ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMOPHILIC BACILLUS SPP FROM GEOTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTS ON DECEPTION-ISLAND, SOUTH SHETLAND ARCHIPELAGO

Ten bacterial strains isolated from water and sediment samples taken f rom geothermal areas of Deception Island, in the South Shetland archip elago, were found to represent six distinct types of thermophilic, Gra m-positive, aerobic, catalase positive, endospore-forming rods, identi fied as Bacillus sp. Six representative strains were subjected to rout ine phenotypic characterization, numerical taxonomic, and chemotaxonom ic analyses. Two isolates were identified as thermophilic strains of B . licheniformis and B. megaterium, but the four other strains could no t be identified as known species of Bacillus and, hence, may represent new ones.