Lecanicillium primulinum, a new hyphomycete (Cordycipitaceae) from soils in the Okinawa's main island and the Bonin Islands, Japan

Lecanicillium primulinum, a new hyphomycete classified in the Cordycipitaceae (Hypocreales, Ascomycota), was isolated from soils collected from the Okinawa's main island and the Bonin Islands, Japan. Using a combination of micro-morphological characteristics and sequences of the ribosomal RNA genes and ITS regions, the isolates were identified as a species of Lecanicillium which was previously undescribed. Phylogenetically the species is close to L. acerosum and Lecanicillium sp. 1 and morphologically it is similar to L. longisporum, L. psalliotae and Lecanicillium sp. 1, but its microconidia differ and it is clearly separated phylogenetically.

► Isolation of filamentous fungi using cellulose plate was the first report.
► Filamentous fungi grew on the cellulose plate, just as well as they did on the conventional agar plate.
► Three of isolates were new species of the genus Lecanicillium.