Three interesting fungal species associated with the Asian House Gecko in Kunming, China

Abstract

A dead Asian House Gecko, infected with multiple species of fungi, was found floating in a jug of water inside a building in Kunming, China. The dead gecko was taken to the mycology laboratory at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences and different fungal species were isolated. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out on the resultant isolates based on multiple gene sequences (ITS, LSU, mtSSU, rpb1, rpb2, tub2, Bloc, CAL, CHS-1, GAPDH, tef1-α). In addition to the phylogenetic analyses, morphological characteristics were also used to describe the fungal taxa. The entomopathogenic fungus Basidiobolus ranarum was isolated from the gecko’s inflamed right forelimb, while Beauveria bassiana was isolated from the gecko’s forehead. In addition, the neck skin yielded a common and important plant pathogen Colletotrichum jianxiense. Full descriptions, color plates of macro and micro structures of fungal taxa, and phylogenetic trees to show the placements of fungal taxa are provided. These findings represent either new host records or new country records for the three fungal species.