[1] In 2007, this family was recognized as distinct from the genus Mycosphaerella, where it had previously been located, based on phylogenies constructed with the Large Subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA.

[2] In general, many fungi in the Mycosphaerellaceae and Teratosphaeriaceae are thought to be widespread, yet there is still little known about their individual distributions or the range of hosts that they inhabit.

[2] A number of these black yeast fungi in the Teratosphaeriaceae are considered 'rock-inhabiting', and manage to survive on the often-harsh exposed surfaces of rocks[8] in a range of extreme climates, including in Antarctica.

[9] While some of the members of this family live in harsh environments, including the newly described genus Acidiella that grows in highly acidic soils (pH < 3) in Europe,[10] other closely related species are found as lichens or on plant surfaces.

[12][13] Sequences from the plant pathogen Teratosphaeria microspora were even found in a high-throughput screen of fungal spores in indoor dust.