- Volume 65, Issue Pt_7, 2015

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile and pink-pigmented bacterium, designated strain HF08T, was isolated from marine sediment of the coast of Weihai, China. Cells were rod-shaped, and oxidase- and catalase-positive. The isolate grew optimally at 33 °C, at pH 7.5–8.0 and with 2–3 % (w/v) NaCl. The dominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C14 : 0. Menaquinone 7 (MK-7) was the major respiratory quinone and the DNA G+C content was 44.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate was a member of the class Bacteroidia, and shared 88–90 % sequence similarity with the closest genera Sunxiuqinia, Prolixibacter, Draconibacterium, Mariniphaga and Meniscus. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence presented, a novel species in a new genus of the family Prolixibacteraceae is proposed, with the name Roseimarinus sediminis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Roseimarinus sediminis is HF08T ( = KCTC 42261T = CICC 10901T).

A bacterial strain, designated SYD6T, was isolated from a marine solar saltern on the coast of Weihai, Shandong Province, PR China. Cells of strain SYD6T were rod-shaped, red, and approximately 5.0–9.0 μm in length and 0.4–0.6 μm in width. The strain was Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, heterotrophic, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Growth occurred in 4–25 % (w/v) NaCl [with 2–15 % (w/v) MgCl2.6H2O also present], at 20–50 °C and pH 6.5–8.5. Optimal growth was observed at 37–42 °C, pH 7.5–8.0, with 6–8 % (w/v) NaCl [with 2–4 % (w/v) MgCl2.6H2O]. Nitrate was not reduced. Glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose and ribose stimulated growth, but not glycerol, xylose or mannitol. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61.5 mol% (HPLC). The sole methyl naphthoquinone was MK-7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0 2-OH/C16 : 1ω7c, iso-C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c and C18 : 1ω7c. The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol and an unknown lipid. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, demonstrated that strain SYD6T was affiliated with the phylum Bacteroidetes. The most closely related neighbours were species of the genus Salisaeta and strain SYD6T had a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 91.97 % with Salisaeta longa DSM 21114T. On the basis of these phenotypic and phylogenetic data, strain SYD6T represents a novel species of a new genus of the family Rhodothermaceae, for which the name Longimonas halophila gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is SYD6T ( = CICC 10838T = KCTC 42399T).

The Gram-stain-negative, yellow-pigmented, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated S11-41T, was isolated from a sediment sample of the Yellow Sea in China. The strain was able to grow well over a wide temperature range (1–35 °C). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain S11-41T was related to the members of the genus Gelidibacter, sharing highest sequence similarities with the type strains of Geldibacter salicanalis (98.2 %), Geldibacter algens (97.4 %) and Geldibacter mesophilus (96.9 %). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain S11-41T was 39.2 mol%. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 (13.2 %), iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (12.8 %) and iso-C15 : 1 G (12.2 %). Phosphatidylethanolamine was identified as the major polar lipid. Combined data from phenotypic, phylogenetic and DNA–DNA relatedness studies demonstrated that strain S11-41T is a representative of a novel species of the genus Gelidibacter, for which we propose the name Gelidibacter sediminis sp. nov. (type strain S11-41T = DSM 28135T = LMG 28076T).

A Gram-reaction-negative, facultatively anaerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain JN14CK-3T, was isolated from surface sediment of the Jiulong River of China and was characterized phenotypically and phylogenetically. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain JN14CK-3T belonged to the genus Draconibacterium, with the highest sequence similarity (98.3 %) to Draconibacterium orientale FH5T. By contrast, strain JN14CK-3T shared low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities ( < 91.0 %) with other type strains. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-7.The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and several unidentified phospholipids and lipids. The major fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, anteiso-C15:0, C17:0 2-OH, iso-C16:0 3-OH and iso-C17:0 3-OH. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 40.9 mol%. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization value and average nucleotide identity (ANI) between strain JN14CK-3T and D. orientale FH5T were 34.2 ± 2.5 % and 87.1 %, respectively. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data showed that strain JN14CK-3T represents a novel species of the genus Draconibacterium, for which the name Draconibacterium sediminis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain JN14CK-3T ( = MCCC 1A00734T = KCTC 42152T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, yellow-pigment-producing bacterium (designated strain CC-CZW007T) was isolated from seafood samples (sea urchins) at Penghu Island in Taiwan. Strain CC-CZW007T grew optimally at pH 7.0 and 30 °C in the presence of 3 % (w/v) NaCl. The novel strain shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Vitellibacter vladivostokensis JCM 11732T (96.8 %), Vitellibacter soesokkakensis KCTC 32536T (96.4 %), Vitellibacter nionensis KCTC 32420T (95.8 %) and Vitellibacter aestuarii JCM 15496T (95.6 %) and lower sequence similarity to members of other genera. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA genes revealed a distinct taxonomic position attained by strain CC-CZW007T with respect to other species of the genus Vitellibacter. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipid profile was composed of major amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine, unidentified lipids and aminolipids; a moderate amount of aminophospholipid was also detected. The DNA G+C content was 34.7 mol%. The predominant quinone system was menaquinone (MK-6). On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic evidence presented here, strain CC-CZW007T is proposed to represent a novel species within the genus Vitellibacter, for which the name Vitellibacter echinoideorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CC-CZW007T ( = BCRC 80886T = JCM 30378T).

The taxonomic position of a group of seven closely related lactose-negative enterobacterial strains, which were isolated from fresh faecal samples of Marmota himalayana collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, China, was determined by using a polyphasic approach. Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, non-sporulating, non-motile, short rods (0.5–1 × 1–2.5 μm). By 16S rRNA gene sequences, the representative strain, HT073016T, showed highest similarity values with Escherichia fergusonii ATCC 35469T at 99.3 %, Escherichia coli ATCC 11775T at 99.2 %, Escherichia albertii LMG 20976T at 98.9 %, Escherichia hermannii CIP 103176T at 98.4 %, and Escherichia vulneris ATCC 33821T at 97.7 %. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the seven strains formed a monophyletic group with five other species of the genus Escherichia. Digital DNA–DNA hybridization studies between strain HT073016T and five other species of the genus Escherichia showed that it shared less than 70 % DNA–DNA relatedness with all known species of the genus Escherichia, supporting the novel species status of the strain. The DNA G+C content of strain HT073016T was 53.8 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain HT073016T and the six other HT073016T-like strains were clearly distinct from the type strains of other recognized species of the genus Escherichia and represent a novel species of the genus Escherichia, for which the name Escherichia marmotae sp. nov. is proposed, with HT073016T ( = CGMCC 1.12862T = DSM 28771T) as the type strain.

A pleomorphic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, indole-, oxidase- and catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile bacterium (strain 131000547T) was isolated from the lungs of a cat with pneumonia. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses the strain was assigned to the genus Streptobacillus with 97.6  % sequence similarity to the type strain of Streptobacillus moniliformis and 94.6  % to that of Streptobacillus hongkongensis. The clear differentiation of strain 131000547T from Streptobacillus moniliformis and Streptobacillus hongkongensis was also supported by gyrB, groEL, and recA nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis. DNA–DNA hybridization demonstrated ≤ 19.9  % (reciprocal 28.7  %) DNA–DNA relatedness between strain 131000547T and Streptobacillus moniliformis DSM 12112T. Physiological data confirmed the allocation of strain 131000547T to the family Leptotrichiaceae. Strain 131000547T has a unique profile of enzyme activities allowing differentiation from the most closely related species. Within the genus Streptobacillus, isolate 131000547T could also unambiguously be separated from Streptobacillus moniliformis and Streptobacillus hongkongensis by both matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of these data, a novel species of the genus Streptobacillus, Streptobacillus felis sp. nov., is proposed with the type strain 131000547T ( = DSM 29248T = CCUG 66203T = CCM 8542T). Emended descriptions of the genus Streptobacillus and of Streptobacillus moniliformis are also given.

Five strains representing one novel anamorphic yeast species were isolated from plant leaves collected in Thailand (strains DMKU-SP186T, ST-111 and ST-201) and Taiwan (strains FN20L02 and SM13L16). On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics and sequence analysis of the D1/D2 region of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, they were assigned to a single novel species of the genus Hannaella. The sequences of the D1/D2 regions of the LSU rRNA genes of four of the strains (DMKU-SP186T, ST-111, FN20L02 and SM13L16) were identical, while differing from strain ST-201 by 2 substitutions and 2 gaps. The nucleotide sequence of the ITS regions of the five strains differed from each other by between 0 and 3 nucleotide substitutions. The novel species was most closely related to Hannaella luteola, but showed 1.0–1.3 % nucleotide substitutions (between 6 substitutions out of 568–606 nt and 8 substitutions, and 2 gaps out of 597 nt) in the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and 1.4–2.0 % nucleotide substitutions (6–9 substitutions out of 435 nt) in the ITS region. Ballistospores were produced by three of the strains on cornmeal agar at 15 and 20 °C after 4 weeks, while H. luteola did not produce ballistospores. The name Hannaella phyllophila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DMKU-SP186T ( = BCC 69500T = NBRC 110428T = CBS 13921T).

A novel marine hypotrichous ciliate, Sterkiella subtropica sp. nov., was recently isolated from a mangrove wetland in Hong Kong. Its morphology, morphogenesis and systematic position have been investigated. The novel species is diagnosed by combined features of morphology, ciliature and nuclear apparatus, while its ontogenetic events present a stable pattern: (i) the six streaks of the undulating membrane (UM) and cirral anlagen are segmented in a 1 : 3 : 3 : 3 : 4 : 4 pattern from left to right, and form three frontal, four frontoventral, one buccal, five ventral and five transverse cirri; (ii) the dorsal structure is similar to most other oxytrichids; that is, in a ‘4+2’ pattern with three caudal cirri being formed. Based on the small-subunit rDNA sequence, the novel species is different from its congeners by between 21 and 35 bp, with sequence identities from 0.978 to 0.987. All molecular trees exhibited a similar topology: the monophyly of species of the genus Sterkiella is not completely supported in our analyses, and approximately unbiased tests (both including and excluding the novel species) also reject the possibility that Sterkiella is a monophyletic lineage, as indicated by the morphology-based classification.

During a recent study assessing the diversity of the species Bacillus licheniformis, it became apparent that the type strain of Bacillus aerius was not available from any established culture collection or from the authors who originally described it. Other authors have reported similar findings when trying to obtain the strain (Lai et al., 2014), therefore, this species cannot currently be included in any further scientific studies. It is proposed that, if suitable replacements for type strains are not found or neotype strains are not proposed within two years following the publication of this Request for an Opinion, the Judicial Commission of the International Committee of Systematics of Prokaryotes place the name B. aerius on the list of rejected names.

We propose emendation of Rule 27(2)(b) of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes so that for new combinations the basonym and its reference must be given. We also propose minor changes to Note 1 and Note 2 of Rule 27.