A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, coccus (strain Do 184T) was isolated from exhaust air of a turkey fattening plant on mannitol salt agar. The strain shared high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of Jeotgalicoccus aerolatus (98.0%) followed by Jeotgalicoccus marinus (97.2%) and Jeotgalicoccus huakuii (97.1%). All other 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to species of the genus Jeotgalicoccus were below 97%. The average nucleotide identities (ANI) between the Do 184T genome assembly and the ones of type strains of species of the genus Jeotgalicoccus were far below the 95% species delineation cutoff value, ranging from 79.47% (J. marinus DSM 19772T) to 75.30% (J. pinnipedialis CIP 107946T). The quinone system of Do 184T, the polar lipid profile, the polyamine pattern and the fatty acid profile were in congruence with those reported for other species of the genus Jeotgalicoccus and thus supported the affiliation of Do 184T to this genus. Do 184T represents a novel species, for which the name Jeotgalicoccus meleagridis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain Do 184T (=LMG 31100T=CCM 8918T=CIP 111649T). In addition, data on genome sequences of Jeotgalicoccus halophilus C1-52T =CGMCC 1.8911T=NBRC 105788T and Jeotgalicoccus aerolatus MPA-33T=CCM 7679T=CCUG 57953T=DSM 22420T=CIP 111750T indicate that both isolates represent the same species. Pairwise ANI between the genomes of these two strains lead to similarities of 98.98-99.05 %. These results indicate that these strains represent members of the same species. Due to priority of publication it is proposed that Jeotgalicoccus halophilus is reclassified as Jeotgalicoccus aerolatus.
Keywords: Jeotgalicoccus; Jeotgalicoccus aerolatus; Jeotgalicoccus halophilus; Jeotgalicoccus meleagridis; taxonomy.