This study describes two Gram-negative, flexirubin-producing, biofilm-forming, motile-by-gliding and rod-shaped bacteria, isolated from the marine sponges Ircinia variabilis and Sarcotragus spinosulus collected off the coast of Algarve, Portugal. Both strains, designated Aq135^T and Aq349^T, were classified into the genus Aquimarina by means of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We then performed phylogenetic, phylogenomic and biochemical analyses to determine whether these strains represent novel Aquimarina species. Whereas the closest 16S rRNA gene relatives to strain Aq135^T were Aquimarina macrocephali JAMB N27^T (97.8%) and Aquimarina sediminis w01^T (97.1%), strain Aq349^T was more closely related to Aquimarina megaterium XH134^T (99.2%) and Aquimarina atlantica 22II-S11-z7^T (98.1%). Both strains showed genome-wide average nucleotide identity scores below the species level cut-off (95%) with all Aquimarina type strains with publicly available genomes, including their closest relatives. Digital DNA‐DNA hybridization further suggested a novel species status for both strains since values lower than 70% hybridization level with other Aquimarina type strains were obtained. Strains Aq135^T and Aq349^T grew from 4 to 30°C and with between 1‐5% (w/v) NaCl in marine broth. The most abundant fatty acids were iso‐C_17:03-OH and iso-C_15:0 and the only respiratory quinone was MK-6. Strain Aq135^T was catalase-positive and β-galactosidase-negative, while Aq349^T was catalase-negative and β-galactosidase-positive. These strains hold unique sets of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters and are known to produce the peptide antibiotics aquimarins (Aq135^T) and the trans-AT polyketide cuniculene (Aq349^T), respectively. Based on the polyphasic approach employed in this study, we propose the novel species names Aquimarina aquimarini sp. nov. (type strain Aq135^T=DSM 115833^T=UCCCB 169^T=ATCC TSD-360^T) and Aquimarina spinulae sp. nov. (type strain Aq349^T=DSM 115834^T=UCCCB 170^T=ATCC TSD-361^T).

We report here the genome sequences of three Aquimarina megaterium strains isolated from the octocoral Eunicella labiata. We reveal a coding potential for versatile carbon metabolism and biosynthesis of natural products belonging to the polyketide, nonribosomal peptide, and terpene compound classes.

Here, we announce the genomes of eight Roseibium album (synonym Labrenzia alba) strains that were obtained from the octocoral Eunicella labiata. Genome annotation revealed multiple symbiosis factors common to all genomes, such as eukaryotic-like repeat protein- and multidrug resistance-encoding genes, which likely underpin symbiotic relationships with marine invertebrate hosts.