Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses based on sequences of the MLSA housekeeping genes corroborated the distinctness of this group; genetic distances to all other members of the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex were 96 % or lower.We propose the name Borrelia lanei sp. nov. for this genospecies in honor of Professor Robert S. Lane, University of California Berkeley, for his contributions to Borrelia and tick research.The type strain for Borrelia lanei sp. nov., strain CA28-91<sup>T</sup>, has been deposited to two culture collections (=DSM 17992<sup>T</sup>=CIP 109135<sup>T</sup>).