Sororendozoicomonas aggregata sp. nov.

Sororendozoicomonas (So.ror.en.do.zo.i.co.mo’nas. L. fem. n. soror, sister; Endozoicomonas, taxonomic name of a bacterial genus; Sororendozoicomonas referring to the close relationship to the bacterial genus Endozoicomonas). 

The genus Sororendozoicomonas represents a distinct lineage within the Endozoicomonadaceae family, sister to Endozoicomonas, supported by concatenated marker gene phylogenies as well as 16S rRNA gene phylogeny in the present study. Sororendozoicomonas show similar functional and metabolic potential to Endozoiocomonas species . The new genus contains two strains isolated from Pocillopora corals (Pac-P3-11-1, from the present study, and Endozoicomonadaceae SCSIO12664) and potentially additional strains isolated from Red Sea Stylophora pistillata (only 16S rRNA gene sequences are available - KC669256.1, KC669230.1, KC669217.1, KC669131.1). 

Sororendozoicomonas aggregata (ag.gre.ga'ta. L. fem. part. adj. aggregata, joined together, referring to the ability to form aggregates within coral tissues). The new species contains two strains isolated from Pocillopora corals (Pac-P3-11-1, from the present study, and Endozoicomonadaceae SCSIO12664).

Type strain: Pac_P3-11-1, isolated from tissues of the coral Pocillopora acuta, collected from Orpheus Island, Australia (18°36'16.26" S, 146°29'24.27" E). Taxonomic assignment based on concatenated marker gene phylogenies as well as 16S rRNA gene phylogeny. Grows on Marine Agar 2216 (Difco) between 23°C and 28°C, forming circular, white, raised, sticky colonies with entire margins.