Chitinophaga varians sp. nov., isolated from forest soil.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile bacterium, designated strain 10-7W-9003, was isolated from the forest soil of Limushan National Forest Park, south-east China (19° 10' 42″ N, 109° 44' 45″ E). Strain 10-7W-9003 showed a shape change during the course of culture from long filamentous cells (5-10×0.4-0.