Salinibacter pepae sp. nov., Salinibacter abyssi sp. nov., and Salinibacter pampae sp. nov.

Salinibacter pepae strains were isolated from Es Trenc and S'Avall solar salterns located in MAllorca, from Santa Pola located in Alicante and Great Salt LAke located in Utah (USA). Straight rod cells, 3.0-6.0 µm long, forming red colonies after 15 days growth on SW agar media at 25% of salts at 30ºC. Colonies are circular and convex with an entire margin and with a diameter of 0.5-1.0 mm. Cells are flagellar and motile. Cells exhibit growth in the ranges of 15-34% salt concentration, optimum temperature at 30ºC and pH 7. The organism is positive in catalase, oxidase, Tween20, Tween80 and lysine decarboxylase. The organism is negative in indole, methyl-red, Voges-Proskauer, casein, DNA, Starch and gelatin hydrolysis, H2S and nitrate production, acid production from carbohydrates, anaerobic growth in presence of arginine and DMSO, ornithine and adenine decarboxylase.

Salinibacter abyssi constitute the most abundant Salinibacter species in the Fara Fund hypersaline lake located in the region of Transylvania, Rumania. The MAG encoded, and therefore would probably be positive for oxidase, catalase, lysine decarboxylase and starch metabolism. The MAG encoded the genes for flagella assembly, indicating motility.

Salinibacter pampae constitute the most abundant Salinibacter species in the hypersaline lakes of Colorada Chica and Colorada Grande located in the region of la Pampa, Argentina. The MAG encoded, and therefore would probably be positive for oxidase, catalase, lysine decarboxylase and starch metabolism. The MAG encoded the genes for flagella assembly, indicating motility.