Streptococcus vicugnae sp. nov., isolated from faeces of alpacas ( Vicugna pacos ) and cattle ( Bos taurus ), Streptococcus zalophi sp. nov., and Streptococcus pacificus sp. nov., isolated from respiratory tract of California sea lions ( Zalophus californianus ).

Four novel independent strains of Streptococcus spp. were isolated from faeces of alpaca (SL1232 ^T ), cattle (KCJ4950), and from respiratory tract of wild California sea lions (CSL7508 ^T , CSL7591 ^T ). The strains were indole-, oxidase- and catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile Gram-positive cocci in short and long chains, facultative anaerobes. The 16S rRNA gene of SL1232 ^T and KCJ4950 shared 99.40-99.60% nucleotide similarity to strains of S. equinus, S. lutetiensis, S. infantarius , and the 16S rRNA gene of CSL7508 ^T and CSL7591 ^T demonstrated 98.72 and 98.92% similarity, respectively, to S. marimammalium . All other known Streptococcus species had the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of ≤95%. The genomes were sequenced for the novel strains. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis for strains SL1232 ^T and KCJ4950, showed the highest similarity to S. equinus, S. lutetiensis, and S. infantarius with 85.21, 87.17, 88.47, 85.54, 87.47 and 88.89%, respectively, and strains CSL7508 ^T and CSL7591 ^T to S. marimammalium with 87.16 and 83.97%, respectively. Results of ANI were confirmed by pairwise digital DNA-DNA hybridization and phylogeny, which also revealed that the strains belong to three novel species of the genus Streptococcus . Phenotypical features of the novel species were in congruence with closely related members of the genus Streptococcus and gave negative reactions with the tested Lancefield serological groups (A-D, F and G). MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry supported identification of the species. Based on these data, we propose three novel species of the genus Streptococcus , for which the name Streptococcus vicugnae sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain SL1232 ^T (=NCTC 14341 ^T =DSM 110741 ^T =CCUG 74371 ^T ), Streptococcus zalophi sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain CSL7508 ^T (=NCTC 14410 ^T =DSM 110742 ^T =CCUG 74374 ^T ) and Streptococcus pacificus sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain CSL7591 ^T (=NCTC 14455 ^T =DSM 111148 ^T =CCUG 74655 ^T ). The genome G+C content is 36.89, 34.85, and 35.34 % and draft genome sizes are 1906993, 1581094 and 1656080 bp for strains SL1232 ^T , CSL7508 ^T , and CSL7591 ^T , respectively.