Table 1. Characteristics of mold specimen.

ISOLATE
HYPHAE

ASEXUAL
SPORES

FRUITING HEADS

SPECIAL
STRUCTURE

Mucor
Causes the decay of fruits and
vegetables as well as processed
foods in the kitchen; Forms a white
to gray, cottony colony

Globose/ellipsoidal
sporangia contains
the spores; columella
supports the
sporangium

Non-septate;
branching at wide
angles

Sporangiospores

Specialized hyphae
called gametangia

Septate

Conidia

Shield-shaped
conidia in chains

Conidia have finely

roughened cell wall

Plant pathogens; Forms pale brown

to olive gray colonies

Septate

Conidia

Conidiophores form
bushy heads

Obclavate conidia

Fusarium
Causes spoilage in fruits and grains;
Forms white cottony surface which
becomes pink, red, purple or yellow

Septate; dichotomize
in acute/right angles

Macroconidia
(sickle-shaped) &
Microconidia
(Ovoid)

Septate; highly
branched

Conidia

Cladosporium

Found in living and dead plant

matter; Some are pathogenic to
humans; Forms olive green to
brown/black, velvety colonies

Alternaria

Conidia in chains

Foot Cell; Branched

Conidiophores

Clusters of conidia
bears the spores in
chains

Ascospores

Penicillium

Source of antibiotic penicillin;

Forms colonies that are in shades of
green or white

ILLUSTRATION

Trichoderma
Causes spoilage in fruits;
Forms thin, white cottony surface
which becomes powdery
green/yellow green

Aspergillus
Causes black rot of fruits and meats;
Forms white and velvety colony;
Some species produce mycotoxins

Septate

Conidia

Septate

Conidia

Short branched
conidiophores
comprising the
conidia; Final
branch=sterigma

Conidiophore
branches; Vesicle
carry sterigmata
where chains of
conidia are attached

Branched
Conidiophores

Foot Cells
vesicle

Rhizopus
Causes spoilage of bread; Forms
dense white cottony mycelia which
becomes gray or yellowish-brown

Non-septate

Sporangiospores

Sporangiumencloses the spores;

Columella- has cupshaped apophysis
(swelling @ the base)

Rhizoids; Stolon;
Zygospores

Table 2. Characteristic of yeast specimens.

SPECIMEN
TYPE OF VEGETATIVE
CELL

METHOD OF REPRODUCTION
SEXUAL
ASEXUAL

NUMBER OF
ASCOSPORES
FORMED

Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Used in baking and in
alcoholic fermentation

Pichia fermentans
Causes spoilage in
alcoholic drinks and
pickles; used in oriental
fermentation
Hansenula
Has the ability to produce
excessive amounts of
acetate which can lead to
spoilage of wine
Candida parapsilosis
Causes rancidity in butter;
Causes spoilage in beef and
poultry; Responsible in
cacao seed fermentation
Debaryomyces
Has a role in grape
fermentation

Ascospore formation

Ascospore formation

Ascospore formation

None

Ascospore formation

Endomycopsis sp.
Used in rice fermentation
and alcohol formation

Ascospore formation

None