NUMERICAL TAXONOMY OF AEROBIC, GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITHOYSTERS AND SURROUNDING SEAWATER OF THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST

A numerical taxonomic study was performed on 245 strains of heterotrop hic, aerobic, marine bacteria, plus 26 reference strains. The isolates were obtained from oysters and seawater sampled monthly over one year , by direct plating on Marine Agar. The strains were characterised by 93 morphological, biochemical, physiological and nutritional tests. Cl ustering yielded 46 phena at 0.60 S level (S-J coefficient). Some coul d be identified as species of Alteromonas, Shewanella, Deleya, Flavoba cterium, Oceanospirillum, Pseudomonas and marine Agrobacterium-like or ganisms, others were unidentified groups. Several phena seem to corres pond to as yet undescribed taxa.