Description of Skermanella parooensis gen. nov., sp. nov. to accommodate Conglomeromonas largomobilis subsp. parooensis following the transfer of Conglomeromonas largomobilis subsp. largomobilis to the genus Azospirillum

This paper describes the creation of a new bacterial genus, Skermanella, to accommodate Conglomeromonas largomobilis subsp. parooensis following taxonomic reclassification. When the type species of Conglomeromonas (C. largomobilis subsp. largomobilis) was transferred to the genus Azospirillum as A. largimobile based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, nomenclatural rules required that the genus Conglomeromonas be renamed. The subspecies parooensis represents a distinct, deeply branching lineage within the Azospirillum branch of α-Proteobacteria with 93% rRNA sequence similarity to A. largimobile. Key distinguishing features include inability to fix nitrogen, narrower cell width, and distinct carbohydrate utilization patterns. The new species Skermanella parooensis is described based on strain ACM 2042T isolated from freshwater in Queensland, Australia. The organism is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobe with mixed flagellation that forms multicellular conglomerates. The authors also correct the spelling of Azospirillum largomobile to A. largimobile to conform with bacterial nomenclature gender rules.

Key findings

• A new genus Skermanella was established to replace Conglomeromonas after the type species was transferred to Azospirillum, following International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria Rule 37a(1)
• Skermanella parooensis represents a distinct phylogenetic lineage within α-Proteobacteria, showing 93% rRNA sequence similarity to its nearest relative Azospirillum largimobile
• S. parooensis is unable to fix dinitrogen and differs from Azospirillum species in cell morphology, flagellation patterns, and carbohydrate metabolism
• The type strain (ACM 2042T) was isolated from freshwater in the Paroo Channel, Queensland, Australia with DNA G+C content of 67.2 mol%