Rhodobacter amnigenus sp. nov. and Rhodobacter ruber sp. nov., isolated from freshwater habitats.

Two bacterial strains, designated HSP-20T and CCP-1T, isolated from freshwater habitats in Taiwan, were characterized by polyphasic taxonomy. Both strains were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped. Cells of strains HSP-20T and CCP-1T formed pink and dark red coloured colonies, respectively. Both strains contained bacteriochlorophyll a, and showed optimum growth under anaerobic conditions by photoheterotrophy, but no growth by photoautotrophy. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences indicated that both strains belonged to the genus Rhodobacter. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains HSP-20T and CCP-1T shared 98.3 % sequence similarity and were closely related to Rhodobacter tardus CYK-10T (96.0 %) and Rhodobacter flagellatus SYSU G03088T (96.0 %), respectively. Both strains shared common chemotaxonomic characteristics including Q-10 as the major isoprenoid quinone, C18 : 1 ω7c as the predominant fatty acid, and phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine as the main polar lipids. The DNA G+C content of both strains was 66.2 mol%. The average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between these two novel isolates and their closest relatives were below the cut-off values of 95-96, 90 and 70 %, respectively, used for species demarcation. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, both strains should be classified as novel species within the genus Rhodobacter, for which the names Rhodobacter amnigenus sp. nov. (=BCRC 81193T=LMG 31334T) and Rhodobacter ruber sp. nov. (=BCRC 81189T=LMG 31335T) are proposed.

Zophobihabitans entericus gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family Orbaceae isolated from the gut of a superworm Zophobas morio.

A novel bacterial strain, designated IPMB12T, isolated from the gut of the superworm Zophobas morio in Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, coccoid or rod-shaped and formed translucent colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 25-37 °C, pH 9-10, and with 0-2 % NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters indicated that strain IPMB12T is affiliated with genus in the the family Orbaceae in the class Gammaproteobacteria. Strain IPMB12T was most closely related to Gilliamella mensalis LMG 29880T with a 94.6 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Strain IPMB12T showed less than 71.6 % average nucleotide identity, less than 71.5 % average amino acid identity and less than 21.2 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization identity compared to the strains of related genera within the family Orbaceae. The major fatty acids of strain IPMB12T were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c), C16 : 0 and C14 : 0. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, one uncharacterized phosphoaminoglycolipid and one uncharacterized aminophospholipid. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. Genomic DNA G+C content of strain IPMB12T was 39.3 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain IPMB12T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Orbaceae, for which the name Zophobihabitans entericus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IPMB12T (=BCRC 80908T =LMG 32079T=KCTC 82347T=KACC 22323T).

Sphingomonas lacunae sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater pond.

A novel bacterial strain, designated CSW-10T, isolated from a freshwater pond in Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped and formed yellow-coloured colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 7, and in the absence of NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters indicated that strain CSW-10T formed a phylogenetic lineage in the genus Sphingomonas. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity indicated that strain CSW-10T was most closely related to Sphingomonas fonticola TNR-2T (97.6%). Strain CSW-10T showed 69.8-70.7% average nucleotide identity and 19.0-23.0% digital DNA-DNA hybridization identity with the strains of other related Sphingomonas species. The major fatty acids of strain CSW-10T were summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c) and C17:1 ω6c. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, one uncharacterized sphingoglycolipid, five uncharacterized aminophospholipids, one uncharacterized phospholipid and one uncharacterized lipid. The predominant polyamines were homospermidine and spermidine. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. Genomic DNA G+C content of strain CSW-10T was 62.0 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain CSW-10T should represent a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas lacunae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CSW-10T (=BCRC 81190T =LMG 31340T).

Novosphingobium ovatum sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater mesocosm.

A bacterial strain, designated FSY-8T, was isolated from a freshwater mesocosm in Taiwan and characterized using the polyphasic taxonomy approach. Cells of strain FSY-8T were aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile and formed yellow coloured colonies on Reasoner's 2A agar. Growth occurred at 20-40 °C (optimum, 30-37 °C) and pH 5-7 (optimum, pH 6) and in the presence of 0-0.5 % NaCl (optimum, 0 %, w/v). The major fatty acids (>10 %) of strain FSY-8T were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c). The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, sphingoglycolipid, diphosphatidylglycerol, an uncharacterized aminophospholipid, an uncharacterized glycolipid and an uncharacterized lipid. The major polyamine was spermidine. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. The DNA G+C content was 64.8 mol %. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters indicated that strain FSY-8T formed a phylogenetic lineage in the genus Novosphingobium. Strain FSY-8T showed 71.6-77.2 % average nucleotide identity and 19.9-22.8 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization identity with the strains of other Novosphingobium species. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain FSY-8T should be classified in a novel species of the genus Novosphingobium, for which the name Novosphingobium ovatum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FSY-8T (=BCRC 81051T=LMG 30053T=KCTC 52812T).

Rhodovarius crocodyli sp. nov., isolated from a crocodile pond.

Bacterial strain CCP-6T, isolated from a freshwater pond in Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and an up-to-date bacterial core gene set (92 protein clusters) indicated that strain CCP-6T is affiliated with species in the genus Rhodovarius. Strain CCP-6T was most closely related to Rhodovarius lipocyclicus CCUG 44693T with a 98.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped and formed light pink-coloured colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 6 and in the absence of NaCl. The major fatty acids of strain CCP-6T were C18 : 1 ω7c, C16 : 0 and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified aminophospholipids and an unidentified phospholipid. The predominant polyamine was spermidine. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 69.3 mol%. Strain CCP-6T showed 85.8% average nucleotide identity and 14.5% digital DNA-DNA hybridization identity with Rhodovarius lipocyclicus CCUG 44693T. On the basis of the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, strain CCP-6T represents a novel species in the genus Rhodovarius, for which the name Rhodovarius crocodyli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CCP-6T (=BCRC 81095T=LMG 30310T=KCTC 62188T).

Ideonella livida sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater lake.

A novel bacterial strain, designated TBM-1T, isolated from a freshwater lake in Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters indicated that strain TBM-1T formed a phylogenetic lineage in the genus Ideonella. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain TBM-1T was most closely related to Ideonella dechloratans CCUG 30898T with 98.4 % sequence similarity. The average nucleotide identity, average amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain TBM-1T and closely related strains of the genus Ideonella were 74.4-77.5 %, 69.7-75.4 % and 19.8-21.8 %, respectively, supporting that strain TBM-1T represents a novel species of the genus Ideonella. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, motile by means of a single polar flagellum, rod-shaped and formed blue colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 6 and 0 % NaCl. The predominant fatty acids of strain TBM-1T were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c), C18 : 1 ω7c and C16 : 0. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, two uncharacterized aminophospholipids and two uncharacterized phospholipids. The main polyamine was putrescine. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The estimated genome size was 5.26 Mb, with an average G+C content of 70.0 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain TBM-1T should be classified in a novel species of the genus Ideonella, for which the name Ideonella livida sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TBM-1T (=BCRC 81199T =LMG 31339T).

Litoribrevibacter euphylliae sp. nov., isolated from the torch coral Euphyllia glabrescens.

Strain Eup a-2T, isolated from the torch coral Euphyllia glabrescens, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Cells of strain Eup a-2T were Gram-negative, aerobic and motile by three polar flagella and formed translucent colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 6-8 and in the presence of 2-4 % NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Eup a-2T belonged to the genus Litoribrevibacter and showed the highest levels of sequence similarity with respect to Litoribrevibacter albus Y32T (97.8 %). Strain Eup a-2T contained summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0 as the predominant fatty acids. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was Q-8. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphophatidylglycerol. Genomic DNA G+C content of strain Eup a-2T was 49.1 mol%. The DNA-DNA hybridization value for strain Eup a-2T with L. albus Y32T was less than 30 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic inference, demonstrate that strain Eup a-2T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Litoribrevibacter, for which the name Litoribrevibactereuphylliae sp. nov. is presented. The type strain is Eup a-2T (=BCRC 81004T=LMG 29725T=KCTC 52438T).

Thalassotalea coralli sp. nov., isolated from the torch coral Euphyllia glabrescens.

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-ß-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).

Endozoicomonas acroporae sp. nov., isolated from Acropora coral.

Strain Acr-14T, isolated from Acropora coral, was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Cells of strain Acr-14T were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating, rod-shaped and formed creamy white colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 7 and in the presence of 2 % NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Acr-14T belonged to the genus Endozoicomonas and was most closely related to Endozoicomonas atrinae WP70T with sequence similarity of 96.7 %. Strain Acr-14T contained summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0 as the predominant fatty acids. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was Q-9. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain Acr-14T was 49.1 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic inference, demonstrated that strain Acr-14T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Endozoicomonas, for which the name Endozoicomonas acroporae sp. nov. is presented. The type strain is Acr-14T (=BCRC 80922T=LMG 29482T=KCTC 42901T).

Planctobacterium marinum gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family Alteromonadaceae isolated from seawater.

A bacterial strain designated K7T was isolated from the South China Sea and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells of strain K7T were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating, motile by means of a monopolar flagellum, non-spore forming rods surrounded by a thick capsule and forming yellow colonies. Growth occurred at 4-35 °C (optimum, 25-30 °C), at pH 5.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 0.5-10 % (w/v) NaCl [optimum, 1-4 % (w/v)]. 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 and the DNA G+C content was 46.5 mol%. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, one uncharacterized phospholipid, two uncharacterized aminophospholipids and five uncharacterized lipids. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain K7T formed a distinct lineage with respect to closely related genera in the family Alteromonadaceae. Strain K7T was most closely related to Aestuariibacter, Aliiglaciecola, Paraglaciecola and Glaciecola, and the levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to the type species of related genera were less than 95 %. On the basis of the genotypic and phenotypic data, strain K7T represents a novel species of a new genus of the family Alteromonadaceae, for which the name Planctobacterium marinum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Planctobacterium marinum is K7T (=BCRC 80901T=LMG 28835T=KCTC 42657T).

Gemmobacter tilapiae sp. nov., a poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating bacterium isolated from a freshwater pond.

A novel bacterium, designated strain Ruye-53(T), was isolated from a freshwater pond used to rear tilapiine cichlid fish in Taiwan. The taxonomic position of the novel strain was determined using a polyphasic approach. Strain Ruye-53(T) was Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, cream-white coloured, rod-shaped, non-motile and poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating. Growth occurred at 10-37 °C (optimum between 20 and 25 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum between pH 8.0 and pH 9.0) and with 0-1 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0 %). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Ruye-53(T) belonged to the genus Gemmobacter and that its most closely related neighbour was Gemmobacter aquatilis DSM 3857(T) (97.6 % sequence similarity). The novel strain's predominant fatty acid was C18 : 1ω7c, its major respiratory quinone was Q-10 and its genomic DNA G+C content was 61.2 mol%. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, one uncharacterized aminolipid and four uncharacterized phospholipids. The DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain Ruye-53(T) and Gemmobacter aquatilis DSM 3857(T) was about 45.5 % (48.2±0.4 % in the reciprocal experiment). On the basis of the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, strain Ruye-53(T) represents a novel species in the genus Gemmobacter, for which the name Gemmobacter tilapiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Ruye-53(T) ( = BCRC 80261(T)  = KCTC 23310(T)).

Delftia litopenaei sp. nov., a poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating bacterium isolated from a freshwater shrimp culture pond.

A Gram-negative, short-rod-shaped, motile, non-spore-forming and poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating bacterial strain, designated wsw-7(T), was isolated from a freshwater shrimp culture pond in Taiwan and was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the closest relatives of strain wsw-7(T) were Delftia lacustris 332(T), Delftia tsuruhatensis T7(T) and Delftia acidovorans ATCC 15668(T), with sequence similarities of 98.5, 98.4 and 97.9%, respectively. Phylogenetic trees obtained with 16S rRNA gene sequences or the polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase (phaC) gene sequences revealed that strain wsw-7(T) and these three closest relatives formed an independent phylogenetic clade within the order Burkholderiales. Strain wsw-7(T) contained summed feature 3 (comprising C(16:1)ω7c and/or C(16:1)ω6c), C(18:0) and C(18:1)ω7c as predominant fatty acids. The major isoprenoid quinone was Q-8 and the DNA G+C content was 67.6 mol%. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an uncharacterized aminolipid and several uncharacterized phospholipids. On the basis of the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, strain wsw-7(T) represents a novel species in the genus Delftia, for which the name Delftia litopenaei sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is wsw-7(T) ( = BCRC 80212(T) = LMG 25724(T)).

Flectobacillus roseus sp. nov., isolated from freshwater in Taiwan.

Two Gram-negative, aerobic, pale pink/rose-coloured, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterial strains, designated GFA-11(T) and RG-4, were isolated from a freshwater fish culture pond and a freshwater spring sample, respectively. Based on characterization by using a polyphasic approach, the two strains showed highly similar phenotypic, physiological and genetic characteristics. They shared 99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 89-94 % DNA-DNA relatedness, suggesting that they represent a single genomic species. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains GFA-11(T) and RG-4 formed a monophyletic branch at the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Flectobacillus within the family Flexibacteraceae. Their closest neighbours were Flectobacillus major DSM 103(T) (97.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Flectobacillus lacus CL-GP79(T) (95.9 %). Levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between the two novel strains and the type strains of F. major and F. lacus were less than 70 %. The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed clear phenotypic differentiation of strains GFA-11(T) and RG-4 from recognized members of the genus Flectobacillus. The predominant fatty acid constituents of strain GFA-11(T) were C(16 : 1)omega5c (40.2 % of the total) and iso-C(15 : 0) (15.0 %). The DNA G+C content of strain GFA-11(T) was 39.7 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strains GFA-11(T) and RG-4 are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Flectobacillus, for which the name Flectobacillus roseus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GFA-11(T) (=BCRC 17834(T)=LMG 24501(T)).

Andreprevotia lacus sp. nov., isolated from a fish-culture pond.

A bacterial strain designated GFC-1(T) was isolated from a fish-culture pond in Taiwan and was characterized by using the polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain GFC-1(T) was Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile and non-spore-forming. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belonged to the genus Andreprevotia of the family Neisseriaceae and its closest neighbour was Andreprevotia chitinilytica JS11-7(T) (97.0 % sequence similarity). The results of physiological and biochemical tests allowed clear phenotypic differentiation of isolate GFC-1(T) from A. chitinilytica JS11-7(T). The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH), C(16 : 0) and C(18 : 1)omega7c. The DNA G+C content was 63.0 mol%. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and chemotaxonomic and physiological data, strain GFC-1(T) should be classified as representing a novel species and a second member of the genus Andreprevotia, for which the name Andreprevotia lacus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GFC-1(T) (=BCRC 17832(T)=LMG 24502(T)).

Paenibacillus fonticola sp. nov., isolated from a warm spring.

A novel bacterial strain, designated ZL(T), isolated from a warm spring in Jhonglun, Taiwan, was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The novel strain had chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with its classification in the genus Paenibacillus. Cells were Gram-variable, aerobic, sporulating, motile rods. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis demonstrated that this novel isolate was unique, showing 94.3 % sequence similarity to Paenibacillus assamensis GPTSA 11(T) and lower levels to Paenibacillus timonensis 2301032(T) (94.0 %), Paenibacillus macerans ATCC 8244(T) (93.3 %), Paenibacillus barengoltzii SAFN-016(T) (93.3 %) and Paenibacillus sanguinis 2301083(T) (93.2 %). The novel isolate could be distinguished from the type strains of all of these species based on a range of phenotypic data. The major cellular phospholipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and one unknown phosphoglycolipid. The predominant isoprenologue was an unsaturated menaquinone with seven isoprene units (MK-7). The major fatty acids of strain ZL(T) were C(16 : 0) (33.5 %), anteiso-C(15 : 0) (32.5 %) and iso-C(16 : 0) (9.3 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.2 mol%. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain ZL(T) should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus fonticola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZL(T) (=BCRC 17579(T)=LMG 23577(T)).

Schlegelella aquatica sp. nov., a novel thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring.

A moderately thermophilic bacterial strain designated wcf1(T), isolated from a hot spring located in the Tainan area, southern Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic approach. The cells were Gram-negative, non-pigmented, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming and motile. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain formed a monophyletic branch towards the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Schlegelella; its only close neighbour was the type strain of Schlegelella thermodepolymerans, K14(T) (97.8 %). The isolate was clearly distinguishable from other strains using phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It was evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain wcf1(T) represents a novel species in the genus Schlegelella, for which the name Schlegelella aquatica sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain wcf1(T) (=BCRC 17557(T)=LMG 23380(T)).