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Novel Phialophora species from leaf-cutting ants (tribe Attini)

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Abstract

Ants in the tribe Attini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) maintain a 50 million-year-old lifestyle of co-evolution with symbiotic basidiomycetous fungi which they cultivate as essential source of nutrition. However, other microorganisms have been reported from ant habitats indicating a higher diversity of consistently associated species than established to date. Recently, black yeast-like fungi have been reported as a possible symbiont, like a competitor of the actinomycete bacteria that grow in the integument of the insects. During the mating season, gynes of Atta capiguara and A. laevigata were collected from nests located in Botucatu, SP, Brazil and sampled using flotation technique. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS, partial 28S (LSU) and β-tubulin sequences revealed the occurrence of two novel species of Phialophora among the melanized fungi isolated.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank D. Smith and G. Omer for technical support with DNA purification, PCR and sequencing. Laboratory work at the CBS was financed by the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Science (KNAW) and the Fonds voor Economische Stuctuurversterking (FES) with the grant ‘Barcoding the CBS collections’. Laboratory work at UNESP was financed by CNPq (proc. 305.457/2001-0 and 560.682/2010-7).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for the Study of Social Insects, UNESP—São Paulo State University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    D. Attili-Angelis, A. P. M. Duarte & F. C. Pagnocca

  2. Division of Microbial Resources, CPQBA, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    D. Attili-Angelis

  3. Department of Plant Protection, UNESP—São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil

    N. S. Nagamoto

  4. Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. de Vries, J. B. Stielow & G. S. de Hoog

  5. Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    G. S. de Hoog

  6. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    G. S. de Hoog

  7. Research Center for Medical Mycology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China

    G. S. de Hoog

  8. Shanghai Institute of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

    G. S. de Hoog

  9. Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná State, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

    G. S. de Hoog

  10. King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    G. S. de Hoog

Authors
  1. D. Attili-Angelis
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  2. A. P. M. Duarte
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  3. F. C. Pagnocca
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  4. N. S. Nagamoto
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  5. M. de Vries
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  6. J. B. Stielow
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  7. G. S. de Hoog
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Attili-Angelis.

Additional information

Taxonomic novelties: Phialophora attae Attili-Angelis, Duarte, Stielow & de Hoog, sp. nov., Phialophora capiguarae Attili-Angelis, Pagnocca, Duarte & de Vries, sp. nov.

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Attili-Angelis, D., Duarte, A.P.M., Pagnocca, F.C. et al. Novel Phialophora species from leaf-cutting ants (tribe Attini). Fungal Diversity 65, 65–75 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-013-0275-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-013-0275-0

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