Description of Aquimarina muelleri gen. nov., sp. nov., and proposal of the reclassification of [Cytophaga] latercula Lewin 1969 as Stanierella latercula gen. nov., comb. nov.

The taxonomic position of three novel sea-water isolates was determined. The strains studied were strictly aerobic, heterotrophic, pigmented, motile by gliding, Gram-negative and oxidase-, catalase-, beta-galactosidase- and alkaline phosphatase-positive. 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strains KMM 6020T, KMM 6021 and KMM 6028 occupied a distinct lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae. The major respiratory quinone was MK-6. The predominant fatty acids were i15 : 0, i15 : 1, i15 : 0 3-OH, i17 : 1omega9c and i17 : 0 3-OH. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, the novel bacteria were assigned to the genus Aquimarina gen. nov., as Aquimarina muelleri gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is KMM 6020T (=KCTC 12285T=LMG 22569T). From the results of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and phenotypic features, the species [Cytophaga] latercula Lewin 1969 is proposed to be reclassified in the new genus Stanierella as Stanierella latercula gen. nov., comb. nov., with type strain CIP 104806T (=ATCC 23177T=NCIMB 1399T=LMG 1343T).