METSCHNIKOWIA-GRUESSII SP-NOV THE TELEOMORPH OF NECTAROMYCES-REUKAUFII BUT NOT OF CANDIDA-REUKAUFII

One strain identified by conventional phenetic methods as Metschnikowia reukaufii did not hybridize with a species-specific probe produced in our laboratory. Molar % G + C composition and a relative heteroduplex formation of 7% with the type strain of M. reukaufii revealed that they did not belong to the same taxon. Comparisons with the type strain of Candida reukaufii (CBS 1903) and the authentic strain of Nectaromyces reukaufii (CBS 611) showed no similarity with the former (22% reassociation) and conspecificity with the latter (97% reassociation). Low nuclear DNA reassociation values with all the type strains of other Metschnikowia species provided sufficient evidence for proposing a novel species, Metschnikowia gruessii that represents the teleomorph of Nectaromyces reukaufii but not of Candida reukaufii. It differs from the type strain of M. reukaufii in its cell and ascus morphology, assimilation of trehalose and maximum temperature for growth, and from the other described Metschnikowia species by additional characteristics. More strains of Metschnikowia gruessii were repeatedly isolated from flowers in the natural park of Arrabida, Portugal.