Isolation of the symbiotic fungus of and phylogeny of from leaf-cutting ants.

Leaf-cutting ants live in an obligate symbiosis with a species, a basidiomycete that serves as a food source to the larvae and queen. The aim of this work was to isolate, identify and complete the phylogenetic study of species of . Macroscopic and microscopic features were used to identify the fungal symbiont of the ants. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region was used as molecular marker for the molecular identification and to evaluate the phylogeny within the genus. One fungal symbiont associated with was isolated and identified as . The phylogeny of obtained using the ITS molecular marker revealed three well established monophyletic groups. It was possible to recognize one clade of associated with phylogenetically derived leaf-cutting ants ( and ). A second clade of free living forms of (non-cultivated), and a third clade of associated with phylogenetically basal genera of ants were also recognized. The clades corresponded to traditional taxonomic groups, and were differentiated by ecological habitats of different species.