Candida ogatae sp nov., an anamorphic member of the Kuraishia clade

Three methanol-assimilating yeast strains representing a hitherto undescribed species were isolated from rotten wood and freshwater samples collected in Hungary. Analysis of the D1/D2 large subunit rRNA gene sequences placed the strains in the Kuraishia clade; however, no ascospore formation was observed. These strains differ from Candida hungarica, the genetically most closely related recognized species, by four and five substitutions in D1/D2 and by >1% and 4% differences in the internal transcribed spacer and in the mitochondrial small subunit rRNA gene regions, respectively. Some phenotypic differences were also observed. Candida ogatae, a novel yeast species, is proposed to accommodate these isolates. The type culture is NCAIM Y.01845(T) (CBS 10924, NRRL Y-48474).