Generic Name for Imperfect Yeasts, Cryptococcus or Torulopsis

Lodder (1934) used the generic name Torulopsis in her important monograph on anascosporogenous yeasts, thereby rescuing the name from virtual oblivion. She used this name instead of Torula, currently used by writers on yeasts. Other mycologists were and are using Torula in its earlier sense to refer to certain dematiaceous molds. Berlese (1894) had created the generic name Torulopsis to correct this error. Unfortunately, the paper in which Torulopsis was first described is very rare. The author has not been able to locate a copy and of all modem writers who have cited the paper, only Ciferri (1925) and Ciferri anid Redaelli (1929) had actually seen the paper, although Lodder (1938) had access to a typewritten copy. Judging from these, Torulopsis was described as a genus consisting of fermenting, anascosporogenous, non-mycelial, non-apiculate yeasts. The name Torulopsis was practically unused for twelve years until Saccardo (1906) revived it and again included fermenting abilities in its properties: Fermentationem alcoholicum excitat. Lost among the Saccardo genera, it was again neglected for another nineteen years until its second rcvival when Ciferri (1925) emended the genus. He omitted any reference to fermentation in his emendation. Four years later, Ciferri and Redaelli (1929) added among other but minor characteristics, these words: little or no fermentative power. Since these workers (1925) were principally interested in nonfermenting yeasts with reddish carotinoid pigments, these organisms were given emphasis. Furthermore, they attempted to follow Ciferri's division into Torulopsis and Eutorulopsis on a basis difficult or impossible to maintain. Again the generic name Torulopsis, was generally ignored until the third revival of it by Lodder (1934) nine years later.