Zygomycetes

characteristics

Opportunists

Lid-lifters

(grow in 1-3 days)

aseptate hyphal elements - look like ribbons

may or may not have rhizoids

Absidia

Zygomyces

Internodal rhizoids

Mucor

Zygomyces

No rhizoids

Mucor

Zygomyces

No rhizoids

Rhizopus

Zygomyces

Nodal rhizoids

May have collapsed umbrella sporangium

Syncephalastrum

Zygomyces

Non-pathogenic

conidia enclosed

Cunninghamella

Zygomyces

Non-pathogenic

Aspergillus

Zygomyces

single conidiophore with terminal vesicle and one or two rows of phialides

long chains of colorful conidia

Aspergillus fumigatus

Granular

green, gray-green, green-brown

coloration due to spores

Aspergillus fumigatus

Zygomyces

Uniserate (single row) bottle shaped phialides 

cover 2/3 upper portion of vesicle

Long chains of slightly ovoid conidia

Aspergillus fumigatus

Zygomyces

Uniserate (single row) bottle shaped phialides -

cover 2/3 upper portion of vesicle

Long chains of slightly ovoid conidia

Aspergillus fumigatus

Zygomyces

Uniserate (single row) bottle shaped phialides 

cover 2/3 upper portion of vesicle

Long chains of slightly ovoid conidia

Aspergillus niger

granular

jet-black from conidia when mature

'black pepper' look

Aspergillus niger

Zygomyces

Spherical vesicle on long conidiophore

Two rows of phialides

dark brown to black conidia 

conidia often obscure vesicle

Aspergillus niger

Zygomyces

Spherical vesicle on long conidiophore

Two rows of phialides

dark brown to black conidia 

conidia often obscure vesicle

Aspergillus flavus

Wooly

yellow to yellow-green or yellow-brown

Aspergillus flavus

Zygomyces

Long conidiophore with globose vesicle

Uniserate or biserate phialides

Spherical and smooth conidia

Aspergillus flavus

Zygomyces

Long conidiophore with globose vesicle

Uniserate or biserate phialides

Spherical and smooth conidia

Aspergillus terreus

Cinnamon or light yellow/orange

Aspergillus terreus

Zygomyces

Small vesicle on top of conidiophore

Biserate phialides (2 rows)