Summary
Fungi isolated from samples of soil, penguin, skua and petrel dung and bird feathers in the Victoria Land, Antarctica, from Inexpressible Island to Cape King, were studied. All material was collected in December 1987–January 1988. Fungi occurred prevalently in bird dung and in soil, especially when mosses were present. The main species isolated were: the keratinophilic Chrysosporium verrucosum and Geomyces pannorum var. pannorum, Phoma herbarum and Thelebolus microsporus. A variety of filamentous fungi and yeasts were also encountered in soil, dung and bird feathers samples in different localities: Acremonium strictum, Cladosporium herbarum, Scolecobasidium salinum, Mortierella antarctica, Paecilomyces farinosus, Phialophora fastigiata, the thermophilic Scytalidium thermophile and Thermomyces lanuginosus, Verticillium sp., Mycelia sterilia and Cryptococcus albidus and Torulaspora delbrueckii. Most of the fungal isolates appeared to be cold-tolerant. Results from this study are discussed in conjuction with data from previous Antarctic studies in this area.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atlas RM, Di Menna ME, Cameron RE (1978) Ecological investigation of yeasts in Antarctic soils. Antarct Res Ser 30:27–34
Broady P, Given D, Greenfield L, Thompson K (1987) The biota and environment of fumaroles on Mt Melbourne, Northern Victoria Land. Polar Biol 7:97–113
Cameron RE (1971) Antarctic soil microbial and ecological investigations. In: Quam LO, Porter HD (eds) Research in the Antarctic. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington DC, pp 137–189
Davenport RR (1980) Cold-tolerant yeasts and yeast-like organism. In: Skinner FA, Passmore SM, Davenport RR (eds) Biology and activities of yeasts. Academic Press, London, pp 215–230
Ellis-Evans JC (1985) Fungi from maritime antarctic freshwater environments. Br Antarct Surv Bull 68:37–45
Goto S, Sugiyama J, Iizuka H (1969) A taxonomic study of Antarctic yeasts. Mycologia 61:748–774
Kimbrough JW (1972) Ascal structure, ascocarp ontogeny, and a natural classification of the Thelebolaceae. Persoonia 6:395–404
Kimbrough JW, Korf RP (1967) A synopsis of the genera and species of the tribe Theleboleae (= Pseudoascoboleae). Am J Bot 54:9–23
Linnemann G (1969) Mit einem Beitrag zur Gattung Mortierella. In: Zycha H, Siepmann R (eds) Mucorales. Cramer, Lehre, p 198
Menna ME di (1966a) Three new yeasts from Antarctic soils: Candida nivalis, Candida gelida and Candida frigida, spp. n.. Antonie van Leeuwenhock J Microbiol Serol 32:25–28
Menna ME di (1966b) Yeast in Antarctica. Antonie van Leeuwenhock J Microbiol Serol 32: 29–38
Meyer GH, Morrow MB, Wyss O (1967) Bacteria, fungi and other biota in the vicinity of Mirny Observatory. Antarct J US 2:248–251
Morgan-Jones G (1988) Studies in the genus Phoma. XIV. Concerning Phoma herbarum, the type species, a widespread saprophyte. Mycotaxon XXXIII:81–90
Oorschot Can van (1980) A revision of Chrysosporium and allied genera. Stud Mycol 20, CBS Baarn
Orr GF (1969) Keratinophilic fungi isolated from soils by a modified hair bait technique. Sabouraudia 7:129–134
Pugh GJF, Allsopp D (1982) Microfungi on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Br Antarct Surv Bull 21:79–94
Pugh GJF, Evans MD (1970a) Keratinophilic fungi associated with birds. I. Fungi isolated from feathers, nests and soils. Trans Br Mycol Soc 54:233–240
Pugh GJF, Evans MD (1970b) Keratinophilic fungi associated with birds. II. Physiological studies. Trans Br Mycol Soc 54:241–250
Rees RG (1967) Keratinophilic fungi from Queensland. II. Isolation from feathers of wild birds. Sabouraudia 6:14–18
Samuelson DA, Kimbrough JW (1978) Asci of the Pezizales. IV. The apical apparatus of Thelebolus. Bot Gaz 139: 346–361
Sugiyama J, Sugiyama Y, Iizuka H, Torii T (1967) Mycological studies of the Antarctic Fungi. Part 2. Mycoflora of Lake Vanda and Ice-Free Lake. Report of the Japanese Summer Parties in Dry Valleys, Victoria Land, 1963–1965 28:23–32
Sun SH, Huppert M, Cameron RE (1978) Identification of some fungi from soil and air of Antarctica. In: Parker B (ed) Terrestrial biology, vol III. Antarct Res Seri 30, no 1. Am Geophys Union, pp 1–26
Tubaki K (1961) On some fungi isolated from the antarctic materials. Biol Res Jpn Antarct Res Esp, Pub Seto Mar Biol Lab, Kyoto Univ 14:3–9
Tubaki K, Asano I (1965) Additional species of fungi isolated from the Antarctic materials. JARE 1956–1962 Sci Rep, Ser E, no 27. Pub Polar Sect Nat Sci Mus Tokyo, pp 1–16
Wicklow D, Malloch D (1971) Studies in the genus Thelebolus: temperature optima for growth and ascocarp development. Mycologia 63:118–131
Wynn-Williams DD (1980) Seasonal fluctuations in microbiol activity in Antarctic moss peat. Biol J Linnean Soc 14:11–28
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Del Frate, G., Caretta, G. Fungi isolated from Antarctic material. Polar Biol 11, 1–7 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236515
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236515