A Gram-stain-positive, pleomorphic, oxidase-negative, non-motile isolate from the trachea of a white stork from Poland, designated strain 136/3 T , was subjected to a comprehensive taxonomic investigation. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed highest similarities to Corynebacterium mustelae, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Corynebacterium vitaeruminis and Corynebacterium ulcerans (96.0-96.3 %). The quinone system consisted of major amounts of MK-8(H 2 ), minor amounts

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... of MK-9(H 2 ) and traces of MK-8 and MK-9. The polar lipid profile of strain 136/3 T contained phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol-mannoside as major lipids and phosphatidylglycerol and an acidic glycolipid in moderate amounts. In addition small amounts of diphosphatidylglycerol, a phospholipid, an aminolipid and two lipids of unknown group affiliation were found. The polyamine pattern was composed of the major components spermidine and spermine. Putrescine, 1,3-diaminopropane, cadaverine, sym-homospermidine and tyramine were found in minor or trace amounts. The diamino acid of the peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. In the fatty acid profile straight-chain, saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids predominated (C 18 : 1 v9c, C 16 : 1 v7c, C 16 : 0 , C 18 : 0 ). Corynemycolic acids were detected. Physiological traits as well as unique traits of the polar lipid profile and the fatty acid pattern distinguished strain 136/3 T from the most closely related species. All these results indicate that strain 136/3 T represents a novel species of the genus Corynebacterium for which we propose the name Corynebacterium pelargi sp. nov. The type strain is 136/3 T (5CIP 110778 T 5CCM 8517 T 5LMG 28174 T ).