Cryptococcus species (Basidiomycota) were isolated as the predominant yeast from glacial biomes of both Patagonia (Argentina) and the Svalbard archip

Glacial ice and snow are known habitats for cold-adapted microorganisms. Research on cold-adapted yeast biodiversity from Perito Moreno and Mount Tro

Species of Leucosporidiales are a group of psychrotolerant yeasts with biotechnological potential. In the present work, we studied the phenotypic, genetic and sexual characteristics of three species of this genus (Leucosporidium scottii, Leucosporidiella creatinivora and Le. yakutica) to clarify the evolutionary relationship among these closely related taxa. From the results obtained, it becomes clear that these yeasts can interbreed. Although genetic delimitation is possible for the three species, the extent of nucleotide substitutions and phenotypic differences observed between them are lower than that expected for species that have ended the speciation process. Our taxonomic conclusion is to maintain the three taxa until further genomic data are gathered. However, the concept of L. scottii species complex is proposed for this group of species. Finally, we transfer all Leucosporidiella and Mastigobasidium species to Leucosporidium (Leucosporidiales), and, in order to end the polyphyly condition of these taxa, we propose the new genus Pseudoleucosporidium gen. nov. and the new combination Peudoleucosporidium fasciculatum comb. nov.

Twenty-one psychrophilic yeast isolates related to theCamptobasidiaceaefamily in theMicrobotryomycetesclass were obtained from ice collected from cold environments worldwide. A new psychrophilic species from the recently described genusCryolevonia, Cryolevania giraudoaeis proposed to accommodate 18 isolates from Patagonia (Argentina) and Antarctica (holotype CRUB 2086^T). In addition, a new psychrophilic species in the genusCamptobasidiumis described asCamptobasidium gelussp. nov. (holotype CBS 8941^T), based on three isolates from glacial ice in the Russel glacier (Greenland ice sheet) and Antarctica. The strict psychrophilic profile is the salient feature of both novel species.