The utilization profile of 49 carbohydrates, based on API 50 CH bioche
mical tests, was used for the identification and the discrimination of
75 isolates of Beauveria and Tolypocladium. The data were used to con
struct a most parsimonious tree in which Beauveria and Tolypocladium w
ere separated into two main branches. Although the Beauveria isolates
could not be separated at the species level, eight different clusters
corresponding to the eight Tolypocladium species studied were revealed
. The reproducible carbohydrate utilization profiles of B. bassiana, B
. brongniartii, T. cylindrosporum, T. niveum, T. geodes and T. tundren
se have permitted the construction of an identification key that could
serve as a tool to complement the morphological description of select
ed Beauveria and Tolypocladium isolates for their correct identificati
on at the species level. The API 50 CH method is time-saving and can c
omplement effectively more classical techniques for the discrimination
between Beauveria and Tolypocladium and for the taxonomy of Tolypocla
dium at the species level.