides are bunched in brush — like clusters (penicillin) at the tips of conidiophores Conidia — single — celled, round/ovoid, hyaline or pigmented, rough or smooth walls in chains
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever Pneumonitis
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Yes — specific to the genera/species
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Pithomyces

Colony Morphology	Usually grows very rapidly Texture — wooly Pigment — pale/dark grey or brown on surface, dark brown on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline to brown Conidiophores are very similar to the vegetative hyphae Conidia — muriform, brown, ellipsoidal/club — shaped, with smooth or rough walls
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Sporidesmin
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Rusts

Colony Morphology	Rusts do not grow on fungal media
Microscopic Appearance:	Spore types include basidiospores, pynciospores, urediospores, and teliospores
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	None
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Scopulariopsis

Colony Morphology	Grows moderately rapid Texture — velvet — like/powdery Pigment — white, cinnamon, greyish, black on surface, yellowish/black on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline or dark Conidiophores with annellides hyaline or dark, simple or branched Conidia — hyaline or dark grey, single — celled, pyriform with truncate bases, smooth or rough walled in chains
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Alveolitis
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Stachybotrys

Colony Morphology	Grows moderately rapid Texture — powdery Pigment — white, pink, orange, black on surface, pale, orange, pink, black on reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, hyaline Conidiophore — hyaline or pigmented, simple or branched, smooth or rough walls Phialides hyaline or brown, ellipsoidal, comprised in groups of 3 — 10 at the tips of conidiophores Conidia — black single — celled, ellipsoidal, smooth to rough walled, located in slimy groups at the tips of phialides
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Satratoxin H Trichothecene toxins
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Stemphylium

Colony Morphology	Usually grows slowly
Microscopic Appearance:	Conidia — dark, transverse and longitudinal septa, ellipsoidal/ovoid with a constriction at the major septa
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Not known to produce mycotoxins
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Torula

Colony Morphology	Grows Gradually Original colony is white shaped like an arrowhead (mostly) Circle or heat shaped colonies Pigment — Grey, white to brown with age
Microscopic Appearance:	Conidiophores — short, dark, simple or branched Conidia — one to many celled, round, dark, in chains
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Unknown
Toxins Produced:	Torula herbarum
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Ulocladium

Colony Morphology	Grows moderately rapid Texture — wooly/cottony Pigment — olive brown/black on surface and reverse
Microscopic Appearance:	Hyphae — septate, brown Conidiophores — brown, knee — like bends Conidia (poroconidia) — brown, muriform, obvoid/ellipsoidal, smooth or rough walls, usually singly
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Unknown
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Zygomycetes

Colony Morphology	Multiple different genera included Colony appearance will vary based on genera/species
Microscopic Appearance:	Broad hyphae, aseptate, or rarely septate Can include rhizoids and stolons Sporangiophores are comprised of sporangia on the ends, which house the sporangiospores
Laboratory Identification:	Air Direct/Surface Bulk
Allergenic Health Effects:	Common Allergen Asthma Hay Fever Pneumonitis
Pathogenic Health Effects:	Yes — immunocompromised individuals (rare occurrence)
Toxins Produced:	Unknown
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