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Exophiala dermatitidis is a species of anamorphic fungus in the family Herpotrichiellaceae. Related to the black yeasts, it is one of the most commonly isolated fungi that cause primary cerebral phaeohyphomycosis, an infection caused by molds and yeasts that have cell walls pigmented brown due to melanin. E. dermatitidis has a worldwide distribution, although most reported cases of cerebral infection are from East Asia. It can be found in soil, feces, plants and fruit, although its ecological niche has not yet been determined. The fungus is commonly isolated from the walls of saunas and steam baths, an environment it which it thrives due to its thermophilic nature. Its heat tolerance may be due to polysaccharides it produces that protect it from heat stress.

The relative ease with which its genome can be manipulated make this species a model organism "for the more than 100 other dematiaceous (melanized) agents of human disease".

It has been implicated as a possible cause of chromoblastomycosis.