Neurospora is a genus of filamentous fungi or mold which grows on burnt or decaying plant matter, used as a model organism for studying biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology. Members of the  genus represent a wide diversity of worldwide member species; hundreds of different strains are also available from collection efforts worldwide. The full taxonomic classification of  Neurospora is: kingdom Fungi (or  Myceteae), division  Amastigomycota, subdivision Ascomycotina, class Ascomycetes, subclass  Hymenoascomycetidae, order  Xylariales, family Sordariaceae.  Neurospora is easy to grow and maintain in culture in the laboratory. The most commonly  used species is Neurospora crassa (the cause of pink bread mold) but other species within  Neurospora are also used.