862 Mycologia, 94(5), 2002, pp. 862–865.  2002 by The Mycological Society of America, Lawrence, KS 66044-8897 A new species of Syspastospora from tropical soils Dania Garcı ´a Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical ‘‘Alejandro de Humbolt’’, calle 1 esq.2, Santiago de las Vegas, Boyeros, C. de La Habana, Cuba A. M. Stchigel J. Guarro 1 Facultat de Medicina i Cie `ncies de la Salut, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/ Sant Llorenc ¸ 21, 43201, Reus, Tarragona, Spain Abstract: Syspastospora tropicalis sp. nov. isolated from soil samples from different tropical regions is described and illustrated. The fungus can be easily separated from the other species of the genus by its setose perithecial ascomata with a short papillate neck. Key Words: Ascomycota, Ceratostomataceae, soil borne fungi INTRODUCTION The genus Syspastospora was erected by Cannon and Hawksworth (1982) to accommodate S. parasitica (Tul.) P. F. Cannon & D. Hawksw. (1982), which was removed from Melanospora Corda mainly on the basis of the neck structure. In Syspastospora the neck is long and formed by more or less parallel hyphae with remote septa, and in Melanospora it is short and com- posed of pseudoparenchymatous cells. The ring of hyaline setae around the ostiole, which is universally present in Melanospora, is lacking in Syspastospora. Another distinctive feature is the shape of the asco- spores, which in Syspastospora are cylindrical to doli- iform, with truncate ends and with large terminal cra- teriform germ pores, while in Melanospora they are usually ellipsoidal to citriform, and with small, slightly sunken germ pores (Cannon and Hawksworth 1982). The second species of the genus, S. boninensis Horie, Udagawa & P. F. Cannon (1986), is characterized by non-ostiolate ascomata and wider ascospores. During a survey of soil-borne ascomycetes in trop- ical forests of different countries numerous strains of an interesting species of Syspastospora were isolated. This species proved to be sufficiently different from those previously described to warrant the proposal of a new taxon. Accepted for publication February 08, 2002. 1 Corresponding author, Email: umb@fmcs.urv.es MATERIALS AND METHODS The soil samples were collected in Argentina, Cuba, Nepal, and Nigeria in different forays (1995–2000). In Argentina, soil samples were collected in areas of the Las Yungas rain- forest with average monthly temperatures between 11 and 30 C and an annual precipitation of 2500 mm. Samples from Cuba were collected from four localities with average monthly temperatures ranging from 24 to 26 C and an an- nual precipitation of approximately 1400 mm. Soil samples from Nepal were collected at a site 1440 m above sea level and with a subtropical climate (average monthly tempera- ture 2–32 C, annual precipitation 1570 mm). Soils from Ni- geria were collected at a site 300 m below sea level with a tropical hinterland climate (temperatures usually higher than 27 C, annual precipitation 2000–3000 mm). Soil samples were collected from the A 0 horizon using sterile polyethylene bags. These were then sealed with a rubber band and labeled. Material was stored in a refrig- erator at 4–7 C. A soil bait technique was used for recov- ering the fungi. Petri dishes were half-filled with the soil samples and moistened with sterile distilled water. Several pieces of sterile wood (approx 1  2 cm) were placed on the soil surface or partially buried in it. Petri dishes were incubated at room temperature, in darkness, and checked weekly. Axenic cultures of the growing fungi were obtained from masses of mature ascospores ejected from the ascom- ata. Isolates were grown on oatmeal agar (OA; Difco, De- troit, Michigan, USA), potato carrot agar (potatoes 20 g, carrot 20 g, agar 20 g, tap water 1000 mL) and malt extract agar (MEA, Difco, Detroit, Michigan, USA) and incubated at 15, 25, and 35 C. Color notations in parentheses are from Kornerup and Wanscher (1984). Measurements were made from slide preparations mounted in water and lactophenol. Photomicrographs were obtained with a Leitz Dialux 20EB microscope. Scanning electron microscopy techniques were described previously by Figueras and Guarro (1988). Syspastospora tropicalis D. Garcı ´a, Stchigel & Guarro, sp. nov. FIGS. 1–10 Coloniae in agaro cum decocto tuberorum et carotarum expansae, 70–86 mm ad 14 d, effusae, floccose, reversum albidum vel pallidum flavae. Mycelium ex hyphis hyalinis vel dilute flavo-brunneis, ramosis, septatis, levibus, 2–5 m diam compositum. Chlamydosporae 7–10 m diam., glo- bosae vel ovoideae, primo hyalinis deinde atro-brunneae. Ascomata superficialia vel immersa, dispersa vel in catervis- parvis aggregata, pyriformia vel globosa, (71–) 90–109 (– 220)  45–85 (–156) m, nigra in ascosporis acervulantis, setosa; setae rectae vel parum curvae, 30–80 m longae, 1.5–4 m latae ad basim, pallide brunneae, septatae, cras- situnicatae. Collis nullis vel brevibus, 0–30 m longis, 20– 30 m latis ad basim. Peridium membranaceum, pilosum,