f The status of the genus Seliberia Aristovskaya and Parinkina 1963 (Approved Lists 1980) and the species Seliberia stellata Aristovskaya and Parinkina 1963 (Approved Lists 1980). Request for an Opinion

The species Seliberia stellata was described in 1963 and the name validly published in 1980. Its type strain, INMI N-9T, was deposited in the VKM collection by one of the authors reporting its 5S rRNA gene sequence. Based on the analysis of this sequence, the currently distributed strains VKM B-1340 and CECT 7960 are not the original type strain of Seliberia stellata. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain CECT 7960 had previously shown that this strain belongs to the species Bradyrhizobium betae, and this result was confirmed in the present paper by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) MS analysis for both CECT 7960 and VKM B-1340. Therefore, we propose that the Judicial Commission consider the following. (1) That the organism currently deposited as VKM B-1340 and CECT 7960 be recognized as a member of the species Bradyrhizobium betae. (2) That the organism deposited as VKM B-1340 and CECT 7960 does not represent the type strain of the species Seliberia stellata. (3) To place the species name Seliberia stellata Aristovskaya and Parinkina 1963 (Approved Lists 1980) on the list of rejected names if a suitable replacement strain, or a neotype, cannot be found within two years of publication of this Request (Rule 18c). (4) To place the genus name Seliberia Aristovskaya and Parinkina 1963 (Approved Lists 1980) on the list of rejected names (Recommendation 20d) if a suitable replacement type strain or a neotype for the type species of the genus Seliberia Aristovskaya and Parinkina 1963 (Approved Lists 1980) is not identified as indicated in point (3).