A common feature of dematiaceous molds is the production of melanin pigment, which confers dark pigmentation to hyphae.
- Typically, dematiaceous molds are typically darkly pigmented on the surface and reverse sides of the plate because both their hyphae and conidia are melanized.
- Some species produce only pigmented conidia, which imparts a dark top surface and a light-colored reverse.
Growth Rates:
- Bipolaris, Curvularia, and Alternaria species grow relatively rapidly.
- Scedosporium apiospermum/boydii is a moderately rapid grower.
- Scedosporium prolificans is slow growing.
Dematiaceous molds are most often involved in subcutaneous infections, although they can be isolated from a variety of specimen types from various anatomic locations.
The image to the right shows a Bipolaris culture plate demonstrating dark pigmentation.
40. CDC. Image #10607. Photographed from the front, this 1971 image depicted a Petri dish within which a Bipolaris hawaiiensis fungal colony had been cultured. On its front surface, you will note that the colonial texture appears woolly. Normally, the reverse coloration appears as black but is sometimes observed as brown, with areas becoming black. PHIL public domain. Created 1971. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=10607
