Black Bread Mold - Rhizopus stolonifer

This is an economically important fungus because it causes stored food to decompose. It occurs on over 300 species, most commonly on fruit. In sweet potatoes, it causes Rhizopus soft rot by infecting fresh wounds on the potatoes.

Habitat: Sweet potato

comments (8)

Flown Kimmerling

Lion

Great detail in this photo! Posted 5 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks, Lisa! Posted 5 years ago

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Super cool, Christine, amazing how you manage to make such a questionable organism so beautiful. Posted 5 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks, I'm disappointed with the results and will try again next time I have moldy potatoes. They were so fantastically gross! I put them in a jar for several days after I took these photos with the intention of taking more shots, but Dave was so grossed out that I chucked them for his sake. They liquefied and smelled so bad. Posted 5 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    lol, I wish I knew where I put that GIF I once used on you, with the girl's science project at school, would be fitting here.
    
    Not sure why you're disappointed, I think these shots are excellent. Posted 5 years ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      Haha, I am known for having jars of odd, decomposing things on the kitchen counter!
      
      I was disappointed because I should have isolated parts of the mold - the little, black sporangia would have been cool to get clear shots of. I have to be careful around molds like this because I have a compromised immune system and this fungus can infect people like me, and cause gnarly problems, like death. So, I think I rushed the shots a bit...plus, Dave was practically gagging over it... Posted 5 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Death would be highly inconvenient, if not a fairly steep price to pay for photographing a mold. Seriously, take good care.
        
        I think you did a great job. This is a super tricky focus job. Even on a tripod it's difficult to see the correct depth due to the many layers.
        
        If you're using a tripod or other steady surface, this would be an ideal candidate for a focus stack. Posted 5 years ago
      2. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Thanks, a tripod would definitely be helpful next time. I’d like to tweeze some of the strands out to make it easier to photograph, but as soon as you touch this stuff, it flattens and sort of melts. No worries - I wear gloves, goggle, and mask, and clean my forceps with alcohol afterwards...so, precautions are taken. Good thing I spent so many years working in a lab with pathogens, the experience is useful for things like this ;P. Posted 5 years ago

The Black Bread Mold

''Rhizopus stolonifer'' is commonly known as black bread mold. It is a member of ''Zygomycota'' and considered the most important species in the genus ''Rhizopus''. It is one of the most common fungi in the world and has a global distribution although it is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a common agent of decomposition of stored foods. Like other members of the genus ''Rhizopus'', ''R. stolonifer'' grows rapidly, mostly in indoor environments.

Info 3 0

Similar species: Mucorales

Species identified by Christine Young