Reclassifications of Yimella radicis, Barrientosiimonas endolithica and Dermacoccus barathri and Dermacoccus profundi as later heterotypic synonyms of Yimella lutea, Barrientosiimonas humi and Dermacoccus abyssi, respectively

Taxonomic relationships were investigated between Yimella lutea and Yimella radicis , Barrientosiimonas humi and Barrientosiimonas endolithica and among Dermacoccus abyssi , Dermacoccus barathri and Dermacoccus profundi by a taxogenomic approach. Type strains of Y. lutea and Y. radicis shared a sequence similarity of 99.5% in 16S rRNA gene sequences. They formed a clade in trees based on 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences. Their digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) and orthologous average nucleotide identity (ANI) (OrthoANIu) values were 84.2% and 98.1%, respectively. Clear distinctions were not observed in the phenotypic comparison. Thus, Y. radicis Yang et al . 2016 was reclassified as a later heterotypic synonym of Y. lutea Tang et al . 2010. Type strains of B. humi and B. endolithica shared a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 99.9% and formed a clade in trees based on 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences. Their dDDH and OrthoANIu values were 83.6% and 98.0%, respectively, and similar phenotypic characteristics were observed between them. Therefore, B. endolithica Parag et al . 2015 was reclassified as a later heterotypic synonym of B. humi Lee et al . 2013. Type strains of D. abyssi , D. barathri and D. profundi shared 16S rRNA gene similarities of 99.8–99.9% and were included in a clade in the two trees. Their dDDH and OrthoANIu values were 90.4–99.8% and 98.9–100%, respectively. These three species shared similar phenotypic characteristics. Accordingly, D. barathri Pathom-aree et al . 2006 and D. profundi Pathom-aree et al . 2006 were reclassified as later heterotypic synonyms of D. abyssi Pathom-aree et al . 2006 according to the nomenclatural priorities. By these reclassifications, the genera Yimella , Barrientosiimonas and Dermacoccus are composed of one, two and two species with validly published and correct names, respectively.