- Volume 62, Issue Pt_12, 2012

This listing of names published in a previous issue of the IJSEM is provided as a service to bacteriology to assist in the recognition of new names and new combinations. This procedure was proposed by the Judicial Commission [Minute 11(ii), Int J Syst Bacteriol 41 (1991), p. 185]. The names given herein are listed according to the Rules of priority (i.e. page number and order of valid publication of names in the original articles). Taxonomic opinions included in this List (i.e. the creation of synonyms or the emendation of circumscriptions) cannot be considered as validly published nor, in any other way, approved by the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes and its Judicial Commission.

Two Gram-staining-positive, aerobic, non-sporulating bacteria forming short rods and cocci, designated MB1-7 and MB1-14T, were isolated from the Taklamakan desert. The isolates could oxidize manganese (II) ions. The isolates shared 95.4–98.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with members of the genus Mycetocola . Although the isolates possessed chemotaxonomic properties similar to those of Mycetocola reblochoni , they were readily distinguished from this taxon by DNA–DNA relatedness and phenotypic characters. According to morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, as well as phylogenetic analysis and DNA–DNA relatedness, the two isolates represent a novel species of the genus Mycetocola , for which the name Mycetocola manganoxydans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MB1-14T ( = CCTCC AB 209002T  = KCTC 19753T).

Three actinobacterial strains, CR30T, CR36 and CR38T, were isolated from rhizosphere soil of Pisum sativum plants collected in Spain. The strains were filamentous, Gram-stain-positive and produced single spores. Phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and morphological analyses confirmed that the three strains belonged to the genus Micromonospora . 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strains CR30T and CR36 showed a close relationship to Micromonospora coriariae NAR01T (99.3 % similarity) while strain CR38T had a similarity of 99.0 % with Micromonospora saelicesensis Lupac 09T. In addition, gyrB gene phylogeny clearly differentiated the novel isolates from recognized Micromonospora species. DNA–DNA hybridization, BOX-PCR and ARDRA profiles confirmed that these strains represent novel genomic species. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strains CR30T and CR38T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Both strains had MK-10(H4) as the main menaquinone and a phospholipid type II pattern. An array of physiological tests also differentiated the isolates from their closest neighbours. Considering all the data obtained, it is proposed that strains CR30T and CR36 represent a novel species under the name Micromonospora cremea sp. nov. (type strain CR30T = CECT 7891T = DSM 45599T), whereas CR38T represents a second novel species, for which the name Micromonospora zamorensis sp. nov. is proposed, with CR38T ( = CECT 7892T = DSM 45600T) as the type strain.

The 16S rRNA and gyrB genes of 22 Streptomyces strains belonging to the Streptomyces griseus cluster were sequenced, and their taxonomic positions were re-evaluated. For correct analysis, all of the publicly available sequences of the species were collected and compared with those obtained in this study. Species for which no consensus sequence could be identified were excluded from the phylogenetic analysis. The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity within the cluster ranged from 98.6 to 100 % with a mean value of 99.6±0.3 %, and those of the gyrB gene ranged from 93.6 to 99.9 % with a mean value of 96.3±1.5 %. The observed average nucleotide substitution rate of the gyrB gene was ten times higher than that of the 16S rRNA gene, showing a far higher degree of variation. Strains sharing 99.3 % or more gyrB sequence similarity (corresponding to an evolutionary distance of 0.0073) always formed monophyletic groups in both trees. Through the combined analysis of the two genes, clear cases of synonymy could be identified and, according to the priority rule, the assertion of the status of Streptomyces setonii as a distinct species and the reclassification of Streptomyces fimicarius as a later synonym of S. setonii and Streptomyces albovinaceus as a later synonym of Streptomyces globisporus are proposed. Emended descriptions of S. setonii and S. globisporus are provided.

A novel actinomycete, designated strain PT708T, was isolated from cave soil collected in Pha Tup Cave Forest Park, Nan province, Thailand. It produced compounds with antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Its chemotaxonomic properties were consistent with those of members of the genus Nonomuraea . The major menaquinone was MK-9(H4), with minor amounts of MK-9(H6), MK-9(H2), MK-10(H2) and MK-8(H4). The polar lipid profile contained phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, hydroxy-phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, hydroxy-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and phosphatidylinositol. The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, 10-methyl C17 : 0, C16 : 0 and C17 : 1ω6c. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain PT708T belonged to the genus Nonomuraea and was most closely related to Nonomuraea rhizophila YIM 67092T (98.50 % sequence similarity) and Nonomuraea rosea GW 12687T (98.30 %). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain PT708T was 73.3 mol%. Unlike the recognized members of the genus Nonomuraea , the novel strain formed single spores at the tips of aerial hyphae. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic evidence, strain PT708T represents a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea , for which the name Nonomuraea monospora sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PT708T ( = TISTR 1910T = JCM 16114T).

Four Gram-stain-positive, aerobic bacterial strains isolated from a pharmaceutical clean room (strain WS4616T), a dessert milk product (strain WS4617) and from raw milk (strains WS4623 and WS4624) were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and recA gene sequences showed that they formed a distinct lineage within the family Propionibacteriaceae . Similarity values between 16S rRNA gene sequences of the four novel strains and the type species of all genera belonging to the family Propionibacteriaceae were 89.2–94.1 %. The major cellular fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. Respiratory quinones were MK-8(H4) and MK-9(H4). The cell-wall peptidoglycan of type A3γ contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, alanine, glycine and glutamic acid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain WS4616T was 67.7 mol%. The whole-cell sugar pattern contained ribose, mannose, arabinose, glucose and galactose. On the basis of phenotypic and genetic data, strains WS4616T, WS4617, WS4623 and WS4624 are classified as members of a novel species in a new genus of the family Propionibacteriaceae , for which the name Naumannella halotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WS4616T ( = DSM 24323T = LMG 26184T) and three additional strains are WS4617, WS4623 and WS4624.

Plants of Convolvulus arvensis exhibiting symptoms of undersized leaves, shoot proliferation and yellowing, collectively defined as bindweed yellows, were sampled in different regions of Europe and assessed for phytoplasma infection by PCR amplification using phytoplasma universal rRNA operon primer pairs. Positive results were obtained for all diseased plants. RFLP analysis of amplicons comprising the16S rRNA gene alone or the16S rRNA gene and 16-23S intergenic spacer region indicated that the detected phytoplasmas were distinguishable from all other previously described rRNA gene sequences. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences derived from seven selected phytoplasma strains (BY-S57/11, BY-S62/11, BY-I1015, BY-I1016, BY-BH1, BY-BH2 and BY-G) showed that they were nearly identical (99.9–100 % gene sequence similarity) but shared less than 97.5 % similarity with comparable sequences of other phytoplasmas. Thus, BY phytoplasmas represent a new taxon whose closest relatives are stolbur phytoplasma strains and ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma fragariae ’ with which they share 97.2 % and 97.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that bindweed yellows phytoplasma strains collectively represent a distinct lineage within the phytoplasma clade and share a common ancestor with previously published or proposed ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ taxa within a major branch including aster yellows and stolbur phytoplasmas. On the basis of unique 16S rRNA gene sequences and biological properties that include a single host plant species and a geographical distribution limited to parts of Europe, the bindweed yellows (BY) phytoplasmas represent a coherent but discrete taxon, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma convolvuli’, with strain BY-S57/11 (GenBank accession no. JN833705) as the reference strain.

Four Gram-stain-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped bacterial strains were isolated from multiple blood cultures of patients with endocarditis, meningitis and spondylodiscitis. The isolates were tentatively identified as viridans streptococci on the basis of phenotypic characteristics. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies showed that the organisms were members of the Streptococcus mitis group but did not correspond to any recognized species. The nearest phylogenetic relative was S. mitis ATCC 49456T, with 98.6 % sequence similarity. The representative strain AZ_3aT showed less than 96.8, 97.6, 94.5 and 95.5 % similarity to the phylogenetically most closely related species by recA, rpoB, sodA and groEL gene sequence analysis, respectively. DNA–DNA hybridization analyses showed a low reassociation value of 32.2 % between strain AZ_3aT and S. mitis DSM 12643T. Reassociation values with members of other S. mitis group species ranged from 27.3 to 49.7 %. The G+C content of the DNA was 40.0 mol%. Based on our biochemical and molecular analyses, the isolates represent a novel species, for which the name Streptococcus tigurinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AZ_3aT ( = CCOS 600T  = DSM 24864T).

A novel mesophilic, strictly anaerobic bacterium, strain BMT, was isolated from food industry wastewater. The cells were motile, non-spore-forming rods and stained Gram-negative. Growth of strain BMT was observed at 16–44 °C (optimum 37 °C) and pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum pH 7.5). The NaCl concentration range for growth was 0–8 % (optimum 1.5 %, w/v). Strain BMT was chemo-organotrophic, using a few sugars and amino acids as sole carbon and energy sources. The fermentation products from peptone-yeast extract broth were propionate, formate, acetate, ethanol and isovalerate. Indole, NH3 and H2S were produced from peptone. No respiratory quinones could be detected. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (39.3 %), iso-C15 : 0 dimethyl acetal (10.1 %), anteiso-C15 : 0 (7.6 %), C14 : 0 (6.1 %) and C16 : 0 (5.6 %). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol and a number of unidentified aminoglycolipids, glycolipids and phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 28.2 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain BMT was related to various genera of the family Clostridiaceae , and its closest relatives were Sporosalibacterium faouarense SOL3f37T (94.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Proteiniborus ethanoligenes GWT (92.1 %) and Clostridiisalibacter paucivorans 37HS60T (92.0 %). In recognition of its distinct phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, isolate BMT is proposed to represent a novel species of a new genus, Brassicibacter mesophilus gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Brassicibacter mesophilus is BMT ( = JCM 16868T  = DSM 24659T).

Two Gram-reaction-negative, motile bacteria, designated strains MJ01T and MJ14, were isolated from sludge collected from the Daejeon sewage disposal plant in South Korea. The taxonomic positions of both strains were determined using a polyphasic approach. In phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strains MJ01T and MJ14 appeared indistinguishable and to be most closely related to members of the genus Rhodanobacter in the family Xanthomonadaceae of the Gammaproteobacteria (96.4–98.8 % sequence similarity). Strain MJ01T exhibited a relatively high level of DNA–DNA relatedness with strain MJ14 (89.3 %) but relatively low DNA–DNA relatedness values with established species in the genus Rhodanobacter (<60 %). The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains MJ01T and MJ14 were 65.3 and 64.8 mol%, respectively. The major respiratory quinone of both novel strains was the ubiquinone Q-8. The major fatty acids of both strains were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 1ω9c, and the polar lipid profiles of the two strains contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and minor amounts of unidentified aminophospholipids and phospholipids. Based on the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic evidence, strains MJ01T and MJ14 represent a single novel species in the genus Rhodanobacter , for which the name Rhodanobacter caeni sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MJ01T ( = KCTC 22449T = JCM 16242T), with MJ14 ( = KCTC 22460 = JCM 16243) as a reference strain.

Two strains (JA266T and JA333) of Gram-negative, rod-shaped, phototrophic, purple non-sulfur bacteria were isolated from a freshwater fish pond and an industrial effluent. Both strains were capable of phototrophic and chemotrophic growth. Bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin series were present as photosynthetic pigments. The major fatty acid for both strains was C18 : 1ω7c (>65 %), with minor amounts of 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c and C18 : 0 also present. Both strains have the lamellar type of intracellular photosynthetic membranes. Ubiquinone-10 (Q10) and rhodoquinone-10 (RQ10) were present as primary quinone components. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were the major polar lipids, while minor amounts of amino lipids (AL1, AL2) and an unidentified lipid (L1) were common to both strains. The DNA G+C contents of strains JA266T and JA333 were 71.3 and 69.9 mol%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that both strains clustered with members of the genus Rhodoplanes in the class Alphaproteobacteria . Strains JA266T and JA333 had gene sequence similarity of 98.7 and 98.9 % with Rhodoplanes serenus TUT3530T, 96.4 and 96.5 % with Rhodoplanes elegans AS130T, respectively, and less than 96 % with other members of the genus Rhodoplanes . 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two strains was 99.3 % and they exhibited high (84.7 %) relatedness based on DNA–DNA hybridization. Furthermore, both strains had less than 65 % DNA–DNA relatedness with the type strain R. serenus TUT3530T. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data, it is proposed that strain JA266T be classified as a novel species of the genus Rhodoplanes , with the species name Rhodoplanes piscinae sp. nov. The type strain of the proposed novel species is JA266T ( = JCM 14934T = KCTC 5627T), while strain JA333 ( = NBRC 107574 = KCTC 5962) is an additional strain.

‘ Caulobacter leidyi ’ DSM 4733T has been shown to be affiliated with the family Sphingomonadaceae instead of the Caulobacteraceae , and due to its poor characterization has been omitted from the current edition of Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology and removed to limbo. We isolated a novel sphingoglycolipid-containing dimorphic prosthecate bacterium, designated strain 247, from a pre-alpine freshwater lake. Strain 247 and ‘ Caulobacter leidyi ’ DSM 4733T were characterized in detail. The rod-shaped cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, and formed a stalk or polar flagellum. Both strains grew optimally at 28–30 °C, and pH 6.0–8.0. The major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0 and 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c. C14 : 0 2-OH represents the major 2-hydroxy fatty acid. Q-10 was the major respiratory quinone and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, three glycolipids, two phosphoaminolipids and two unidentified sphingoglycolipids. The major polyamine was sym-homospermidine. The G+C content of genomic DNA of strains 247 and DSM 4733T was 67.6 mol% and 67.0 mol%, respectively. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA–DNA hybridization, strains DSM 4733T and 247 were phylogenetically closely related (99.6 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, 82.9 % DNA–DNA hybridization value) and affiliated to the genus Sphingomonas . The closest recognized species was Sphingomonas aquatilis DSM 15581T (98.1 % sequence similarity). In addition, the presence of cystine arylamidase, absence of β-galactosidase, and the inability to utilize l-arabinose, galactose and sucrose distinguished strains DSM 4733T and 247 from most other members of the family Sphingomonadaceae . So far, the dimorphic life cycle that involves a prosthecate and a flagellated stage is unique for strains DSM 4733T and 247 among all members of the family Sphingomonadaceae . Therefore, Caulobacter leidyi is reclassified as Sphingomonas leidyi, with the type strain DSM 4733T ( = ATCC 15260T = CIP 106443T = VKM B-1368T) and strain 247 (DSM 25078 = LMG 26658) as an additional strain of this species.

A slightly halophilic, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile rod, designated TW15T, was isolated from an ark clam in South Korea. Growth occurred at 10–37 °C, with 1–5 % (w/v) NaCl and at pH 7.0–10.0. Optimal growth occurred at 25–30 °C, with 2 % (w/v) NaCl and at pH 8.0. Strain TW15T exhibited both oxidase and catalase activities. The major fatty acids of strain TW15T were summed feature 8 (consisting of C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). The polar lipids of strain TW15T comprised phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and five unidentified lipids. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain TW15T was most closely related to Ruegeria lacuscaerulensis DSM 11314T (98.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). DNA–DNA relatedness with closely related strains was <52±3 %. The DNA G+C content was 55.7 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain TW15T represents a novel species of the genus Ruegeria , for which the name Ruegeria conchae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TW15T ( = KACC 15115T  = JCM 17315T).

Strain R46T, a marine alphaproteobacterium, was isolated from Mediterranean seawater at Malvarrosa beach, Valencia, Spain. It is an aerobic chemo-organotrophic, mesophilic and slightly halophilic organism, with complex ionic requirements. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences showed that strain R46T formed a separate branch within the family Rhodobacteraceae , bearing similarities below 94.7 and 80.3 %, respectively, to any other recognized species. It contained Q10 as the predominant isoprenoid quinone and C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c as the major cellular fatty acid. Phosphatidylglycerol was the only identified polar lipid, although other lipids were also detected. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.3 mol%. On the basis of extensive phenotypic and phylogenetic comparative analysis, it is concluded that the strain represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Actibacterium mucosum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is Actibacterium mucosum R46T ( = CECT 7668T = KCTC 23349T).

A Gram-negative, motile, facultatively anaerobic rod, designated A36T, was isolated from a dead ark clam found on the south coast of Korea. The isolate was catalase- and oxidase-negative. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain A36T was most closely related to Kistimonas asteriae KMD 001T, with which it shared 98.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Strain A36T grew optimally at 30–37 °C, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl and at pH 8.0. The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-9 (Q-9). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylserine, phosphoethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 2-OH) and C16 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 47.3 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness between the isolate and K. asteriae JCM 15607T was <25±3 %. Strain A36T represents a novel species of the genus Kistimonas , for which the name Kistimonas scapharcae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A36T ( = KACC 16204T  = JCM 17805T). An emended description of the genus Kistimonas is also provided.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod- and coccus-shaped bacterium, designated strain B6-12T, was isolated from sediment collected from the River Geumho in South Korea. In comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the novel strain appeared to be affiliated with the class Alphaproteobacteria and to be most closely related to Kaistia adipata KCTC 12095T, Kaistia dalseonensis DSM 18800T, Kaistia geumhonensis DSM 18799T, Kaistia granuli KCTC 12575T, Kaistia soli KACC 12605T and Kaistia terrae KACC 12910T, with sequence similarities of 96.2–99.1 %. The predominant ubiquinone in the isolate was Q-10, major fatty acids were C18 : 0, C18 : 1ω7c and C19 : 0ω8c cyclo, and genomic DNA G+C content was 63.0 mol%. Based on the phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic evidence and the results of DNA–DNA hybridizations, strain B6-12T represents a novel species in the genus Kaistia , for which the name Kaistia defluvii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B6-12T ( = KCTC 23766T  = JCM 18034T).

The taxonomic position of a Gram-negative, non-motile, oxidase negative and catalase positive strain, A648T, isolated from a hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) dump site located in Lucknow, India, was ascertained by using a polyphasic approach. A comparative analysis of a partial sequence of the rpoB gene and the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain A648T belonged to the genus Acinetobacter . DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain A648T and other closely related members (16S rRNA gene sequence similarity greater than 97 %), namely Acinetobacter radioresistens DSM 6976T, A. venetianus ATCC 31012T, A. baumannii LMG 1041T, A. parvus LMG 21765T A. junii LMG 998T and A. soli JCM 15062T, were found to be less than 8 %. The major cellular fatty acids of strain A648T were 18 : 1ω9c (19.6 %), summed feature 3 (15.9 %), 16 : 0 (10.6 %) and 12 : 0 (6.4 %). The DNA G+C content was 40.4 mol%. The polar lipid profile of strain A648T indicated the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, followed by phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The predominant polyamine of strain A648T was 1,3-diaminopropane and moderate amounts of putrescine, spermidine and spermine were also detected. The respiratory quinone consisted of ubiquinone with nine isoprene units (Q-9). On the basis of DNA–DNA hybridization, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic comparisons with other members of the genus Acinetobacter , strain A648T is found to be a novel species of the genus Acinetobacter , for which the name Acinetobacter indicus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A648T ( = DSM 25388T = CCM 7832T).

A Gram-staining-negative, non-motile, cream-coloured and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain LNB2T, was isolated from a hexachlorocyclohexane-contaminated dump site in the village of Ummari, in northern India. The taxonomic position of the novel strain was investigated by using a polyphasic approach. In a phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain LNB2T appeared to be most closely related to Sphingomonas haloaromaticamans A175T (98.0 % sequence similarity) and Sphingomonas histidinilytica UM2T (97.3 %). In DNA–DNA hybridizations, the levels of DNA–DNA relatedness between the novel strain and S. haloaromaticamans A175T and S. histidinilytica UM2T were found to be low (8.6 % and 5.6 %, respectively). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain LNB2T was 61.0 mol%. The novel strain’s predominant fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), C14 : 0 2-OH, C17 : 1ω6c and 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c. The major ubiquinone was Q-10, the predominant polyamine was homospermidine, and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine. Based on the phylogenetic, biochemical and chemotaxonomic evidence and the results of the DNA–DNA hybridizations, strain LNB2T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas , for which the name Sphingomonas laterariae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LNB2T ( = MTCC 10873T = CCM 7880T = DSM 25432T).

A moderately halophilic bacterium (strain RS-16T) was isolated from saline soil in Rambla Salada, a Mediterranean hypersaline rambla in Murcia, south-east Spain. Cells of strain RS-16T were Gram-negative rods, oxidase-negative and motile by peritrichous flagella. Strain RS-16T required NaCl for growth, and grew between 1 % and 30 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 5–7.5 %), at temperatures of between 4 °C and 41 °C (optimum, 32–37 °C), and at pH values of between 5 and 10 (optimum, pH 7). Strain RS-16T was chemo-organotrophic and its metabolism was respiratory with oxygen and nitrate as terminal electron acceptors. It produced acids from d-glucose and myo-inositol, accumulated poly-β-hydroxyalkanoate granules and produced cream colonies on MY 7.5 % (w/v). The DNA G+C content of strain RS-16T was 56.2 mol%. A comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed the relationship of strain RS-16T to species of the genus Halomonas . The most phylogenetically related species was Halomonas cerina SP4T (97.4 %16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). In DNA–DNA hybridization assays strain RS-16T showed DNA–DNA relatedness values of 62.7±3.09 %, 64.5±1.97 % and 64.7±1.74 % to Halomonas cerina CECT 7282T, Halomonas cerina CECT 7284 and Halomonas cerina CECT 7283, respectively. The major fatty acids of strain RS-16T were C18 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0, and the predominant respiratory lipoquinone was ubiquinone, with nine isoprene units (Q-9). On the basis of these data, strain RS-16T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Halomonas , for which the name Halomonas ramblicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RS-16T ( = CECT 7896T = LMG 26647T).

A Gram-negative, aerobic and non-motile rod, designated Y4T, was isolated from a cucumber leaf from Pinggu District, east Beijing, PR China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain Y4T was most closely related to Luteimonas aquatica RIB1-20T (96.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). DNA–DNA relatedness between strain Y4T and L. aquatica RIB1-20T was 42.5±3.9 %. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 1ω9c, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. The major ubiquinone was Q-8. The DNA G+C content of the type strain was 69.9 mol%. Based on the evidence above, strain Y4T represents a novel species of the genus Luteimonas , for which the name Luteimonas cucumeris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Y4T ( = CGMCC 1.10821T = KCTC 23627T).