Achlya abortispora, a New Oomycete Isolated from Water Samples Taken from a Water Reservoir in Morocco

Achlya abortispora sp. nov. was found in water and floating organic matter taken form a dam near Rabat, Morocco. The new species is described and compared with other species of the genus. Distinguishing characteristics of A. abortispora are the production of long fusiform sporangia with achlyoid and aplanoid discharge of zoospores; smooth-walled spherical to club-shaped oogonia, which are usually lateral, but at times intercalary, containing 1 to 20 oospheres. The oogonia can also bear 1 to 5 appendages, which may indicate oogonial proliferation. Most of the oospheres do not mature and are thus abortive. The antheridial branches supplying the oogonia are predominantly diclinous, but at times these may be monoclinous and androgynous. Antheridial branches coil and wrap around the oogonia. Morphologic features of the oomycete and the sequence of the ITS region of its rDNA, as well as their comparison with related species, are discussed. This is the first report of the occurrence of a saprolegniaceous oomycete from Morocco.