Common Types of Mold in Homes

Mold comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. Learn how to identify the type of mold in
your home and develop a plan of attack for treating it.
The most common types of mold include aspergillus, cladosporium and
stachybotrys atra (also known as black mold).
Aspergillus is a fairly allergenic mold that is commonly found on foods and in home
air conditioning systems. Cladosporium is typically a black or green "pepper like"
substance that grows on the back of toilets, painted surfaces and fiberglass air
ducts. While this mold is nontoxic to humans, it can trigger common allergy
symptoms, such as red and watery eyes, rashes and a sore throat.
Mold that appears to be orange or red in color is typically found outdoors, given its
nature to thrive on decaying plants or moist wood. This type of mold, which can
appear slimy, is harmless and should only be removed for aesthetic purposes.
White mold is not technically a type of mold, but the good news is that this typically
indicates the mold is only in the early stages of growth and can easily be treated.
Mold Types Found In Homes

Thare many different mold types that can be found in homes and different health
problems can occur depending on the type of mold to which you are exposed. While
there are more than one hundred different kinds of mold sometimes found in
homes, here well discuss a few of the most common.
Common Types of Mold Found in Homes
Alternaria is often found outdoors, but it also grows in damp places indoors, like in
showers or under sinks with leaky pipes. It can also be found in buildings that have
been flooded or suffered other water damage. It spreads easily from one area of the
home to another. Exposure to alternaria can cause allergic reactions and asthma
attacks.
Aspergillus is a type of mold frequently found indoors. It can causes allergic
reactions, respiratory infections, and a condition called hypersensitivity
pneumonitis, which causes inflammation of the lungs. More about aspergillus mold.
Aureobasidium is a mold often found outdoors, but it can also be found in homes
growing on wooden surfaces, wallpaper, and painted surfaces. Its also often found
on damp window frames and caulking. It is pink and black in color. Many people are
allergic to aureobasidium. Follow the link for more information on pink mold in the
bathroom.

Botrytis grows in areas with high levels of humidity, like bathrooms with poor
ventilation. It can cause allergic reactions and asthma.
Chaetomium often grows on drywall that has sustained water damage. It produces a
characteristic musty odor.
Cladosporium is a type of mold often found growing inside homes. While most types
of mold prefer warm climates, cladosporium can grow in cool areas, too. It often
grows on fabrics, like carpets, and on wood surfaces, like cabinets and floorboards.
It can cause a variety of respiratory problems.
Fusarium is another of the mold types that, like cladosporium, can grow and spread
at lower temperatures. Its often found growing on water-damaged carpeting and
other fabrics. It causes allergic reactions, asthma, and respiratory infections. People
with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to infections due to
fusarium exposure.
Penicillium is often found growing on materials that have been damaged by water,
including carpeting, wallpaper, insulation, and furnishings like mattresses. Its one
of the mold types that spread quickly and easily from one part of the home to
another. Exposure to penicillium can cause allergic reactions, chronic sinus
infections, and inflammation of the lungs. Usually appears as a blue mold and/or a
green mold.
Stachybotrys chartarum is often referred to as black mold due to its slimy black
appearance. Its sometimes referred to as toxic mold, although the mold itself is
not toxic; it produces toxic compounds called mycotoxins, which cause health
problems when people come in contact with them. It can cause allergic reactions,
breathing problems, chronic sinus infections, asthma attacks, fatigue, and
depression. Stachybotrys chartarum has a characteristic musty odor and usually
grows in places that stay damp all the time, like in air conditioning ducts where
there is a lot of condensation or around leaky pipes. Learn more about black mold in
homes.
Serpula lacrymans is a yellow mold that causes "dry rot" because it feeds on wood.
Trichoderma is often found growing on damp carpet, wallpaper, and other wet
surfaces. It produces mycotoxins similar to those produced by stachybotrys
chatarum, and it can cause similar health problems. Many people are also allergic to
trichoderma.
Ulocladium requires a lot of water, so it frequently grows in areas with extensive
water damage, including homes that have been flooded. Its often found growing on
wet walls. Many people are allergic to ulocladium.

Efflorescence are salt deposits that are often confused with white mold in basement.
To compare pictures of both and see how to tell the difference, read our white mold
pages.

The kingdom Fungi includes a diverse group of organisms that are neither plant nor
animal. They absorb nutrition from other organisms while playing the important role
of ecological decomposers. Learn more about this group and take a short quiz at the
end.

Definition of Fungi
What do mushrooms, bread, wine, beer, and rotting organisms all have in common?
It is obvious that some are edible while others are not. Mushrooms are found in
nature, while wine and beer are clearly beverages processed by humans. As for
rotting organisms, those typically aren't of much interest to most people. However,
all of these examples have a common thread: the kingdom Fungi.
The kingdom Fungi includes a tremendous variety of organisms that are neither
plant nor animal. These unique multicellular eukaryotes include edible examples like
mushrooms and organisms such as yeast, which makes our bread rise and ferments
our beer and wine. And their impact on our world as decomposers is absolutely
crucial to every ecosystem. In this lesson, you'll learn more about members of the
kingdom Fungi and gain a better understanding of how fungi function in our world.
Characteristics of the Kingdom Fungi
As previously mentioned, the kingdom Fungi encompasses a wide variety of living
organisms. Scientists estimate that there are hundreds of thousands of fungus
species on Earth. At one time, it was thought that fungi were simply primitive
versions of plants. However, further discoveries led to the realization that fungi
were different enough to belong to their very own kingdom. Let's take a look at
some of the common characteristics of these organisms.
Members of the kingdom Fungi are eukaryotes, meaning they have complex cells
with a nucleus and organelles. Most are multicellular, with the exception of singlecelled yeast. Structurally, fungi are made up of individual feathery filaments called
hyphae. You have certainly observed these filaments, probably with disgust, if
you've ever pulled out an old Tupperware of food from the refrigerator.
The hyphae group together to form a conglomerate called the mycelium. You may
notice that when you cut into a mushroom, it has a spongy feel. This is because it is

actually made up of a mass of very tightly packed hyphae, and thus, is not exactly
solid.
All fungi are heterotrophic, meaning that they cannot make their own food like
plants. Like us, they must gain nutrition from other organisms. So they seek out
food sources and eat them, correct? Not exactly. Have you ever seen a mushroom
hunting its dinner? Instead, like a parasite inside a body, they grow on organisms
and absorb their nutrients. Characteristics of Fungi
Most fungi grow as tubular filaments called hyphae. An interwoven mass of
hyphae is called a mycelium.
The walls of hyphae are often strengthened with chitin, a polymer of Nacetylglucosamine.

The linkage between the sugars is like that of cellulose and peptidoglycan and
produces the same sort of structural rigidity.
Fungi disperse themselves by releasing spores, usually windblown. Fungal spores
are present almost everywhere (and are a frequent cause of allergies). Spores of the
wheat rust fungus have been found at 4000 m in the air and more than 1450 km
(900 miles) from the place they were released. No wonder then that most fungi are
worldwide in their distribution.
Fungi are heterotrophic
Some live as saprophytes, getting their nourishment from the surroundings
(often having first digested it by secreting enzymes). They perform a crucial role in
nature by decomposing dead organisms and releasing their nutrients for reuse by
the living.
Some live in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with another
organism, often a plant. The association of fungus and plant root is called a
mycorrhiza. Some 80% of land plants benefit from symbiotic mycorrhiza.
The plant benefits by more-efficient mineral (especially phosphorus) uptake.
The fungus benefits by the sugars translocated to the root by the plant.
Some fungi are parasitic, causing serious damage to their host (a few examples
are given below).
Some fungi are both. Metarhizium robertsii is a soil fungus that lives symbiotically
with plants but parasitizes (and kills) soil insects. Its hyphae penetrate both the
roots of the plant and the corpse of the insect. It has been demonstrated that
nitrogen released by the decaying insect is transported by the fungus to the plant.

(See S. W. Behie, P. M. Zelisko, M. J. Bidochka in Science, 22 June 2012.) Metarhizium

is an ascomycete.

Characteristics of fungi
1. Vegetative reproduction:
The most common method of vegetative reproduction is fragmentation. The hypha
breaks up into small fragments accidentally or otherwise. Each fragment develops
into a new individual. In the laboratory the hyphal tip method is commonly used
for inoculation of saprophytic fungus.
The sclerotia are resistant and perennating bodies. They survive for many years.
Each sclerotium is cushion-like structure of compact mycelium. They give rise to
new mycelia on the approach of favourable conditions.
As mentioned under the modified mycelium, the rope-like rhizomorphs are also
resistant to unfavourable conditions and give rise to new mycelia even after several
years on the approach of favourable conditions.
2. Asexual reproduction:
The asexual reproduction takes place by means of spores. Each spore may develop
into a new individual. The spores may be produced asexually or sexually and thus
named (a) asexual spores and (b) sexual spores. Under asexual reproduction, only
asexual spores will be considered.
Asexual spores:
They are innumerable and produced on the diplont mycelium in Phycomycetes and
Ascomycetes. In Basidio- mycetes they are produced on the diplont mycelium. The
spores are of diverse type and borne upon special structures called the sporophores.
These spores are produced asexually and called the asexual spores. Usually the
spores are uninucleate and nonmotile but multinucleate and motile spores are also
found.
The fungus producing more than one type of spores is called the pleomorphic or
polymorphic. The spores produced inside the sporangia are termed the endogenous
spores and the spores developing exogenously on the terminal ends of sporophores
are called the exogenous spores.
Endogenous spores:

The endogenous spores are produced within the special spore producing cell the
sporangium. The sporangia may be terminal or intercalary in their position. The
sporophores which bear the sporangia on their apices are called the
sporangiophores. They may be branched or unbranched.
The spores produced inside the sporangia are called the endospores or endogenous
spores produced inside the sporangia are called the endospores or endogenous
spores. They may be motile or non-motile. The motile spores are called the
zoospores and the non-motile aplanospores. The zoospores are produced inside the
zoosporangia. The protoplasm of the sporangium divides into uninucleate or
multinucleate protoplasmic bits and each bit metamorphoses into a spore.
The endogenously produced zoospores are uni or biflagellate. Each spore is without
any cell wall, uninucleate and vacuolate. They can move with the help of their
flagella. They are usually kidney-shaped or reniform and the flagella are inserted
posteriorly or laterally on them. Such zoospores have been recorded from Albugo,
Pythium, Phytophthora and many other lower fungi.
The aplanospores are non-motile, without flagella and formed inside the sporangia.
They may be uni or multinucleate (e. g., Mucor, Rhizopus). These spores lack
vacuoles and possess two layered cell walls. The outer thick layer is epispore or
exospore which may be ornamented in many cases. The inner thin layer is
endospore.
Exogenous spores:
The spores producing externally or exogenously are either called the exogenous
spores or conidia. They are produced externally on the branched or unbranched
conidiophores. The condiophores may be septate or aseptate. The conidia borne
upon the terminal apices of the conidiophores or the ends of the branches of the
condiophores.
The conidia may be produced singly on each sterigma or in chains. The conidial
chains may be basipetal to acropetal in succession. The conidia are diverse in their
shape and size. They may be unicellular or multicellular, uninucleate or
multinucleate. Different genera may be recognized only by the presence of various
shaped and various coloured conidia. The conidia of Fungi Imperfecti are
multicellular and variously shaped, whereas the conidia of Aspergillus and
Penicillium are smoky green coloured and the fungi are called the blue-green
molds.
In other type of exospores, the sporophores develop in groups and form the
specialized structure called the pustules, pycnia, aecidia, acervuli, and sporodochia.
The pycnia are flask-shaped producing pycniospores in them. The acervuli are
saucer- shaped widely open bodies having developed conidia in them on small
conidiophores.

In mushrooms the sporophores are compactly arranged and form an umbrella-like

fructification. The terminal expanded portion bears gills. In each gill there are
hundreds of sporophores called the basidia bearing basidiospores. The sporophores
(basidia) are arranged in hymenia.
3. Sexual reproduction:
A large number of fungi reproduce sexually. However, the members of Fungi
Imperfecti, or Deuteromycetes lack sexual reproduction.
Usually two phases are found in the life cycle of the plants. These phases are called
haploid and diploid phases respectively. The haploid phase possesses the (n)
number of chromosomes in the nucleus, whereas this number becomes (2n) in the
diploid phase.

The gametes are always haploid (n) and by a sexual fusion they result in diploid (2n)
sexual spores, such as zygospores, oospores, etc. To bring haploid (n) phase once
again in the life cycle the reduction division (meiosis) takes place and the number of
chromosomes becomes half.
The gametes taking part in sexual fusion may be morphologically or physiologically
different. Such two gametes taking part in fusion are of opposite sexes or strains,
which may be called male and female sex organs or plus and minus strains. When
both the sex organs or strains occur on the same mycelicum, the fungus is said to
be monoecious or homothallic, and when the male and female sex organs or plus
and minus strains occur separately on different mycelia the fungus is said to be
dioecious or heterothallic.
The gametes taking part in fusion are usually formed in the cells of sacs called
gametangia (singular-gametangium). The morphologically identical male and
female gametes are called the isogametes. The morphologically dissimilar male and
female gametes are called the heterogametes.
In such cases the male gametes are called the antherozoids and the female ones
are the eggs. The fusion of the plasma of the gametes is called the plasmogamy,
which is usually followed by the nuclear fusion, i.e., karyogamy. The whole process
is called the fertilization.
Sometimes, in some of the fungi, e.g., Phycomycetes and Ascomycetes, the entire
contents of the two gametangia fuse with each other, the process is called the
gametangial copulation. In the members of Phycomycetes and Ascomycetes the
gametangia taking part in gametangial copulation are called the antheridia
(singular-antheridium) and the oogonia (singular-oogonium)

In the lower fungi, there is complete fusion of the nuclei of the two different strained
gametes in the sexual union, i.e., karyogamy, whereas in the higher fungi, i.e.,
Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, the fusion of the two nuclei of different strains is
delayed and the pairs of the nuclei called the dicaryons are formed. The mycelium
having such pairs of nuclei is called the dicaryotic mycelium. In the opposite cases
where the mycelium possesses single haploid nucleus of either strain in each cell is
called the monocaryotic mycelium. The most common methods of sexual
reproduction are as follows:
i. Planogametic copulation:
This type of sexual reproduction involves the fusion of two naked gametes one or
both of them are motile. The motile gametes are known as planogametes. The most
primitive fungi produce insogamous planogametes, e.g., Synchytrium,
Plasmodiophorq etc. The anisogamous planogametes are only found in the genus
Allomyces of order Blastocladiales. In Monoblepharis (order Monoblepharidales) the
unique condition is present here the female gamete is non-motile whereas the male
gamete is motile. The male gamete enters the oogonium and fertilizes the egg.

ii. Gametangial contact: This method of reproduction is found in many lower fungi
(class Phycomycetes). In this method two gametangia of opposite sex (oogonium
and antheridium) come in contact and one or more gamete nuclei migrate from the
male gametangium (antheridium) to the female gametangium (oogonium).

In no case the gametangia actually fuse. The male nuclei in some species enter the
female gametangium through a pore developed by the dissolution of the wall of
contact (e.g., in Aspergillus, Penicillium, etc.); in other species the male nuclei
migrate through a fertilization tube (e.g., Phythium, Albugo, Peronospora, etc.).
After the migration of the nuclei the antheridium eventually disintegrates but the
oogonium continues its development in various ways.
iii. Gametangial copulation:
In this method of sexual reproduction the fusion of the entire contents of two
contacting compatible gametangia takes place (e.g., Mucor, Rhizopus,
Entomophthora, etc.) iv. Spermatization:
The sexual reproduction in Neurospora (Class- Ascomycetes) and other fungi takes
place by means of this method. The minute, uninucleate, spore-like male structures
are known as spermatia. They are produced in several ways. The spermatia are
carried by outer agencies to the receptive hyphae (trichogynes) of female
gametangia, to which they become attached. A pore develops at the wall of contact

and the contents of spermatium pass into the female gametangium through the
receptive hypha.
v. Somatogamy:
The sex organs are not produced. The somatic cells take part in sexual fusion, e.g.,
Morchella, many higher fungi.
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