Chryseobacterium piscium sp. nov., isolated from fish of the South Atlantic Ocean off South Africa.

Four isolates from freshly caught fish samples obtained from the South Atlantic Ocean off the South African coastline were shown to represent a novel species in the genus Chryseobacterium by means of a polyphasic taxonomic study. The four isolates had virtually identical whole-cell protein profiles, fatty acid profiles and biochemical properties. Analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence of strain LMG 23089(T) revealed 99.3 and 98.9 % similarity to the 16S rRNA sequences of the type strains of Chryseobacterium balustinum and Chryseobacterium scophthalmum, respectively. Strain LMG 23089(T) and the C. balustinum and C. scophthalmum type strains formed a stable lineage supported by a bootstrap value of 100 %. The levels of DNA-DNA hybridization towards these nearest phylogenetic neighbours were below 57 %. The absence of growth on MacConkey agar or at 37 degrees C (on nutrient agar), the capacity to grow in the presence of 5 % NaCl and the production of urease activity differentiate this novel taxon from C. balustinum and C. scophthalmum. The four isolates are formally classified as Chryseobacterium piscium sp. nov., with strain LMG 23089(T) (=CCUG 51923(T)) as the type strain. Its DNA G + C content is 33.6 mol%.