gen. nov., sp. nov. and sp. nov., novel members of fam. nov. within the order , and emended descriptions of the classes and and their orders and families.

Two Gram-type-positive, non-spore-forming bacteria, strains D16/0/H6 and A22/0/F9_1, were isolated from Namibian semiarid savannah soils. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed 96.6 % identity between the two strains and placed them within the order of the class . The closest phylogenetic relatives with validly published names were several strains of the genus and the species , with pairwise sequence similarities of ≤ 94.0 %. Cells of strain D16/0/H6 were ovoid to rod-shaped, whereas strain A22/0/F9_1 formed regular rods. Cells of both strains were motile and divided by binary fission. Colonies were pink and white to pale yellowish/brownish, respectively. Strains D16/0/H6 and A22/0/F9_1 were aerobic, chemoheterotrophic mesophiles with broad temperature (13-43 and 17-43 °C, respectively) and pH (pH 4.5-8.5 and 5.0-9.5) ranges for growth. Complex proteinaceous substrates and glucose were the preferred carbon and energy sources. Strain A22/0/F9_1 also grew on various carboxylic acids. For both strains, the peptidoglycan diamino acid was -2,6-diaminopimelic acid. The major quinone was MK-8. As a minor compound, MK-7 occurred in strain D16/0/H6; strain A22/0F9_1 also contained MK-7, MK-7(H) and MK-8(H). Major fatty acids of strain D16/0/H6 were 10-methyl C, iso-C and Cω9. Strain A22/0F9_1 contained Cω9, Cω8, Cω6 and iso-C as major components. The DNA G+C contents of strains D16/0/H6 and A22/0/F9_1 were 72.8 and 74.0 mol%, respectively. Based on these characteristics, the two isolates are assigned to novel species of the new genus gen. nov., the type species sp. nov. (type strain D16/0/H6 = DSM 25205 = LMG 26950) and a second species sp. nov. (type strain A22/0/F9_1 = DSM 25204 = LMG 26949). As the novel genus and species cannot be clearly assigned to an established family within the order , the novel family fam. nov. is proposed. Emended descriptions of the classes and and their orders and families are also provided.