Typhula cf. subvariabilis, new snow mould in Antarctica

• Published in: Mycology
• Main Authors: Yuka Yajima, Motoaki Tojo, Bo Chen, Tamotsu Hoshino
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2017
• Subjects: Cryophilic fungi; environmental adaptation; evolution; habitat; psychrophile; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Microbiology; QR1-502; King George Island; Antarc*; Antarctica; Macquarie Island
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/21501203.2017.1343753; https://doaj.org/article/e39165778e46485bbd3e6575b523c06a

We collected snow blight of moss, Polytrichum juniperinum on King George Island, maritime Antarctica. Host died in a circle of about 10–30 cm after snow melts. Clamp connected hyphae and no sclerotia were observed on tip of host leaves. DNA sequence of ITS region from moss symptoms were perfectly matched with fruit bodies of Typhula sp. on Macquarie Island in the maritime Antarctica and high homology with Typhula cf. subvariabilis from Iran. Therefore, we suggested that T. cf. subvariabilis caused snow blight on moss in Antarctica, and this is first record of Typhula snow blight in Southern Hemisphere. These results also suggested that fungi in same genera gained similar ecological niche in both Polar Regions.