Fungalpedia – Note 1983, Sporothrix

 

Sporothrix. Hektoen & C.F. Perkins.

Citation when using this data: Hyde KD et al. 2020 – Fungalpedia, Ascomycota.

Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank

Classification: Ophiostomataceae, Ophiostomatales, Diaporthomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi

 

Notes –“Sporotrichosis”, a human disease caused by Sporothrix schenckii was reported by Benjamin Schenck in 1898. The disease agent was isolated from a specimen taken from cutaneous lesions of a patient (Hektoen & Perkins 1900). Sporothrix schenckii lives in soil, plants and many mammals (Barros et al. 2011, Chakrabarti et al. 2015). The S. schenckii species complex occurs worldwide, being most commonly found in Africa, America and Asia (Sizar & Talati 2019). de Beer et al. (2013b) reported Sporothrix schenckii/Ophiostoma stenoceras is a species complex in Ophiostomasensu lato, representing a distinct genus in Ophiostomatales. Based on phylogenetic analyses of four gene regions (LSU, ITS, tub2, calM), de Beer et al. (2016b) concluded that Sporothrix was distinct from Ophiostoma sensu stricto, and synonymised Sporotrichopsis and Dolichoascus under this genus. The sexual morph is characterized by globose ascomata with long necks and brown to black bases, 8-spored, evanescent globose to broadly clavate asci and hyaline, aseptate, lunate, allantoid, reniform ascospores. The asexual morph is dimorphic with a mycelial and a yeast phase (de Hoog 1974).

 

Type species: Sporothrix schenckii Hektoen & C.F. Perkins.

Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Sporothrix.

 

References

Barros MB, de Almeida Paes R, Schubach AO. 2011 – Sporothrix schenckii and Sporotrichosis. Clinical microbiology reviews 24, 633–654.

Chakrabarti A, Bonifaz A, Gutierrez-Galhardo MC, Mochizuki T, Li S. 2015 – Global epidemiology of sporotrichosis. Med Mycol 53, 3–14.

de Beer ZW, Marincowitz S, Duong TA, Kim JJ et al. 2016b – Hawksworthiomyces gen. nov. (Ophiostomatales), illustrates the urgency for a decision on how to name novel taxa known only from environmental nucleic acid sequences (ENAS). Fungal Biology 120, 1323–1340.

de Beer ZW, Seifert KA, Wingfield MJ. 2013b – The ophiostomatoid fungi: their dual position in the Sordariomycetes. In: Seifert KA, de Beer ZW, Wingfield MJ (eds). The ophiostomatoid fungi: expanding frontiers CBS biodiversity series. CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands 12, 1–9.

de Hoog GS. 1974 – The genera Blastobotrys, Sporothrix, Calcarisporium and Calcarisporiella gen. nov. Studies in Mycology 7, 1–84.

Hektoen L, Perkins CF. 1900 – Refractory subcutaneous abscesses caused by Sporothrix schenckii. A new pathogenic fungus. Journal of Experimental Medicine 5, 77–89.

Sizar O, Talati R. 2019 – Sporotrichosis (Sporothrix Schenckii). StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

 

Entry by

Kevin David Hyde, Institute of Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, P.R. China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, Mushroom Research Foundation, 128 M.3 Ban Pa Deng T. Pa Pae, A. Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, P.R. China, School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, World Agroforestry Centre, East and Central Asia, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, P.R. China

 

Published online 11 March 2026

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