Rhizomucor tauricus: a questionable species of the genus

To test the validity of R. tauricus as a separate species, its carbon sourc e utilization, isoenzyme patterns and PCR-coupled RFLP of the ITS of its rD NA were analysed. Whilst R. tauricus differed considerably from R. pusillus and R. miehei in morphological traits as well as its ability to row on sin gle carbon sources, the results obtained from all other experimental approa ches suggest extensive similarity between R. tauricus and R. pusillus. Thes e findings lead us to believe that R. tauricus is a mutant heterothallic st rain of R. pusillus.