title: Myrmecridium hiemale sp. nov. from snow-covered alpine soil is the first eurypsychrophile in this genus of anamorphic fungi.
abstract: Myrmecridium hiemale sp. nov. was isolated from snow-covered alpine bare soil and is described as the first eurypsychrophilic species of this genus of filamentous fungi. Colony growth temperature experiments were carried out in the range 4-37 °C. Morphological characteristics and colony appearance were in accordance with characteristics typical for Myrmecridium, but M. hiemale does not grow at temperatures of 25 °C and above. Sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer and LSU rRNA D1/D2 regions indicated that the strain in question represents a distinct taxon within the genus Myrmecridium (Myrmecridiaceae, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota). The type strain of M. hiemale is CBS 141017T(=JMRC 12083T). A morphological description is provided, and a key is presented for the currently known taxa of Myrmecridium, a group of interesting fungi that are either saprobes or plant endophytes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Peintner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dresch
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001317:Austria; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012914:Snow / Q000382:microbiology*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Ramichloridium-like hyphomycetes; alpine environment; psychrotolerant micro-organisms; winter biology