Ogataea falcaomoraisii sp. nov., a sporogenous methylotrophic yeast from tree exudates

Thirteen strains of a new ascospore-forming, methanol-assimilating yeast species were isolated from sap exudates of Sclerolobium sp. (carvoeiro) in two forest fragments in the state of Toncantins, Brazil, and from Hymenaea courbaril (guapinol, jatobá) in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. Analysis of the sequences of the D1/D2 large-subunit ribosomal DNA showed that the species belongs to the genus Ogataea (syn. Pichia), and it was described as Ogataea falcaomoraisii. The closest relatives are Candida ortonii and C. nemodendra. The type culture is UFMG-T264-1T (= CBS 9814T = NRRL Y-27756).