Species reassignment of Geotrichum bryndzae, Geotrichum phurueaensis, Geotrichum silvicola and Geotrichum vulgare based on phylogenetic analyses and mating compatibility.

The present classification of Galactomyces and its anamorph, Geotrichum, is based on various studies that used morphology, ecology, biochemistry, DNA-DNA reassociation comparisons and gene sequencing. In this study, the identities of strains of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures yeast culture collection, as well as seven strains from South Africa, were examined by analyses of the nucleotide divergence in the internal transcribed spacer regions of the nuclear rRNA gene (nrRNA) operon, the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA gene and partial actin gene sequences as well as compatibility studies. The South African strains were assigned to species in the genus Galactomyces. The phylogenetic analyses and mating studies revealed that Geotrichum silvicola and Geotrichum bryndzae are synonyms of Galactomyces candidus and that Geotrichum vulgare is a synonym of Galactomyces pseudocandidus.