Mycosphaerella chaenomelis sp. nov.: The teleomorph ofCercosporella sp., the causal fungus of frosty mildew inChaenomeles sinensis, and its role as the primary infection source

A leaf spot disease called frosty mildew was observed onChaenomeles sinensis throughout Japan. Small brown spots with white tufts occurred followed by successive defoliation. On the fallen leaves, minute black dots are formed. The causal fungus was regarded as a new species ofMycosphaerella, M. chaenomelis, andCercosporella chaenomelis in anamorph. Pathogenicity of the fungus was confirmed only inC. sinensis by inoculation experiments. Colonies of the fungus grew well on potato sucrose agar, and grew at 10–30°C with an optimum temperature of 25°C. The fungus overwintered on the fallen diseased leaves in the form of pseudothecia, and ascospores served as the primary infection source from April to June.     

Redheadia quercus gen. et sp. nov., the teleomorph of Mycopappus quercus, the frosty mildew fungus in Quercus acutissima

The teleomorph of Mycopappus quercus causing frosty mildew in Quercus acutissima is described as a new genus and species, Redheadia quercus, in the Sclerotiniaceae. Apothecia sprout from sclerotia on the fallen infected leaves kept for 10 months at 5°C and subsequent incubation at 15°C under diffused room light. Typical zonate lesions and multicellular propagules of M. quercus are produced on Q. acutissima, by mycelial inoculation using an isolate from a single ascospore, confirming the teleomorph–anamorphic connection. No significant differences are observed between cultured colonies of isolates from the ascospore and those from the propagule. Sclerotia and microconidia of the fungus are produced on culture media.     

Sclerotinia trillii, sp. nov., causing a new sclerotinia disease onTrillium in Japan

Sclerotinia trillii n. sp., which attacksTrillium tschonoskii andT. smallii in Hokkaido and northern Honshu, Japan, is described. The characters identifying this species with the genusSclerotinia are large tuberoid sclerotia, produced both on infected plants and in culture, which consisted of only mycelium (true sclerotia) and flesh apothecia produced on them. This species is distinguished fromS. sclerotiorum, S. minor, S. trifoliorum, andS. nivalis by relatively large sclerotia, cultural colony appearance, and red-brown to yellow-brown, relatively large apothecium, in addition to its parasitic nature onTrillium. Sclerotinia trillii is a psychrophilic having an optimum temperature for mycelial growth at 15–20°C.     

Enhygromyxa salina gen. nov., sp. nov., a slightly halophilic myxobacterium isolated from the coastal areas of Japan

Six isolates of novel marine myxobacteria, designated strains SHK-1T, SMK-1-1, SMK-1-3, SMK-10, SKK-2, and SMP-6, were obtained from various coastal samples (mud, sands and algae) collected around Japan. All of the isolates had Gram-negative rod-shaped cells, motile by gliding and grew aerobically. They showed bacteriolytic action, fruiting body formation, and NaCl requirement for growth with an optimum concentration of 1.0-2.0% (w/v). In addition, divalent cationic components of seawater, such as Mg2+ or Ca2+, were also needed for growth. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The G+C content of genomic DNA ranged from 65.6 to 67.4 mol% (by HPLC). The isolates shared almost identical 16S rDNA sequences, and clustered with a recently described marine myxobacterium, Plesiocystis pacifica, as their closest relative on a phylogenetic tree (95.9-96.0% similarity). Physiological and chemotaxonomic differences between the new strains and strains of the genus Plesiocystis justify the proposal of a new genus. Therefore, we propose to classify the six isolates into a new taxon of marine myxobacteria with the name, Enhygromyxa salina gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is SHK-1(T) (JCM 11769(T) = DSM 15217(T) = AJ 110011(T)).     

Stromatinia cryptomeriae sp. nov., the teleomorph ofGloeosporidina cryptomeriae causing twig blight of Japanese cedar

A new species,Stromatinia cryptomeriae, is described based on a specimen collected in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It was found on fallen dead branches and twigs of Japanese cedar,Cryptomeria japonica. The morphology of isolates on potato-dextrose agar (PDA), which were obtained from single ascospores ofS. cryptomeriae, was identical withGloeosporidina cryptomeriae, the causal fungus of Japanese cedar twig blight. In an inoculation test using single ascospore isolates, many minute black spots (sclerotioid bodies; sclerotules) and acervuli ofG. cryptomeriae were formed on the necrotic lesions, which developed into typical symptoms of Japanese cedar twig blight. These results show thatStromatinia cryptomeriae is the teleomorph ofG. cryptomeriae. On PDA, the fungus grew over a range of about 1 to 25°C, with the optimum growth at about 15–20°C.     

Bullera anomala sp. nov. and Bullera pseudovariabilis sp. nov., two new ballistoconidium-forming yeast species from Yunnan,China

Two ballistoconidium-forming yeast strains, CH 2.504 and CH 2.509, were isolated from the wilting leaves of Parthenocissus sp. collected in Yunnan, China in 1996. These two strains were assigned to the genus Bullera Derx by the characteristics of forming rotationally symmetric ballistoconidia, containing xylose in the cell hydrolysates and having Q-10 as the major ubiquinone. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18S rDNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences revealed that CH 2.504 is closely related to B. variabilis Nakase & Suzuki, while CH 2.509 is located in a clearly separate clade among the described Bullera species and related taxa. The results indicated that CH 2.509 represents a new species, for which Bullera anomala sp. nov. is the proposed name (type strain AS 2.2094^T). Further DNA-DNA reassociation data showed that CH 2.504 also represents a distinct species, for which the name Bullera pseudovariabilis sp. nov. is given (type strain AS 2.2092^T). This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Surculiseries rugispora gen. et sp. nov., a new endophytic mitosporic fungus from leaves ofBruguiera gymnorrhiza

Surculiseries rugispora gen. et sp. nov. is described as an endophytic fungus from leaves ofBruguiera gymnorrhiza in mangrove forests in the Iriomote Is., Okinawa, Japan. This fungus develops peculiar conditiongenous cells that resemble octopus legs with obvious sucker-like scars, and produces lentiform conidia with lines on surface. Sequence analysis of 18S rDNA places this new fungus in the family Xylariaceae and shows its close affinity to the genusAscotricha (anamorph:Dicyma).     

Description of four novel species of Xenorhabdus, family Enterobacteriaceae: Xenorhabdus budapestensis sp. nov., Xenorhabdus ehlersii sp. nov., Xenorhabdus innexi sp. nov., and Xenorhabdus szentirmaii sp. nov

The taxonomic affiliation was determined for four Xenorhabdus strains isolated from four Steinernema hosts from different countries. As compared to the five validly described Xenorhabdus species, i.e., X. nematophila, X. japonica, X. beddingii, X. bovienii and X. poinarii, these isolates represented novel species on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and riboprint patterns, as well as by physiological and metabolic properties. They were named Xenorhabdus budapestensis sp. nov., type strain DSM 16342^T, isolated from Steinernema bicornutum; Xenorhabdus ehlersii sp. nov., type strain DSM 16337^T, isolated from Steinernema serratum; Xenorhabdus innexi sp. nov., type strain DSM 16336^T isolated from Steinernema scapterisci; and Xenorhabdus szentirmaii sp. nov., type strain DSM 16338^T, isolated from Steinernema rarum.     

Candida alocasiicola sp. nov., Candida hainanensis sp. nov., Candida heveicola sp. nov. and Candida musiphila sp. nov., novel anamorphic, ascomycetous yeast species isolated from plants

In a taxonomic study on the ascomycetous yeasts isolated from plant materials collected in tropical forests in Yunnan and Hainan Provinces, southern China, four strains isolated from tree sap (YJ2E(T)) and flowers (YF9E(T), YWZH3C(T) and YYF2A(T)) were revealed to represent four undescribed yeast species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the large subunit (26S) rRNA gene D1/D2 domain sequences showed that strain YJ2E(T) was located in a clade together with Candida haemulonii and C. pseudohaemulonii. Strain YF9E(T) was most closely related to C. azyma and strain YWZH3C(T) to C. sorbophila and C. spandovensis. Strain YYF2A(T) was clustered in a clade containing small-spored Metschnikowia species and related anamorphic Candida species. The new strains differed from their closely related described species by more than 10% mismatches in the D1/D2 domain. No sexual states were observed for the four strains on various sporulation media. The new species are therefore assigned to the genus Candida and described as Candida alocasiicola sp. nov. (type strain, YF9E(T) = AS 2.3484(T) = CBS 10702(T)), Candida hainanensis sp. nov. (type strain, YYF2A(T) = AS 2.3478(T) = CBS 10696(T)), Candida heveicola sp. nov. (type strain, YJ2E(T) = AS 2.3483(T) = CBS 10701(T)) and Candida musiphila sp. nov. (type strain, YWZH3C(T) = AS 2.3479(T) = CBS 10697(T)).     

New anamorphic yeast species: Candida infanticola sp. nov., Candida polysorbophila sp. nov., Candida transvaalensis sp. nov. and Trigonopsis californica sp. nov

Three new species of Candida and a new species of Trigonopsis are described based on their recognition from phylogenetic analysis of gene sequences from large subunit ribosomal RNA, ITS1/ITS2 rRNA, mitochondrial small subunit rRNA and cytochrome oxidase II. Candida infanticola sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-17858, CBS 7922) was isolated from the ear of an infant in Germany and is closely related to Candida sorbophila. Candida polysorbophila sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-27161, CBS 7317) is a member of the Zygoascus clade and was isolated in South Africa as a contaminant from an emulsion of white oil and polysorbate. Candida transvaalensis sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-27140, CBS 6663) was obtained from forest litter, the Transvaal, South Africa, and forms an isolated clade with Candida santjacobensis. Trigonopsis californica sp. nov. (type strain NRRL Y-27307, CBS 10351) represents a contaminant from wine in California, and forms a well-supported clade with Trigonopsis cantarellii, Trigonopsis variabilis and Trigonopsis vinaria.     

Ypsilonidium bananisporum sp. nov. (Ceratobasidiales) from Iriomote Island, Japan

Ypsilonidium bananisporum sp. nov. belonging to Ceratobasidiales is described and illustrated. This fungus has all the characteristics of the genusYpsilonidium including reticulate-hypochnoid basidiomes, broad hyphae branching at right angles, broadly clavate basidia with two sterigmata, and basidiospores germinating by repetition. It differs from all hitherto known species in the genus by producing suballantoid to banana-shaped basidiospores, measuring 19.5–22×5.5–6 μm. Contribution No. 314 of the Tottori Mycological Institute.     

Natronolimnobius baerhuensis gen. nov., sp. nov. and Natronolimnobius innermongolicus sp. nov., novel haloalkaliphilic archaea isolated from soda lakes in Inner Mongolia, China

Three novel isolates of haloalkaliphilic archaea, strains IHC-005^T, IHC-010, and N-1311^T, from soda lakes in Inner Mongolia, China, were characterized to elucidate their taxonomic positions. The three strains were aerobic, Gram-negative chemoorganotrophs growing optimally at 37–45°C, pH 9.0–9.5, and 15–20% NaCl. Cells of strains IHC-005^T/IHC-010 were motile rods, while those of strain N-1311^T were non-motile pleomorphic flats or cocci. The three strains contained diphytanyl and phytanyl-sesterterpanyl diether derivatives of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerophosphate methyl ester. No glycolipids were detected. On phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, they formed an independent cluster in the Natro group of the family Halobacteriaceae. Comparison of their morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties, DNA G+C content and 16S rRNA gene sequences, and DNA-DNA hybridization study support the view that strains IHC-005^T/IHC-010 and strain N-1311^T represent separate species. Therefore, we propose Natronolimnobius baerhuensis gen. nov., sp. nov. for strains IHC-005^T (=CGMCC 1.3597^T =JCM 12253^T)/IHC-010 (=CGMCC 1.3598=JCM 12254) and Natronolimnobius innermongolicus sp. nov. for N-1311^T (=CGMCC 1.2124^T =JCM 12255^T).     

Coemansia furcata sp. nov. and its distribution in Japan and Taiwan

Coemansia furcata, isolated from forest soils of Japan and Taiwan, is described and illustrated. This species is characterised by its sporangiophore branching and relatively large sporocladia. Its distribution in soils of Japan and Taiwan is discussed. Contributions to Sugadaira Montane Research Center, No. 174.     

Ciborinia gentianae sp. nov., the causal organism of sclerotial flower blight of cut-flower gentians

A new Ciborinia causing sclerotial flower blight of cut-flower gentians (Gentiana triflora var. japonica and interspecific hybrids between related species or varieties) is described as Ciborinia gentianae on the morphological basis of sclerotia and apothecia. The characteristics of Ciborinia gentianae are (1) an abundant production of spermodochia in the hollow cavity of host stems; (2) flat and thin sclerotia produced beneath the epidermis and the inclusion of host vascular remnants within their medulla; (3) globose cells composed of ectal excipulum of apothecia; (4) elongated cells with a slight apical swelling in ectal excipulum at the apothecial margin; and (5) tetra nucleate ascospores. Asci and ascospores mounted in Melzer's reagent measured 156–208 × 8–12 μm and 11.8–15 × 5.5–7.1 μm, respectively.     

Anaerostipes caccae gen. nov., sp. nov., a new saccharolytic,acetate-utilising,butyrate-producing bacterium from human faeces

Two strains of a previously undescribed Eubacterium-like bacterium were isolated from human faeces. The strains are Gram-variable, obligately anaerobic, catalase negative, asporogenous rod-shaped cells which produced acetate, butyrate and lactate as the end products of glucose metabolism. The two isolates displayed 99.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to each other and treeing analysis demonstrated the faecal isolates are far removed from Eubacterium sensu stricto and that they represent a new subline within the Clostridium coccoides group of organisms. Based on phenotypic and phylogenetic criteria, it is proposed that the two strains from faeces be classified as a new genus and species, Anaerostipes caccae. The type strain of Anaerostipes caccae is NCIMB 13811T (= DSM 14662T).     

Nonomuraea terrinata sp. nov., a novel soil actinomycete

The taxonomic position of a soil isolate, strain E626, was evaluated using the polyphasic approach. The organism was found to have chemical and morphological features consistent with its assignment to the genus Nonomuraea, a member of the family Streptosporangiaceae. Strain E626 consistently formed a distinct phyletic line within the Streptosporangiaceae 16S rDNA tree using four different algorithms. Furthermore, the taxonomic distinctness of the organism is underpinned by a range of phenotypic properties, notably morphological features. It is, therefore, proposed that the organism be classified in the genus Nonomuraea as Nonomuraea terrinata sp. nov. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Four novel yeasts from decaying organic matter: Blastobotrys robertii sp. nov., Candida cretensis sp. nov., Candida scorzettiae sp. nov. and Candida vadensis sp. nov

Four novel yeast species are described, two from decaying mushrooms, viz. Candida cretensis and Candida vadensis, and two from rotten wood, viz. Blastobotrys robertii and Candida scorzettiae. Accession numbers for the CBS and ARS Culture Collections, and GenBank accession numbers for the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA are: B. robertii CBS 10106^T, NRRL Y-27775, DQ839395; C. cretensis CBS 9453^T, NRRL Y-27777, AY4998861 and DQ839393; C. scorzettiae CBS 10107^T, NRRL Y-27665, DQ839394; C. vadensis CBS 9454^T, NRRL Y-27778, AY498863 and DQ839396. The GenBank accession number for the ITS region of C. cretensis is AY498862 and that for C. vadensis is AY498864. C. cretensis was the only species of the four that displayed fermentative activity. All four type strains grew on n-hexadecane. C. scorzettiae is the only one of the new species that assimilates some phenolic compounds, viz. 3-hydroxy derivatives of benzoic, phenylacetic and cinnamic acids, but not the corresponding 4-hydroxy acids. This is indicative of an operative gentisate pathway.     

Arecophila bambusae sp. nov. andA. coronata comb. nov., from dead culms of bamboo

A new species ofArecophila and a species previously known asAmphisphaeria coronata are described and illustrated from dead culms of bamboo.Arecophila bambusae sp. nov. is distinct in the genus in having ellipsoidal ascospores with slightly round ends, and asci with a narrow subapical ring.Arecophila coronata comb. nov. has asci with a wedgeshaped apical ring and weakly striated ascospores enclosed in wide mucilaginous sheath.     

Cronartium orientale, sp. nov., segregation of the pine gall rust in eastern Asia fromCronartium quercuum

The Asian pine gall rust, which has hitherto been assigned toCronartium quercuum distributed in North America, is described asC. orientale, sp. nov. The spermogonial and aecial states occur on hard pines, and the uredinial and telial states occur on various oaks.Cronartium orientale has globose, almost hyaline basidiospores in contrast to the ellipsoid, yellow-orange ones of North AmericanC. quercuum s.l. Characteristics of the new rust species in morphology, DNA analysis, and host alternation are discussed.