Corynebacterium testudinoris sp nov., from a tortoise, and Corynebacteriumfelinum sp nov., from a Scottish wild cat

Two unknown Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria isolated from a tortoise and a Scottish wild cat were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Che mical analysis revealed the presence of straight-chain and monounsaturated fatty acids and short-chain mycolic acids in the two isolates consistent wi th the genus Corynebacterium. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirme d that the unknown isolates were members of the genus Corynebacterium, with the two organisms displaying greater than 3% sequence divergence from each other and from established species of the genus. The unknown Corynebacteri um isolates were readily distinguished from each other and from all recogni zed species of the genus by biochemical tests. Based on phylogenetic and ph enotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown organisms from a tortois e and a cat be classified in the genus Corynebacterium as Corynebacterium t estudinoris sp. nov. and Corynebacterium felinum sp. nov., respectively. Th e respective type strains of C. testudinoris and C. felinum are CCUG 41823( T) and CCUG 39943(T).