Aleurioconidia

Aleurioconidia are a type of asexual spore (conidium) produced by some fungi. They arise from a single hyphal compartment when the cell enlarges and becomes a conidium, typically detaching from the parent hypha without the development of a specialized conidiogenous cell such as a phialide.

Morphology and formation: Aleurioconidia are generally unicellular and range from spherical to ovoid in shape. They can form at hyphal tips (terminal) or along the filament (intercalary). Their formation is distinguished from other asexual modes by the absence of changes in the conidiogenous apparatus; growth occurs directly from the hypha itself rather than from a separate conidiogenous cell.

Taxonomic and clinical relevance: The presence and shape of aleurioconidia are used as one of several microscopic characters to identify fungi in morphological studies, particularly among hyphomycetes. They are not exclusive to pathogenic species and are typically interpreted in combination with other features such as colony morphology and other conidial types.