Microfungi on the Pandanaceae:Polytretophora macrospora sp. nov.

Polytretophora macrospora is introduced based on specimens from two species ofPandanus in Seychelles. The new species is compared with currently accepted species. A key and a comparative synopsis toPolytetophora species are provided. Numerous specimens ofP. calcarata, collected on members of the Pandanaceae from Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Palau, Philippines, Seychelles and Solomon Islands are also reported, along withP. dendroidea onPandanus sp. from Malaysia.     

Linocarpon angustatum sp. nov., andNeolinocarpon nypicola sp. nov. from petioles ofNypa fruticans, and a list of fungi from aerial parts of this host

Two new ascomycetes,Linocarpon angustatum sp. nov. andNeolinocarpon nypicola sp. nov., are described from petioles ofNypa fruticans in Malaysia.Linocarpon angustatum differs from species in the genus in having needle-shaped ascospores.Neolinocarpon nypicola differs from species in the genus in having filiform ascospores which gradually taper towards the ends, and ascomata developing within well developed stromata. These new species are compared with existing species and illustrated with interference light micrographs. The fungi known from aerial parts ofNypa fruticans are listed.     

Bullera koratensis sp. nov. and Bullera lagerstroemiae sp. nov., two new ballistoconidium-forming yeast species in the Trichosporonales clade isolated from plant leaves in Thailand

Seven strains of ballistoconidiogenous yeasts that contain xylose, form Q-10 ubiquinone, propagate by budding and don't produce stalk conidia were isolated from plant leaves collected in Thailand and were found to represent two new species. The taxonomic properties of the two species coincided with the genus Bullera so they are described as Bullera koratensis sp. nov. and Bullera lagerstroemiae sp. nov. In phylogenetic trees based on the nucleotide sequences of 18S ribosomal DNA and the D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA, these two species are located in the Trichosporonales clade (Cryptococcus humicola-Trichosporon lineage).     

Candida kazuoi sp. nov. and Candida hasegawae sp. nov., two new species of ascomycetous anamorphic yeasts isolated from insect frass in Thailand

Two strains of anamorphic yeasts isolated from insect frass collected in southern Thailand were assigned to the genus Candida based on the conventional taxonomic criteria used for yeast classification. In the phylogenetic tree based on the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA, these strains are distant from the known species of yeasts and considered to represent two different new species. They are named Candida kazuoi sp. nov. and Candida hasegawae sp. nov.     

Sporobolomyces diospyroris sp. nov., Sporobolomyces lophatheri sp. nov. and Sporobolomyces pyrrosiae sp. nov., three new species of ballistoconidium-forming yeasts in the Agaricostilbum lineage isolated from plants in Taiwan

Three strains of xylose-lacking and ubiquinone-10-having ballistoconidium-forming yeasts isolated from plant leaves collected in Taiwan were found to represent respective new species. In phylogenetic trees constructed based on the nucleotide sequences of 18S rDNA and D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA, they were located in the Agaricostilbum lineage (Agaricostilbum/Bensingtonia cluster). Since the taxonomic properties of these species coincide with those of the genus Sporobolomyces, they are described as Sporobolomyces diospyroris sp. nov., Sporobolomyces lophatheri sp. nov. and Sporobolomyces pyrrosiae sp. nov., respectively.     

Endosporoideus gen. nov., a mitosporic fungus on Phoenix hanceana

Endosporoideus pedicellata gen. et sp, nov. is described and illustrated from decaying petioles of Phoenix hanceana collected from grassland in Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong. The genus is unique in producing solitary, phragmosporous conidia. The conidia comprise a brown to dark brown inner-wall layer and thick, hyaline outer-wall layer and are produced holoblastically from determinate conidiogenous cells on micronematous, mononematous conidiophores. Cells of conidia may disarticulate at the septa. Representative steps in conidiogenesis of E. pedicellata are illustrated with light micrographs, and details of the conidiogenous events are interpreted schematically.     

Candida easanensis sp. nov., Candida pattaniensis sp. nov. and Candida nakhonratchasimensis sp. nov., three new species of yeasts isolated from insect frass in Thailand

Six strains of anamorphic yeasts isolated from insect frass collected in several regions of Thailand were assigned to the genus Candida based on the conventional taxonomic criteria used for yeast classification. These strains have Q-7 as the major ubiquinone and are suggested to have close relationships to the genus Pichia. Three strains, ST-225, ST-228 and ST-229, have identical nucleotide sequences in the D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA and are closely related to Pichia japonica, but differ by six nucleotides (1.1% ) from this species. These three strains are considered to represent a single new species, which is described as Candida easanensis sp. nov. Two strains, ST-311 and ST-320, have identical sequences in the D1/D2 domain and resemble Pichia veronae and Pichia fabianii but differ from them by nine nucleotides (1.6%) in D1/D2 sequences. The two strains are described as Candida pattaniensis sp. nov. The remaining strain, ST-37, is related to Pichia americana and Pichia bimundalis but differs by six(1.1%) and seven (1.2%) nucleotides from these species, respectively. This strain is described as Candida nakhonratchasimensis sp. nov.     

Reflections on the genus Vanakripa, and a description of V. ellipsoidea sp. nov

The genus Vanakripa (hyphomycetes) is reviewed based on the examination of type specimens, and V. ellipsoidea sp. nov. is described on submerged wood from Hong Kong. Vanakripa is characterized by punctiform sporodochial colonies, micronematous conidiogenous cells and pigmented conidia with vermiform separating cells. Vanakripa is compared with similar genera, and a synopsis of its morphological characters is provided.     

Six new species of palaeonemerteans (Nemertea) from Hong Kong

One new genus and six new species of palaeonemerteans are described and illustrated from Hong Kong and the New Territories; these are Hubrechtella sinimarinus sp. nov. and Parahubrechtia jillae gen. et sp. nov. in the Hubrechtidae, and Callinera bergendali sp. nov., Carinina sinensis sp. nov., Tubulanus hylbomi sp. nov. and Tubulanus longivasculus sp. nov. in the Tubulanidae. These bring the known number of pa-laeonemertean species from Hong Kong to 11; a key to these species, based primarily upon features distinguishable in the living animals, is provided.     

Actinobacillus rossii sp. nov., Actinobacillus seminis sp. nov., nom. rev., Pasteurella bettii sp. nov., Pasteurella lymphangitidis sp. nov., Pasteurella mairi sp. nov., and Pasteurella trehalosi sp. nov

Evidence from numerical taxonomic analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization supports the proposal of new species in the genera Actinobacillus and Pasteurella. The following new species are proposed: Actinobacillus rossii sp. nov., from the vaginas of postparturient sows; Actinobacillus seminis sp. nov., nom. rev., associated with epididymitis of sheep; Pasteurella bettii sp. nov., associated with human Bartholin gland abscess and finger infections; Pasteurella lymphangitidis sp. nov. (the BLG group), which causes bovine lymphangitis; Pasteurella mairi sp. nov., which causes abortion in sows; and Pasteurella trehalosi sp. nov., formerly biovar T of Pasteurella haemolytica, which causes septicemia in older lambs.     

Phytophthora gemini sp. nov., a new species isolated from the halophilic plant Zostera marina in the Netherlands

Eight strains belonging to the Oomycete genus Phytophthora were isolated from Zostera marina (seagrass) in The Netherlands over the past 25 y. Based on morphology, isozymes, temperature-growth relationships and ITS sequences, these strains were found to belong to two different Phytophthora species. Five strains, four of them isolated from rotting seeds and one isolated from decaying plants, could not be assigned to a known species and hence belong to a new species for which we propose the name Phytophthora gemini sp. nov. Three strains were isolated from decaying plants and were identified as Phytophthora inundata, thereby expanding the known habitat range of this species from fresh to brackish-saline areas. The possible role of both Phytophthora species in the decline of Z. marina in The Netherlands and the evolutionary significance of the presence of Phytophthora species in marine environments are discussed.     

Three new thermotolerant methylotrophic yeasts, Candida krabiensis sp. nov., Candida sithepensis sp. nov., and Pichia siamensis sp. nov., isolated in Thailand

Five strains of thermotolerant methylotrophic yeasts isolated in Thailand were found to represent three new species in the genera Pichia and Candida, based on phylogenetic analysis of D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA, in addition to the morphological, physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characterization. Three strains, FS96 and FS101 from flowers and M02 from tree flux, were characterized by ubiquinone Q7, multilateral budding, and the formation of hat-shaped ascospores that are liberated at maturation. These strains showed identical nucleotide sequences in the D1/D2 domain and formed a cluster with Candida thermophila, "Pichia salicis" and Pichia angusta. They differed by 1.9% of nucleotide substitutions from Candida thermophila, the nearest species. They were considered to represent a single new species and are described as Pichia siamensis sp. nov. Two strains, N051 and S023, isolated from soil did not produce ascospores, proliferated by multilateral budding, did not demonstrate urease or DBB color reaction, and lacked sexual stages. These characteristics correspond to the genus Candida. Strains N051 and S023 differed by 2.8% and 1.9% of nucleotide substitutions in the D1/D2 domain from the nearest species, Candida nemodendra and Candida ovalis, respectively, and are considered to represent respective new species. N051 and S023 are described as Candida krabiensis sp. nov. and Candida sithepensis sp. nov., respectively.     

Bullera taiwanensis sp nov and Bullera formosensis sp nov,two new ballistoconidium-forming yeast species isolated from plant leaves in Taiwan

Two strains of ballistoconidiogenous yeasts that contain xylose and form Q-10 ubiquinone were isolated from plant leaves collected in Taiwan and were found to represent two new species. The taxonomic properties of both coincide with the genus Bullera so they are described as Bullera taiwanensis sp. nov. and Bullera formosensis sp. nov. In a phylogenetic tree based on the nucleotide sequences of 18S ribosomal DNAs, these two species are distant from the clusters where the remaining members of the genus Bullera are located, i.e., Bullera taiwanensis is located in the Filobasidium lineage (Filobasidiales clade) and Bullera formosensis is located in the Cryptococcus humicola-Trichosporon lineage (Trichosporonales clade).     

Two new anamorphic yeasts, Candida thailandica sp. nov. and Candida lignicola sp. nov., isolated from insect frass in Thailand

Two new yeast strains of the genus Candida were isolated from insect frass collected in Khao-Yai National Park, Nakhonrachasima, Thailand. Based on the morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of 26S rRNA gene, these two strains were found to represent two distinct undescribed species and were named Candida thailandica sp. nov. (ST-17 = BCC 7717(T) = NBRC 102562(T)=CBS 10 610) and Candida lignicola sp. nov. (ST-33 = BCC 7733(T) = NBRC 102564(T) = CBS 10612). In the D1/D2 domain of 26S rRNA gene, C. thailandica (GeneBank accession no. AY228491) differs from Candida tsuchiyae, the nearest species, in 66 nucleotide substitutions (10%) and C. lignicola (GeneBank accession no. AY845350) differs from Candida coipomoensis, the nearest species, in nine nucleotides (1.6%). These two new species are clearly distinguished from their closest species by the assimilation of several carbon compounds.     

Diversity of basidiomycetous phylloplane yeasts belonging to the genus Dioszegia (Tremellales) and description of Dioszegia athyri sp. nov., Dioszegia butyracea sp. nov. and Dioszegia xingshanensis sp. nov

From approximately 200 basidiomycetous yeast isolates forming orange or orange-red colonies isolated from senescent leaves collected in different regions of China, 29 representative strains varying in their geographic distribution and ballistoconidium forming ability were selected for further phenotypic and molecular taxonomic studies. Sequence analysis of the large subunit (26S) rDNA D1/D2 domain and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region including 5.8S rRNA from the strains resulted in the recognition of seven Dioszegia species, including four described species, namely D. aurantiaca, D. fristingensis, D. hungarica and D. zsoltii var. zsoltii and D. zsoltii var. yunnanensis, and three undescribed species. The three new species are described as Dioszegia athyri sp. nov. (type strain: CB 159(T) = AS 2.2559(T) = CBS 10119(T)), Dioszegia butyracea sp. nov. (type strain: CB 261(T) = AS 2.2600(T) = CBS 10122(T)) and Dioszegia xingshanensis sp. nov. (type strain: HB 1.4(T) = AS 2.2481(T) = CBS 10120(T)) in the present study.     

Cryptococcus foliicola sp. nov. and Cryptococcus taibaiensis sp. nov., novel basidiomycetous yeast species from plant leaves

A molecular taxonomic investigation performed on basidiomycetous yeast strains isolated from plant leaves collected in two areas of China revealed two novel species, Cryptococcus foliicola sp. nov. (type strain HS 23.3(T) = AS 2.2471(T) = CBS 9920(T)) and Cryptococcus taibaiensis sp. nov. (type strain ST 7.9(T) = AS 2.2444(T) = CBS 9919(T)), among the non ballistoconidium-forming strains producing cream-colored colonies. These new species differed markedly from closely related species in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 26S rRNA D1/D2 region sequences. They clustered in a strongly supported clade represented by Cryptococcus victoriae in the Tremellales group in the phylogenetic trees drawn from ITS and D1/D2 sequences.     

Chrysochromulina brachycylindra sp. nov. (Prymnesiophyceae) from Finnish coastal waters

Chrysochromulina brachycylindra sp. nov. is described by means of transmission electron microscopy of shadowcast whole mounts prepared from wild material collected from Finnish coastal waters. The suhspherical cell carries plate-scales and cylinder-scales. The scales are large enough to render possible a light microscopical identification of this species from dry preparations. Based on scale morphology it is evident that C. brachycylindra is closely related to C. pachycylindra Manton, Oates & Course. In addition to the findings from the Baltic Sea the new species is also reported from the Andaman Sea, SW Thailand.     

Berkleasmium crunisia sp. nov. and its phylogenetic affinities to the Pleosporales based on 18S and 28S rDNA sequence analyses

Berkleasmium crunisia sp. nov. is described from a decaying rachis of Calamus sp. (Arecaceae) from Khuan Ka Long, Satun Province, Thailand. This Berkleasmium species differs morphologically from other species in possessing subtending cells and larger conidia. The phylogenetic relationship of the genus Berkleasmium among sexual ascomycetes also was examined. Sequence analyses from 18S, 28S and ITS-5.8S rDNA were analyzed phylogenetically under maximum parsimony, Bayesian and neighbor joining criteria. Phylogenies revealed that Berkleasmium is not monophyletic. Berkleasmium micronesicum and B. nigroapicale are related to Westerdykella cylindrica and Sporormia australis, which are members of the family Sporormiaceae (Pleosporales). Other species, including our new taxon, appear to share phylogenetic affinities with other anamorphic fungi, whose classification within the Pleosporales is still obscure. Analyses of 18S, 28S, ITS (+5.8S) rDNA and combined (18S+28S) gene sequences fail to give sufficient phylogenetic resolution within the Pleosporales.