Paracoccus bengalensis sp. nov., a novel sulfur-oxidizing chemolithoautotroph from the rhizospheric soil of an Indian tropical leguminous plant

Paracoccus versutus-like isolates from the rhizosphere of Clitoria ternatea, a slender leguminous herb (family--Papilionaceae), found ubiquitously in waste places and village forests of the Lower Gangetic plains of India, presented a case of graduated infraspecific variation that was capped by the identification of a new species Paracoccus bengalensis (type strain JJJ(T) = LMG 22700(T) = MTCC 7003(T)). The diverged phenetic and genetic structure of these sulfur-oxidizing chemolithoautotrophs presented a case of apparent nonconformity of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with results of DNA-DNA hybridization. Despite high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with P. versutus one of the newly isolated strains, viz., JJJ(T) was identified as a new species of Paracoccus by virtue of its explicitly low DNA-DNA hybridization (42-45%) with the type strain of the closest species P. versutus (), distinct G + C content (65.3 mol%), physiological and biochemical differences amounting to <60% phenetic similarity with strains of P. versutus as well as new isolates akin to the species. The newly described species also had a unique fatty acid profile that was distinguished by the absence of 18:1 omega9c, unique possession of Summed feature 3 (16:1omega7c & 15:0 iso 2-OH), 19:0 10 methyl, and a much higher concentration of 19:0 cycloomega8c.     

A new genus and species of monostiliferoidean nemertean (Nemertea: Enopla) found on an egg mass of the anomuran decapod Paralithodes camtschatica

A new genus and species of monostiliferoidean enoplan nemertean from Alaska is described and illustrated. The nemertean, Alaxinus oclairi gen. et sp. nov. , was found on the egg mass of a red king crab, Paralithodes camtschatica.     

ALGAE FROM CABO FRIO UPWELLING AREA. 2. GELIDIOCOLAX PUSTULATA (GELIDIACEAE,RHODOPHYTA): AN UNUSUAL NEW PUTATIVE PARASITIC SPECIES1

A new species of Gelidiocolax Gardner, G. pustulata Oliveira and Yoneshigue, is described in the tropical western Atlantic from Brazil. The species usually grows on the basal portion of the main axis of Pterocladia capillacea (Gmelin) Bornet et Thuret. Abundant material was collected mainly from November to March at Cabo Frio Island, in the northeast part of the State of Rio de Janeiro, a marine area well known for its upwelling. Infection by the putative parasite seems to damage the host tissue, stimulating the development of a “gall-like” structure that leads to the outgrowth of adventitious branches. The new species has the vegetative features and reproductive structures of the genus Gelidiocolax. It can be distinguished from the other Gelidiocolax species mainly on the basis of its position on the host, size of pustula, the tetrasporangia and the development of spermatangia. Studies of this new taxon support the placement of Gelidiocolax in the Gelidiaceae and not the Choreocolacaceae, as has been suggested in the literature.     

Branchiibius cervicis sp. nov., a novel species isolated from patients with atopic dermatitis

Novel actinobacterial strains, PAGU 1247^T, PAGU 1251 and PAGU 1252, were isolated from the skin of atopic dermatitis patients and were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that these isolates were located within the family Dermacoccaceae. The most closely related species of PAGU 1247^T in phylogenetic terms was Branchiibius hedensis Mer 29717^T, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 99.6%, although the DNA–DNA relatedness value was less than 43.9%. Some biochemical traits, such as lipase (C14) and α-galactosidase activity, could distinguish these isolates from B. hedensis. Strain PAGU 1247^T contained iso-C_16:0 and brC_18:0 as the major fatty acids. The quinone system consisted of menaquinone MK-8(H₆ and H₄). The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 67.6 mol%. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and genetic distinctiveness, strains PAGU 1247^T, PAGU 1251 and PAGU 1252 represents a novel species of the genus Branchiibius, for which the name Branchiibius cervicis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PAGU 1247^T (=NBRC 106593^T = DSM 24166^T).     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leiognathus aureus</Emphasis> complex (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) with the description of a new species

Taxonomic analysis of a group of morphologically similar ponyfishes (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) establishes a complex comprising three valid species: Leiognathus aureus Abe and Haneda, 1972, widely distributed in the western Pacific Ocean (Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and northern Australia); L. hataii Abe and Haneda, 1972, currently known only from Ambon, Indonesia; and L. panayensis sp. nov. Kimura and Dunlap, currently known only from Panay Island, the Philippines. The L. aureus complex can be defined by the following combination of characters: mouth protruding forward, not downward; small but sharp conical teeth uniserially on jaws; a black line between lower margin of eye and lower jaw articulation; and lateral line incomplete, ending below posterior part of dorsal fin base or on anterior caudal peduncle. Leiognathus hataii differs from both L. aureus and L. panayensis in having a large dark blotch below the spinous dorsal fin base and fewer counts of scales (lateral line scales 50–58 vs. 64–85 in the latter two species; scales above lateral line 7–10 vs. 12–18; scales below lateral line 22–26 vs. 30–41). Leiognathus panayensis is distinguished from L. aureus in having a deeper body (41–51% SL vs. 35–45% SL in the latter), long posterior limb of maxilla (21–25% HL vs. 15–23% HL), wholly scaled belly (vs. naked along preanal median keel), and a dark blotch on nape (vs. absent).     

Morphological and molecular investigations of a microsporidium infecting the European grape vine moth,Lobesia botrana Den. et Schiff., and its taxonomic determination as Cystosporogenes legeri nov. comb

We have isolated a microsporidium from a laboratory stock of the European grape vine moth, Lobesia botrana Den. et Schiff. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae). Screening of this stock showed an infection rate of more than 90%, whereas field collected larvae from three different locations in Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) did not demonstrate any signs of infection. Light and electron microscopic investigations of infected insects showed that gross pathology, morphology, and ultrastructure of the microsporidium are similar to those described earlier for Pleistophora legeri. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of the small subunit rDNA using maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and neighbour joining distance methods showed that our isolate was closely related to Cystosporogenes operophterae. Based on our morphological and molecular investigations we propose to rename this species Cystosporogenes legeri nov. comb.     

Classification of novel soil streptomycetes as Streptomyces aureus sp. nov., Streptomyces laceyi sp. nov. and Streptomyces sanglieri sp. nov

The taxonomic positions of soil isolates known as Streptomyces groups A, B and C were clarified. Comparative 16S rDNA sequence studies indicated that representatives of all three taxa formed distinct phyletic lines within the Streptomyces tree though the group A strains were shown to be related to Streptomyces griseus and associated validly described species. The taxonomic integrity of all three groups was highlighted by DNA:DNA relatedness and ribotype data though the group A strains encompassed a higher degree of genetic variation than the group B and C strains. In light of these and earlier phenotypic data it is proposed that Streptomyces groups A, B and C be given species status as Streptomyces sanglieri sp. nov., Streptomyces aureus sp. nov. and Streptomyces laceyi sp. nov., respectively. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nonomuraea terrinata sp. nov., a novel soil actinomycete

The taxonomic position of a soil isolate, strain E626, was evaluated using the polyphasic approach. The organism was found to have chemical and morphological features consistent with its assignment to the genus Nonomuraea, a member of the family Streptosporangiaceae. Strain E626 consistently formed a distinct phyletic line within the Streptosporangiaceae 16S rDNA tree using four different algorithms. Furthermore, the taxonomic distinctness of the organism is underpinned by a range of phenotypic properties, notably morphological features. It is, therefore, proposed that the organism be classified in the genus Nonomuraea as Nonomuraea terrinata sp. nov. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.