Microsporum

Microsporum species form both macro- and microconidia on short conidiophores. Macroconidia are hyaline, multiseptate, variable in form, fusiform, spindle-shaped to obovate, ranging from 7 to 20 by 30 to 160 um in size, with thin- or thick- echinulate to verrucose cell walls. Their shape, size and cell wall features are important characteristics for species identification. Microconidia are hyaline, single-celled, pyriform to clavate, smooth-walled, 2.5 to 3.5 by 4 to 7 um in size and are not diagnostic for any one species.

The separation of this genus from Trichophyton is essentially based on the roughness of the macroconidial cell wall, although in practice this may sometimes be difficult to observe. Seventeen species of Microsporum have been described, however only the more common species are included in these descriptions.

   Microsporum audouinii
   Microsporum canis
   Microsorum canis var. distortum
   Microsporum cookei
   Microsporum equinum
   Microsporum ferrugineum
   Microsporum fulvum
   Microsporum gallinae
   Microsporum gypseum
   Microsporum nanum
   Microsporum persicolor