The taxonomic position of the fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting groups A46 (five isolates), A51 (six isolates), A52 (five isolates) and A53 (seven isolates) obtained in a previous study were further analysed through a polyphasic approach. The 23 isolates were phylogenetically related to Vibrio splendidus, but DNA-DNA hybridization experiments proved that they belong to three novel species. Chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses further disclosed several features that differentiate between the 23 isolates and known Vibrio species. The names Vibrio kanaloae sp. nov. (type strain LMG 20539(T) = CAIM 485(T); EMBL accession no. AJ316193; G + C content 44.7 mol%), Vibrio pomeroyi sp. nov. (type strain LMG 20537(T) = CAIM 578(T); EMBL accession no. AJ491290; G +C content 44.1 mol%) and Vibrio chagasii sp. nov. (type strain LMG 21353(T) = CAIM 431(T); EMBL accession no. AJ316199; G + C content 44.6 mol%) are respectively proposed to encompass the five isolates of A46, the six isolates of A51 and the 12 isolates of A52/A53. The three novel species can be distinguished from known Vibrio species by several phenotypic features, including utilization and fermentation of various carbon sources, beta-galactosidase activity and fatty acid content (particularly of 12 : 0, 14: 0, 14 : 0 iso and 16 : 0 iso).