- Volume 68, Issue 1, 2018

An aerobic, Gram-staining-variable, rod-shaped, endospore-forming and motile bacterial strain, designated CJ6T, was isolated from a tidal flat on Ganghwa Island, South Korea. The isolate was characterized based on a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Strain CJ6T grew optimally on R2A agar media at 30 °C and pH 7. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain CJ6T belonged to the genus Paenibacillus , displaying the highest sequence similarity to Paenibacillus vulneris CCUG 53270T (97.0 %) and clearly defined strain CJ6T as a novel species within the genus. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.9 mol%. The major polar lipid contents of strain CJ6T were phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and unidentified glycolipids. MK-7 was detected as the major respiratory quinone. The dominant fatty acid was anteiso-C15 : 0. Analyses of phylogenetic, phenotypic, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics indicated that strain CJ6T was distinguishable from its closely related type strains. Therefore, strain CJ6T represents a novel species in the genus Paenibacillus , for which name Paenibacillus limicola sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is CJ6T (=KACC 19303T=JCM 32079T).

A strictly anaerobic bacterial strain (FH042T) was isolated from a methanogenic reactor treating waste from cattle farms. Cells were stained Gram-positive, straight to gently curved rods with polar flagella. The strain was asaccharolytic. The strain fermented amino acids (l-arginine, l-lysine and l-serine) as growth substrates and produced acetate and butyrate. The optimum temperature for growth was 30 °C and the optimum pH was 6.1–6.8. Oxidase, catalase and nitrate-reducing activities were negative. Hydrogen sulfide was produced. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain FH042T was 44.7±0.2 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω9c DMA, C17 : 2/C17 : 1ω9c (as summed feature), C16 : 0 DMA and C14 : 0. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as a diagnostic amino acid. The most closely related described species on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences was Anaerovorax odorimutans in the family XIII Incertae Sedis in the order Clostridiales of the class Clostridia with sequence similarity of 95.1 %. Based on the distinct differences in phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics between strain FH042T and related species, Aminipila butyrica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate the strain. Type strain is FH042T (=JCM 31555T=DSM 103574T).

A Gram-stain-positive, pink-pigmented, coccus-shaped, strictly aerobic, non-motile bacterium, strain THG-AG1.5T, was isolated from rhizosphere of Hibiscus syriacus L. (Mugunghwa flower) located in Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea. The isolated strain grew optimally at 25–30 °C, at pH 6.0–7.5 and in the presence of additional 0–1.5 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain THG-AG1.5T exhibited tolerance to UV radiation (>1500 J m−2) and to gamma radiation (>12 kGy). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, strain THG-AG1.5T was closely related to Deinococcus daejeonensis MJ27T (98.03 %), Deinococcus radiotolerans C1T (97.61 %) and Deinococcus grandis DSM 3963T (97.32 %). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain THG-AG1.5T was 74.8 mol%. The DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain THG-AG1.5T and its closest phylogenetically neighbours were below 63.0 %. The peptidoglycan amino acids were alanine, valine, glutamic acid, glycine, ornithine, lysine and aspartic acid. Strain THG-AG1.5T contained ribose, mannose and glucose as whole-cell-wall sugars and menaquinone-8 (MK-8) as the only isoprenoid quinone. The major component in the polyamine pattern was spermidine. The major polar lipids of strain THG-AG1.5T were a phosphoglycolipid, six unidentified glycolipids and an unidentified aminophospholipid. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15 : 0, C15 : 1ω6c, C16 : 0, iso-C17 : 0, C17 : 0, C18 : 0 and summed feature 3. On the basis of our polyphasic taxonomy study, strain THG-AG1.5T represents a novel species within the genus Deinococcus , for which the name Deinococcus hibisci sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is THG-AG1.5T (=KACC 18850T=CCTCC AB 2016078T).

Bogia coconut syndrome (BCS) is one of the lethal yellowing (LY)-type diseases associated with phytoplasma presence that are seriously threatening coconut cultivation worldwide. It has recently emerged, and is rapidly spreading in northern parts of the island of New Guinea. BCS-associated phytoplasmas collected in different regions were compared in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealing high identity among them represented by strain BCS-BoR. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that BCS-BoR shared less than a 97.5 % similarity with other species of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’, with a maximum value of 96.08 % (with strain LY; GenBank accession no. U18747). This result indicates the necessity and propriety of a novel taxon for BCS phytoplasmas according to the recommendations of the IRPCM. Phylogenetic analysis was also conducted on 16S rRNA gene sequences, resulting in a monophyletic cluster composed of BCS-BoR and other LY-associated phytoplasmas. Other phytoplasmas on the island of New Guinea associated with banana wilt and arecanut yellow leaf diseases showed high similarities to BCS-BoR and were closely related to BCS phytoplasmas. Based on the uniqueness of their 16S rRNA gene sequences, a novel taxon ‘Ca. Phytoplasma noviguineense’ is proposed for these phytoplasmas found on the island of New Guinea, with strain BCS-BoR (GenBank accession no. LC228755) as the reference strain. The novel taxon is described in detail, including information on the symptoms of associated diseases and additional genetic features of the secY gene and rp operon.

A sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain KBB12T, was isolated from swinery waste collected in Jeju, Republic of Korea. The cells were Gram-stain-negative, flagellated and rod-shaped. Growth occurred at 15–45 °C (optimum, 30–37 °C), at pH 6–9 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1 ω7c, C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7c. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid and an unidentified lipid. The major isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-8 (Q-8) and the DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 69.6 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that the novel isolate belongs to the genus Melaminivora and was most closely related to Melaminivora alkalimesophila CY1T (97.2 % similarity). The DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain KBB12T and M. alkalimesophila DSM26005T was 43.4 2.7 %. On the basis of phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that strain KBB12T represents a novel species of the genus Melaminivora , for which the name Melaminivora jejuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KBB12T (=KCTC 32230T=JCM 18740T).

Bacteria from the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are capable of causing severe infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). These opportunistic pathogens are also widely distributed in natural and man-made environments. After a 12-year epidemiological surveillance involving Bcc bacteria from respiratory secretions of Argentinean patients with CF and from hospital settings, we found six isolates of the Bcc with a concatenated species-specific allele sequence that differed by more than 3 % from those of the Bcc with validly published names. According to the multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), these isolates clustered with the agricultural soil strain, Burkholderia sp. PBP 78, which was already deposited in the PubMLST database. The isolates were examined using a polyphasic approach, which included 16S rRNA, recA, Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), DNA base composition, average nucleotide identities (ANIs), fatty acid profiles, and biochemical characterizations. The results of the present study demonstrate that the seven isolates represent a single novel species within the Bcc, for which the name Burkholderia puraquae sp. nov. is proposed. Burkholderia puraquae sp. nov. CAMPA 1040T (=LMG 29660T=DSM 103137T) was designated the type strain of the novel species, which can be differentiated from other species of the Bcc mainly from recA gene sequence analysis, MLSA, ANIb, MALDI-TOF MS analysis, and some biochemical tests, including the ability to grow at 42 °C, aesculin hydrolysis, and lysine decarboxylase and β-galactosidase activities.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, designated KH87T, was isolated from a fishing hook that had been baited and suspended in seawater off O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Based on a comparison of 1524 nt of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain KH87T, its nearest neighbours were the Gammaproteobacteria Rheinheimera nanhaiensis E407-8T (96.2 % identity), Rheinheimera chironomi K19414T (96.0 %), Rheinheimera pacifica KMM 1406T (95.8 %), Rheinheimera muenzenbergensis E49T (95.7 %), Alishewanella solinquinati KMK6T (94.9 %) and Arsukibacterium ikkense GCM72T (94.6 %). Cells of KH87T were motile by a single polar flagellum, strictly aerobic, and catalase- and oxidase-positive. Growth occurred between 4 and 39 °C, and in a circumneutral pH range. Major fatty acids in whole cells of strain KH87T were cis-9-hexadecenoic acid, hexadecanoic acid and cis-11-octadecenoic acid. The quinone system contained mostly menaquinone MK-7, and a minor amount of ubiquinone Q-8. The polar lipid profile contained the major lipids phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid, and a lipid not containing phosphate, an amino group or a sugar moiety. Putrescine was the major polyamine. Physiological, biochemical and genomic data, including obligate halophily, absence of amylolytic activity, a quinone system dominated by MK-7 and DNA G+C content (42.0 mol%) distinguished KH87T from extant Rheinheimera species; strain KH87T was also distinguished by a multi-locus sequence analysis of aligned and concatenated 16S rRNA, gyrB, rpoB and rpoD gene sequences. Based on phenotypic and genotypic differences, the species Rheinheimera salexigens sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate KH87T as the type strain (=ATCC BAA-2715T=CIP 111115T). An emended description of the genus Rheinheimera is also proposed.

A polyphasic taxonomic approach was used to characterize a presumably novel bacterium, designated strain CC-YTH191T, isolated from a fermented meal in Taiwan. Cells of strain CC-YTH191T were Gram-stain-negative aerobic rods, which grew at 15–40 °C (optimal 25–30 °C), pH 6.0–9.0 (optimal 7.0) and 1–2 % (w/v) NaCl (optimal 1 %). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain CC-YTH191T appeared to belong to the genus Castellaniella , and was closely related to Castellaniella hirudinis (96.7 % similarity), Castellaniella ginsengisoli (96.7 %) and Castellaniella caeni (96.0 %), while with other related species it shared <96.0 % similarity. The major cellular fatty acids of the isolate were C16 : 0, C17 : 0cyclo, C14 : 0 3OH/C16 : 1iso I and C18 : 1 ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c. The polar lipid profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, three unidentified phospholipids, an unidentified aminolipid and an unidentified aminophospholpid. Putrescine was the predominant polyamine followed by spermidine. The DNA G+C content was 62.2 mol% and the predominant quinone system was ubiquinone 8 (Q-8). All these features confirmed the placement of the strain CC-YTH191T as a novel species within the genus Castellaniella , for which the name Castellaniella fermenti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CC-YTH191T (=BCRC 81023T=JCM 31755T).

An unusual fluorescent pseudomonad was isolated from tomato exhibiting leaf spot symptoms similar to bacterial speck. Strains were fluorescent, oxidase- and arginine-dihydrolase-negative, elicited a hypersensitive reaction on tobacco and produced a soft rot on potato slices. However, the strains produced an unusual yellow, mucoid growth on media containing 5 % sucrose that is not typical of levan. Based on multilocus sequence analysis using 16S rRNA, gap1, gltA, gyrB and rpoD, these strains formed a distinct phylogenetic group in the genus Pseudomonas and were most closely related to Pseudomonas viridiflava within the Pseudomonas syringae complex. Whole-genome comparisons, using average nucleotide identity based on blast, of representative strain GEV388T and publicly available genomes representing the genus Pseudomonas revealed phylogroup 7 P. viridiflava strain UASW0038 and P. viridiflava type strain ICMP 2848T as the closest relatives with 86.59 and 86.56 % nucleotide identity, respectively. In silico DNA–DNA hybridization using the genome-to-genome distance calculation method estimated 31.1 % DNA relatedness between GEV388T and P. viridiflava ATCC 13223T, strongly suggesting the strains are representatives of different species. These results together with Biolog GEN III tests, fatty acid methyl ester profiles and phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA and multiple housekeeping gene sequences demonstrated that this group represents a novel species member of the genus Pseudomonas . The name Pseudomonas floridensis sp. nov. is proposed with GEV388T (=LMG 30013T=ATCC TSD-90T) as the type strain.

A novel endophytic bacterium, designated strain HZ7T, was isolated from the root nodules of Robinia pseudoacacia growing in a lead–zinc mine in Mianxian County, Shaanxi Province, China. Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped, methyl-red-negative, catalase-positive, positive for chitosan-degrading activity and did not produce H2S. Strain HZ7T grew at 4–45 °C (optimum 25–30 °C), at pH 5–9 (optimum pH 7–8) and with 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl. The quinone type was ubiquinone 8 (UQ-8). The major fatty acids were identified as C16 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.5 mol% by whole genome sequencing. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the closest phylogenetic relative was Mitsuaria chitosanitabida 3001T (99.05 % similarity). Genome relatedness was computed using average nucleotide identity and genome-to-genome distance analysis, both of which strongly supported strain HZ7Tas belonging to the genus Mitsuaria as a representative of a novel species. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, chemotaxonomic data and physiological characteristics, strain HZ7T represents a novel species of the genus Mitsuaria , for which the name Mitsuaria noduli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HZ7T (=JCM 31671T=CCTCC AB 2014353T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated HKS-05T, was isolated from ginseng field soil. This bacterium was characterized to determine its taxonomic position by using the polyphasic approach. HKS-05T grew at 10–37 °C and at pH 6.0–8.0 on R2A agar. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, HKS-05T was shown to represent a member of the family Caulobacteraceae and to be related to Phenylobacterium lituiforme FaiI3T (98.1 % sequence similarity), ‘ Phenylobacterium zucineum ’ HLK1 (97.9 %), Phenylobacterium muchangponense A8T (97.7 %), Phenylobacterium composti 4T-6T (97.2 %) and Phenylobacterium immobile ET (97.1 %). The major respiratory quinone was Q-10 and the major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0, and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified glycolipids and unidentified polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 70.4 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness values between HKS-05T and its closest phylogenetically neighbours were low. HKS-05T could be differentiated genotypically and phenotypically from the species of the genus Phenylobacterium with validly published names. The isolate therefore represents a novel species, for which the name Phenylobacterium hankyongense sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain HKS-05T (=KACC 18628T=LMG 30081T)

Acinetobacter lactucae and Acinetobacter dijkshoorniae were recently described as novel species, and both were reported to be closely related to Acinetobacter pittii . Because they were reviewed and published almost concurrently, their descriptions did not include a specific comparison between these two novel species. Genomic data were provided in both initial descriptions, which simplifies the comparisons. Genome comparisons based on in silico DNA–DNA hybridizations, average nucleotide identity and core genome phylogeny of the type strain genomes establish that these strains are conspecific. Based on the rules of priority, A. dijkshoorniae should be reclassified as a later heterotypic synonym of A. lactucae .

A polyphasic approach was used to characterize an aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium (designed as strain CC-MHH0539T) isolated from the chopped tuber of taro (Colocasia esculanta) in Taiwan. Strain CC-MHH0539T was able to grow at 15–30 °C (optimum, 25 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, 7.0) and with 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain CC-MHH0539T showed highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Sphingomonas laterariae LNB2T (96.8 %), Sphingobium boeckii 469T (96.5 %), Sphingomonas faucium E62-3T (96.4 %) and Sphingosinicella vermicomposti YC7378T (96.2 %) and <96.1 % similarity to other sphingomonads. Strain CC-MHH0539T was found to cluster mainly with the clade that accommodated members of the genus Sphingomonas . The dominant cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0, C16 : 1 ω5c, C14 : 0 2-OH, C16 : 1 ω7c/C16 : 1 ω6c and C18 : 1 ω7c/C18 : 1 ω6c. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, two sphingoglycolipids and two unidentified phospholipids were detected in strain CC-MHH0539T. The DNA G+C content was 69.5 mol%. The respiratory quinone system and predominant polyamine was ubiquinone 10 (Q-10) and sym-homospermidine, respectively, which is in line with Sphingomonas representatives. Based on the distinct phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic traits, strain CC-MHH0539T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas , for which the name Sphingomonas colocasiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CC-MHH0539T (=BCRC 80933T=JCM 31229T).

The species Phytobacter diazotrophicus and the associated genus Phytobacter were originally described by Zhang et al. [Arch Microbiol 189 (2008), 431–439] on the basis of few endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria isolated from wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) in China. In this study, we demonstrate that a number of clinical isolates that were either described in the literature, preserved in culture collections, or obtained during a 2013 multi-state sepsis outbreak in Brazil also belong to the same genus. 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multilocus sequence analysis based on gyrB, rpoB, atpD and infB genes, as well as digital DNA–DNA hybridization support the existence of a second species within the genus Phytobacter . All isolates from the recent Brazilian outbreak, along with some older American clinical strains, were found to belong to the already described species Phytobacter diazotrophicus , whereas three clinical strains retrieved in the USA over a time span of almost four decades, could be assigned to a new Phytobacter species. Implementation of an extended set of biochemical tests showed that the two Phytobacter species could phenotypically be discriminated from each other by the ability to utilize l-sorbose and d-serine. This feature was limited to the strains of the novel species described herein, for which the name Phytobacter ursingii sp. nov. is proposed, with ATCC 27989T (=CNCTC 5729T) as the designated type strain. An emended description of the species Phytobacter diazotrophicus and of the genus Phytobacter is also provided.

Strain Eup a-8T, isolated from a torch coral Euphyllia glabrescens, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Cells of strain Eup a-8T were Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, motile by means of a single polar flagellum, poly-β-hydroxybutyrate-containing, rod-shaped and formed white colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 25–30 °C, pH 7–8, and in the presence of 2 % NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Eup a-8T belonged to the genus Thalassotalea and showed the highest levels of sequence similarity with respect to Thalassotalea ganghwensis JC2041T (97.1 %). Strain Eup a-8T contained C17 : 1ω8c, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 as the predominant fatty acids. The only isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and one uncharacterized phospholipid. Genomic DNA G+C content of strain Eup a-8T was 41.5 mol%. The DNA–DNA hybridization value for strain Eup a-8T with Thalassotalea ganghwensis JC2041T was less than 70 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic inference, demonstrate that strain Eup a-8T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Thalassotalea , for which the name Thalassotalea coralli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Eup a-8T (=BCRC 80967T=LMG 29478T=KCTC 52169T).

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic and halotolerant bacterial strain, designated strain NAP41T, was isolated from a sea tidal flat in the Yellow Sea of South Korea. Cells were non-motile cocci showing oxidase- and catalase-positive activities. Growth of strain NAP41T was observed at 15–40 °C (optimum, 37 °C), at pH 6.5–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–7.5) and in the presence of 0.5–12 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2 %). Strain NAP41T contained summed feature 8 (comprising C18 :  ω7c/C18 : 1 ω6c) and C18 : 0 as the major fatty acids and ubiquinone-10 as the sole isoprenoid quinone. Phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid and three unidentified lipids were detected as the polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 56.0 mol%. Strain NAP41T was most closely related to Primorskyibacter insulae SSK3-2T, Thalassococcus lentus YCS-24T and Roseivivax lentus DSM 29430T with 96.67, 96.39 and 96.39 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, respectively, and formed a phylogenetic lineage distinct from closely related taxa within the family Rhodobacteraceae with low bootstrap values. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular properties, strain NAP41T represents a novel species of a novel genus of the family Rhodobacteraceae , for which the name Aestuariicoccus marinus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is NAP41T (KACC 18431T=JCM 30739T).

A bacterial strain designated TP462T, isolated from a seamount near the Yap Trench in the tropical western Pacific, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain TP462T was found to be Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Growth occurred at 4–37 °C (optimum, 25–30 °C) and with 0–4.0 % NaCl (optimum, 2–3 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain TP462T was related to the genus Rheinheimera and had the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the type strain Rheinheimera tangshanensis JA3-B52T (96.8 %). The predominant cellular fatty acids were C17 : 1ω8c, summed feature 3 (composed of iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c) and C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile contained phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain TP462T was 48.7 mol%. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain TP462T represents a novel species of the genus Rheinheimera , for which we propose the name Rheinheimera marina sp. nov. (type strain TP462T=KACC 18560T=CGMCC 1.15399T).

A novel Gram-stain-negative, straight or slightly curved rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, non-flagellated, strictly aerobic strain, designated RZG4-3-1T, was isolated from coastal seawater of Rizhao, China (119.625° E 35.517° N). The organism grew optimally at 24–28 °C, at pH 7.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The strain required seawater or artificial seawater for growth, and NaCl alone did not support growth. Strain RZG4-3-1T contained ubiquinone 8 (Q-8) as the major respiratory quinone and contained C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c and C16 : 0 as the dominant fatty acids. The polar lipids of strain RZG4-3-1T were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and one unidentified aminophospholipid. The DNA G+C content of strain RZG4-3-1T was 40.1 mol%. Strain RZG4-3-1T exhibited the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity value (96.0 %) to Thalassotalea eurytherma JCM 18482T. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain RZG4-3-1T belonged to the genus Thalassotalea . On the basis of polyphasic analyses, strain RZG4-3-1T represents a novel species of the genus Thalassotalea , for which the name Thalassotalea atypica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RZG4-3-1T (=JCM 31894T=KCTC 52745T=MCCC 1K03276T). An emended description of Thalassotalea eurytherma is also provided.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and aerobic bacterial strain, designated L1 8-17T, was isolated from a marine alga, Porphyridium marinum, in South Korea. Cells of strain L1 8-17T were found to be oxidase- and catalase-positive cocci without flagella. Growth of strain L1 8-17T was observed at 20–40 °C (optimum, 37 °C), pH 6.0–10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0–8.0) and in the presence of 0–7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2–3 %). The isoprenoid quinone detected was only ubiquinone-10. Summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0 were detected as major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain L1 8-17T consisted of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified lipid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 59.3 mol%. Strain L1 8-17T was most closely related to Marimonas arenosa CAU 1311T, Tropicibacter naphthalenivorans C02T and Donghicola eburneus SW-277T with 96.68, 96.68 and 96.60 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, respectively, but the strain formed a phylogenetic lineage clearly distinct from them within the family Rhodobacteraceae . On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular properties, strain L1 8-17T represents a novel genus of the family Rhodobacteraceae , for which the name Aquicoccus porphyridii gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is L1 8-17T (KACC 18806T=JCM 31543T).