Four novel species of the genus Aquimarina isolated from marine sponges: Aquimarina callyspongiae sp. nov., Aquimarina mycalae sp. nov., Aquimarina discodermiae sp. nov., and Aquimarina penaris sp. nov.

Four Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive bacterial strains, designated 2201CG5-10, 2201CG14-23, 2201CG1-2-11, and 2304DJ70-9 were isolated from marine sponges collected in the Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences revealed that these strains represent a distinct phyletic lineage within the genus Aquimarina. Based on the whole-genome sequence comparisons, the closest phylogenetic relatives of the four novel strains were Aquimarina latercula DSM 2041, Aquimarina pacifica SW150, and Aquimarina mytili PSC33, which shared average nucleotide identity values below 81.3% and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values below 22.0% with the novel strains. The genomic DNA G + C contents of strains 2201CG5-10, 2201CG14-23, 2201CG1-2-11, and 2304DJ70-9 were 32.5, 32.5, 33.5, and 34.0%, respectively. Menaquinone-6 was the sole isoprenoid quinone, and the predominant fatty acids were iso-C, iso-C G, and iso-C 3-OH. Phosphatidylethanolamine was the major polar lipid. Based on a polyphasic taxonomic approach, strains 2201CG5-10 (= KACC 23587 = JCM 36754), 2201CG14-23 (= KACC 23588 = JCM 36755), 2201CG1-2-11 (= KACC 23831 = JCM 33063), and 2304DJ70-9 (= KACC 23830 = JCM 33063 = MCCC 1K09582) represent four novel species of the genus Aquimarina, for which the names Aquimarina callyspongiae sp. nov., Aquimarina mycalae sp. nov., Aquimarina discodermiae sp. nov., and Aquimarina penaris sp. nov. are proposed.