DNA RELATEDNESS AMONG SPECIES OF STERIGMATOMYCES AND FELLOMYCES

Species assigned to the anamorphic yeast genera Sterigmatomyces, Fellomyces, Tsuchiyaea, and Kurtzmanomyces were compared for extent of nuclear DNA complementarity. The following organisms show little relatedness and are recognized as genetically distinct species: Sterigmatomyces halophilus, Sterigmatomyces elviae, Fellomyces fuzhouensis, Fellomyces penicillatus, Fellomyces polyborus, Tsuchiyaea wingfieldii, Kurtzmanomyces nectairii, and Sterigmatosporidium polymorphum. Sterigmatomyces indicus exhibited a high level of DNA relatedness with Sterigmatomyces halophilus and is considered a synonym of the latter species despite the difference in nitrate assimilation that led to the initial taxonomic separation of these taxa. The three taxa Sterigmatomyces aphidis, Trichosporon oryzae, and Sporobolomyces antarcticus showed moderate to high levels of DNA relatedness and are considered synonyms of Vanrija antarctica.