Hirsutella proturicola sp. nov. isolated from a proturan, Baculentulus densus (Protura, Hexapoda)

Abstract

A new species of Hirsutella, H. proturicola, isolated from a subterranean proturan (Baculentulus densus; Protura, Hexapoda), is described and illustrated. Hirsutella proturicola is characterized by producing monoblastic phialides of 24–51.5×2.5–5μm with a slightly roughened neck, fusiform and curved conidia of 9–18×2.5–4μm that have a truncate base and a papillate projection often capped with sheath-like mucilage, and pluricellular, globose to subglobose chlamydospores of 21–48×21–41.5μm. This species is morphologically and phylogenetically close to H. rostrata, an acaropathogenic species, but can be distinguished from the size of the phialides and the size and shape of the conidia.