NEW SPECIES OF FELLOMYCES ISOLATED FROM EPIPHYTIC LICHEN SPECIES

Five new species of Fellomyces, F. borneensis, F. chinensis, F. lichen icola, F. sichuanensis, and F. thailandicus isolated from lichens grow ing on tree barks are described. Species delimitation was performed us ing RAPD-PCR and partial sequencing of ribosomal DNA, A fragment of 38 5 nucleotides, corresponding to the gene position 547 through 931 of t he 18S rDNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used. Based on phylogeneti c data it was not possible to separate the ballistosporous genus Kocko vaella from the sterigma forming genus Fellomyces. Species reproduce b y enteroblastic budding or by forming one or more conidia on sterigmat a per cell. Sterigmatoconidia are delivered by an end break in distal position of the sterigmata. Ubiquinone Q-10 is the major ubiquinone co mponent in all species. The presence of xylose in purified yeast cell walls was chracteristic for all strains investigated. it was not possi ble to separate the five different Fellomyces species by phenotypic cr iteria of the physiological standard characterization only.