Luteimonas aquatica sp. nov., isolated from fresh water from Southern Taiwan

A yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, designated RIB1-20^T, isolated from fresh water was investigated by means of a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells were Gram-negative, rod-shaped and non-spore-forming. Phylogenetic analyses with the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain formed a monophyletic branch towards the periphery of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Luteimonas, its two closest neighbours being Luteimonas composti CC-YY255^T (96.1 % sequence similarity) and Luteimonas mephitis B1953/27.1^T (95.8 %). Strain RIB1-20^T was clearly distinguished from both of those type strains using phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain RIB1-20^T represents a novel species of the genus Luteimonas, for which the name Luteimonas aquatica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RIB1-20^T (=BCRC 17731^T =LMG 24212^T).