Serpula himantioides due to a lack of any above ground symptoms of disease. Signs of the pathogen include basidiospores, and fungal masses that are generally dark brown and membranous in the center but become thin white mycelium towards edges of the mass. The brown cubical rot caused by "S. himantioides" resembles the rots of "Phaeolus schweinitzii" and "S. lacrymans". "Serpula himantiodes" is a pre-harvest pathogen that exerts economic impact on lumber supply. It is considered the wild sister species of "S. lacrymans", the pathogen that causes dry rot in wooden building structures. "S. himantioides" is studied most frequently in the context of
Serpula divers and other casual observers. Following is a brief description of the cladistics and taxonomic classification of "Serpula": While the higher taxonomy is fairly well understood, the lower taxonomy within the genus "Serpula" is somewhat confusing, and not yet thoroughly worked out. Earlier sources have described as many as 77 different species and subspecies. However, there are currently only 29 recognized species in the genus "Serpula". The number and names of these species may soon change as a result of an ongoing revision of the genus by taxonomists. Worldwide,very common. Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Red