See text Backusella is the sole genus of zygote fungi in the family Backusellaceae, which is classified in the order Mucorales.

[1] Members of this genus have been often isolated from plant litter, from locations around the world.

[2] C. W. Hesseltine and J. J. Ellis recognised the uniqueness of a new species, B. circina, warranted its classification in a new genus; in 1969 they established Backusella, named in honour of Professor M. P. Backus.

Since then, several species previously placed in the archetypal mucoralean genus Mucor were reassessed, found to be close relatives of B. circina, and combined into Backusella as additional Backusella species, while other species were discovered and classified outright as Backusella.

[1] K. Voigt & P.M. Kirk established the family Backusellaceae to include Backusella in 2012, as they likewise recognised the uniqueness of the genus and the need to classify it within a distinct family.