1. Common Fungal Spores Estelle Levetin, PhD

2. Fungal Spore Characteristics Spore size Spore shape Number of cells Attachment Scars Wall characteristics Spore color

3. Spore Size, Shape, and Septation SIZE: 2  m to 100 mm SHAPE: Globose, elliptical, fusiform, asymmetric, lemon-shaped, barrel-shaped, curved SEPTATION: Non-septate (one cell), single septum, transverse septa, transverse and longitudinal septa, random septa, pseudoseptate

4. Other Characteristics ATTACHMENTS: Attachment scars, attachment pegs APPENDAGES WALL CHARACTERISTICS: Smooth, granular, reticulate, spines, warts, wall thickness COLOR: Hyaline (colorless) to deeply pigmented

5. GloboseBarrel-shapedNon-septateRandom septa Lemon-shapedClub-shapedTransverse septaAttachment scars EllipticalCurvedTransverse and Longitudinal septa Ornaments: spines Asymmetric and germ pore CylindricalPseudoseptateAppendages

6. Spore color

7. Asexual Spores Also known as Deuteromycetes, Fungi Imperfecti (imperfect fungi), or Mitospores

8. Asexual Spores Typically the most abundant spores in the atmosphere Conidia often formed on specialized hyphae called conidiophores Asexual stage of ascomycetes Look for attachment scars where the spores were attached to the conidiophore

9. Cladosporium

10. Note the septum Cladosporium

11. Several species of Cladosporium are common in the atmosphere

12. Note the prominent attachment scars on Cladosporium conidia

13. Alternaria

15. Curvularia

16. Nigrospora Drechslera

17. Drechslera-type spores Several genera of fungi have similar cylindrical spores –Drechslera –Bipolaris –Exserohilum –Helminthosporium

18. Drechslera-type spores

19. Pithomyces

20. Note the colorless attachment at the base of Pithomyces spores

21. Epicoccum

22. Penicillium species Produce distinctive conidiophores (spore bearing structures) Spores are usually spherical to oval and form in chains

23. Aspergillus species Produce distinctive conidiophores (spore bearing structures) Spores are usually spherical to oval and form in chains

24. Penicillium-Aspergillus type spores

25. Nigrospora Nigrospora CultureAir Sample

26. Periconia

27. Botrytis Cladosporium Cercospora

28. PolythrinciumPeronospora

29. Oidium

30. Tetraploa

31. Torula

32. Stemphylium

33. Spegazzinia

34. Fusarium

35. Stachybotrys

36. Division Ascomycota

37. Ascospores are produced in an ascus. Eight ascospores are found in each ascus without any attachment scars

38. Ascospores are sometimes found in groups of eight in air samples

39. Leptosphaeria ascospores

40. Chaetomium ascospores

41. Pleospora ascospores

42. Diatrypella ascospores

43. Sporomiella ascospores

44. Venturia ascospores

45. Many ascospores on a rainy day

46. Division Basidiomycota

47. Basidiospore Basidium

48. Ganoderma basidiospores

49. Agrocybe - type Coprinus Other basidiospores that are easy to recognize

50. Coprinus and Ganoderma basidiospores

51. Psathyrella Psathyrella velutina Russula Stropharia

52. LycoperdonCalvatia PisolithusScleroderma

53. Rust spores: Puccinia Puccinia uredosporesPuccinia teliospores

54. Smut Spores

56. Myxomycete (slime mold) spores

57. Other slime mold spores