Two New Hemiascomycetes: Pichia Crossotarsi and P. Microspora

SUMMARY

Two new fungi were found in association with the ambrosia beetle Crossotarsus wollastoni Chapman from Kakanakote, Mysore, India. They are perhaps an auxiliary source of nutrition to the insect. Both species are homothallic, have 4-spored asci, cucullate ascospores, and do not use nitrate as a source of nitrogen. The asci in P. crossotarsi are ellipsoid and arranged in verticils. The asci in P. microspora are globose to subglobose, usually in chains but may sometimes be in terminal clusters. The two species can be readily separated on the basis of the size of ascospores. They are 6.5 × 4.5 μ in P. crossotarsi and 2.0 × 1.5 μ in P. microspora.