Hong　Qu,　which　mainly　contains　Monascus　sp.　and　other　microorganisms,　as　well　as　numerous　microbial　metabolites,　is　used　as　the　fermentation　starter　of　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine,　a　traditional　alcoholic　beverage.　Two　widely-used　types　of　Hong　Qu,　namely　Wuyi　Qu　(WYQ)　and　Gutian　Qu　(GTQ),　were　thoroughly　compared　for　their　fermentation　properties,　volatile　profiles,　and　microbiota　structures　in　this　study.　Significantly　higher　color　value,　glucoamylase　and　α-amylase　activities　were　discovered　in　WYQ.　And　substantial　variation　in　volatile　components　and　microbial　communities　were　also　observed　between　them.　It　was　identified　that　bacterial　genus　Burkholderia　dominated　GTQ　(71.62%)　and　Bacillus　dominated　WYQ　(44.73%),　while　Monascus　purpureus　was　the　most　abundant　fungal　species　in　both　types　of　starters　(76.99%).　In　addition,　213　bacterial　genera　and　150　fungal　species　with　low-abundance　were　also　detected.　Since　the　Linear　Discriminant　Analysis　Effect　Size　algorithm,　14　genus-level　bacterial　taxa　and　10　species-level　fungal　taxa　could　be　utilized　to　distinguish　these　two　types　of　starters.　Moreover,　the　potential　correlation　of　the　volatile　components　and　microbiota　within　WYQ　and　GTQ　were　further　analyzed,　by　utilizing　Partial　Least　Squares　Discriminant　Analysis.　Ultimately,　this　study　provides　detailed　insight　into　the　volatile　profiles　and　microbial　communities　presented　in　Hong　Qu.　©　2017　Elsevier　Ltd