Halomonadaceae

The Halomonadaceae are a family of halophilic Proteobacteria.

History

The family was originally described in 1988 to contain the genera Halomonas and Deleya.

In 1989, Chromobacterium marismortui was reclassified as Chromohalobacter marismortui forming a third genus in the family Halomonadaceae.

Subsequently, in 1990 a species was discovered and was originally proposed to be called Volcaniella eurihalina forming a new genus in the Halomonadaceae, but was later (in 1995) reclassified as a member of the genus Halomonas.

The species Carnimonas nigrificans (sole member of genus) was not placed in the family due to the lack of two out of 15 descriptive 16S rRNA signature sequences, but it has been proposed to reclassify it into the family.

In 1996, the family was later reorganised by unifying genera Deleya, Halomonas and Halovibrio and the species Paracoccus halodenitrificans into Halomonas and placing Zymobacter in this family. However, it was later discovered that the strain of Halovibrio variabilis DSM 3051 and DSM 3050 differed and the latter was made type strain of the Halovibrio, which remains still in use. and now comprising two species (the other being Halovibrio denitrificans)