Cuniculitrema polymorpha (Tremellales, gen. nov and sp nov.), a heterobasidiomycete vectored by bark beetles, which is the teleomorph of Sterigmatosporidium polymorphuma

In a study of the mycobiota associated with bark beetles, a dimorphic fungu s producing longitudinally septate basidia of the Tremella-type and yeast c ells budding off from stalks, was collected. Detailed morphological, physio logical and molecular studies revealed that this fungus represents the tele omorph of Sterigmatosporidium polymorphum. Consequently, a new genus, Cunic ulitrema gen. nov., and a new species, C. polymorpha sp. nov., are proposed . Comparative morphological and molecular studies indicated that the new ta xon belongs to a group that also comprises species of the stalk-forming ana morphic genera Fellomyces and Kockovaella. The new family Cuniculitremaceae is proposed for this group.