Torulaspora asahi M. Silva, F. Paraiso, M. A. Lachance & J. P. Sampaio 2025

Torulaspora asahi M. Silva, F. Paraíso, M.-A. Lachance & J.P. Sampaio, sp. nov. MB 853717. Fig. 4A–C. Etymology: Torulaspora asahi. a.sa.hi’, N.L. app. n. asahi, the Japanese word “asahi” meaning rising sun Japan’s sobriquet (“the Land of the Rising Sun”) as several strains of this species, including the ex-type strain, were isolated in that country. +, positive; -, negative; s, delayed; w, weak; v, variable. Typus: Japan, Shiba Prefecture, soil underneath Quercus acuta, 2008, Y. Imanishi (holotype PYCC 8100H, ex-holotype cultures PYCC 8100, CBS 18509). The holotype is permanently maintained in a metabolically inactive state in the Portuguese Yeast Culture Collection, Caparica, Portugal. The genome of this species was deposited at DDBJ /ENA/ GenBank under the accession GCA_931301635. The version described in this paper is v. 1. Description: After 1 wk on YM agar at 25 °C, cultures are smooth, cream-coloured, and butyrous. After 3 d of growth on YM agar at 25 °C, cells are globose (4–5.5 µm) to sub-globose (4–6 × 3–5 µm) and occur singly or in pairs, and proliferation is by multilateral budding (Fig. 4A). On Dalmau plates after 2 wk at 25 °C, no pseudohyphae nor true hyphae are formed. Sexual reproduction is observed on acetate agar after 15 d at 20 °C, and the cultures appear to be homothallic. Cellular extensions that resemble conjugation tubes are frequent and usually are not involved in conjugation (Fig. 4B). Asci are persistent and normally are formed after conjugation involving a cell and its bud. Asci produce one to two smooth and spherical ascospores, measuring 2.5–3.5 µm diam. (Fig. 4C). The physiological and biochemical profile of the species is shown in Table 1 and Table S5. Habitat and distribution: This species was found in the arboreal niche, including soil underneath Quercus acuta and Q. salicina, bark of Lithocarpus edulis, root of Clermontia sp., exudate of Myoporum, and fruit of Ficus virgata. Currently known from collections in Japan (Chiba Prefecture and Iriomote island) and Hawaii. Additional cultures examined: PYCC 8099, PYCC 8101, PYCC 9382, UWOPS 91-901.1, UWOPS 91-920.1 (see Table S1 for details).