- Volume 68, Issue 4, 2018

A novel member of the phylum Verrucomicrobia was isolated from an oilsands tailings pond in Alberta, Canada. Cells of isolate NVTT are Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-pigmented, non-motile cocci to diplococci 0.5–1.0 µm in diameter. The bacterium is neutrophilic (optimum pH 6.0–8.0) but alkalitolerant, capable of growth between pH 5.5 and 11.0. The temperature range for growth is 15–40 °C (optimum 25–37 °C). Carbon and energy sources include sugars and organic acids. Nitrogen sources include nitrate, urea, l-glycine, l-alanine, l-proline and l-serine. Does not fix atmospheric nitrogen. Does not require NaCl and is inhibited at NaCl concentrations above 3.0 % (w/v). The DNA G+C content of strain NVTT, based on a draft genome sequence, is 66.1 mol%. MK-6 and MK-7 are the major respiratory quinones. Major cellular fatty acids are anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the strain belongs to the family Opitutaceae of the phylum Verrucomicrobia . The most closely related validated species is Opitutus terrae (93.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to its type strain PB90-1T). Based on genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, it was concluded that this strain represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Oleiharenicola alkalitolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this novel species is NVTT (=ATCC BAA-2697T;=DSM 29249T).

An isolate of aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and light-pink pigmented bacteria, designated SBC68T, was obtained from slightly decomposed thalli of the lichen Cladonia sp. collected from the forested tundra of north-western Siberia. Cells of this isolate occurred singly, in pairs or in rosettes. These bacteria were acidophilic (optimum growth at pH 4.3–5.6) and mesophilic (optimum growth at 20–30 °C) but were also capable of growth at low temperatures, down to 7 °C. The preferred growth substrates were sugars, some organic acids and lichenan. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω7t, and 13,16-dimethyl octacosanedioic acid. The only quinone was MK-8, and the G+C content of the DNA was 54.7 mol%. SBC68T represented a member of the family Acidobactericeae; the closest taxonomically described relatives were Edaphobacter dinghuensis DHF9T and Granulicella aggregans TPB6028T (97.2 and 97.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively). In 16S rRNA gene-based trees, SBC68T clustered together with species of the genus Edaphobacter . However, this isolate differed from all previously described species of the genus Edaphobacter with respect to the pink pigmentation, formation of cell rosettes and substrate utilization pattern. On the basis of these data, strain SBC68T should be considered to represent a novel species of acidobacteria, for which the name Edaphobacter lichenicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SBC68T (=DSM 104462T=VKM B-3208T).

A Gram-stain-negative, pink-coloured, non-motile and gamma radiation-resistant bacterium, designated strain IMCC1711T, was isolated from a freshwater sample collected from an artificial pond (Inkyong Pond). The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain IMCC1711T was most closely related to Deinococcus piscis 3axT (94.2 %) and formed a robust phylogenetic clade with other species of the genus Deinococcus . Optimal growth of strain MCC1711T was observed at 25 °C and pH 7.0 without NaCl. Strain IMCC1711T exhibited high resistance to gamma radiation. The DNA G+C content of strain IMCC1711T was 59.1 mol% and MK-8 was the predominant isoprenoid quinone. Major fatty acid constituents of the strain were C17 : 1ω8c, C16 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω6c and/or C16 : 1 ω7c) and C15 : 1 ω6c. The major polar lipids constituted phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phosphoglycolipid and two unidentified glycolipids. On the basis of taxonomic data obtained in this study, it was concluded that strain IMCC1711T represented a novel species of the genus Deinococcus , for which the name Deinococcus lacus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Deinococcus lacus is IMCC1711T (KCTC 52494T=KACC 18979T=NBRC 112440T).

A Gram-stain-negative, short-rod, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile and red-pigmented bacterium, designated SAORIC-165T, was isolated from a deep-seawater sample collected from the Pacific Ocean. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SAORIC-165T was most closely related to Rubritalea marina Pol012T (95.7 % sequence similarity) and formed a robust phylogenetic clade with other species of the genus Rubritalea in the phylum Verrucomicrobia . Optimal growth of strain SAORIC-165T was observed at 10 °C, pH 7.0 and in the presence of 2.0–3.5 % (w/v) NaCl. The DNA G+C content of strain SAORIC-165T was 50.7 mol% and MK-9 was the predominant isoprenoid quinone. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), iso-C14 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and C14 : 0. The major polar lipids constituted phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and unidentified phospholipids and aminolipids. On the basis of the taxonomic data obtained in this study, it was concluded that strain SAORIC-165T represented a novel species of the genus Rubritalea , for which the name Rubritalea profundi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Rubritalea profundi is SAORIC-165T (=NBRC 110691T=KCTC 52460T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-endospore-forming organism, isolated from the rhizosphere sand of a coastal sand dune plant was studied for its taxonomic position. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity comparisons, strain YU-PRIM-29T was grouped within the genus Halomonas and was most closely related to Halomonas johnsoniae (97.5 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to other Halomonas species was <97.5 %. Strain YU-PRIM-29T grew optimally at 28 °C (growth range, 10–36 °C), at a pH of 7–9 (growth range, pH 5.5–12.0) and in the presence of 0.5 to 5 % (w/v) NaCl (growth up to 20 % NaCl). The fatty acid profile from whole-cell hydrolysates supported the allocation of the strain to the genus Halomonas . The fatty acids C18 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0 were found as major compounds, followed by the hydroxylated fatty acid C12 : 0 3-OH. The quinone system consisted predominantly of ubiquinone Q-9. The polar lipid profile was composed of the major lipids diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. In the polyamine pattern, spermidine was the predominant compound. The DNA G+C content was 64.8 mol%. In addition, the results of physiological and biochemical tests also allowed phenotypic differentiation of strain YU-PRIM-29T from its closest-related species. Hence, YU-PRIM-29T represents a new species of the genus Halomonas , for which we propose the name Halomonas malpeensis sp. nov., with YU-PRIM-29T (=LMG 28855T=CCM 8737T) as the type strain.

The aim of the study was to reclarify the taxonomic status of four species, Mameliella phaeodactyli , Mameliella atlantica , Ponticoccus lacteus and Alkalimicrobium pacificum , by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. A combination of physiological properties of the four type strains, KD53T, L6M1-5T, JL351T and F15T, was consistent with those of the closest type strain JLT354-WT of Mameliella alba . The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the five type strains shared 100 % identity. The close relationship between the five strains was underpinned by the results of chemotaxonomic characteristics, including the fatty acids, quinone and polar lipids. The pairwise digital DNA–DNA hybridization values among the five strains were well above 70 %, considered the threshold value for species definition. In this case a further statement of Rule 24a applies, in which priority of names is determined by the date of the original publication. Hence, we propose that that Mameliella phaeodactyli , Mameliella atlantica , Ponticoccus lacteus and Alkalimicrobium pacificum should be regarded as later heterotypic synonyms of Mameliella alba .

A Gram-negative rod, designated strain LLAN61T, was isolated from a root nodule of Lotus lancerottensis growing in a saline soil sample from Lanzarote (Canary Islands). The strain grew optimally at 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl and tolerated up to 3.5 %. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain LLAN61T belonged to genus Phyllobacterium and that Phyllobacterium leguminum ORS 1419T and Phyllobacterium myrsinacearum IAM 13584T are the closest related species with 97.93 and 97.86% similarity values, respectively. In the atpD phylogeny, P. leguminum ORS 1419T and P. myrsinacearum ATCC 43591T, sharing similarities of 87.6 and 85.8% respectively, were also the closest species to strain LLAN61T. DNA–DNA hybridization showed an average value of 21 % between strain LLAN61T and P. leguminum LMG 22833T, and 6 % with P. myrsinacearum ATCC 43590T. The predominant fatty acids were C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and C18 : 1ω6c/C18 : 1ω7c (summed feature 8). The DNA G+C content was 58.0 mol%. Strain LLAN61T differed from its closest relatives in some culture conditions and in assimilation of several carbon sources. Based upon the results of phylogeny, DNA–DNA hybridization, phenotypic tests and fatty acid analysis, this strain should be classified as a novel species of Phyllobacterium for which the name Phyllobacterium salinisoli sp. nov. is proposed (type strain LLAN61T=LMG 30173T = CECT 9417T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile bacterium with a subpolar flagellum, designated strain CCMM005T, was isolated from offshore seawater at Qingdao, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain CCMM005T belonged to the genus Salinisphaera and exhibited highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Salinisphaera dokdonensis CL-ES53T (96.9 %). It showed lower sequence similarities (94.9–96.4 %) with all other representatives of the genus Salinisphaera . Optimal growth occurred in the presence of 4 % (w/v) NaCl, at 30 °C and at pH 7.0. The polar lipids of strain CCMM005T consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phosphoglycolipid and one unidentified phospholipid. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The major fatty acids were C19 : 0cyclo ω8c, C18 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7c. The DNA G+C content of strain CCMM005T was 65.3 mol%. On the basis of data from this polyphasic study, strain CCMM005T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Salinisphaera , for which the name Salinisphaera aquimarina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CCMM005T (=MCCC 1K03246T=KCTC 52640T).

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic strain, designated FJ201301T, was isolated from aquaculture water collected from Fujian province, China. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain FJ201301T belonged to the genus Vibrio , formed a distinct cluster with Vibrio cincinnatiensis ATCC 35912T and shared the highest similarity with Vibrio salilacus CGMCC 1.12427T. A 15 bp insertion found in the 16S rRNA gene was a significant marker that distinguished strain FJ201301T from several phylogenetic neighbours (e.g. V. cincinnatiensis ). Multilocus sequence analysis of eight genes (ftsZ, gapA, gyrB, mreB, pyrH, recA, rpoA and topA; concatenated 4135 bp sequence) showed that, forming a long and independent phylogenetic branch, strain FJ201301T clustered with V. cincinnatiensis ATCC 35912T, V ibrio injenensis KCTC 32233T and Vibrio metschnikovii CIP 69.14T clearly separated from V. salilacus CGMCC 1.12427T. Furthermore, the highest in silico DNA–DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain FJ201301T and the closest related species were 26.3 and 83.1 % with V. cincinnatiensis ATCC 35912T, less than the proposed cutoff levels for species delineation, i.e. 70 and 95 %, respectively. Biochemical, sequence and genomic analysis suggested the designation of strain FJ201301T representing a novel species of the genus Vibrio , for which the name Vibrio fujianensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FJ201301T (=DSM 104687T=CGMCC 1.16099T).

A novel, Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile and moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain LCB169T, was isolated from a saline soil sample from Gansu Province, PR China. The cells of LCB169T grew at 10–52 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 6.0–10.0 (optimum pH 8.0) and in the presence of 0–17 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 10–15 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and concatenated 16S rRNA, gyrB and rpoD genes sequences revealed that LCB169T represented a member of the genus Halomonas in the class Gammaproteobacteria . The most closely related species were Halomonas daqingensis DQD2-30T (98.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Halomonas kenyensis AIR-2T (97.8 %) and Halomonas desiderata FB2T (97.5 %). DNA–DNA relatedness values between LCB169T and H. daqingensis CGMCC 1.6443T, H. desiderata DSM 9502T and H. kenyensis DSM 17331T were 33, 35 and 38 %, respectively. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and three unidentified phospholipids. The major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c and C12 : 0 3-OH. The genomic DNA G+C content was 66.1 mol% and the predominant respiratory quinone was Q-9. On the basis of the results of phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses and DNA–DNA hybridization relatedness values, LCB169T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Halomonas, for which the name Halomonas saliphila sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LCB169T (=CGMCC 1.15818T=KCTC 52618T).

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, strain 4-12T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of Triticum aestivum L. from the Xiaokai River irrigation area, China. The isolate grew optimally at 30 °C, pH 7.5–8.0 and with 1.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and phylogenetic analysis, strain 4-12T belonged to the genus Luteimonas with the highest degree of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Luteimonas tolerans UM1T (97.68 %), followed by Luteimonas terrae THG-MD21T (97.67 %), Lysobacter panaciterrae Gsoil 068T (97.21 %) and Luteimonas aestuarii B9T (97.16 %). However, the DNA–DNA relatedness values between strain 4-12T and closely related Luteimonas strains were well below 40 %. The average nucleotide identity and the Genome-to-Genome Distance Calculator also showed low relatedness (below 95 and 70 %, respectively) between strain 4-12T and the type strains in genus Luteimonas . Ubiquinone-8 was the predominant quinone. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C11 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 1ω9c. Polar lipids were dominated by diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 69.5 %. According to the phenotypic, genetic and chemotaxonomic data, strain 4-12T is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Luteimonas , for which the name >Luteimonas rhizosphaerae sp. nov. is proposed, with strain 4-12T (=CCTCC AB 2016261T=KCTC 52585T) as the type strain.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and ovoid- to rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated TFZT, was isolated from a water sample of a saline lake in Xinjiang, China and subjected to polyphasic taxonomic investigation. Strain TFZT grew at 4–42 °C and pH 6.5–10.0 (optimum, 30 °C and pH 7.0) and with 0.5–18.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1.5 %). According to phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain TFZT was assigned to the genus Roseovarius with highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.5 % to Roseovarius tolerans EL-172T, followed by Roseovarius azorensis SSW084T (96.6 %) and Roseovarius mucosus DSM 17069T (95.5 %). Digital DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) were determined to evaluate the genomic relationship between strain TFZT and R. tolerans EL-172T. Digital DDH estimation (22.80±2.35 %) as well as ANI (80.1 %) proved the dissimilarity of strain TFZT. Chemotaxonomic analysis showed that strain TFZT contained ubiquinone-10 as the predominant respiratory quinone and possessed summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1 ω7c and/or ω6c) and C16 : 0 as the predominant form of fatty acid. The polar lipids of strain TFZT consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and five unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content was 65.4 mol% (by genome sequencing). Based on the polyphasic taxonomic characterization, strain TFZT is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Roseovarius , for which the name Roseovarius nitratireducens sp. nov. is proposed (type strain TFZT=MCCC 1K03339T=KCTC 52967T).

A beige-pigmented bacterial strain, SB30-Chr27-3T, isolated from a garden pond, was studied for its taxonomic position. Cells of the isolate were rod-shaped and stained Gram-negative. A comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence with the sequences of the type strains of the most closely related species showed that the strain belongs to the genus Comamonas and showed highest sequence similarities to the type strains of Comamonas jiangduensis (97.5 %), Comamonas aquatica (97.4 %) and Comamonas phosphati (97.3 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to all other Comamonas species were below 97.0 %. The fatty acid profile of strain SB30-Chr27-3T consisted of the major fatty acids C16 : 0, C15 : 0iso 2-OH/ C16 : 1ω7c, C18 : 1ω7c/C18 : 1 ω9c and, in a minor amount, C10 : 0 3-OH. Major compounds in the polar lipid profile were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine and diphosphatidylglycerol. The quinone system was exclusively composed of ubiquinone Q-8. The polyamine pattern contained the major compounds putrescine, cadaverine and 2-hydroxyputrescine. These data and the differentiating biochemical properties indicated that isolate SB30-CHR27-3T represents a novel species of the genus Comamonas , for which we propose the name >Comamonas aquatilis sp. nov. with the type strain SB30-Chr27-3T (=CIP 111491T=CCM 8815T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and coccoid or ovoid bacterial strain, designated LB2T, was isolated from a Korean foodstuff, salted pollack. Strain LB2T grew optimally at 25–30 °C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 0–2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain LB2T belonged to the genus Paracoccus , coherently clustering with the type strain of Paracoccus sulfuroxidans . Strain LB2T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 98.0 and 97.0 % to the type strains of P. sulfuroxidans and Paracoccus halophilus , respectively, and of less than 96.9 % to the type strains of other Paracoccus species. Strain LB2T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone. Major fatty acids of strain LB2T were cyclo C19 : 0 ω8c, C18 : 1 ω7c and C16 : 0 (when grown on MA) or C18 : 1 ω7c and C16 : 0 (on TSA). The major polar lipids detected in strain LB2T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified glycolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain LB2T was 61.4 mol% and its DNA–DNA relatedness values with the type strains of P. sulfuroxidans and P. halophilus were 26 and 18 %, respectively. Differential phenotypic properties, together with its phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain LB2T is separated from recognized Paracoccus species. On the basis of the data presented, strain LB2T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Paracoccus , for which the name Paracoccus alimentarius sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LB2T (=KCTC 62138T=NBRC 113023T).

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively aerobic, aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium, designated strain BN5T, was isolated from gasoline-contaminated soil. Cells were motile and slightly curved rods with a single flagellum showing catalase and oxidase activities. Growth was observed at 20–37 °C (optimum, 25–30 °C), pH 3–7 (optimum, pH 5–6) and 0–2 % NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Ubiquinone-8 was the predominant respiratory quinone. The major fatty acids were C16 : 0, cyclo-C19 : 0 ω8c and summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c). Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phosphoamino lipid, three unidentified amino lipids and eight unidentified lipids were the identified polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 62.93 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain BN5T formed a phylogenic lineage with members of the genus Paraburkholderia and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJNT (99.4 %), Paraburkholderia dipogonis DL7T (98.8 %) and Paraburkholderia insulsa PNG-AprilT (98.8 %). The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH) values between strain BN5T and P. phytofirmans PsJNT were 88.5 and 36.5 %, respectively. The DDH values for strain BN5T with P. dipogonis LMG 28415T and P. insulsa DSM 28142T were 41.0±4.9 % (reciprocal, 33.0±4.3 %) and 47.1±6.6 % (reciprocal, 51.7±5.4 %), respectively. Based on its physiological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic features, we conclude that strain BN5T is a novel species of the genus Paraburkholderia , for which the name Paraburkholderia aromaticivorans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BN5T (=KACC 19419T=JCM 32303T).

Four bacterial strains recovered from shellfish (n=3) and from the water (n=1) of a canal contaminated with urban sewage were recognized as belonging to a novel species of the genus Arcobacter (represented by strain F138-33T) by using a polyphasic characterization. All the new isolates required 2 % NaCl to grow. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that all strains clustered together, with the most closely related species being Arcobacter marinus and Arcobacter molluscorum . However, phylogenetic analyses using the concatenated sequences of housekeeping genes (atpA, gyrB, hsp60, gyrA and rpoB) showed that all the novel strains formed a distinct lineage within the genus Arcobacter . Results of in silico DNA–DNA hybridization and the average nucleotide identity between the genome of strain F138-33T and those of the closely related species A. marinus and other relatively closely related species such as A. molluscorum and Arcobacter halophilus were all below 70 and 96 %, respectively. All the above results, together with the 15 physiological and biochemical tests that could distinguish the newly isolated strains from the closely related species, confirmed that these strains represent a novel species for which the name Arcobacter canalis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain F138-33T (=CECT 8984T=LMG 29148T).

A bacterial strain designated KMB9T was isolated from a freshwater pond in Taiwan and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Cells of strain KMB9T were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, poly-β-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating, motile by means of a monopolar flagellum, non-spore-forming and rods surrounded by a thick capsule and forming white-coloured colonies. Growth occurred at 20–40 °C (optimum, 25–37 °C), at pH 6.5–7.5 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 0–0.5 % NaCl (optimum, 0 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and four housekeeping gene sequences (recA, rpoA, rpoB and atpD) showed that strain KMB9T forms a distinct phyletic line within the family Alcaligenaceae , and the levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to its closest relatives with validly published names were less than 93.3 %. The predominant fatty acids were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7c. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The major polyamine was putrescine. The polar lipid profile revealed the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and several uncharacterized aminophospholipids, aminolipids, phospholipids and lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain KMB9T was 54.5 mol%. On the basis of the genotypic and phenotypic data, strain KMB9T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Alcaligenaceae , for which the name Parvibium lacunae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KMB9T (=BCRC 81053T=LMG 30055T=KCTC 52814T).

A novel endophytic bacterium, designated strain HZ10T, was isolated from root nodules of Robinia pseudoacacia growing in a lead–zinc mine in Mianxian County, Shaanxi Province, China. The bacterium was Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, slightly curved- and rod-shaped, methyl red-negative, catalase-positive, and did not produce H2S. Strain HZ10T grew at 4–45 °C (optimum, 25–30 °C), pH 5–9 (optimum, pH 7–8) and 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids were identified as C16 : 0, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), and the quinone type was Q-8. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64.9 mol% based on the whole genome sequence. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the closest phylogenetic relative to strain HZ10T is Herbaspirillum chlorophenolicum CPW301T (98.72 % sequence identity). Genome relatedness of the type strains H. chlorophenolicum CPW301T, Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67T and Herbaspirillum aquaticum IEH 4430T, was quantified by using the average nucleotide identity (86.9–88.0 %) and a genome-to-genome distance analysis (26.6 %–29.3 %), with both strongly supporting the notion that strain HZ10T belongs to the genus Herbaspirillum as a novel species. Based on the results from phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological analyses, strain HZ10T represents a novel Herbaspirillum species, for which the name Herbaspirillum robiniae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HZ10T (=JCM 31754T=CCTCC AB 2014352T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile and rod-shaped or ovoid bacterial strain, designated JDTF-40T, was isolated from a tidal flat in Jindo, an island of the Republic of South Korea. Strain JDTF-40T grew optimally at pH 7.0–8.0, at 30 °C and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) NaCl. The neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JDTF-40T fell within the cluster comprising the type strains of Thalassotalea species. Strain JDTF-40T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 93.8–95.7 % to the type strains of Thalassotalea species. Strain JDTF-40T contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) and C16 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain JDTF-40T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid, one unidentified glycolipid and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain JDTF-40T was 41.3 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic distinctiveness, demonstrated that strain JDTF-40T is distinct from recognized species of the genus Thalassotalea . On the basis of the data presented here, strain JDTF-40T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Thalassotalea , for which the name Thalassotalea insulae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JDTF-40T (=KACC 19433T=KCTC 62186T=NBRC 113040T).