Aspergillus aculeatus

Aspergillus aculeatus on three media: CBS, a malt extract recipe; CYA, Czapek Yeast extract agar; CZ, Czapek Solution Agar after 7 days at 25°C. On Czapek agar this species is often purple black. Microscopically it is easy to distinguish this OTA non-producer as it is one of only two monoseriate species in the nigri section. The other monoseriate species, A. japonicus, may not be a distinct species. Often isolates have ovate spiney spores, like G88i (left). [Photos taken by John Frank, FAO Consultant]