Taxonomic Study and Amended Description of Vibrio costicola

Abstract

A total of 54 moderately halophilic vibrios, which were isolated from several salterns located in different areas of Spain, were examined by using a wide range of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and nutritional tests. The resulting data, together with data for four reference Vibrio costicola strains including the type strain V. costicola NCMB 701, and other marine species that were similarly examined, were compared by using several numerical taxonomic methods. There was a strong similarity between the 54 isolates and four reference strains of V. costicola that were isolated from cured meats. On the basis of these and other molecular data, including guanine-plus-cytosine content of the deoxyribonucleic acid and the plasmid content, we propose an amended description of this species.