- Volume 67, Issue 6, 2017

A novel strain, G25T, was isolated from desert soil collected near Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The strain could accumulate nearly 65 % of its cell dry weight as fatty acids, grow on a broad range of carbon sources and tolerate temperatures of up to 50 °C. With respect to to its 16S rRNA gene sequence, G25T is most closely related to Streptomyces massasporeus DSM 40035T, Streptomyces hawaiiensis DSM 40042T, Streptomyces indiaensis DSM 43803T, Streptomyces luteogriseus DSM 40483T and Streptomyces purpurascens DSM 40310T. Conventional DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) values ranged from 18.7 to 46.9 % when G25T was compared with these reference strains. Furthermore, digital DDH values between the draft genome sequence of G25T and the genome sequences of other species of the genus Streptomyces were also significantly below the threshold of 70 %. The DNA G+C content of the draft genome sequence, consisting of 8.46 Mbp, was 70.3 %. The prevalent cellular fatty acids of G25T comprised anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H6), MK-9(H8) and MK-9(H4). The polar lipids profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol mannosides as well as unidentified phospholipids and phosphoaminolipids. The cell wall contained ll-diaminopimelic acid. Whole-cell sugars were predominantly glucose with small traces of ribose and mannose. The results of the polyphasic approach confirmed that this isolate represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces , for which the name Streptomyces jeddahensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is G25T (=DSM 101878T =LMG 29545T =NCCB 100603T).

The taxonomic position of an actinomycete, strain NR4-ASC07T, isolated from a soil sample collected from Sirindhorn peat swamp forest, Narathiwat Province, Thailand, was clarified using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, it was classified among the members of the genus Nonomuraea . It produced tightly closed spiral spore chains on aerial mycelium as well as forming a pseudosporangium. Whole-cell hydrolysates contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, glucose, ribose, madurose and mannose. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, unknown ninhydrin-positive phosphoglycolipids and unknown glycolipid. Menaquiones were MK-9(H4), MK-9(H0), MK-9(H2), MK-10(H4) and MK-9(H6). Predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 0 10-methyl, C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c, C16 : 0 2-OH and iso-C15 : 0. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain fell within the clade containing Nonomuraea muscovyensis FMN03T, Nonomuraea roseoviolacea subsp. roseoviolacea NBRC 14098T and Nonomuraea roseoviolacea subsp. carminata NBRC 15903T. The DNA–DNA relatedness and phenotypic data supported that strain NR4-ASC07T was clearly distinguished from the closely related species and represents a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea for which the name Nonomuraea rhodomycinica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NR4-ASC07T (=NBRC 112327T=TISTR 2465T).

A novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile actinobacterium, designated GY0556T, was isolated from deep-sea sediment collected from the western Pacific Ocean at a depth of 7118 m. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that this strain belongs to the genus Pseudonocardia , being most closely related to Pseudonocardia hydrocarbonoxydans IMSNU 22140T (97.6 % similarity), Pseudonocardia sulfidoxydans DSM 44248T (97.6 %) and Pseudonocardia alaniniphila Y-16303T (97.6 %); similarity to other type strains of the genus Pseudonocardia was less than 97.5 %. Strain GY0556T contained MK-8(H4) as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C16 : 0 and iso H-C16 : 1 as the major fatty acids. The polar lipids detected in strain GY0556T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, one unknown glycolipid, one unknown phospholipid and two unknown lipids. The whole organism hydrolysates mainly consisted of meso-diaminopimelic acid, xylose, galactose and arabinose. The DNA G+C content of strain GY0556T was 76.9 mol%. The results of DNA–DNA hybridizations and phylogenetic analysis, together with the phenotypic and biochemical tests, allowed the differentiation of strain GY0556T from established members of the genus Pseudonocardia . Therefore, it is proposed that strain GY0556T represents a novel species of the genus Pseudonocardia , for which the name Pseudonocardia profundimaris sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GY0556T (=MCCC 1A10574T=KCTC 39641T).

Two strains of Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-spore-forming short rods (VUL7T and VUL8) were isolated from rectal swabs of Old World vultures, namely Gyps himalayensis, in Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China. Optimal growth occurred at 37 °C, pH 6–7, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences classified the two strains to the genus Actinomyces , with highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (95 %) to type strains of Actinomyces haliotis , Actinomyces radicidentis and Actinomyces urogenitalis . The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω9c and C16 : 0. MK-10(H4) was the major respiratory quinone. The genomic DNA G+C content of the isolate was 54.4 mol%. DNA–DNA hybridization values with the most closely related species of the genus Actinomyces was 24.6 %. The two strains can be differentiated from the most closely related species such as A. haliotis , A. radicidentis, A. graevenitzii and A. urogenitalis by a list of carbohydrate fermentations and enzyme activities. On the basis of physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic analysis, strains VUL7T and VUL8 represent novel species of the genus Actinomyces , for which the name Actinomyces vulturis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is VUL7T (=CGMCC 4.7366T=DSM 103437T).

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain UDF-1T, was isolated from forest soil in Chungnam, South Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain UDF-1T formed a branched brownish-orange substrate mycelium with spherical or oval spores. No aerial mycelium was formed. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain UDF-1T belongs to the genus Micromonospora , showing the highest sequence similarity to Micromonospora palomenae NEAU-CX1T (99.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), ‘ Micromonospora maoerensis ’ NEAU-MES19 (99.0 %), Micromonospora endolithica DSM 44398T (98.8 %) and Micromonospora matsumotoense IMSNU 22003T (98.8 %). The predominant menaquinones of strain UDF-1T were MK-10 (H4) and MK-10 (H6). The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell sugars were arabinose and xylose. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 73.1 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain UDF-1T and closely related type strains in the genus Micromonospora was below 30 %. On the basis of the polyphasic analysis conducted in this study, strain UDF-1T represents a novel species of the genus Micromonospora , for which the name Micromonospora fulva sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is UDF-1T (=KACC 18696T=NBRC 111826T).

The taxonomic positions of three actinomycete isolates, K08-0175T, K10-0543T and K12-0791T, which were isolated from plant root and rhizospheric soil samples were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. On the basis of the results of phylogenetic analysis and morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, these three strains were classified as representing members of the genus Kibdelosporangium . These strains were observed to produce both long chains of rod-shaped spores and sporangium-like structures with well-defined walls on aerial hyphae. Phylogenetic position, DNA–DNA hybridization and comparison of the phylogenetically closest relatives revealed that these three strains were clearly distinguishable from each other and from their closest phylogenetic relatives. Therefore, three novel species are proposed as Kibdelosporangium kanagawaense sp. nov. [type strain K08-0175T (=NBRC 112388T=TBRC 6786T)], Kibdelosporangium rhizosphaerae sp. nov. [type strain K10-0543T (=NBRC 112389T=TBRC 6787T)] and Kibdelosporangium rhizovicinum sp. nov. [type strain K12-0791T (=NBRC 112390T=TBRC 6788T)].

Four strains isolated in Iran from pulmonary specimens of unrelated patients are proposed as representative of a novel Mycobacterium species. Similarity, at the phenotypic level, with Mycobacterium kansasii is remarkable with the photochromogenic yellow pigmentation of the colonies being the salient feature. They differ, however, genotypically from this species and present unique sequences in 16S rRNA, hsp65 and rpoB genes. The average nucleotide identity and the genome-to-genome distance fully support the status of an independent species. The name proposed for this species is Mycobacterium persicum sp. nov. with AFPC-000227T (=DSM 104278T=CIP 111197T) as the type strain.

Eight strains characterised as Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming and non-motile rods were isolated from samples collected from stone chambers of the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora tumuli in Asuka village, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Among them, one strain, T7528-3-6bT, was shown to form a novel lineage within the genus Microbacterium . The most closely phylogenetically related species to T7528-3-6bT was Microbacterium panaciterrae , with 97.8 % sequence similarity. The major isoprenoid quinones of T7528-3-6bT were MK-12, MK-13 and MK-11. The predominant cellular fatty acids for this isolate were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan of this isolate was ornithine. Major polar lipids of the isolate were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and an unknown glycolipid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of this isolate was 70.1 mol%. On the basis of the results of physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic tests and molecular phylogenetic analysis, T7528-3-6bT is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Microbacterium , for which the name M. tumbae sp. nov. has been proposed. The type strain is T7528-3-6bT (=JCM 28836T=NCIMB 15039T). The results of comparisons of both phenotypic and genotypic (16S rRNA gene sequence) characteristics indicated that the remaining seven isolates were very closely related to Microbacterium shaanxiense . Although the sequence similarity between the two was 99.2 %, further detailed multifaceted comparisons are needed to determine their accurate taxonomic assignment.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, non-endospore-forming bacterial strain, 10CT, was isolated from Lonar soda lake in India. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, this strain was identified as belonging to the genus Nesterenkonia and was most closely related to the type strains of Nesterenkonia lacusekhoensis (99.1 %, sequence similarity), Nesterenkonia aethiopica (96.9 %), Nesterenkonia flava (96.9 %) and related of the genus Nesterenkonia (<96.6 %, sequence similarity). However, the DNA–DNA relatedness of strain 10CT with N. lacusekhoensis KCTC 19283T was only 34.6±0.9. The DNA G+C content of strain 10CT was 68.6 mol%. Strain 10CT was an aerobic microbe with optimal growth at 37 °C, pH 7.5–8.0 and 5–6 % (w/v) NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain 10CT was of the type A4α (l-Lys–l-Glu). The major polar lipids present were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The major isoprenoid quinones were MK-7, MK-8 and MK-9. Major fatty acids of strain 10CT were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The results of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and biochemical tests allowed a clear differentiation of strain 10CT, which represents a novel member of the genus Nesterenkonia for which the name Nesterenkonia cremea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 10CT (=LMG 29100T=KCTC 39636T=CGMCC 1.15388T).

An endophytic, short rod-shaped, non-motile and non-spore-forming actinobacterium, designated strain CPCC 204135T, was isolated from a surface-sterilized medicinal plant, Huperzia serrata (Thunb.), collected from Sichuan Province, south-west China. Strain CPCC 204135T was observed to grow at temperatures between 20 and 37 °C (optimum, 28–32 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–8.0) and in the presence of 0–9.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0–3 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CPCC 204135T belonged to the genus Naumannella , showing the highest level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Naumannella halotolerans DSM 24323T (97.2 %), the only species of the genus Naumannella in the family Propionibacteriaceae with a validly published name. The DNA–DNA hybridization value between strain CPCC 204135T and N. halotolerans DSM 24323T was 20.1±1.8 %, which is far below the accepted 70 % threshold for species delineation. The cell-wall hydrolysates contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, alanine, glycine and glutamic acid, with the peptidoglycan type of A3γ. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminolipid, one unidentified polar lipid and several kinds of glycolipids were detected in the polar lipids profile. MK-9(H4) was identified as the predominant menaquinone. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain CPCC 204135T was determined to be 71.8 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, we concluded that strain CPCC 204135T represents a novel species of the genus Naumannella , for which the name Naumannella huperziae sp. nov. is proposed, with strain CPCC 204135T (=DSM 101717T=NBRC 111773T) as the type strain.

Two strains (VUL4_1T and VUL4_2) of Gram-staining-positive, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming short rods were isolated from rectal swabs of Old World vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) in the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China. Analysis of morphological characteristics and biochemical tests indicated that the two strains closely resembled each other but were distinct from other species of the genus Actinomyces previously described. Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison and genome analysis, strains were determined to be members of the genus Actinomyces , closely related to the type strains of Actinomyces marimammalium (96.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Actinomyces hongkongensis (92.4 %), Actinomyces hordeovulneris (92.3 %) and Actinomyces nasicola (92.2 %), respectively. Optimal growth conditions were 37 °C, pH 6–7, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain VUL4_1T contained C18 : 1ω9c and C16 : 0 as the major cellular fatty acids and diphosphatidylglycerol as the major component of the polar lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of VUL4_1T was 54.9 mol%. Strain VUL4_1T showed less than 70 % DNA–DNA relatedness with other species of the genus Actinomyces , further supporting strain VUL4_1T as a representative of a novel species. Based on the phenotypic data and phylogenetic inference, a novel species, Actinomyces liubingyangii sp. nov., is proposed with VUL4_1T (=CGMCC 4.7370T=DSM 104050T) as the type strain.

An aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, oxidase- and catalase-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, coccoid, creamish-white-coloured bacterium, designated strain R161T, was isolated from soil in Hwaseong, South Korea. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained glycine, glutamic acid, alanine, aspartic acid, serine and lysine, and whole-cell sugars were galactose, rhamnose, glucose and ribose. Strain R161T showed antibacterial and enzyme inhibitory activities. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain R161T formed a lineage within the family Dermacoccaceae , and showed highest sequence similarity with type strains of Calidifontibacter indicus PC IW02T (97.71 % sequence similarity) and Yimella lutea YIM 45900T (97.58 %). The sequence similarity of strain R161T with type strains of members of the genus Dermacoccus was less than 96.5 %. The major menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannosides. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 1 H, anteiso-C17 : 1ω9c, summed feature 9 (iso-C17 : 1ω9c and/or C16 : 0 10-methyl) and iso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C content of strain R161T was 73.9 mol%. The DNA–DNA hybridization value between strain R161T and C. indicus JCM 16038T was 52.1 %. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analysis, strain R161T represents a novel species of genus Calidifontibacter , for which the name Calidifontibacter terrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Calidifontibacter terrae sp. nov. is R161T (=KEMB 9005-404T=KACC 18906T=JCM 31558T).

A Gram-stain positive, non-spore-forming, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic bacterial strain, designated CAU 1319T, was isolated from sea sand and the strain’s taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain CAU 1319T grew optimally at 30 °C and at pH 7.5 in the presence of 2 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, revealed that strain CAU 1319T belongs to the genus Tessaracoccus , and is closely related to Tessaracoccus lapidicaptus IPBSL-7T (similarity 97.69 %), Tessaracoccus bendigoensis Ben 106T (similarity 95.64 %) and Tessaracoccus flavescens SST-39T (similarity 95.84 %). Strain CAU 1319T had ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, MK-9 (H4) as the predominant menaquinone, and anteiso-C15 : 0 as the major fatty acid. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two unidentified aminolipids, three unidentified phospholipids and one unidentified glycolipid. Predominant polyamines were spermine and spermidine. The DNA–DNA hybridization value between strain CAU 1319T and T. lapidicaptus IPBSL-7T was 24 %±0.2. The DNA G+C content of the novel strain was 69.5 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties, as well as phylogenetic relatedness, strain CAU 1319Tshould be classified as a novel species of the genus Tessaracoccus , for which the name Tessaracoccus arenae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1319T(=KCTC 39760T=NBRC 111973T).

A novel marine actinomycete, designated strain CMAA 1452T, was isolated from the sponge Scopalina ruetzleri collected from Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, in Brazil, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. The organism formed a distinct phyletic line in the Saccharopolyspora 16S rRNA gene tree and had chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with its classification in this genus. It was found to be closely related to Saccharopolyspora dendranthemae KLBMP 1305T (99.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and shared similarities of 99.3, 99.2 and 99.0 % with ‘ Saccharopolyspora endophytica’ YIM 61095, Saccharopolyspora tripterygii YIM 65359T and ‘ Saccharopolyspora pathumthaniensis’ S582, respectively. DNA–DNA relatedness values between the isolate and its closest phylogenetic neighbours, namely S. dendranthemae KLBMP 1305T, ‘ S. endophytica ’ YIM 61095 and S. tripterygii YIM 65359T, were 53.5, 25.8 and 53.2 %, respectively. Strain CMAA 1452T was also distinguished from the type strains of these species using a range of phenotypic features. On the basis of these results, it is proposed that strain CMAA 1452T (=DSM 103218T=NRRL B-65384T) merits recognition as the type strain of a novel Saccharopolyspora species, Saccharopolyspora spongiae sp. nov.

A novel anaerobic, hyperthermophilic archaeon was isolated from a mud volcano in the Salton Sea geothermal system in southern California, USA. The isolate, named strain 521T, grew optimally at 90 °C, at pH 5.5–7.3 and with 0–2.0 % (w/v) NaCl, with a generation time of 10 h under optimal conditions. Cells were rod-shaped and non-motile, ranging from 2 to 7 µm in length. Strain 521T grew only in the presence of thiosulfate and/or Fe(III) (ferrihydrite) as terminal electron acceptors under strictly anaerobic conditions, and preferred protein-rich compounds as energy sources, although the isolate was capable of chemolithoautotrophic growth. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis places this isolate within the crenarchaeal genus Pyrobaculum . To our knowledge, this is the first Pyrobaculum strain to be isolated from an anaerobic mud volcano and to reduce only either thiosulfate or ferric iron. An in silico genome-to-genome distance calculator reported <25 % DNA–DNA hybridization between strain 521T and eight other Pyrobaculum species. Due to its genotypic and phenotypic differences, we conclude that strain 521T represents a novel species, for which the name Pyrobaculum igneiluti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 521T (=DSM 103086T=ATCC TSD-56T).

A novel thermoacidophilic archaeon, strain HS-1T, was isolated from the Hakone Ohwaku-dani hot spring in Japan. Cells of strain HS-1T in exponential phase were cocci to irregular cocci with a diameter of 0.8–1.5 µm. The strain grew within a temperature range of 50–70 °C (optimal: 65–70 °C), a pH range of pH 1.4–5.5 (optimal: pH 3.0–3.5) and a NaCl concentration range of 0–2.5 % (w/v). The novel strain grew in aerobic conditions but did not grow anaerobically. Moreover, this strain utilized various complex substrates (beef extract, casamino acids, peptone, tryptone and yeast extract) and sugars (arabinose, xylose, galactose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, raffinose and lactose) as sole carbon sources. No chemolithoautotrophic growth occurred on elemental sulfur, pyrite, K2S4O6, Na2S2O3 or FeSO4 . 7H2O; however, growth by the oxidation of hydrogen occurred weakly. The core lipids were calditoglycerocaldarchaeol (CGTE) and caldarchaeol (DGTE). The DNA G+C content of the strain was 52.0 mol%, which was remarkably higher than those of known species of the order Sulfolobales (31–46.2 %). The growth of the strain was significantly inhibited in the presence of elemental sulfur. Analyses of 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene sequences showed that HS-1T belonged to the order Sulfolobales ; however, it was distantly related to all known species of the order Sulfolobales (less than 89 % sequence similarity). On the basis of these results, we propose the novel genus, Sulfodiicoccus, in the order Sulfolobales (in the family Sulfolobaceae ). The type species of the genus is Sulfodiicoccus acidiphilus sp. nov., and the type strain of the species is HS-1T (=JCM 31740T=InaCC Ar79T).

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated B6T, was isolated from activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant in South Korea. Cells were oxidase- and catalase-positive and non-motile rods producing yellow carotenoid-type pigments. Growth of B6T was observed at 20–40 °C (optimum, 37 °C) and pH 6.6–8.2 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in R2A broth supplemented with 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0 %). B6T contained iso-C15 : 0 as the major fatty acid. Menaquinone-6 was detected as the sole respiratory quinone. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of B6T was 31.5 mol%. The results of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that B6T formed a tight phylogenetic lineage with members of the genus Cloacibacterium . B6T was most closely related to Cloacibacterium rupense R2A-16T (99.0 %), Cloacibacterium normanense NRS1T (98.7 %) and Cloacibacterium haliotis WB5T (97.4 %), but their DNA–DNA relatedness levels were less than 42.0 %. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular properties, it is clear that B6T represents a novel species of the genus Cloacibacterium , for which the name Cloacibacterium caeni sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B6T (=KACC 18988T=JCM 31714T).

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, strain Ra1T, was isolated from the gut of a wood-feeding lower termite, Reticulitermes aculabialis. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain was closely related to Chryseobacterium rigui JCM 18078T (96.7 % similarity). Growth was observed at 15–45 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum pH 8.0) and in the presence of 0–2 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0 %). The DNA G+C content of strain Ra1T was 39.9 mol%. Cells contained menaquinone MK-6 as the sole respiratory quinone and the major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c) and summed feature 9 (comprising C16 : 0 10-methyl and/or iso-C17 : 1ω9c). The predominant polyamine was sym-homospermidine. The cellular polar lipids consisted of one phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids, one unidentified phospholipid and one unidentified lipid. Based on phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic studies, it is concluded that strain Ra1T represents a novel species of the genus Chryseobacterium , for which the name Chryseobacterium reticulitermitis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Ra1T (=CCTCC AB 2015431T=KCTC 52230T).