Vibrio neonatus sp. nov. and Vibrio ezurae sp. nov. Isolated from the Gut of Japanese Abalones

Summary Five alginolytic, facultative anaerobic, non-motile bacteria were isolated from the gut of Japanese abalones (Haliotis discus discus, H. diversicolor diversicolor and H. diversicolor aquatilis) . Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and gap gene sequences indicated that these strains are closely related to V. halioticoli . DNA-DNA hybridizations, FAFLP fingerprintings, and phylogenies of gap and 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the five strains represent two species different from all currently described vibrios. The names Vibrio neonatus sp. nov. (IAM 15060 T = LMG 19973 T = HDD3-1 T ; mol% G+C of DNA is 42.1–43.9), and Vibrio ezurae sp. nov. (IAM 15061 T = LMG 19970 T = HDS1-1 T ; mol% G+C of DNA is 43.6–44.8) are proposed to encompass these new taxa. The two new species can be differentiated from V. halioticoli on the basis of several features, including β-galactosidase activity, assimilation of glycerol, D-mannose and D-gluconate.