Family Mucoraceae Scientific name Rhizopus stolonifer | Order Mucorales Genus Rhizopus | |
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Black bread mold (Rhizopus stolonifer) is a widely distributed thread-like mucoralean mold. Commonly found on bread surfaces, it takes food and nutrients from the bread and causes damage to the surface where it lives.
![Black bread mold 10 Facts about Bread Mold Fact File](https://alchetron.com/cdn/black-bread-mold-32ac7fde-e0b3-40f0-a327-1eb253d7b4e-resize-750.jpg)
Asexual spores are formed within pinhead-like sporangia, which break to release the spores when mature. Germination of these spores forms the haploid hyphae of a new mycelium. R. stolonifer grows rapidly at temperatures between 15 and 30°C.
![Black bread mold 10 Facts about Bread Mold Fact File](https://alchetron.com/cdn/black-bread-mold-d9c441c2-cd65-480f-bc58-9b426328165-resize-750.jpg)
R. stolonifer is a heterothallic species, in that sexual reproduction happens only when opposite mating types (designated + and -) come in contact. Successful mating results in the formation of durable zygospores at the point of contact. Subsequently, the zygospore germinates and forms a sporangiophore whose sporangium contains both + and - haploid spores. The two varieties are: R. stolonifer var. stolonifer,which produces straight, erect sporangiophores, and those of R. stolonifer var. lyococcos are curved. A closely related species, Rhizopus sexualis, differs primarily in being homothallic (self-compatible).
![Black bread mold biowebuwlaxedubio2032011olbrantzchripicture](https://alchetron.com/cdn/black-bread-mold-628dd266-c4d4-4573-9196-8ebf5edb676-resize-750.jpeg)
Distribution and habitat
![Black bread mold Fungus related health considerations](https://alchetron.com/cdn/black-bread-mold-d4b8c1de-df4c-4f72-83cc-b2fa7141d1e-resize-750.jpeg)
Black bread mold has a cosmopolitan distribution. It is capable of causing opportunistic infections of humans (zygomycosis). It also causes Rhizopus soft rot in white potatoes.