Halomonas subglaciescola, a New Species of Halotolerant Bacteria Isolated from Antarctica

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Abstract
Halomonas subglaciescola sp. nov. is proposed, based on the characteristics of 29 strains of halotolerant, nonpigmented bacteria isolated from an Antarctic, hypersaline, meromictic lake. These strains and three reference strains of halotolerant bacteria were tested for 92 attributes. The data were analyzed by numerical taxonomic procedures. The new isolates did not cluster with the three reference strains, which included the type strain of Halomonas elongata. However, some of the isolates did share the following attributes which are characteristic of members of the genus Halomonas: a guanine-plus-cytosine content of 60.9 ± 1.0 to 62.9 ± 0.7 mol%, halotolerancse, largely oxidative mode of metabolism, motility, and peritrichous flagellation. The following are distinguishing features of the new species: cytochrome oxidase positive, no growth at 37°C, and glucose and other sugars are not utilized for growth. The type strain is strain ACAM 12 (= UQM 2926). The species has two biovars; biovar I contains motile strains and is represented by the type strain, and biovar II contains nonmotile strains and is represented by strain ACAM 21 (= UQM 2927).