Introduction of a new archaeal species in honor of Professor Fereydoun Malekzadeh: the father of Bacteriology in Iran: Halopenitus malekzadehii sp. nov

Researchers of Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC) have managed to introduce a novel archaeal species in International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. The strain named Halopenitus malekzadehii sp. nov in honor of Professor Fereydoun Malekzadeh; the father of Bacteriology in Iran.

Shahzadeh Fazeli, the chief president of IBRC stated that this species “Halopenitus malekzadehii” belongs to the third kingdom of life, Archaea, and the strain is an extreme halophile able to grow in extremely high salt concentrations. The considerable features of the strain attracted the researchers of IBRC to identify it by using the polyphasic identification approaches. The strain is preserved in microorganisms Bank, IBRC, under the accession number IBRC-M 10418.

Shahzadeh Fazeli added: the nomination of species in honor of scientist’s efforts is very common and desirable.

Fereydoun Malekzadeh is considered as the father of Bacteriology in Iran. He was the full time Professor of Tehran University that had written 36 textbooks, majority of them cover the Bacteriology, Microbiology and Virology. He had won the 12^th International Kharazmi symposium prize for introducing two new microorganisms, isolated from forest soils of Iran. Malekzadeh passed away in 2012, at the 79^th year of his weighty life.

One of the main aims of Microorganisms Bank, IBRC is the isolation and introduction of native and new species to show the immense biodiversity of Iran, and the registration of them in global scientific societies. Since 2008, IBRC has introduced 23 new species of microorganisms.