Schineria larvae gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from the 1st and 2nd larval stages of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Abstract

Four bacterial strains were isolated from the fly larvae of an obligate parasitic fly, Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). These isolates were characterized by a polyphasic approach and represent a new lineage of gamma-Proteobacteria as their closest relative is Xylella fastidiosa (87.1% 16S rDNA similarity). The four strains are identical at the 16S rDNA level, the level of similarity between them, based on DNA-DNA hybridization, is high (97.8-102.5%) and they are similar in their physiological and biochemical characteristics, although they differ in their utilization of different sole carbon sources. All produce chitinase. They are obligately aerobic: no growth is detected under anaerobic conditions, even in the presence of NO3- as terminal electron acceptor. Their predominant respiratory quinone is Q-8. The G+C content of their DNA is 42 mol%. Their cell membrane contains phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and two unknown polar lipids. Their main fatty acids are C18:1, C16:0 and C14:0. To accommodate these bacteria, a new genus, Schineria gen. nov., with the type species Schineria larvae sp. nov., is proposed.