Five new additions to the genus Spathaspora (Saccharomycetales, Debaryomycetaceae) from southwest China

Abstract

<i>Spathaspora</i> is an important genus of d-xylose-fermenting yeasts that are poorly studied in China. During recent yeast collections in Yunnan Province in China, 13 isolates of <i>Spathaspora</i> were obtained from rotting wood and all represent undescribed taxa. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses (ITS and nuc 28S), five new species are proposed: <i>Spathaspora elongata</i>, <i>Sp. mengyangensis</i>, <i>Sp. jiuxiensis</i>, <i>Sp. parajiuxiensis</i> and <i>Sp. rosae</i>. Our results indicate a high species diversity of <i>Spathaspora</i> waiting to be discovered in rotting wood from tropical and subtropical southwest China. In addition, the two <i>Candida</i> species, <i>C. jeffriesii</i> and <i>C. materiae</i>, which are members of the <i>Spathaspora</i> clade based on phylogeny, are transferred to <i>Spathaspora</i> as new combinations.