Table 4.

Key differential phenotypic characteristics (API) of Vibrio aestuarianus strains isolated from cockles and oysters from the Vibrio aestuarianus type strain

Strains: 1, 17 strains from cockles; 2, V. aestuarianus LMG 7909^T; 3, oyster strain 02/041^T; 4, oyster strain 02/093; 5, results of Garnier et al. for 11 oyster strains [26]. +, Positive for >90 % of the strains; (+), positive for 75–89 %; −, negative for <10%; (−), negative for 25–11 %; v, variable for 26–74 %.

Characteristic	1	2	3	4	5
Fermentation of:
d-Glucose	+	+	−	−	(+)
N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine	(+)	+	+	+	(+)
Sucrose and trehalose	+	+	+	+	+
Potassium gluconate	−	+	+	−	v
d-Galactose	+	+	−	−	+
Maltose	(+)	+	−	+	v
Cellobiose	(+)	+	−	−	v
d-Fructose and d-mannose	+	+	+	−	+
Starch, d-ribose and glycogen	(+)	+	−	−	v
Arginine dihydrolase	+	+	+	+	(−)
β-Galactosidase	+	+	+	+	+
Tryptophan deaminase	−	−	−	−	v
Gelatinase	v	+	−	+	v
Indole production	+	+	−	+	+
Utilization of d-mannitol	v	−	−	−	−
Utilization of citrate	(−)	−	−	−	v
LDC, ODC, VP, H2S, URE, INO, SOR, RHA, MEL, ARA, GLY, ERY, DXYL, LXYL, ADO, MDX, SBE, DUL, MDM, MDG, AMY, ARB, ESC, SAL, LAC, INU, MLZ, RAF, XLT, GEN, TUR, LYX, TAG, DFUC, LFUC, DARL, LARL, 2KG, 5KG	−	−	−	−	−