Common Pinmould vs

Mucor mucedo compared with Mucor plumbeus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Pinmould
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Mucoromycota (Mucoromycota)	Mucoromycota (Mucoromycota)
Class same	Mucoromycetes (Mucoromycetes)	Mucoromycetes (Mucoromycetes)
Order same	Mucorales (Mucorales)	Mucorales (Mucorales)
Family same	Mucoraceae	Mucoraceae
Genus same	Mucor	Mucor
Species	Mucor mucedo	Mucor plumbeus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Pinmould and share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Mucor.

Conservation Status

Common Pinmould

NE — Not Evaluated

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Pinmould
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Pinmould

Habitat

Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, and Norway.

Habitat

Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Common Pinmould

<em>Mucor mucedo</em>, the common pin mould, is a zygomycete fungus in the family Mucoraceae, belonging to one of the earliest-diverging lineages of terrestrial fungi. It is characterised by long, unbranched sporangiophores topped with spherical, pin-like sporangia that release large numbers of asexual spores, giving infested substrates a grey or white mouldy appearance. The species is a saprotrophic decomposer, typically colonising dung, soil, decaying organic matter, and stored food products, where it plays a role in nutrient cycling and organic matter breakdown. <em>Mucor mucedo</em> is distributed across Europe, with records from Belgium, Denmark, and Norway, and in South America including Brazil, and is likely cosmopolitan given the ease with which its spores disperse through the air. It is assessed as Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List, as fungal conservation assessments remain incomplete globally. Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of compatible mating types to produce resistant zygospores. Biological traits such as colony growth rates under standardised conditions, typical biomass production, and detailed ecological roles beyond general decomposition remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species is non-pathogenic to healthy humans but may cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇷 Brazil 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway