The occurrence of keratinophilic fungi in selected soils of Ladakh (India)

138 soil samples were collected from various loca-tions in Ladakh, a cold desert in the Himalayan region, India and the samples were screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi using the hair baiting techniques. 58 isolates were recovered and identified. The cultures were identified based on their macroand micro-morphological features. A total of six genera and fourteen species were isolated namely Amauroascus kuehnii (0.72%), Aphanoascus keratinophilus (4.34%), Aphanoascus terreus (2.17%), Auxarthron alboluteum (0.72%), Auxarthron conjugatum (0.72%), Chrysosporium articulatum (0.72%), Chrysosporium mephiticum (0.72%), Chrysosporium minutisporosum (2.17%), Chrysosporium siglerae (0.72%), Chrysosporium sp. (1.44%), Chrysosporium tropicum (15.94 %), Chrysosporium submersum (3.62%), Chrysosporium state of Ctenomyces serratus (6.52%) and Geomyces pannorum (1.45%). The present study shows that keratinophilic fungi exist in the cold desert of Ladakh.