Molecular and conventional taxonomy of the Microsporum canis complex.

The validity of taxa around Microsporum canis was evaluated by a combination of phenetic and molecular methods. Morphological and physiological features were compared with results of sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal operon, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fingerprinting and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. The seven species investigated seem to be infraspecific taxa and were reclassified or synonymized as M. canis (teleomorph: Arthroderma otae), M. ferrugineum, and M. audouinii.