DERMATOPHYTES: NATURAL GROUPING BASED ON THE FORM OF THE SPORES AND ACCESSORY ORGANS

Abstract

There is a well recognized need in medical mycology for a more logical and usable classification of the dermatophytes. A better knowledge of the morphology of these fungi is necessary before one can expect to improve on the present systems. The classification of fungi is based on the manner in which the spores are borne and on their characters. By studying the type of spores developing after a so-called sexual process one is better able to determine probable relationships between species and genera. Many fungi belonging to the form class fungi imperfecti have no known sexual reproduction. The classification of these fungi depends on the vegetative spores or conidia which do not always indicate real relationships. As has often been pointed out, it may therefore happen that a given genus of the fungi imperfecti includes species of diverse origins. Nevertheless, a critical study of the characters of the spores, of