Novel anamorphic mite-associated fungi belonging to the Ustilaginomycetes: Meira geulakonigii gen. nov., sp. nov., Meira argovae sp. nov. and Acaromyces ingoldii gen. nov., sp. nov

1 Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands 2 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne, FL 33149, USA 3 Departments of Entomology, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 12, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76-100, Israel 4 Departments of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 12, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76-100, Israel Correspondence Teun Boekhout boekhout{at}cbs.knaw.nl Three novel mite-associated basidiomycetous species are described in two new anamorph genera as Meira geulakonigii gen. nov., sp. nov. (type CBS 110052 T =NRRL Y-27483 T =AS 004 T ), Meira argovae sp. nov. (type CBS 110053 T =NRRL Y-27482 T =AS 005 T ) and Acaromyces ingoldii gen. nov., sp. nov. (type CBS 110050 T =NRRL Y-27484 T =AS 001 T ). Morphologically, these fungi are similar to the yeast-like fungi classified in the Ustilaginales, such as Pseudozyma species. However, analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rDNA suggests that they belong to two different lineages within the Exobasidiomycetidae of the Ustilaginomycetes (Basidiomycota). Furthermore, these fungi may be of interest for the biocontrol of mites, as they reduced mite numbers by approximately 80 % after inoculation. Abbreviations: ITS, internal transcribed spacer; MEA, malt extract agar; PDA, potato dextrose agar; YMA, yeast extract/malt extract agar; YPGA, yeast extract/peptone/glucose agar Published online ahead of print on 28 February 2003 as DOI 10.1099/ijs.0.02434-0. The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession numbers for isolates AS 001 T to AS 006 are respectively AY158665 – AY158670 (D1/D2 domain of LSU rDNA) and AY158671 – AY158676 (ITS domain).