Spencermartinsiella ligniputridi sp. nov., a yeast species isolated from rotten wood

Four strains of a novel heterothallic yeast species were isolated from rotten wood samples collected at different locations in Hungary. Analysis of sequences of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene placed the novel species in the genus Spencermartinsiella. The novel species can be distinguished from Spencermartinsiella europaea, the single species of the genus, and from Candida cellulosicola, the only recognized anamorphic species of the Spencermartinsiella clade, on the basis of standard phenotypic characteristics. The relatedness among the four strains of the novel species and two closely related strains representing undescribed yeast species is discussed. The name Spencermartinsiella ligniputridi sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate the four novel strains. The type and isotype strains of Spencermartinsiella ligniputridi sp. nov. are NCAIM Y.01992(T) (=CBS 12585(T)=NRRL Y-48818(T)) and NCAIM Y.01936(I) (=CBS 12586(I)=NRRL Y-48819(I)), respectively. Two additional strains are NCAIM Y.01991 and NCAIM Y.01993.