Isolation and characterization of moderately halophilic nonmotile rods from different saline habitats

A total of 736 strains were isolated from samples taken from three different saline habitats: solar saltern, saline soils and the sea, near Alicante (Spain). For a further study 60 moderately halophilic nonmotile rods were selected and studied for 57 phenotypic characteristics. The highest proportion of moderately halophilic nonmotile rods were isolated from saline soils and in media with 10 or 20% salts, being very scarce in sea water samples. All were Gram-negative rods and were included in two groups: 33 oxidase positive strains could be assigned to the genus Flavobacterium and 24 oxidase negative strains to the genus Acinetobacter.