Citeromyces hawaiiensis sp. nov., an ascosporic yeast associated with Myoporum sandwicense.

Citeromyces hawaiiensis sp. nov. (NRRL Y-11581(T)  = CBS 12303(T), type strain) is described from 12 strains isolated from flux of the sandalwood (Myoporum sandwicense) and adjacent soil in Hawaii, USA. Analyses of gene sequences from the D1/D2 domains of nuclear large subunit rRNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), mitochondrial small-subunit rRNA and translation elongation factor-1α each separated the proposed novel species from Citeromyces matritensis and Citeromyces siamensis, the other known species of the genus Citeromyces. The three species are morphologically similar but they can be separated by growth reactions in standard assimilation tests. An additional strain of Citeromyces siamensis (NRRL Y-11788), a species previously known only from Thailand, was obtained from spoiled condensed milk in Ohio, USA.