| Aspergillus |
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| Conidial head of Aspergillus niger |
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| Scientific classification |
| Domain: |
Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: |
Fungi |
| Division: |
Ascomycota |
| Class: |
Eurotiomycetes |
| Order: |
Eurotiales |
| Family: |
Aspergillaceae |
| Genus: |
Aspergillus
Micheli ex Haller (1768) |
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| Species |
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See List of Aspergillus species |
| Synonyms |
- Acmosporium Corda (1839)
- Alliospora Pim (1883)
- Aspergillopsis Speg. (1910)
- Aspergillus P.Micheli (1729)
- Basidiella Cooke (1878)
- Briarea Corda (1831)
- Chaetosartorya Subram. (1972)
- Cladaspergillus Ritgen (1831)
- Cladosarum E.Yuill & J.L.Yuill (1938)
- Cleistosoma Harkn. (1884)
- Clistosoma Clem. & Shear (1931)
- Cristaspora Fort & Guarro (1984)
- Dichotomomyces Saito (1949)
- Dichotomomyces Saito ex D.B.Scott (1970)
- Diplostephanus Langeron (1922)
- Edyuillia Subram. (1972)
- Emericella Berk. (1857)
- Euaspergillus F.Ludw. (1892)
- Eurotium Link (1809)
- Fennellia B.J.Wiley & E.G.Simmons (1973)
- Gutturomyces Rivolta (1873)
- Gymnoeurotium Malloch & Cain (1973)
- Harpezomyces Malloch & Cain (1973)
- Hemisartorya J.N.Rai & H.J.Chowdhery (1976)
- Inzengaea Borzí (1885)
- Neosartorya Malloch & Cain (1973)
- Otomyces Wreden (1874)
- Petromyces Malloch & Cain (1973)
- Phialosimplex Sigler (2010)
- Polypaecilum G.Sm. (1961)
- Pyrobolus Kuntze (1891)
- Raperia Subram. & Rajendran (1976)
- Redaellia Cif. (1930)
- Rhodocephalus Corda (1837)
- Rhopalocystis Grove (1911)
- Royella R.S.Dwivedi (1960)
- Saitoa Rajendran & Muthappa (1980)
- Sartorya Vuill. (1927)
- Sceptromyces Corda (1831)
- Sporophormis Malloch & Cain (1973)
- Sterigmatocystis C.E.Cramer (1859)
- Stilbothamnium Henn. (1897)
- Syncleistostroma Subram. (1972)
- Theclospora Harkn. (1884)
- Warcupiella Subram. (1972)
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Aspergillus () is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide.
Aspergillus was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli. Viewing the fungi under a microscope, Micheli was reminded of the shape of an aspergillum (holy water sprinkler), from Latin spargere (to sprinkle), and named the genus accordingly. Aspergillum is an asexual spore-forming structure common to all Aspergillus species; around one-third of species are also known to have a sexual stage. While some species of Aspergillus are known to cause fungal infections, others are of commercial importance.