Validation of the Name Alteromonas luteoviolacea

This paper validates the bacterial species name Alteromonas luteoviolacea, which was previously described but lacked valid publication. The author examined 16 marine, violet-pigmented bacterial strains isolated from Mediterranean seawater near Nice, France. These gram-negative, motile rods were characterized by strict aerobic growth, requirement for sodium chloride, and production of a violet pigment identified as violacein. Most strains produced a polyanionic antibiotic and showed catalase activity. The bacteria oxidatively metabolized glucose, trehalose, and maltose, with DNA guanine-plus-cytosine content ranging from 40.9 to 42.2 mol%. The specific epithet was corrected from the originally proposed "luteo-violaceus" to "luteoviolacea" to match the feminine gender of the genus name. Strain CH130 (ATCC 33492) is designated as the type strain. This formal validation establishes the species' standing in bacterial nomenclature, as it had not been included on the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names because it lacked publication in the International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology and a designated type strain.

Key findings

• Alteromonas luteoviolacea is validly published for the first time with corrected nomenclature and a designated type strain (CH130/ATCC 33492)
• All 16 strains are gram-negative, aerobic marine rods requiring sodium for growth and producing violacein pigment
• Most strains produce a macromolecular polyanionic antibiotic and exhibit strong catalase activity
• DNA GC content averages 41.69 mol% across the 16 strains
• Strains utilize various organic substrates including glucose, trehalose, and maltose as sole carbon sources