Rapidithrix thailandica gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine gliding bacterium isolated from samples collected from the Andaman sea, along the southern coastline of Thailand.

The taxonomic positions of three strains of marine gliding bacteria, TISTR 1736, TISTR 1741 and TISTR 1750(T), isolated from the southern coastline of Thailand were evaluated by using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the three isolates formed a distinct lineage within the family 'Flammeovirgaceae', phylum Bacteroidetes, and were related to the genus Flexithrix. The DNA G+C contents of the isolates were in the range 40-43 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were 16 : 1omega5c (cis-5-hexadecenoic acid) and 15 : 0 (pentadecanoic acid). The major hydroxyl fatty acids were 3-OH 17 : 0 (3-hydroxyheptadecanoic acid), 3-OH 15 : 0 (3-hydroxypentadecanoic acid) and 3-OH 16 : 0 (3-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid). On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, these marine bacteria are considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Rapidithrix thailandica gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Rapidithrix thailandica is TISTR 1750(T) (=IAM 15448(T)).