Haloarcula argentinensis sp nov and Haloarcula mukohataei sp nov, two new extremely halophilic Archaea collected in Argentina

Strains arg-1(T) (T = type strain) and arg-2(T), two new strains of extremely halophilic archaea, were isolated from the soils of the Argentine salt flats, The taxonomic features of arg-1(T) were similar to, but distinct from, those of the type strain of Haloarcula vallismortis and other Haloarcula species. On the 16S rRNA phylogenetic tree, strain arg-1(T) formed a cluster together with Haloarcula species, Strain arg-2(T) differed in its glycolipid composition but still was more closely related to the genus Haloarcula than to other established genera, We propose that strain arg-1(T) be classified as a member of a new species, Haloarcula argentinensis, and that strain arg-2(T) be classified as a member of Haloarcula mukohataei sp, nov., although arg-2(T) may belong to a new genus or a subgenus of the genus Haloarcula. The type strain of H. argentinensis is strain arg-1 (= JCM 9737), and the type strain of H. mukohataei is strain arg-2 (= JCM 9738).