Microbulbifer zhoushanensis sp. nov., Microbulbifer sediminum sp. nov. and Microbulbifer guangxiensis sp. nov., three marine bacteria isolated from a tidal flat.

Three strains, TT30, TT37 and L3, were isolated from tidal flat samples. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and rod shaped. Cells of strains TT30 and TT37 were able to grow in a medium containing 1.0-15.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0 and 4.0 %, respectively), and cells of strain L3 was able to grow in a medium containing 1.0-10.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1.0 %). Growth of the three strains was observed at pH 6.0-10.0 and at 10-40 °C. Strains TT30, TT37 and L3 showed the highest similarity to DSM 11525 (97.7 %), . CGMCC 1.10658 (98.0 %) and DSM 6810 (97.9 %), respectively. Results of phylogenetic analyses indicated that the three isolates represented two distinct lineages within the genus . The DNA G+C contents of strains TT30, TT37 and L3 were 61.3, 60.9 and 60.2%, respectively. The average nucleotide identity and DNA-DNA hybridization values among strains TT30, TT37 and L3 and the reference strains were 84.4-87.4 and 19.6-28.9 %, respectively. Differential phenotypic properties, chemotaxonomic differences, phylogenetic distinctiveness, together with the genomic data, demonstrated that strains TT30, TT37 and L3 represent novel species of the genus , which are named sp. nov. (TT30=KCTC 92167=MCCC 1K07276), sp. nov. (TT37=KCTC 92168=MCCC 1K07277) and sp. nov. (L3=KCTC 92165=MCCC 1K07278).