Two new Harpellales inhabiting the digestive tracts of midge larvae and other trichomycetes from Tianshan Mountains, China

Abstract

Two new taxa of gut fungi within order Harpellales (Kickxellomycotina) are described from a stream in the Tianshan Mountains in northwestern China. These include the new genus and species, Sinotrichium chironomidarum J. Wang, S.Q. Xu & Strongman, and the new species, Stachylina tianensis J. Wang, S.Q. Xu & Strongman, both living in the guts of aquatic chironomid larvae. We also extend the geographic range of Smittium rupestre, previously known only from Australia. A Harpellid specimen not fully identified and a species of Paramoebidium (Amoebidiales) also are documented.

• aquatic insects
• endobionts
• Harpellales
• Sinotrichium
• Stachylina

We are grateful for the support of the College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University (SNNU), and by Biology Department, Saint Mary’s University (SMU). This work was part of SNNU-SMU cooperative research. JW thanks her parents for helping with the collections in Xinjiang, and she thanks Ms Lili Zhang, Mr Zhihui Yu, Ms Jianghong Meng, Ms Xiaoning Chen and Ms Jiaxuan Liang for assistance in the field. We also thank Carolyn Bird, Chester Basin, Nova Scotia, for providing the Latin diagnoses and many helpful comments on the manuscript.