THERMOCOCCUS-GUAYMASENSIS SP. NOV. AND THERMOCOCCUS-AGGREGANS SP. NOV., 2 NOVEL THERMOPHILIC ARCHAEA ISOLATED FROM THE GUAYMAS BASIN HYDROTHERMAL VENT SITE

Thermococcus strains TYST and TYT isolated from the Guaymas Basin hydr othermal vent site and previously described were compared by DNA-DNA h ybridization analysis with the closest Thermococcus species in terms o f physiology and nutritional aspects. On the basis of the new data and taking into consideration the molecular, physiological and morphologi cal traits published previously, it is proposed that strains TYT and T YST should be classified as new species named Thermococcus aggregans s p. nov. and Thermococcus guaymasensis sp. nov., respectively. The type strain of T. aggregans is strain TYT (= DSM 10597(T)) and the type st rain of T. guaymasensis is strain TYST (= DSM 11113(T)).