Mycologia, 98(3), 2006, pp. 479–487. # 2006 by The Mycological Society of America, Lawrence, KS 66044-8897 Trichomycetes from China and the description of three new Smittium species D.B. Strongman1 yield many undescribed species and may help better Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University, elucidate the ecology and biogeography of this fungal Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3 Canada group. Shengquan Xu Trichomycetes are poorly known from Asia. One College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, publication reported species recovered in Japan Xi’an, PR China (Lichtwardt et al 1987) and another describing parasites of blackflies from China noted the presence of a Trichomycete, Harpella melusinae Leger & Abstract: Trichomycetes were recovered from the Dubosq, in these hosts (Adler et al 1996). Chien guts of aquatic insect larvae collected from a stream in and Hsieh (2001) reported Trichomycetes in the the Qinling Mountains in western China. These orders Eccrinales and Asellariales from aquatic and collections included Smittium hecatei, known only terrestrial crustaceans as well as millipedes in Taiwan, from Spain, as well as Smittium simulii and Stachylina including two new species of eccrinids from crusta- penetralis, which appear to be more widely distribut- cean hosts. ed. Caudomyces japonicus, previously recorded only This paper reports Trichomycetes from aquatic from Japan, also is reported from crane fly larvae insects collected in the Niu Bei Liang nature pro- (Antocha sp.) from China. We describe three new tection area, Qinling Mountains approximately 40 km species, Smittium chinliense from a tipulid host, as well from Xi’an, in western China. We describe three new as Smittium naiadis and Smittium nodifixum, both species of Trichomycetes in the genus Smittium from from chironomid larvae. A probable new species of these collections as well as six other taxa of Gauthieromyces was collected in mayfly nymphs and is trichomycetes. illustrated but not described here. Key words: aquatic insects, Caudomyces, Gauthie- MATERIAL AND METHODS romyces, gut fungi, Harpellales Insects were collected in a D-net by kick-sampling (Licht- wardt et al 2001) in a fast-flowing, shallow stream (Hao INTRODUCTION River) in the Niu Bei Liang nature protection area, western China (33u55.21N 108u56.49E) 26 and 27 Apr Trichomycetes living in the guts of arthropods, mostly 2005. The stream had a sandy and pebbly bottom with immature stages of insects in aquatic systems, are little organic material and flowed through an area of widely distributed. The best documented occurrences large boulders. The stream yielded immature stages of of these fungi are from the United States and mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), larval western Europe (France, England and Spain) flies (Diptera) and beetles (Coleoptera). Samples of (Manier 1970, Moss et al 1975, Lichtwardt 1986, tipulid (Diptera) larvae also were hand-picked from rocks Santamaria 1997, Lichtwardt et al 2001, Valle and in the splash zone of a small waterfall near the sampling Santamaria 2004). Fewer published records exist for area. South America (Lichtwardt and Arenas 1996, Licht- The hindgut and peritrophic matrix (in the dipterans) wardt et al 2000), Central America (Lichtwardt 1994, were dissected out of the hosts and examined microscop- 1997), Australia (Lichtwardt and Williams 1990) and ically for the presence of trichomycetes and other gut inhabitants. Fungal identifications were made with the New Zealand (Williams and Lichtwardt 1990). Al- Lucid keys available at the University of Kansas Trichomy- though the Trichomycete survey to date has cete Website (www.nhm.ku.edu/fungi/). Semipermanent covered many widely separated continents, large slides, stained with lactophenol cotton blue were prepared areas with prime habitat and high arthropod as described in Lichtwardt et al (2001). Digital photomicro- diversity have yet to be examined in a systematic way graphs of the diagnostic features were taken at the Saint (e.g. in Canada, Africa and China). The abundance Mary’s University Taxonomy Laboratory, Halifax, Nova and frequency of occurrence of Trichomycetes in Scotia, Canada. Voucher specimens of new species and hosts from areas that already have been surveyed Caudomyces japonicus Lichtw. Kobayasi & Indoh were suggest that sampling in new geographic areas will deposited in the herbarium (SANU), College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710062, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China. Other voucher Accepted for publication 1 Mar 2006. specimens are in the collection of DBS, Saint Mary’s 1 Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] University. 479 480 MYCOLOGIA RESULTS and provide photomicrographs to show the features in this collection from China (FIGS. 14, 15). These The insects contained several species of Trichomy- baetids also had Paramoebidium spp. in their guts. cetes in the order Harpellales as well as protists in the The guts of siphlonurid mayflies (Ephemeroptera: genus Paramoebidium, which is currently classified Siphlonuridae) contained Paramoebidium spp. Ap- within the Trichomycetes in the order Amoebidiales proximately 12 specimens of ephemerellid mayflies (Lichtwardt et al 2001). Harpellids recovered from (Ephemerellidae) were dissected but no Trichomy- midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) included Smittium cetes were seen. One to three specimens each of hecatei L.G.Valle & Santam. and Sm. simulii Lichtw. nemourid stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) and from the hindgut. Stachylina penetralis Lichtw. was mayflies in the families Heptageniidae and Caenidae observed on the peritrophic matrix of these hosts. In were dissected but the guts contained no fungi. The addition two species of Smittium collected in chi- small number of these insects in the collections ronomids had unique morphological features that probably reflects their phenology and it may be that warrant description as new species, Sm. naiadis they would have Trichomycetes in the gut at (FIGS. 1–4) and Sm. nodifixum (FIGS. 5–8). Thalli of a different time or stage in their development. Paramoebidium spp. were common in the hindgut of Predacious beetle larvae were not dissected because these dipterans but insufficient characters were avail- predacious insects normally do not house Trichomy- able to identify them to species. cetes (Lichtwardt et al 2001). The other dipterans commonly collected were two unidentified species of tipulids (Antocha spp.), one from wet rocks next to a waterfall and another from TAXONOMY the stream. Although approximately 50 larvae from Smittium naiadis Strongman et Shengquan Xu, sp. the waterfall site were dissected no fungi were present nov. FIGS. 1–4 in the hindgut. Only three specimens of another Thallus diffusus, ramis primariis e fasciculo Antocha sp. were collected from the stream. One of simplici cellularum basalium muco velatarum orienti- these had thalli of a Smittium sp. that did not match bus; ramificatio secundaria per longitudinem et in any described species so we describe a new species, extremis ramorum principalium valde verticillata. Sm. chinliense (FIGS. 9–11), below. Caudomyces japo- Trichosporae cylindricae longae angustaeque (34–36 nicus (FIGS. 12, 13) was collected in the hindguts of 3 2.5–3.5 mm), cum collo conspicuo breve (3 mm) two tipulid larvae, including one larva that also had quod ut videtur 1–2 tumores plerumque habet. Sm. chinliense. This monotypic genus was known only Trichosporae appendice singula tenui instructae. from Japan where it was recorded from the same Zygosporae incognita. In proctodaeo larvarum Chir- genus of tipulid host (Lichtwardt et al 1987). onomidarum. Mayflies collected from Hao River had Trichomy- Thallus diffuse, primary branches arise from cetes in their hindguts from the same orders a simple cluster of basal cells covered with mucilage (Harpellales and Amoebidiales) as the chironomids. (FIGS. 1, 2), secondary branching strongly verticilliate A Gauthieromyces sp. was recovered from Baetiella along the length and at the end of the primary ausobskyi Braasch (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). The branches (FIG. 1). Trichospores cylindrical, long and genus Gauthieromyces and the type species, G. narrow (34–36 3 2.5–3.5 mm) with a conspicuous, microsporus Lichtw., were described formally by short (3 mm) collar that commonly appears to have Lichtwardt (1983) based on the original description 1 or 2 thickenings (FIGS. 3, 4). Trichospores with and drawings from Gauthier (1960). No type material a single, thin appendage. Zygospores not found. In exists, but based on the drawings in the original hindgut of bloodworms (Chironomidae). species description the specimens from China belong Etymology. from the Latin naias meaning from to Gauthieromyces. Its distinctive minute, horseshoe- a nymph, referring to the source being the immature shaped trichospores could not be confused with any (larval) stage of the host. other described species. We collected this Gauthier- Specimens examined. CHINA. SHAANXI PROVINCE: Hao omyces sp. from a baetid host, which is in the same River, Niu Bei Liang nature protection area, 33u55.21N 108u56.49E. Slide CHI-2 prepared from the hindgut of family of insect that G. microsporus occurs (Gauthier a chironomid larva collected 27 Apr 2005 (HOLOTYPE 1960). J.K. Misra, ( [email protected] pers comm) SANU). recently has discovered a Gauthieromyces sp. from Note. This slide also contains thalli and trichospores India. Images from his collection compared with the of Sm. nodifixum. specimen from China suggest