ARS | Publication request: The Genus Hamigera, Six New Species and Multilocus DNA Sequence Based Phylogeny

Submitted to: Mycologia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 8, 2010
Publication Date: June 15, 2010
Repository URL: http://doi:10.3852/09-268
Citation: Peterson, S.W., Jurjevic, Z., Bills, G.F., Stchigel, A.M., Vega, F.E. 2010. The Genus Hamigera, Six New Species and Multilocus DNA Sequence Based Phylogeny. Mycologia. 102(4):847-864.

Interpretive Summary: The molds Hamigera avellanea and Hamigera striata were each first found in and isolated from spoiled canned blue-berries in the US. Looking at a large number of isolates of these molds revealed a vast difference in the appearance of the individuals. In order to determine whether the blue-berry spoilage molds could be relegated to individuals with a similar appearance, the genealogy of the individuals was determined from DNA sequence comparisons. We found that appearance is a good way to recognize isolates of the blue-berry spoilage mold, and that the individuals with vastly different appearance, although related, are other types of molds. The blue-berry canning industry and microbial taxonomists will benefit from this research.

Technical Abstract: The genus Hamigera was erected for Talaromyces species that make asci singly rather than in chains. Initially it contained two species, H. avellanea and H. striata. Multilocus DNA sequence phylogenetic analysis of many isolates shows that undescribed Hamigera species are present in the tree, and it shows that some species previously regarded as Penicillium species are Merimbla species. We describe six new species in the genus Hamigera, H. insecta, H. solum, H. pallida, H. neoavellanea, H. hispanica and H australiensis. We establish new combinations in the genus Merimbla to properly place the species M. ingelheimense, M. arenicola, M. megaspora and M. gigantea. In addition, Talaromyces subinflatus is moved into the genus Hamigera as H. subinflata.