ITS1 region of the rDNA of Pythium proliferatum, a new species: its taxonomy and its comparison with related species

A new species, Pythium proliferatum (F-382), was isolated from soil samples taken in Genlis in the burgundian region of France. The fungus is unique because of the character combinations of its large, spherical to elongated, proliferating sporangia, and its smooth walled oogonia supplied with different types of antheridia like hypogynous, monoclinous sessile, monoclinous stalked, diclinous and wrapping around the oogonia. Almost all types of antheridia that are found in the genus are present in this new species. Morphological features of this new species, together with the sequences of the ITS1 region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA and its comparison with related species are discussed in this article.