Debaryomyces psychrosporus sp. nov., a yeast species from a Venezuelan cave

Three yeast strains, which are phenotypically indistinguishable from Debaryomyces hansenii, were recovered from secondary mineral deposits (stalactites and stromatolites) obtained in the Crystal Eyes Cave, Roraima Tepui Mountain, Venezuela. Analyses of the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene as well as the concatenated sequences of the nearly entire SSU rRNA gene, the ITS regions and the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene confirmed the placement of these strains in the genus Debaryomyces, but relationship with all valid species of D. hansenii complex was distant. Based on the observed considerable sequence divergence the three strains are proposed as a new species, D. psychrosporus sp. nov., with the type strain NCAIM Y.01972(T) (CBS 11845(T), NRRL Y-48723(T)).