Taxonomic implications of Rhodotorula rubra isolates from polluted sea water in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sixty two strains of Rhodotorula rubra which were all isolated from marine and estuarine waters of Rio de Janeiro were found variable for 19 to 32 carbon assimilation tests used in yeast taxonomy. Two R. rubra strains which had latent assimilation of maltose and melizitose appeared to be intermediate with R. pilimanae. Strains of R. glutinis var dairenensis which differed from R. rubra only by weak assimilation of nitrate appeared to be intermediated between these two species. Our physiological tests suggested that R. rubra, R. pilimanae, and part of R. glutinis should be combined and this was supported by DNA base composition and coezyme Q data existing in the literature.