Note: Studies on the phylogenetic relationships of melanogenic marine bacteria: Proposal of Marinomonas mediterranea sp. nov.

The polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities of the marine melanogenic strains MMB-1T and 2–40 were compared. Both contained a multifunctional PPO able to oxidize a wide range of substrates. In spite of this similarity, phylogenetic studies based on 16S rRNA sequences showed that these strains are not closely related. Strain 2–40 is not related to any previously described genus. On the basis of these studies and morphological and physiological characteristics, it is proposed that strain MMB-1T (= CECT 4803T = ATCC 700492T) represents a new species in the genus Marinomonas, Marinomonas mediterranea sp. nov.