subsp. subsp. nov., subsp. subsp. nov., subsp. subsp. nov., subsp. subsp. nov., and sp. nov. isolated from entomopathogenic nematodes.

Three Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria, BA1, Q614 and PB68.1, isolated from the digestive system of entomopathogenic nematodes, were biochemically and molecularly characterized to clarify their taxonomic affiliations. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of these strains suggest that they belong to the Gammaproteobacteria, to the family , and to the genus . Deeper analyses using whole genome-based phylogenetic reconstructions suggest that BA1 is closely related to , that Q614 is closely related to and that PB68.1 is closely related to genomic comparisons confirm these observations: BA1 and 15138 share 68.8 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), Q614 and SF41 share 75.4 % dDDH, and PB68.1 and DSM 17609 share 76.6  % dDDH. Physiological and biochemical characterizations reveal that these three strains also differ from all validly described species and from their more closely related taxa, contrary to what was previously suggested. We therefore propose to classify BA1 as a new species within the genus , Q614 as a new subspecies within and PB68.1 as a new subspecies within . Hence, the following names are proposed for these strains: sp. nov. with the type strain BA1(=DSM 111180=CCOS 1943=LMG 31957), subsp subsp. nov. with the type strain Q614 (=DSM 111144=CCOS 1944=LMG 31959) and subsp subsp. nov. with the type strain PB68.1 (=DSM 111145=CCOS 1942). These propositions automatically create subsp subsp. nov. with SF41 as the type strain (currently classified as ) and subsp. subsp. nov. with DSM17609 as the type strain (currently classified as ).