Thalassomonas viridans gen. nov., sp nov., a novel marine γ-proteobacterium

A new genus and species are proposed for two halophilic, strictly aerobic, chemo-organotrophic, marine bacterial strains. These bacteria are Gramnegative, motile rods isolated from oysters cultivated off the Mediterranean coast at Valencia (Spain). They produce green/blue-green diffusible pigment. The G+C content of the DNA of the proposed type strain (XOM25(T)) is 48.4 mol%, A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of the two strains has shown that the new isolates represent a branch within the gamma -Proteobacteria, close to the genus Colwellia. The type species of the new genus is Thalassomonas viridans gen. nov., sp. nov., with the type strain XOM25(T) (= CECT 5083T = DSM 13754(T)).