Common Mold & Spore Types
An overview of organisms and spore groups commonly found in laboratory reports.
Commonly reported spores
Typical environmental associations
These notes describe where a spore group is often found. They are not a diagnosis or a measure of severity.
Aspergillus / Penicillium
Common in indoor air and damp materials.
Cladosporium
Found outdoors and on indoor surfaces.
Alternaria
Often associated with outdoor vegetation.
Bipolaris
May occur in damp indoor environments.
Basidiospores
Outdoor fungal spores that enter indoor air.
Ascospores
Outdoor spores from soil and vegetation.
Ganoderma
Wood-decay spores often found outdoors.
Myxomycetes
Slime-mold spores from damp organic matter.
Other laboratory categories
Groups named by appearance
Brown Spore Types
Groups identified by spore pigmentation.
Colorless Spore Types
Groups identified by spore appearance.
Water-damage indicator molds
Some findings are more frequently associated with prolonged moisture exposure.
Chaetomium
Frequently associated with damp building materials.
Ulocladium
Often reported on persistently wet surfaces.
Stachybotrys
Associated with prolonged water damage and cellulose.
Interpret findings with sample location, moisture, outdoor comparison and laboratory results.