Expansion of the Candida tanzawaensis yeast clade: 16 novel Candida species from basidiocarp-feeding beetles

Abstract

A major clade of new yeast taxa from the digestive tract of basidiocarp-feeding beetles is recognized based on rRNA gene sequence analyses. Almost 30 % of 650 gut isolates formed a statistically well-supported clade that included Candida tanzawaensis. The yeasts in the clade were isolated from 11 families of beetles, of which Tenebrionidae and Erotylidae were most commonly sampled. Repeated isolation of certain yeasts from the same beetle species at different times and places indicated strong host associations. Sexual reproduction was never observed in the yeasts. Based on comparisons of small- and large-subunit rRNA gene sequences and morphological and physiological traits, the yeasts were placed in Candida ambrosiae and in 16 other undescribed taxa. In this report, the novel species in the genus Candida are described and their relationships with other taxa in the Saccharomycetes are discussed. The novel species and their type strains are as follows: Candida guaymorum (NRRL Y-27568T=CBS 9823T), Candida bokatorum (NRRL Y-27571T=CBS 9824T), Candida kunorum (NRRL Y-27580T=CBS 9825T), Candida terraborum (NRRL Y-27573T=CBS 9826T), Candida emberorum (NRRL Y-27606T=CBS 9827T), Candida wounanorum (NRRL Y-27574T=CBS 9828T), Candida yuchorum (NRRL Y-27569T=CBS 9829T), Candida chickasaworum (NRRL Y-27566T=CBS 9830T), Candida choctaworum (NRRL Y-27584T=CBS 9831T), Candida bolitotheri (NRRL Y-27587T=CBS 9832T), Candida atakaporum (NRRL Y-27570T=CBS 9833T), Candida panamericana (NRRL Y-27567T=CBS 9834T), Candida bribrorum (NRRL Y-27572T=CBS 9835T), Candida maxii (NRRL Y-27588T=CBS 9836T), Candida anneliseae (NRRL Y-27563T=CBS 9837T) and Candida taliae (NRRL Y-27589T=CBS 9838T).