Abstract
A filamentous fungus Paecilomyces formosus (Eurotiales, Ascomycota) was detected for the first time from the region while surveying fungal diversity of a cold arid high-altitude pass (4,000 msl) located in Kargil district (Ladakh), India. The fungal isolate was characterized morphologically with camera lucida drawings and microphotographs, and identified using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA sequences. P. formosus has not been reported from India, or from arid/semi-arid/cold regions before, thus this represents a new record of Indian hot/cold desert mycoflora that is psychrotrophic in contrast to the more common thermophilic fungi.
Highlights
The genus Paecilomyces (Eurotiales, Ascomycota) was first described by Bainier in 1907, and established as closely related to the genus Penicillium. These genera differ in many aspects, such as colony and spore colour, phialide shape and form of conidiophores
Sapi La (34.3710N, 76.1970E) is a high altitude pass (4,000 m) between two villages located in Kargil district in the trans-Himalayan region that is well known for the Sapi glacier (34.3520N, 76.0760E) and lake (34.3520N 76.0760E; Image 1 a–d)
We describe the characteristics of this cold desert isolate
Summary
The genus Paecilomyces (Eurotiales, Ascomycota) was first described by Bainier in 1907, and established as closely related to the genus Penicillium. Later, based on morphological characters, Brown & Smith (1957) and Samson (1974) provided comprehensive monographs of Paecilomyces with a number of additions including the sexual stages of several species. Morphological characterization The fungal isolate described was cultured on MEA and PDA plates for three to four days at 25 °C.
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