General term for various species of dry-loving, extremophile molds that can cause illness to living creatures and damage to food, materials, structures, and objects. In art conservation, they are highly problematic because, unlike most molds, xerophilic molds thrive in low-humidity environments (\(<60\%\) RH) that are typically considered safe for collections. The molds cause active degradation of organic materials such as canvas, wood, paper, and leather. For example, Aspergillus halophilicus causes irreversible damage through staining, enzymatic degradation, and structural weakening, while often remaining undetectable by traditional methods.
