- Volume 69, Issue 8, 2019

Three independent isolates (10022T, 10 009 and 10011) of a novel catalase-positive, Gram-stain-negative coccus in the genus Neisseria were obtained from the rectal contents of plateau pika on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, PR China. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, our newly identified organisms were most closely related to Neisseria iguanae , Neisseria flavescens and Neisseria perflava with similarities ranging from 98.02 to 98.45 %, followed by seven other species in the genus Neisseria . Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and rplF genes showed that our three novel isolates group with members of the genus Neisseria . Results of the average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis confirmed that our isolates are of the same species, and the ANI values between type strain 10022T and other Neisseria species are 74.12–85.06 %, lower than the threshold range of 95–96 %. The major cellular fatty acids for our novel species are C16 : 0 and C16:1ω7c/C16:1ω6c, which along with their phenotypic characteristics can distinguish our isolates from other Neisseria species. On the basis of polyphasic analyses, our isolates are proposed to represent a novel species in genus Neisseria , with the name Neisseria weixii sp. nov. The type strain is 10022T (=DSM 103441T=CGMCC 1.15732T).

The genus Ochrobactrum belongs to the family Brucellaceae and its members are known to be adapted to a wide range of ecological niches. Ochrobactrum anthropi ATCC 49188T and Ochrobactrum lupini LUP21T are strains isolated from human clinical and plant root nodule samples, respectively, which share high similarity for phylogenetic markers (i.e 100 % for 16S rRNA, 99.9 % for dnaK and 99.35 % for rpoB). In this work, multiple genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) approaches, digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) and phylogenetic analysis were performed in order to investigate the taxonomic relationship between O. anthropi ATCC 49188T, O. lupini LUP21T, and other five type strains from the genus Ochrobactrum . Whole-genome comparisons demonstrated that O. lupini LUP21T and the Ochrobactrum genus type species, O. anthropi ATCC 49188T, share 97.55 % of ANIb, 98.25 % of ANIm, 97.99 % of gANI, 97.94 % of OrthoANI and 83.9 % of dDDH, which exceed the species delineation thresholds. These strains are also closely related in phylogenies reconstructed from a concatenation of 1193 sequences from single-copy ortholog genes. A review of their profiles revealed that O. anthropi ATCC 49188T and O. lupini LUP21T do not present pronounced differences at phenotypic and chemotaxonomic levels. Considering phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, O. lupini should be considered a later heterotypic synonym of O. anthropi .

A single bacterial isolate, EPLC-04T, was isolated from human feces and identified as representing a member of the genus Yersinia on the basis of phenotypic characteristics, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolate’s phenotypic profile differed from that described for the most closely related species, Yersinia kristensenii , by exhibiting lipase production and lacking pyrazinamidase activity. Multiple genetic targets, including the complete (1465 bp) 16S rRNA gene sequence and partial sequences of groEL (539 bp), gyrB (935 bp), glnA (525 bp) and recA (535 bp) indicated that the isolate exhibited 98.91, 92.16, 90.81, 92.78 and 89.01 % identity with Yersinia aldovae , 98.98, 91.99, 90.17, 89.77 and 89.55 % identity with Yersinia intermedia , and 99.66, 98.11, 98.50, 98.49 and 98.51 % identity with Y. kristensenii , respectively. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on the combination of the four housekeeping genes indicated that the isolate formed a unique branch, supported by a bootstrap value of 100 %. Digital DNA–DNA homology and 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified EPLC-04T as representing Y. kristensenii . However, the unique phenotypic traits and results of phylogenetic analysis indicate that it represents a novel subspecies of Y. kristensenii . The name Yersinia kristensenii subsp. rochesterensis subsp. nov. is proposed for this novel taxon (type strain EPLC-04T=ATCC BAA-2637T, DSMZ 28595T).

Strain KYPY4T, isolated from a water sample taken from the Funglin stream in Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain KYPY4T was closely related to Ideonella dechloratans CCUG 30898T (97.1 %) followed by Aquincola tertiaricarbonis L10T (96.9 %) and Kinneretia asaccharophila KIN192T (96.8 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain KYPY4T belonged to the genus Aquincola and formed a distinct phyletic line with A. tertiaricarbonis L10T and Aquincola amnicola TTM-94T. The draft genome of strain KYPY4T was approximately 4.93 Mb in size with a G+C content of 70.1 mol%. Strain KYPY4T showed 73.4–76.9 % average nucleotide identity and 21.3–22.5 % digital DNA–DNA hybridization identity with the strains of other related species in the Rubrivivax-Roseateles–Leptothrix–Ideonella-Aquabacterium group. Cells of strain KYPY4T were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, surrounded by a thick capsule and formed light orange colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 7 and 0 % NaCl. Strain KYPY4T contained summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7c as the predominant fatty acids. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and several uncharacterized polar lipids. The major respiratory quinone was Q-8. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain KYPY4T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Aquincola , for which the name Aquincola rivuli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KYPY4T (=BCRC 81010T=KCTC 52441T).

A novel Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped marine bacterium, designated strain F02T, was isolated from a marine saltern in Weihai, PR China. The cells of strain F02T were approximately 0.8–1.0×3.0–4.0 µm and motile by means of a polar flagellum. Strain F02T grew optimally at 33–35 °C, pH 7.5 and in the presence of 3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain F02T showed oxidase- and catalase-positive activities. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain F02T belonged to the family Halieaceae and exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 96.6 and 96.4 % to the type strains of Chromatocurvus halotolerans and Parahaliea mediterranea , respectively. The major cellular fatty acids of strain F02T were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 1ω7c, C15 : 0 and C18 : 1ω9c. The major polar lipids of strain F02T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and one unidentified aminolipid. Strain F02T contained Q-8 as the sole respiratory quinone. The genomic DNA G+C content was 58.4 mol%. The genome sequences of strain F02T and Chromatocurvus halotolerans DSM 23344T had an OrthoANI value of 70.5 %, and the average amino acid identity value between the two genomes was 62.6 %. The sequence similarity value between the rpoB genes of strain F02T and Chromatocurvus halotolerans DSM 23344T was 79.5 %. On the basis of polyphasic analysis, strain F02T represents a novel species in a new genus, for which the name Kineobactrum sediminis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F02T (=KCTC 52616T=MCCC 1H00224T).

The creamy white to beige, aerobic, non-motile, ovoid to rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative strain, Cd-10T, was isolated from heavy-metal-contaminated sludge from a decantation basin of a heavy metal processing factory based on its ability to tolerate CdCl2 in the cultivation medium. In the reconstruction of its phylogeny based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain Cd-10T clustered with species of the genera Gemmobacter , Xinfangfangia, Tabrizicola and Rhodobacter within the family Rhodobacteraceae . Its 16S rRNA gene sequence exhibited 96.32 % pairwise similarity to the type strain of Xinfangfangia soli , 95.3 % to that of Gemmobacter intermedius , followed by Tabrizicola fusiformis (95.10 %), Rhodobacter sediminis (94.88 %), Gemmobacter nectariphilus and Rhodobacter capsulatus (both 94.81 %). The major respiratory quinone was Q-10 accompanied by Q-9, the fatty acid profile consisted predominantly of C18 : 1ω7c, C18 : 0, C16 : 0 and C16 : 1ω7c, the major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and diphosphatidylglycerol. An analysis of the percentage of conserved proteins deduced from draft or complete genomic sequences of strain Cd-10T and representatives of its closest relatives suggested that strain Cd-10T is a member of a novel genus within the Rhodobacteraceae family for which we propose the name Pseudogemmobacter. Strain Cd-10T (=DSM 103618T=NCCB 100645T) is the type strain of Pseudogemmobacter bohemicus gen. nov., sp. nov., the type species of the genus Pseudogemmobacter gen. nov.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and coccoid-, ovoid- or rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated SSKS-13T, was isolated from sediment sampled at the junction between the ocean and a freshwater spring at Jeju island, Republic of Korea. Strain SSKS-13T grew optimally at 37 °C and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SSKS-13T fell within the clade comprising the type strains of Altererythrobacter species, clustering with the type strains of Altererythrobacter lauratis , Altererythrobacter palmitatis and Altererythrobacter buctensis having 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 97.2–97.6 %. Strain SSKS-13T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of less than 97.0 % to the type strains of the other recognized species. Strain SSKS-13T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1  ω7c as the major fatty acid. The major polar lipids detected in strain SSKS-13T were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and sphingoglycolipid. The DNA G+C content of strain SSKS-13T was 64.6 mol%. The mean DNA–DNA relatedness values of strain SSKS-13T with the type strains of A. lauratis , A. palmitatis and A. buctensis were 11.7–25.3 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and genetic data, proved that strain SSKS-13T is distinct from recognized Altererythrobacter species. On the basis of the data presented here, strain SSKS-13T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Altererythrobacter , for which the name Altererythrobacter aquimixticola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SSKS-13T (=KACC 19863T=KCTC 62900T=NBRC 113545T).

Strains 2B12T, FVG1-MFV-O17 and FVG10-MFV-A16 were isolated from fresh water samples collected in Asia and Europe. The nucleotide sequences of the gapA barcodes revealed that all three strains belonged to the same cluster within the genus Dickeya. Using 13 housekeeping genes (fusA, rpoD, rpoS, glyA, purA, groEL, gapA, rplB, leuS, recA, gyrB, infB and secY), multilocus sequence analysis confirmed the existence of a new clade. When the genome sequences of these three isolates and other Dickeya species were compared, the in silico DNA–DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values were found to be no more than 45.50 and 91.22 %, respectively. The closest relative species was Dickeya fangzhongdai . Genome comparisons also highlighted genetic traits differentiating the new strains from D. fangzhongdai strains DSM 101947T (=CFBP 8607T) and B16. Phenotypical tests were performed to distinguish the three strains from D. fangzhongdai and other Dickeya species. The name Dickeya undicola sp. nov. is proposed with strain 2B12T (=CFBP 8650T=LMG 30903T) as the type strain.

Two Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic, iron-reducing bacterial strains, designated M2T and R106, were isolated from pelagic surface-sediment of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strains M2T and R106 were affiliated to the genus Shewanella and formed a distinct subline in a robust clade encompassing Shewanella vesiculosa , Shewanella livingstonensis , Shewanella arctica and Shewanella frigidimarina with a range of sequence similarities of 98.1–98.9 %. Overall genome relatedness indices indicated that M2T and R106 represented a single genomic species, which was clearly distinguishable from the phylogenetically close relatives with lower values of species delineation thresholds. Cells of M2T grew optimally at 10–15 °C and pH 6.5 in the presence of 3.0–4.0 % (w/v) sea salts. The polar lipids of M2T comprised phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminophospholipids, an unidentified aminolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. Quinones were Q-7, Q-8, MK-7 and MMK-7. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c, C16 : 0 and C17 : 1ω8c. The DNA G+C content was 42.2 mol%. On the basis of the phenotypic, phylogenetic, genomic and chemotaxonomic features, we propose the name Shewanella psychromarinicola sp. nov. with the type strain M2T (=KCCM 43257T =JCM 32090T) and the reclassification of S. arctica as a later heterotypic synonym of S. frigidimarina .

Strain CCP-18T, isolated from a freshwater pond in Taiwan, was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain CCP-18T belongs to the genus Inhella and has the highest levels of sequence similarity with respect to Inhella inkyongensis IMCC1713T (98.9 %) and Inhella fonticola TNR-25T (98.0 %). Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped and formed white-coloured colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 6 and in the absence of NaCl. The major fatty acids of strain CCP-18T were summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified aminophospholipids, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and an unidentified lipid. The predominant polyamine was putrescine. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The draft genome was approximately 3.76 Mb in size with a G+C content of 68.9 mol%. The DNA–DNA hybridization values for strain CCP-18Twith I. inkyongensis IMCC1713T and I.nhella fonticola TNR-25T were less than 40 %. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic data, strain CCP-18T should be classified within the genus Inhella as a representative of a novel species, named Inhella crocodyli sp. nov. The type strain is CCP-18T (=BCRC 81120T=LMG 30595T=KCTC 62511T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, short-rod bacterium, strain MS2-2T, was isolated from mangrove sediment sampled at Jiulong River Estuary, Fujian province, PR China. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain MS2-2T was most closely related to Defluviimonas indica 20V17T (97.41 %) and Defluviimonas pyrenivorans PrR001T (96.18 %). Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA genes and genome sequences both revealed that strain MS2-2T formed a distinct cluster with D. indica 20V17T and D. pyrenivorans PrR001T within family Rhodobacteracea, quite separate from other type species in the genus Defluviimonas . The average nucleotide identity value between strain MS2-2T and D. indica 20V17T was 78.35 %. Growth of strain MS2-2T was observed at 16–41 ° C (optimum, 34 ° C), pH 3.6–7.5 (pH 6.0) and 0.5–10.0 % (w/v) NaCl (4.0 %). The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0 and C18 : 0. Ubiquinone 10 was the sole quinone. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The DNA G+C content was 67.9 mol%. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data show that strain MS2-2T represents a novel species of a novel genus in the family Rhodobacteraceae , for which the name Acidimangrovimonassediminis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain MS2-2T (=MCCC 1K02682T=NBRC 112978T). We also propose the reclassification of Defluviimonas indica as Acidimangrovimonas indica comb. nov. and Defluviimonas pyrenivorans as Acidimangrovimonas pyrenivorans comb. nov.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, yellow-pigmented, oxidase-positive and rod-shaped bacterium, designated PRB40T, was isolated from the Godavari River in India during the course of ‘Kumbh Mela’, the world’s largest mass gathering event. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain PRB40T formed a lineage within the family Sphingomonadaceae and was distinct from the most closely related genera Sphingorhabdus , Novosphingobium and Sphingomonas with sequence similarity values ≤95.2 %. Growth of strain PRB40T occurred at 10–40 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (pH 7.0) and with 0–0.5 % (w/v) NaCl concentration (0 %). The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). It contained C17 : 1ω6c, C14 : 0 2-OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c) as the major cellular fatty acids. The predominant polar lipids were phospholipid, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingoglycolipid. It took sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. The DNA G+C content based on its draft genome sequence was 63.7 mol%. The polyphasic taxonomic analyses indicated that strain PRB40T represents a novel species of a novel genus within the family Sphingomonadaceae , for which the name Chakrabartia godavariana gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Chakrabartia godavariana is PRB40T (=MCC 3406T=GDMCC 1.1197T=KCTC 52678T=LMG 29985T).

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic bacterial strain, designated EO9T, was isolated from gasoline-contaminated soil in the Republic of Korea. Cells were non-motile short rods showing catalase- and oxidase-positive reactions. Growth was observed at 10–37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 6.0–9.0 (pH 6.5) and in the presence of 0–0.5 % (w/v) NaCl (0 %). Ubiquinone-10 (Q-10) and spermidine were identified as the predominant respiratory quinone and polyamine, respectively. Summed feature 8 (comprising C18:1ω7c/C18:1ω6c), summed feature 3 (comprising C16:1ω7c/C16:1ω6c), C16:0 and C14:0 2-OH were identified as major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified phospholipid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 62.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain EO9T formed a tight phylogenetic lineage with Sphingobium xenophagum NBRC 107872T and Sphingobium hydrophobicum C1T within the genus Sphingobium . Strain EO9T was most closely related to S. xenophagum NBRC 107872T (97.2 %) and S. hydrophobicum C1T (97.2 %), but DNA–DNA relatedness levels between strain EO9T and the type strains of S. xenophagum and S. hydrophobicum were 37.1 and 36.8 % , respectively. Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular features, strain EO9T clearly represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobium , for which the name Sphingobium terrigena sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EO9T (=KACC 19523T=JCM 32762T).

A nitrite-tolerant denitrifying bacterium, strain GL14T, was isolated from the nitrification/denitrification bioreactor in our laboratory. Strain GL14T was Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic and motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that it was assigned to the genus Pseudomonas with highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (98.77 %) to Pseudomonas xanthomarina DSM 18231T and Pseudomonas songnenensis NEAU-ST5-5T, followed by Pseudomonas stutzeri ATCC 17588T (98.42 %), Pseudomonas kunmingensis HL22-2T (98.29 %) and Pseudomonas zhaodongensis NEAU-ST5-21T (98.22 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on both concatenated sequences of the 16S rRNA gene and two housekeeping genes (gyrB and rpoD) and genome sequences further clarified the intrageneric phylogenetic position of strain GL14T. The DNA G+C content of GL14T was 63.1 mol%. The results of digital DNA–DNA hybridization (highest 24.2 % of DNA–DNA relatedness) based on the Genome-to-Genome Distance Calculator and average nucleotide identity analyses (highest 80.23 %) confirmed that the strain was distinctly delineated from known species of the genus Pseudomonas . The major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c/C18 : 1 ω6c), C16 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c/C16 : 1 ω6c), C17 : 0cyclo and C12 : 0. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-9. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. Based on the phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, it was concluded that strain GL14T represents a novel species of the genus Pseudomonas , for which the name Pseudomonas nitrititolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GL14T (=CGMCC 1.13874T=NBRC 113853T).

A novel Gram-stain-negative bacterium, strain CY03T, was isolated from sediment of the Yellow Sea, PR China. Cells of strain CY03T were rods, aerobic and non-flagellated. Growth occurred at 5–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.5–9.5 (pH 7.5) and with 0.5–9.0 % NaCl (1.5–2.0 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison showed affiliation to the family Rhodobacteraceae with Puniceibacterium confluentis (97.0 %) as the most closely related species, followed by members of the genus Pseudooceanicola , Pseudooceanicola antarcticus (96.8 %) and Pseudooceanicola nitratireducens (96.7 %). The major cellular fatty acids were cyclo-C19 : 0  ω8c, C16 : 0, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1  ω7c and/or C18 : 1  ω6c) and 11-methyl C18 : 1  ω7c. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminolipid and five unidentified lipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was Q-10. The DNA G+C content of the type strain was 62.8 mol%. Based on the results of the polyphasic characterization for strain CY03T, it represents a novel species of a novel genus of the family Rhodobacteraceae , for which the name Pseudopuniceibacterium sediminis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CY03T (=CCTCC AB 2017195T=KCTC 62198T).

Strain 1T, isolated in the 1970s from the thallus of the carrageenophytic red algae, Eucheuma spinosum, collected in Hawaii, USA, was characterized using a polyphasic method. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-flagellated, ovoid or rod-shaped and grew optimally at 20–25 °C, at pH 6–9 and with 2–4 % NaCl. Strain 1T used the seaweed polysaccharides ι-carrageenan, laminarin and alginic acid as sole carbon sources. The major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 1 ω7c and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2OH) with significant amounts (>6 %) of C16 : 0 N alcohol and 10 methyl C17 : 0. The respiratory quinone was Q-8 and major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and an unknown aminolipid. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the bacterium is affiliated to the genus Alteromonas (family Alteromonadaceae , class Gammaproteobacteria ). Strain 1T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 98.8 and 99.2 % to the type strains of Alteromonas mediterranea and Alteromonas australica respectively, and of 95.2–98.6 % to other species of the genus Alteromonas . The DNA G+C content of strain 1T was determined to be 43.9 mol%. Digital DNA–DNA hybridization predictions by the ANI and GGDC methods between strain 1T and other members of the genus Alteromonas showed values below 83 % and 30 %, respectively. The phenotypic, phylogenetic and genomic analyses show that strain 1T is distinct from species of the genus Alteromonas with validly published names and that it represents a novel species of the genus Alteromonas , for which the name Alteromonas fortis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1T (=ATCC 43554T=RCC 5933T=CIP 111645T=DSM 106819T).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, flagellated, rod-shaped bacterial strain, SM1705T, was isolated from a surface seawater sample collected from the South China Sea. The strain grew at 10–40 °C and with 0.5–13.0 % (w/v) NaCl. It hydrolysed Tweens 20, 40 and 60, but did not hydrolyse starch or Tween 80 nor reduce nitrate to nitrite. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SM1705T was affiliated with the genus Parvularcula , sharing the highest sequence similarity (96.0 %) with type strain of Parvularcula bermudensis and forming a coherent branch together with the latter within the clade of Parvularcula . The major cellular fatty acids were identified as summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c), C16 : 0 and C18 : 0. Polar lipids included three unidentified glycolipids and one unidentified lipid. The major respiratory quinone of strain SM1705T was Q10. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SM1705T was 59.3 mol%. Based on the polyphasic evidence presented in this paper, strain SM1705T represents a novel Parvularcula species, for which the name Parvularcula marina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SM1705T (=KCTC 62795T=MCCC 1K03505T=CCTCC AB 2018345T).

A novel endophytic bacterium, designated strain SX2RGS8T, was isolated from the surface-sterilized roots of an endangered medicinal plant (Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen) collected from Xinjiang, north-western PR China. The taxonomic position of the candidate was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain SX2RGS8T was found to be aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, oxidase-negative, catalase-positive and axiolitic-shaped. Strain SX2RGS8T grew at 4–45 °C (optimum, 28 °C), pH 4.0–10.0 (pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0–5 % (w/v) NaCl. The polar lipids detected for strain SX2RGS8T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, unidentified phosphoglycolipids, an unidentified phospholipid and unidentified lipids. The major respiratory quinone of strain SX2RGS8T was ubiquinone 10 and the major fatty acid was summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c). The DNA G+C content was determined to be 66.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate belonged to the family Erythrobacteraceae and showed 99.2 % ( Porphyrobacter mercurialis ), 95.5 % ( Porphyrobacter donghaensisi) and 95.4 % ( Porphyrobacter colymbi ) similarities to its closest relatives. The isolate contained carotenoids, but no bacteriochlorophyll a. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain SX2RGS8T represents a novel species of a novel genus in the family Erythrobacteraceae , for which the name Croceibacterium ferulae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SX2RGS8T (=CGMCC 1.16402T=KCTC 62090T). In addition, Porphyrobacter mercurialis Coil et al. 2016 is proposed to be transferred to this new genus as Croceibacterium mercuriale comb. nov.

Two strains of Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic, short-rod bacteria, designated as DRYC-M-16T and WMC-M-20, were isolated from sediment samples of two saline lakes in the Tibet of China. Both of the strains were catalase- and oxidase-positive. Optimal growth of strain DRYC-M-16T occurred at 20–25 °C, pH 7.0–7.5 and with 1.5 % (w/v) NaCl concentration. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains DRYC-M-16T and WMC-M-20 belonged to the genus Tabrizicola , and showed the highest similarities to Tabrizicola aquatica KCTC 23724T (96.9 %) and Tabrizicola fusiformis KCTC 62105T (96.7 %). The DNA G+C contents of strains DRYC-M-16T and WMC-M-20 were 63.0 mol% and 62.9 mol%, respectively. The main polar lipids contained phosphatidylglycerol (PG), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and several unidentified aminophospholipid (APL), aminolipid (AL), phospholipids (PL) and lipids (L). The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10. The major cellular fatty acids of the two strains were iso-C18 : 0 and summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1  ω7c/C18 : 1  ω6c). Comprehensive analysis of the genotypic, physiological, biochemical and phenotypic characteristics indicated that the two strains should be classified as a novel species of the genus Tabrizicola , proposed as Tabrizicola sediminissp. nov., with the type strain DRYC-M-16T (=CGMCC 1.13881T=KCTC 72105 T).