| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4356804 | Fungal Biology | 2016 | 12 Pages |
•Seven yeast strains representing two new Lodderomyces sp. were isolated from the gut of Cetoniinae beetles collected in Bulgaria.•Our results showed that LSU rDNA and ITS markers have good discriminatory power for well supported separationof all subclades and the species of the Lodderomyces clade.•Nematodospora valgi gen. nov. sp. nov. and Candida cetoniae sp. nov. are described.•New yeasts and their Cetoniinae hosts may form an intimate ecological relationship. Ecology and biogeography of insect associated yeasts of the Lodderomyces clade is discussed.
During a yeast biodiversity survey conducted in 2009–2011 in Bulgaria (South Eastern Europe) five strains of a novel ascomycetous yeast species were isolated from the beetle Valgus hemipterus (Cetoniinae) collected from two localities, namely Osogovska Planina Mountain and Nature Park Zlatni Pyasatsi. Phylogenetic analysis using combined sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA) and the internal transcribed spacers 1 + 2 regions (ITS1+2) placed the novel species on a separate branch near the basal part of the Lodderomyces clade. The novel species has a unique ascospore morphology distinct from those of the closely related teleomorphic genus Lodderomyces. Based on phylogenetic analysis and morphology of the ascospores we propose Nematodospora valgi gen. nov., sp. nov. to accommodate these isolates (MB811804 D37ST, MB802458). Two strains of a novel anamorphic yeast species were isolated from the beetles Cetonia aurata and Oxythyrea funesta (Cetoniinae) collected in East Rhodopies and Sofia city, respectively. DNA barcoding analysis placed the new yeast species within the Candida parapsilosis subclade. Here, we present the description of a new yeast species, Candida cetoniae sp. nov. (IMB1R2T, MB803501) to accommodate these two strains. The ecology and biogeography of the insect-associated yeasts of the Lodderomyces clade is discussed.
