PREFACE 



Aspergillus as the name for a genus of molds dates back to Micheli 

 (1729), but it was not until the middle of the 19th Century that the Asper- 

 gilli began to be recognized as active agents in many decay processes, as 

 occasional causes of human and animal disease, and as fermenting agents 

 capable of producing valuable biochemical products. Various taxonomic 

 efforts were made. DeBary, Fresenius, van Tieghem, and others described 

 the particular species that they used. Bainier described in brief inadequate 

 terms all the Aspergilli he found. Wilhelm and Wehmer reviewed the 

 literature, described and figured the forms they knew; these were few in 

 number, but the work was done so well that it fixed group types. In 

 1926, Thorn and Churchbrought all of this material together in amonograph. 

 The increased study devoted to the Aspergilli in recent years shows some 

 of their groupings to be inadequate. In addition, a large amount of new 

 material has accumulated. The Aspergilli have become increasingly 

 important as responsible agents in a number of industrial fermentations. 

 Many of them are being found capable of producing antibiotic substances 

 and their possible use in this field will undoubtedly be exhaustively ex- 

 plored. For these reasons, the need for a manual for those who wish to 

 identify Aspergilli under observation, without regard to the historical 

 aspects of the group, has become increasingly apparent. 



This book is definitely a manual, not a monograph. It is based upon 

 comparative study of thousands of strains of Aspergilli in culture. Repre- 

 sentative strains giving the range of morphology and biochemical activity 

 in each species are maintained in the permanent collection of the Northern 

 Regional Research Laboratory. Consistent efforts have been made to 

 obtain the organisms actually used by authors who have put forward new 

 nomenclature. The manual thus seeks to present under species names only 

 living cultures known to the authors, although it seemed advisable to make 

 a few additions based upon literature. The species included are arranged 

 as far as possible into natural groups which bring together aggregates of 

 strains or species agreeing in important morphological characters. For 

 the most part, physiological or biochemical information, if available, in- 

 dicates related activities within these groups. The names selected for use 

 appear to be taxonomically correct. A large number of names are neces- 

 sarily rejected. If known to belong to some unidentifiable member of a 

 group, or believed from literature to be correctly placed there, each of 

 these names is accounted for in the discussion of the group. If the in- 

 formation available does not justify allocation to some species or species 



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