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Micro World

How small is an Aspergillus niger spore?

A typical Aspergillus niger spore is about 4 µm across.

What is measured: conidium, typical diameter

Aspergillus niger Spore (4 µm) drawn to scale beside an E. coli bacterium (2 µm) and a red blood cell (7.5 µm)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: E. coli bacterium (2 µm), Aspergillus niger Spore (4 µm) and Red blood cell (7.5 µm).

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How big is that, really?

  • About 53% of the width of a red blood cell
  • About 5 would fit across a cloud droplet
  • About 2× the length of an E. coli bacterium
  • About 40× as wide as a flu virus

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Facts about Aspergillus niger Spore

Aspergillus niger spores are black-pigmented, giving moldy bread and fruit their characteristic dark, fuzzy spots.

Source: CDC Fungal Diseases; Mycology textbooks

Micro World

NameSizeCompared with Aspergillus niger Spore
Shigella flexneri2.5 µm0.63×
Penicillium Spore3 µm0.75×
Aspergillus niger Spore4 µmthis page
Clostridium difficile4 µmsame size
Cryptosporidium parvum Oocyst5 µm1.3×
Chlorella Algae Cell5 µm1.3×
Candida albicans5 µm1.3×
Halobacterium salinarum5 µm1.3×
Thermus aquaticus5 µm1.3×
Human T Lymphocyte7 µm1.8×

Test your sense of scale

Which is bigger: Aspergillus niger Spore or Cryptosporidium parvum Oocyst?

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