Thirty-four strains of nonfermentative, respiratory, luminous bacteria were isolated from samples of squid ink and seawater from depths of 200 to 300 m in the Alboran Sea. Although these strains had a few properties similar to properties of Shewanella (Alteromonas) hanedui, they did not cluster phenotypically with any previously described bacterium. The nucleotide sequence of a 740-bp segment of l d was not homologous with other known l d sequences but clustered with the 2 4 sequences of Shewanella hanedai, fibrio logei, fibriofischeri, and Photobacterium species. The 16s RNA gene from two strains was sequenced and was found to be most closely related to the S. hunedai 16s RNA gene. Based on the differences observed, we describe the new isolates as members of a new species, Shewanella woodyi sp. nov. Strain ATCC 51908 (= MS32) is the type strain of this new species.The first isolates of exclusively respiratory (nonfermentative) marine luminous bacteria were assigned to Alteromonas hanedai (2, 5a) and later were reassigned to the genus Shewanella (5b, 9). The genus Shewanella is composed of four species, and only one of these species, Shewanella hanedai, is bioluminescent. Compared to species of the genera Alteromonas, Pseudomonas, and Deleya, S. hanedai and Shewanella putrefaciens have unique quinone compositions, and these organisms possess menaquniones that are not present in Alteromonas species (1). Further confirmation that these Shewanella species form an independent clade that can be recognized as a genus came from 16s rRNA sequence analysis (4).Water samples and squid ink samples from intermediatedepth dives of the submersible Johnson Sea Link contained luminous bacteria that were found to be unable to ferment sugars but could grow anaerobically with nitrate or nitrite as a terminal electron acceptor. Because these organisms did not seem to be similar to S. hanedai, we performed a more complete phenotypic characterization along with a hybridization and sequence analysis of a 740-bp section of the luxA gene, and we also sequenced the 16s RNA gene from two strains. We designated these new isolates Shewanella woodyi sp. nov. The species name is in honor of J. Woodland Hastings, known to most as Woody, an American biologist who, among other things, has made numerous and valuable contributions to our understanding of the biochemistry and function of bacterial bioluminescence. MATERIALS AND METHODSAll of the strains analyzed in this study (Table 1) Our previous experience with luminous marine bacteria indicated that this medium was suitable for most luminous marine bacteria; however, S. woodyi grew but did not produce luminescence in GMA broth (this was later shown to be due to a salt requirement for luminescence). We also found that the strains whose designations begin with MS (MS strains) did not utilize glycerol. Consequently, the medium used for these strains was changed to Shewanella marine agar (SMA) containing (per liter) 5 g of Bacto Peptone (Difco), 1 g of Bacto Yeast Extract (Difco), 15 g of Bacto Ag...

Luminous bacteria in seawater around the islands of Bahrain are predominantly Vibrio harveyi and have the capability to adhere to artificial fibrous surfaces. Phytoplankton did not appear to have any specific relationship with luminous bacteria, but macroalgae were shown to possess an enhanced concentration of luminous bacteria.

Differentiation of marine luminous bacteria using Biology GN plate combined with API 20e or the BBL Crystal ID plate inoculated with cell suspensions in artificial seawater was accomplished by comparison to type species using cluster analysis. Inoculum density affected the results from Biolog GN plates, but had less of an effect on the reactions obtained from API 20e strip or BBL Crystal ID plate. In a few cases, combination of the Biolog GN traits along with either the API 20e or Crystal ID traits was necessary to differentiate some marine luminous bacteria.

Differentiation of marine luminous bacteria using Biology GN plate combined with API 20e or the BBL Crystal ID plate inoculated with cell suspensions in artificial seawater was accomplished by comparison to type species using cluster analysis. Inoculum density affected the results from Biolog GN plates, but had less of an effect on the reactions obtained from API 20e strip or BBL Crystal ID plate. In a few cases, combination of the Biolog GN traits along with either the API 20e or Crystal ID traits was necessary to differentiate some marine luminous bacteria.