New insights on the phylogeny and biology of the fungal ant pathogen Aegeritella

• Ectoparasitic ant fungus Aegeritella tuberculata is closely related to Trichosporon.
• Aegeritella incertae sedis should be classified within family Trichosporonaceae.
• First ever isolation of Aegeritella from L. niger, L. brunneus and F. lemani ants are reported.
• Fungus is transmitted by direct contact between healthy and infected individuals.

This paper evaluates the phylogenetic position of the ectoparasitic fungus Aegeritella tuberculata Bałazy & Wiśniewski, and broadly discusses its presence on ants in southern Poland. Field work was conducted in the Silesian Beskid Mountains in 2011–2013. The fungus was found on four species of ants: Lasius niger L., Lasius brunneus Latr., Formica lemani Bondr. and Formica fusca L. The first three species have not been noted previously in the literature as hosts of Aegeritella fungi. The infection rate ranged from 1% for Formica lemani to 21% for L. brunneus. Molecular analysis based on ITS and SSU rDNA sequences revealed close relationships between Aegeritella and Trichosporon isolates. We conclude that the genus Aegeritella-inceratae sedis until now, should be placed within the fungal group Basidiomycota, Tremellomycetes, Tremellomycetidae, Tremellales, Trichosporonaceae.

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