Numerical taxonomy of moderately halophilic gram-positive cocci isolated from the Salar de Atacama (Chile).

A taxonomic study has been carried out on 22 strains of moderately halophilic motile cocci isolated from the Salar de Atacama (Chile). The 112 phenotypic tests were analyzed by numerical taxonomy using SSM coefficient and the unweighted pair group method of association (UPGMA). At the 67% similarity level, two phenons were obtained: phenon A included 11 strains and phenon B, 11 strains too, whereas the six reference strains did not cluster within these two phenons. These results suggest that moderately halophilic cocci with different phenotypic characteristics from previously described species can be isolated from the hypersaline habitat Salar de Atacama.