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 6020(T), 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, it 5: 0 3-OH, i17:1omega9c and it 7:0 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 6020(T) (=KCTC 12285(T) = LMG 22569(T)). 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 T he new genus Stanierella as Stanierella latercula gen. nov., comb. nov., with type strain CIP 104806(T) (=ATCC 23177(T) = NCIMB 1399(T) =LMG 1343(T)).