Abstract

TRANCHIDA, María C; CENTENO, Néstor D; STENGLEIN, Sebastián A  and  CABELLO, Marta N. First record of Talaromyces udagawae in soil related to decomposing human remains in Argentina. Rev. argent. microbiol. [online]. 2016, vol.48, n.1, pp.86-90. ISSN 0325-7541.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ram.2015.10.002.

The morphologic features of Talaromyces udagawae Stolk and Samson are here described and illustrated. This teleomorphic Ascomycota fungus was isolated from soil obtained in Buenos Aires province (Argentina) from beneath a human cadaver in an advanced state of decomposition. After washing and serial dilution of the soil along with moist-chamber techniques for fungal cultivation, T. udagawae formed very restricted colonies of bright yellow color on different growth media with 8-ascospored asci. The ascospores were ellipsoidal and ornamented. The anamorphic state was not observed. Molecular-genetic techniques identified the species. The present record is the first of the species in Argentina, pointing it as a tool to identify soils where cadaver decomposition occurs.

Keywords : Talaromyces udagawae; Soil fungi; Cadaver decomposition; Ascomycota; Forensic potential.