Neurospora is a genus of Ascomycete fungi. The genus name, meaning "nerve spore" refers to the characteristic striations on the spores that resemble axons. The best known species in this genus is Neurospora crassa, a common model organism in biology. Neurospora intermedia var. oncomensis is believed to be the only mold belonging to Neurospora which is used in food production (to make oncom). Characteristics Neurospora species are molds with broadly spreading colonies, with abundant production of ascomata. Ascomata are superficial or immersed, perithecial and ostiolate or cleistothecial and non-ostiolate, hairy or glabrous, dark coloured. Peridium membranaceous, asci cylindrical, clavate or subspherical, with a persistent or evanescent wall, usually with a thickened and non-amyloid annular structure at the apex, usually 8-spored. Ascospores broadly fusiform, ellipsoidal, or nearly spherical, unicellular, hyaline to yellowish brown or olive-brown, becoming dark and opaque at maturity, ascospore wall with longitudinal ribs or pitted, occasionally nearly smooth, 1–2 (but rarely up to 12) germ pores disposed at the ends of the ascospores, gelatinous sheaths or appendages are absent. Anamorphs are known in only a relatively small number of species, which belong to the fungi imperfecti genus Chrysonilia. The type species of the genus is Neurospora sitophila Shear Systematics The former genus Gelasinospora is closely related and not resolved as a distinct monophyletic group, thus the former genus is nowadays included as a synonym of Neurospora. Species Neurospora africana Neurospora autosteira Neurospora bonaerensis Neurospora brevispora Neurospora caffra Neurospora calospora Neurospora cerealis Neurospora crassa Neurospora cratophora Neurospora dictyophora Neurospora discreta Neurospora dodgei Neurospora endodonta Neurospora erythraea Neurospora fallaciosa Neurospora foveaconica Neurospora galapagosensis Neurospora goundaensis Neurospora hapsidophora Neurospora heterospora Neurospora himalayensis Neurospora hippopotama Neurospora hispaniola Neurospora indica Neurospora intermedia Neurospora inversa Neurospora kobi Neurospora lineolata Neurospora longispora Neurospora macrospora Neurospora metzenbergii Neurospora micropertusa Neurospora mirabilis Neurospora multiforis Neurospora nigeriensis Neurospora novoguineensis Neurospora pannonica Neurospora perkinsii Neurospora pseudocalospora Neurospora pseudoreticulata Neurospora reticulata Neurospora retispora Neurospora saitoi Neurospora santi-florii Neurospora seminuda Neurospora sitophila Neurospora sphaerospora Neurospora stellata Neurospora sublineolata Neurospora terricola Neurospora tetrasperma Neurospora tetraspora Neurospora toroi Neurospora udagawae Neurospora uniporata Neurospora varians Neurospora xylopiae As model organisms Neurospora is widely used in genetics as a model organism (especially N. crassa) because it quickly reproduces, is easy to culture, and can survive on minimal media (inorganic salts, glucose, water and biotin in agar). The first studies of sexual reproduction in Neurospora were made by B. O. Dodge. Neurospora was later used by