Abstract
Seven yeast strains isolated from natural substrates of Thailand were found to represent two novel species of Candida, an ascomycetous anamorphic genus. Three strains, ST-233, ST-259 and ST-260, isolated from insect frass and plant leaves were found to represent a single novel species related to Metschnikowia agaves in a tree based on the D1/D2 domain sequences of the 26S rRNA genes. This species is clearly discriminated from M. agaves by the carbon assimilation patterns and required vitamins. The remaining four strains, ST-18, ST-261, ST-606 and ST-658, isolated from the fruit body of a mushroom, insect frass, decayed jack fruit and an unidentified flower, were found to represent a single species which is related to Candida corydali, a recently described insect-associated species, in a neighbor-joining tree based on the D1/D2 sequences. This species is clearly discriminated from C. corydali by the ability to assimilate propane-1,2-diol and the inability to assimilate glucono-delta-lactone. They are described as Candida wancherniae sp. nov. and Candida morakotiae sp. nov., respectively.
