Astrobiologists studying thermophilic purple nonsulfur bacterium from hot springs in New Mexico have designated a new taxon for an organism previously designated as Rhodopseudomonas strain GI. This strain, isolated from a hot spring microbial mat community, grows best above 40 °C and to a maximum of 47 °C.

Strain GI has a budding morphology similar to species of the genus Blastochloris, but also has a number of features that make it distinct. Due to its unique properties, the authors suggest that strain GI represents a subclade within Blastochloris and should be classified as a new species of the genus Blastochloris.