Kockovaella nitrophila Q.M. Wang, F.Y. Bai & A.H. Li sp. nov. MycoBank MB828739. Fig. 7E.

Etymology: the specific epithet nitrophila refers to the physiological character of assimilating nitrate.

Culture characteristics: In YM broth, after 7 d at 17 °C, cells are subglobosal and ellipsoidal, 2.4 –4.4 × 3.7– 4.5 μm and single, budding is polar (Fig. 7E), a sediment is formed. After 1 mo at 17 °C, a sediment is present. On YM agar, after 1 mo at 17 °C, the streak culture is creamish white, butyrous, smooth. The margin is entire. In Dalmau plate culture on corn meal agar, pseudohyphae are not formed. Sexual structures are not observed on YM, PDA, V8 and CM agar. Ballistoconidia are not produced.

Physiological and biochemical characteristics: Glucose fermentation is absent. Glucose, galactose (weak), sucrose, maltose, trehalose, melibiose (weak), raffinose, melezitose, inulin, Dxylose (weak), L-arabinose (weak), D-arabinose (weak), Dribose (weak) and DL-lactate (weak) are assimilated as sole carbon sources. L-sorbose, cellobiose, lactose, soluble starch, L-rhamnose, D-glucosamine, N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine, methanol, ethanol, glycerol, erythritol, ribitol, galactitol, D-mannitol, D-glucitol, Methyl-α- D-glucoside, salicin, succinate, citrate, myo-inositol and hexadecane are not assimilated. Ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate, L-lysine (weak), ethylamine hydrochloride (weak) and cadaverine dihydrochloride (weak) are assimilated as sole nitrogen sources. Sodium nitrite is not assimilated. Maximum growth temperature is 37 °C. Growth in vitamin-free medium is positive (weak). Starch-like substances are not produced. Growth on 50 % (w/w) glucose-yeast extract agar is negative. Urease activity is positive. Diazonium Blue B reaction is positive. The major ubiquinone is Q-10.

Physiologically, Koc. nitrophila differs from its five closely related species, Koc. ischaemi, Koc. haikouensis, Koc. sacchari, Koc. thailandica and Koc. imperatae, in its inability to assimilate cellobiose, melibiose, D-glucosamine, N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-mannitol and its ability to assimilate potassium nitrate (Table S1.1).

Typus: China, Wuzhishan mountain, Hainan province, obtained from a leaf of an unidentified plant, Nov. 2006, Q.-M. Wang (holotype CGMCC 2.3465 T preserved in a metabolically inactive state, ex-type CBS 15487 = WZS12.1).