TAXONOMIC STUDIES OF AEROBIC COCCOBACILLI1 FROM SEAWATER

Abstract

Strictly aerobic, non-motile, gram-negative coccobacilli were isolated from the seawater of Otsuchi Bay, Japan, and the Indian Ocean. They were divided into group 1, group 2 and others on the basis of morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics. The members of group 1 were classified as a separate genus closely related to the genera Acinetobacter and Moraxella. The members of group 2 were assigned to the genus Moraxella. However four strains of group 2 were psychrotrophic, so we call them tentatively "psychrotrophic Moraxella." In the other isolates, the taxonomic positions of seven strains, having G+C contents of 50.5% to 61.8%, were unclear. Also one strain was recognized as closely related but different from the genera Acinetobacter and Moraxella. And one strain was identified as Acinetobacter lwoffii (Audureau 1940) Brisou and Prévot 1954. All but two of the isolates were moderately halophilic.