Bergey's Manual Books
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BERGEY'S MANUAL
OF
DETERMINATIVE
BACTERIOLOGY
BERGEY'S MANUAL
DETERMINATIVE
BACTERIOLOGY
BY
ROBERT S. BREED
Ixite Professor Emerilus, Cnrnell Universily, Geneva, New York
E. G. D. MURRAY
Research Professor, University of Western Ontario,
London, Ontario, Canada
NATHAN R. SMITH
Senior Bacteriologist, Retired, Plant Industry Station,
U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland
and
Ninety-four Contributors
Whose Names Appear on the Immediately Following Pages
SEVENTH EDITION
BALTIMORE
COPYRIGHT ©, 1957
The Williams & Wilkins Company
Library of Congress
Catalog Card Number
57-11183
t Deceased.
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Macromonas 80
Thiovulum 81
Thiospira 82
Kalz, Gertrude G. Salmonella 368
Kelly, CD. Noguchia 421
Bacteroides 424
Kirby, Harold, Jr. Parasites of protozoa 927
Kluyver, A. J.f Zymomonas 199
Langford, G. C. Erysipelothrix 599
Leathen, Wm. W. Ferrohacillus 227
Lessel, Erwin F., Jr. Photobacterium 193
Selenomonas 258
Myconostoc 260
Pasteurella 395
Euhacterium 552
Catenabacterium 560
Ramibacterium 563
Vilreoscillaceae 844
Lochhead, A. G. Arthrobacter 605
McClung, L. S. Clostridium 634
McCoy, Elizabeth Clostridium 634
Merchant, I. A. Pasteurella 395
Morse, E. V. Vibrio 229
Corynebacterium 579
Murray, E. G. D. Enter obacteriaceae 332
Moraxella 419
Bacteroidaceae 423
Neisseria 480
Lactobacillaceae 505
Diplococcus 507
Corynebacterium 579
Listeria 597
Neitz, W, O. Anaplasma 981
Nellis, Lois Mycococcus 707
Niven, C. F. Lactobacillaceae 505
Streptococcus 508
0rskov, J. Microcyclus 253
Parker, CD. Thiobacillus 83
Pederson, Carl S. Lactobacillaceae 505
Pediococcus 529
Leuconostoc 531
Lactobacillus 542
Pelczar, M. J. Neisseria 480
Veillonella 485
Peshkoff, M. A. Caryophanales 830
Philip, Cornelius B. Microtatobiotes 931 and 933
Rickettsiales 934
Anaplasmataceae 980
Pittman, Margaret Bordetella 402
Haemophilus 406
Pringsheim, E. G. Vilreoscillaceae 844
t Deceased.
Vlll LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
The keys to the several categories of taxa (orders, families, tribes, genera and
species) have been revised with a view to making them more reUable and useful.
There is included also an artificial key to the species prepared by Professor
V. B. D. Skerman, which key should prove helpful.
The Section on Nomenclature, including a synopsis of the Botanical Code of
Nomenclature, has been eliminated. At the time of preparation of the sixth
edition, the International Code of Bacteriological Nomenclature had not been
finally approved, and emphasis was properly laid upon the rules used in Botany.
This is no longer pertinent. The Bacteriological Code appeared in 1948 too late
for use in making appropriate revisions in the 6th Edition of the Manual. The
revised International Code of Nomenclature of the Bacteria and Viruses is about
to be published. This contains annotations that should prove of value to the
student, and should be regarded as a helpful aid in the understanding of the
nomenclature used in the 7th Edition of the Manual.
The naming and classification of the viruses, as published in the sixth edition
of the Manual, was regarded by some eminent virologists as perhaps inadvisable
because it was premature. They felt strongly that the problems of morphology,
physiology, pathogenesis and inter-relationships of the viruses were not as yet
sufficiently resolved to make satisfactory taxonomy and classification practicable.
After consultation with the International Subcommittee on Viruses it was de-
cided that the Virus Section should not be included in the seventh edition. This
deletion has been made with the full expectation that sufficient international
agreement will be reached to make possible adequate treatment in the eighth
edition. The Editorial Committee recognizes that a satisfactory system of
nomenclature and taxonomy for the viruses is imperative.
The Editors wish to repeat and emphasize a statement made in the Preface
of the first edition of the Manual:
Among the tasks of the several editions of the Manual has been the codification
of an increasingly satisfactory classification of the bacteria and the correction of
the nomenclature of the past. The present volume undoubtedly has many errors
that were not caught notwithstanding a most earnest effort. There are also many
unresolved questions. Inasmuch as this volume appears at almost the same time
as the Revised International Bacteriological Code, there are doubtless still some
inconsistencies.
E. G. D. Murray
N. R. Smith
R. S. Breed, Chairman
Editorial Committee
PREFACE TO SEVENTH EDITION XI
NOTE
The Board of Trustees of Bergey's Manual wish to record their profound
sorrow at the death on February 10, 1956, of Dr. Robert S. Breed, Chairman of
the Board of Trustees and Editor-in-Chief of the Manual. Most regrettable is
the fact that he did not live to see in printed form the results of his untiring
and devoted labor. At the time of his death, most of the manuscript for the
seventh edition had been placed in the hands of the publisher; the remainder was
in such shape that it could be promptly submitted. The Board of Trustees of
the Bergey Trust, including the Board of Editors, wish to pay tribute to the
devotion, energy and skill of Dr. Breed over a period of many years, as shown
in the organization of better bacterial nomenclature and classification. The
science of microbiology is his debtor.
Reconciliation of the nomenclature used in the seventh edition of the Manual
with the provisions of the revised International Code of Nomenclature of the
Bacteria and Viruses had not been entirely completed by Dr. Breed. As far as
possible, these discrepancies have been corrected before publication.
The death of Dr. Breed leaves the Editorial Committee without a chairman
and editor-in-chief. The Board of Trustees is unanimous in the belief that a suc-
cessor to Dr. Breed should be found outside its present membership. Dr. Breed
was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Following his death, reorganization
of the Board was undertaken by Dr. Conn, as Treasurer, and Dr. Buchanan was
designated as Chairman. The latter has agreed to serve until publication of the
seventh edition of Bergey's Manual and of the first edition of the companion
volume, planned by Dr. Breed and christened by him the Index Bergeyana.
It is recognized to be a matter of urgency and diflficulty to replace Dr. Breed
with an editor-in-chief for the eighth edition and to find a means of making this
onerous responsibility something more than the labor of love it always was to him.
E. G. D. Murray
N. R. Smith
H. J. Conn
R. E. Buchanan, Chairman
Board of Trustees
PREFACE OF FIRST EDITION
Acetylmethylcarhinol not produced. Methyl red test positive. Salts of citric acid may
or may not he used as a sole source of carbon. This places the organism in Genus I
Escherichia.
We turn now to the key to the species of Genus I, Escherichia, page 335. On
tracing our organism in this key we find that its characters correspond with those
of Escherichia coli and turn to the description of this species for a final confirma-
tion of this identification.
It is self evident that where the characters of the original culture have not
been determined accurately or completely, the identity of the unknown can-
not be determined positively.
A second difficulty in the use of a key comes from inexperience in the use of
technical terms; that is, the student may not thoroughly understand the meaning
of the statement in the key and so cannot follow a route through the key with
certainty. For example in the keys used here, the student must know the dif-
ference between (1) chains of cells which are composed of dividing cells which
do not separate at once, and (2) trichomes which are composed of dividing cells
which remain more permanently together and are normally flattened against
each other on adjacent sides. The trichomes may show some differentiation into
holdfast cells and reproductive cells (conidia) . Both chains of cells and trichomes
are to be distinguished from the mycelial threads found in Actinomycetaceae : the
latter are unseptate and show true branching.
The student should be warned not to take descriptions in the Manual too
literally or too rigidly. Descriptions are usually drawn to represent average
findings. Especially among bacteria, characters such as sugar fermentations,
gelatin liquefaction, presence or absence of flagella and other things may vary
within a species. Sometimes these variations are due to slight, possibly un-
recognized variations in the techniques used in determining these characters.
Real knowledge of the characteristics of species may also be very incomplete.
This is true not only with respect to the physiological activities of these micro-
organisms but also to such detectable structural features as the number and
position of flagella. Dark-field movies of motile cells and photographs taken with
the electron microscope are revealing new and heretofore unsuspected facts
regarding structural features.
Source and habitat data are frequently helpful in aiding the student to rec-
ognize species of bacteria and may indicate that the pathogenicity of the culture
in question may need to be tried on some specific animal or plant. By habitat
is meant the kind of a place in which the organism normally grows; by source,
the particular material and place from which the culture was obtained. This
source may or may not indicate the natural habitat. The source of cultures is
invariably more limited in scope than the habitat, as bacteria normally occur
wherever their particular habitat may be found in a world-wide distribution.
CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING THE CLASSIFICA-
TION USED IN THIS EDITION OF THE MANUAL
Robert S. Breed
Cornell University, Geneva, New York
simple beginnings along this line, their knowledge of bacteria as they are known
today was very limited indeed. Even in 1838, when Ehrenberg published his
description of the types of organisms found in infusions, microscopes had not
yet been developed to a place where even large bacteria could be studied with
any satisfaction.
By 1872, Ferdinand Cohn (Untersuchungen iiber Bacterien. I. Beitr. z. Biol,
d. Pflanzen., 1, Heft 2, 1872, 187-222), the botanist, began to understand that
a great variety of types of bacteria were in existence, and he was able to arrange
an outline classification on which later classifications of bacteria have been built.
However, his first outline classification of bacteria was scarcely pubUshed before
he felt that he should have expressed the relationships of the bacteria to the
simplest types of algae in a more intimate way. He therefore, in 1875 (Unter-
suchungen iiber Bacterien., II. ibid., 1, Heft 3, 1875, 141-207), drew up a second
classification in which he integrated the known groups of bacteria with known
groups of blue-green algae in a class, the Schizophyta. This arrangement assumed
that the bacteria had a much more intimate relationship to the blue-green algae
than the true fungi have to the green, red and brown algae.
It should be noted that early classifications of bacteria were based primarily
upon structural characters, particularly the shape of the cells. This was a
natural development, as morphological characters had been found to be useful
in drawing up natural classifications of higher plants and animals. It is also
(luite natural that workers who drew up these classifications should have regarded
the spherical organisms that they found as being primitive in nature. Little
was known at that time of the distribution of bacteria in nature. It was not
until later that it came to be realized that the bacteria that are spherical in
shape are normally found on the skin or in secretions of skin glands (milk and
other dairy products, etc.) of vertebrates. Few cocci exist as free-living forms in
water or soil. Likewise, when physiological studies were made, it was found that
the cocci require comparatively complex foods for their existence. Few modern
classifications retain the arrangement in which cocci are placed first as suggested
by Cohn in 1872.
Others have developed the early classifications* drawn up by Cohn, with many
individuals contributing to the development of a better and better understanding
of the evolutionary development of the bacteria. In the 1890's, two groups
of individuals undertook the publication of manuals describing the known species
of bacteria. These two groups exercised a great influence on the development of
systematic bacteriology.
Migula (Arb. Bact. Inst., Karlsruhe, 1, 1894, 235-238; in Engler and Prantl,
Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien, Schizophyta, 1 Teil, la, 1895, 1-44) and his
students began their work at Karlsruhe, Germany, in the early part of the
1890's, publishing various papers and books, the last of which was Migula's
* For a more detailed discussion of outline classifications developed by bacteriologists,
3ee Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 1-23; and Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 5-38.
CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CLASSIFICATION Y
System der Bakterien (Bd. 1, 1897, 368 pp.; Bd. 2, 1900, 1068 pp., Jena). Only
one edition was published.
During the same period K. B. Lehmann and R. E. Neumann of Wiirzburg,
Germany, began the publication of their Bakteriologische Diagnostik, the first
edition of which was published, as were later editions, in two volumes (J. F.
Lehmann Verlag, Miinchen). The first edition was soon followed by a second and
later editions, the work being seriously interrupted by the first World War after
the publication of the 5th edition. Following the war they republished the 5th
edition with a supplement as the 6 edition and later carried through a complete
revision of this text which appeared as the 7th edition in 1927. No further editions
have been issued.
In the meantime, interest in taxonomic work had crystallized in the newly
organized (1899) Society of American Bacteriologists, led at first by F, D.
Chester. His Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, published in 1901 (The
MacMillan Co., New York), had great influence in guiding the thought of
American bacteriologists, but it never has been widely known outside of North
America.
As the Society developed, others took an active interest in this work, among
them R. E. Buchanan (Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 591-596; 2, 1917, 155-164, 347-350,
603-617; 3, 1918, 27-61, 175-181, 301-306, 403-406, 461-474, 541-545), who
organized an outline classification of all bacteria as then known. This was pub-
lished just as another member of the Society, C.-E. A. Winslow, who had, with
his wife, completed a monographic study of the Coccaceae (Winslow, C. -E. A., and
Winslow, A. R. Systematic relationships of the Coccaceae, 300 pp., 1908, John
Wiley & Sons, New York), urged the Society to form a Committee to organize
a better classification for bacteria. The Society of American Bacteriologists'
Committee, of which Winslow was made Chairman, combined forces with Bu-
chanan and published first a preliminary (Jour. Bact., 2, 1917, 505-566) and then
a final report (Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 191-229) on the classification of bacteria. The
report of this Committee was accepted with the thought that further revisions
of this outline classification were to be expected as knowledge developed.
Meanwhile in Europe, Orla-Jensen (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 22, 1909, 305-346)
had made notable contributions to knowledge in this field. Still later A. J. Kluyver
and C. B. van Niel (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 34, 1936, 369-403) and others con-
tinued the development of classifications of bacteria, but European workers have
been badly handicapped in their work because of the chaotic conditions that
have existed during two world wars fought largely in Europe.
Developments in the field of systematic bacteriology led to the publication by
D. H. Bergey of a manuscript on which he had been working for a long time, his
thought being that a new edition of Chester's Manual of Determinative Bac-
teriology was badly needed, as indeed it was. In order to aid Bergey in securing
publication of his manuscript, the Society of American Bacteriologists appointed
a Committee to assist him, Dr. F. C. Harrison, Chairman. The first edition of
8 CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CLASSIFICATION
Bergey's Manual appeared in 1923 (The Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore).
Successive editions of this Manual were issued in 1925, 1930 and 1936. Before
his death in 1937, Bergey requested that an Editorial Board take over future
editions of Bergey's Manual.
At the same time, Bergey used the accumulated royalties that had previously
been placed in the custody of the Society of American Bacteriologists to organize
the so-called Bergey's Manual Trust. The publication of the 5th and 6th
editions of Bergey's Manual has been carried out by the Trustees of this
Trust, who, by the provisions of the Deed of Trust, must always be men trained
as bacteriologists. The Board of Trustees consisted at first of Dr. D. H. Bergey,
Professor R. S. Breed and Professor E. G. D. Murray. Dr. A. Parker Kitchens was
elected to this Board after Dr. Bergey's death, when Professor Breed was made
Chairman of the Board.
Because of the truly enormous development of our knowledge of bacteria,
viruses and related organisms, the Editorial Board asked students of special
groups to assist in the revisions of the groups in which they were interested.
Thus more than 40 specialists assisted in the preparation of the 5th edition,
and more than 60 individuals in the preparation of the 6th edition of the Manual.
Canadian bacteriologists as well as bacteriologists from the U. S. A. have
participated in the Manual work from the beginning. This participation by
Canadian workers has increased during the preparation of the manuscript for
the 7th edition, as has the participation from other countries. Fourteen countries
are represented among the more than 100 specialists who have contributed to
the 7th edition of the Manual.
After the death of Dr. A. Parker Hitchens, Dr. N. R. Smith was appointed
to the Board of Trustees and to the Editorial Board of the Manual, and shortly
thereafter the Board of Trustees was made a board of five members by the
election of Dr. R. E. Buchanan and Dr. Harold J. Conn to this Board.
In preparing manuscripts for the present edition of Bergey's Manual,
specialists have found many places where the relationships of described species
of bacteria have not been well presented in the literature. Consequently, they
have been stimulated to publish many papers reporting their findings. The
individual specialists have normally been persons who have actively worked
with cultures of the organisms that belong to the group for which they have
prepared the manuscript. Thus the development of the present edition of the
Manual has stimulated much research in the field of S3^stematic bacteriology
that would never have been accomplished under other conditions. It is hoped
that in the future the Bergey's Manual Trust can become a center for research
in the field of systematic bacteriology and virology. The work thus far accom-
plished has been carried out largely by volunteer workers. If adequate funds were
available for the support of such work its value could be greatly increased.
Out of studies by specialists of the accumulated knowledge of the systematic
relationships of the microorganisms considered in Bergey's Manual of Deter-
minative Bacteriology, the three of us chiefly responsible for organizing this
CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CLASSIFICATION 9
has previously been suggested for this entire group. This has caused Dr. C. B.
Phihp, who has acted as editor of the section covering rickettsias and related
species in the present (7th) edition of the Manual, to suggest the name Microta-
tobiotes for Class III. The latter is a more appropriate name for the entire group
of organisms included in the orders Rickettsiales and Virales than any that has
previously been suggested. Dr. Philip has discussed the new developments in the
classification of the order Rickettsiales in a recent paper (Canadian Jour. Micro-
biol., 2,1956, 261). Therefore the present discussion is limited to an explanation
of the reasons for increasing the number of orders recognized in Class II, Schizo-
mycetes von Naegeli, from five to ten.
The organisms placed in Class II, Schizomycetes von Naegeli, in the 6th edition
were arranged in five orders as follows:
Division I. Schizophyta Cohn, 1875. (Fission plants.)
Class I. Schizophyceae Cohn, 1879. (Fission algae. Blue-green algae.)
Class II. Schizomycetes von Naegeli, 1857. (Fission fungi, bacteria.)
Order I. Eubacteriales Buchanan, 1917 (The true bacteria.)
Order II. Aciinomycetales Buchanan, 1917. (The mycobacteria, actinomyces,
streptomyces and related forms.)
Order III. Chlamydohacteriales Buchanan, 1917. (The alga-like, filamentous
bacteria.)
Order IV. Myxobacteriales Jahn, 1911. (The slime bacteria.)
Order V. Spirochaetales Buchanan, 1918. (The spirochetes and related forms.)
This outline as given above is similar to the outline followed in earlier editions
of the Manual and is based upon the outline classification developed by Bu-
chanan (op. cit.) in 1916-18. It is expanded in the present edition of the Manual
as follows :
* Goebel, K., in his edition of Sach's Grundziige der Systematik und speciellen Pflanzen-
morphologie, p. 334, 1882, was apparently the first author to use this name, although he
used the incorrect spelling Spermaphyta.
12 CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CLASSIFICATION
Eubacteriales is defined to include not only the bacteria that are peritrichously
flagellated but also such non-motile forms as seem by their physiology to be
closely related to these peritrichous species.
The placing of non-motile species of bacteria in systems of classification has
always caused difficulty. Some students think that lack of motility is a character
which should be used as a basis for separation of groups. However, evidence is
continually accumulating that indicates that separation of larger groups among
the bacteria solely by means of motility or lack of motility leads to a violent
disarrangement of natural groupings. Some non-motile bacteria present funda-
mental physiologies and other characters that show that they are much like
certain polar flagellate organisms. Such non-motile species are placed in the
classification used here in Order I, Pseudomonadales. However, where non-motile
species show fundamental physiologies and other characters more like those of
peritrichous species, then they have been placed in Order IV, Eubacteriales.
Organisms living in habitats where they are unable to use organs of locomotion
are usually found to be non-motile. This is very natural from the standpoint of
evolution.
Some bacteria develop into trichomes, which may be defined as chains (fila-
ments) of bacteria where the relationship between the cells in the chain have
become so intimate that the cells rarely live a separate, independent existence.
Sometimes the cells in the chain show a differentiation into hold-fast cells and/or
reproductive cells distinct from the usual vegetative cells. This differentiation
resembles that found among the simpler algae. Because the cells in these tri-
chomes sometimes develop flagella that are placed singly or in a tuft near or at
the pole of the cell, while others develop cells with peritrichous flagella, it has been
felt desirable to recognize two orders among these bacteria that occur in tri-
chomes: Order II, Chlamydobaderiales, for the polar flagellate types and Order VI,
Caryophanales, for the peritrichous types. Some non-motile species occur in these
orders also.
Little is known about the relationships of certain species of bacteria which
show a budding form of reproduction that is different from the simple cell division
(fission) that takes place in the four orders previously discussed. Only a few of
these species that reproduce by budding are well known, though some of them
occur abundantly in suitable habitats. Because the indications are that many
species of these organisms exist in nature. Prof. H. C. Douglas has set these apart
in a new order, Hijphomicrohiales, p. 276. Where flagellation has been observed
among these budding forms, it is of the polar type so that Order III has been
associated with Order I, Pseudomonadales, and Order II, Chlamydohacteriales,
in the arrangement of the 10 orders as given above.
Until recently everyone has thought of Order V, Actinomycetalcs, as including
species all of which were non-motile.* However Couch, in a series of papers,
the latest published in 1955 (Jour. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc, 71, 1955, 148-155),
* Also see footnote p. 713 for a discussion of motility in species of Nocardia by H. L.
Jensen.
CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CLASSIFICATION 13
has shown that microorganisms that belong in this order sometimes exist in
water rather than as pathogens affecting animals or plants or in soil. These
water-inhabiting, saprophytic types of Actinomycetes have developed sporangia
in which motile or non-motile spores may develop. In a way they are analogous
to the so-called water molds. The structure of the vegetative cells and mycelia
of these water-inhabiting Actinomycetes is like that of the aerobic Actinomycetes.
Order VII, Beggiatoales, has been organized by Dr. R. E. Buchanan, page 837,
to include a group of bacteria, primarily ocurring in trichomes, that are motile
but which lack flagella. In spite of this lack they have the power to glide, roll or
oscillate as do certain species of blue-green algae. While none of these bacterial
types develop photosynthetic pigments, they are frequently and apparently
quite properly regarded as colorless, saprophytic forms of blue-green algae.
Certain species oxidize sulfur compounds with the liberation of free sulfur gran-
ules. Some specialists prefer to transfer this group to Class I, Schizophyceae, as
colorless species of blue-green algae rather than to include them with Class II,
Sch.izomycetes. As bacteriologists have been primarily responsible for developing
our knowledge of the species in this order, they are retained here in Class II,
Schizomycetes.
Our knowledge of Order VIII, Myxobacterales, the so-called slime bacteria,
was first developed by botanists rather than bacteriologists. These organisms
occur in leaf mold and on the dung of animals. Recently species causing diseases
of fish have been found. The cells of these species move with a flexuous motion
in a slime which normally grows up into fruiting bodies large enough to be visible
to the naked eye.
The organisms placed in Order IX, Spirochaetales, have always been set off
by themselves though certain species are knoA\Ti that are so much like other
species of bacteria placed in the genus Spirillum in Order I, Pseudomonadales,
that they may be regarded as transitional forms. Sometimes, without sufficient
justification, these spirally twisted organisms have been placed among the
Protozoa.
The tenth order of Class II, Schizomycetes, is the newly organized Order X,
Mycoplasmatales Freundt. Because a review of the nomenclature of the pleuro-
pneumonia-like organisms (Buchanan, Cowan and Wiken, Internat. Bull. Bact.
Nomen. and Taxon., d, 1955, 13-20) has shown that the first generic name applied
to these organisms that has a legitimate standing is M mycoplasma Nowak (Ann.
Inst. Past., 43, 1929, 1330-1352), this name has been adopted for use in the
classification of the pleuropneumonia-like organisms that has been prepared
by Freundt (Internat. Bull. Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 6, 1955, 67-78). This
generic name has also been used by Edward (Internat. Bull. Bact. Nomen. and
Taxon., 5, 1955, 85-93). While other order names, such as Borrelomycetales
Turner (Jour. Path, and Bact., 41, 1935, 1-32), have been suggested, the generic
name Borrelomyces Turner on which the order name is founded has never come
into general use, and Borrelomyces is in fact an illegitimate homonym of Myco-
plasma Nowak. Acceptance of the order name Mycoplasmatales is in accordance
14 CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CLASSIFICATION
Prof. R. E. Buchanan
Dean of Graduate School {Emeritus) atid Director of Experiment Station (Emeritus),
Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa
A manual of determinative bacteriology, such as the present volume, has
several important functions. These should be recognized and understood by the
student if he is to use the volume with satisfaction.
First, the manual should list and describe all the kinds (species) of bacteria
and viruses known through adequate publication in bacteriology or virology.
Obviously, however, only those organisms that have usable published descrip-
tions can be included.
Second, the manual should arrange the descriptions of the kinds (species) in
smaller or larger groups (taxa, singular, taxon) on the basis of resemblances and
differences in an effort to show inter-relationships.
Third, the manual should indicate for each species its correct name, likewise
the correct name for each group (taxon) of related species.
That branch of biology which has for its purpose the orderly arrangement of
the descriptions of species and other taxa, together with the application of the
correct names, is termed taxonomy.
The manual, through its indices, should enable the student who knows the
correct name of an organism (or even a synonym of such name) to discover the
description of the organism and its characteristics, as well as something of its
relationships. If, on the other hand, he has an organism whose characteristics
and description he has determined or recorded, but whose name and relation-
ships he does not know, a satisfactory manual, through its keys, should enable
him to determine the correct name, its probable relationships and its position in
a classification.
Nomenclature. The necessity for applying names to species or kinds of bacteria
and to groups of inter-related organisms is self-evident. A name given by one
person should be understood by others, and as far as practicable all individuals
should use the same name for the same kind of organism. It is helpful, therefore,
if there can be agreement regarding the method of naming bacteria and agree-
ment as to the correct name for each kind or species. Nomenclature includes all
discussions as to methods of naming and of the correctness of particular names.
What kinds of names are used. Two kinds of names are commonly given
to the different species of plants and animals, (1) the common, provincial, ver-
nacular or casual names and (2), the international or scientific names. These
should be carefully differentiated, and their respective advantages and disad-
vantages noted.
It is inevitable, and on the whole probably 15
desirable, that for each kind of
16 HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED
familiar animal or plant in each language there will be coined a name. Usually
the name for the same organism will be different in each language. For example,
we have in English Oak, in German Eiche, in Latin Quercus, etc. For many less
common kinds, however, there may be no such vernacular names developed.
There have been, of course, many casual or vernacular names given to kinds of
bacteria. In English Ave speak of the tubercle bacillus, the typhoid germ, the
gonococcus, the Welch bacillus, the golden pus coccus, and many others. Simi-
larly, we find in German Typhusbazillus and in French bacille typhique, entero-
coque, etc. Not infrequently scientific names may be adopted into a modern
language and converted into vernacular names. For example, the English name
aster and the scientific generic name Aster are applied to the same group. This
is freciuently a convenience, and in general this practice is to be commended.
For example, many of the "scientific" generic names used in bacteriology are
also used as names in English and other languages. This adaptation is particu-
larly convenient when the organisms in the group under discussion are of im-
portance and are frequently referred to in the literature. Custom and nomen-
clatural rules suggest certain discretion and appropriateness in the use of these
casual or vernacular names. The following suggestions, based upon nomenclatural
precedent and custom, should prove useful to the student.
1. The name of a genus is a noun in the singular. It is not a collective noun
and should never be used with a plural verb. Do not use such an expression as
"The Salmonella are abundant."
2. However, custom since the beginning of binomial nomenclature has sanc-
tioned the use of the plural of generic names. One may say "The Sahnonellae
(Corynehacteria, Rhizohia, Sarcinae, Bacilli) are." These Latin plurals are used
with the meaning "The species of the genus Salmonella (etc.) are." They do not
connote the existence of more than one genus Salmonella.
3. Custom has also sanctioned the use of the generic name in the singular in
an expression such as "This Sarcina is yellow" with the meaning "This species
of Sarcina is j^ellow."
4. The Latin plural of a generic name should be employed whenever the name
is used as indicated in 2 above. "The Salmonellas or Sarcinas are ..." should be
avoided because of the use of the English plural endings.
5. An English (vernacular) name may be coined from any generic name. This
is done usually only for genera that are under length}^ discussion or of consider-
able economic significance.
6. An English, or vernacular, name of a genus may be used also in the plural,
as in "the corynehacteria are . . ." with the meaning "The species of coryne-
bacterium under consideration." When a Latin generic name is converted into
the English vernacular, either the English or the Latin plural may be used.
Perhaps the Latin plural is the better choice, but one finds "The salmonellas
are ... ." Note that when used as a vernacular (English) word the generic name
is never regarded as a proper noun and is not capitalized or italicized.
More than one form of a name may be derived in English (vernacular) from a
HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED 17
has taken in the past fifty years, and the elaboration of special descriptive cri-
teria which bacteriologists have of necessity developed, it is the opinion of the
International Society for Microbiology that the bacteria constitute a group for
which special arrangements are necessary. Therefore the International Society
for Microbiology has decided to consider the subject of bacterial nomenclature
as a part of its permanent program."
The International Society established a permanent Nomenclature Committee
to pass upon suggestions and to make recommendations. This committee is
composed of members (about 100 in all) from the participating nations. Two
permanent secretaries were named, one to represent primarily medical and
veterinary bacteriology, and one to represent other phases of bacteriology.*
It soon became apparent that the botanical and zoological codes of nomen-
clature included many items having no significance in bacteriology and virology
and that bacterial and viral nomenclature required special consideration.
In 1936, at the London International Microbiological Congress, it was decided
that an independent, but closely integrated. Code of Bacteriological Nomen-
clature be developed. In 1939, at the next International Congress, a Judicial
Commission of fourteen was appointed and directed to prepare a code for con-
sideration at the next Congress. The International Code of Bacteriological
Nomenclature prepared by the Commission was approved in 1947 by the Inter-
national Committee and by the plenary session of the Copenhagen Congress.
These rules were published in English in March, 1948, f and later in French,
Spanish, German and Japanese.
The Code was amended at Rio de Janeiro in 1950 and at Rome in 1953. The
present code should be accessible to all bacteriologists and virologists. It has
been edited and annotated by the Editorial Board of the Judicial Commission.}
It should be consulted by all who wish to determine the correctness of names used
in the literature and by those who describe new species or other taxa.
Some general principles of nomenclature. Every student of bacteriology
should be familiar with certain rules of nomenclature if he is to use names in-
tel igently. Ifhe wishes to correct names improperly used or if he desires to
name new species, some additional rules should be observed:
1. Each distinct kind of bacterium is called a species.
2. To each distinct species a name is given consisting usually of two Latin
words, as Bacillus suhtilis.
3. The first word is the name of the genus or group to which the organism
belongs. It is always written with a capital letter. It is a Latin or latinized Greek
* The permanent secretary for medical and veterinary bacteriology at the present time
is Dr. S. T. Cowan, National Collection of Type Cultures, Central Public Health Labora-
tory, Colindale Avenue, London, N.W. 9, England. The permanent secretary for general
bacteriology at the present time is Dr. T. Wiken, Laboratory for Microbiology, Technical
University, Delft, Holland.
t International Bacteriological Code of Nomenclature. Edited by R. E. Buchanan,
R. St. John-Brooks and R. S. Breed. Jour. Bact., 55, 1948, 287-306.
t In press, 1956.
HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED 19
word, or a new word compounded from Latin or Greek stems, or it may be de-
rived from some other language; but whatever its origin, when used as a generic
name, it must he regarded as a Latin noun. If it is a word not found in classic
Latin, it is still to be treated as Latin. Some examples of generic names in bac-
teriology which are Latin or which are formed from Latin roots are: Bacillus
(masculine) a small rod; Cristispira (feminine) a crested spiral; Lactobacillus
(masculine) a milk small rod; Sarcina (feminine) a packet or bundle. Many
others are words from the Greek or are compounded from Greek roots, the words
transliterated into Latin letters and with endings modified in conformity with
Latin usage; some words of Greek origin are Micrococcus (masculine) a small
grain (sphere); Bacterium (neuter) a small rod; Clostridium (neuter) a small
spindle; Corijnebacterium (neuter) clubbed small rod; Actinomyces (masculine)
ray fungus. Other generic names have been given in honor of persons or places as
Beggiatoa (feminine), Borrelia (feminine), Eherthella (feminine), Pasteurella
(feminine), Erwinia (feminine), Zopfius (masculine).
4. The second word in the scientific name of a species is a specific epithet. It
is not capitalized (some authors capitalize species names derived from proper
nouns). The specific epithet may be:
(a) An adjective modifying the noun and indicating by its ending agreement
with the generic name in gender, as Bacterium album (white Bacterium), Bacillus
albus (white Bacillus), Sarcina alba (white Sarcina), Eberthella dispar (different
Eberthella), Bacterium variabile (variable Bacterium) , Brucella melitensis (maltese
Brucella), Bacillus teres (rounded Bacillus), Bacillus graveolens (sweet-smelling
Bacillus).
Typical adjectives
Masculine Feminine Neuter
white albus alba album
black niger nigra nigrum
delicate tener tenera tenerum
sharp acer acris acre
variable variabilis variabilis variabile
different dispar dispar dispar
Uke a berry coccoides coccoides coccoides
gas-forming aerogenes aerogenes aerogenes
(b) An adjective in the form of the present participle of a verb, as Clostridium
dissolvens (the dissolving Clostridium, in the sense of the Clostridium which is
able to dissolve). Bacillus adhaerens (the adhering Bacillus), Acetobacter ascen-
dens (the climbing Acetobacter), Bacillus esterifix^ans (the ester-producing Bacil-
lus). The endings for present participles used as adjectives are the same for all
genders. The past participle is used occasionally, as in Pseudomonas aptata (the
adapted Pseudomonas), Spirillum attenuatum (the attenuated Spirillum).
(c) A noun in the genitive (possessive) modifying the generic name. There is
no necessary agreement in gender or number. Examples, Clostridium welchii
20 HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED
is designated as the type genus. In general the name of the family is formed from
the name of the type genus by affixing the suffix -aceac to the stem of the generic
name. The word is plural. Among bacterial families commonly recognized are
Bacillaceae, named from its type genus, Bacillus^ Pseudomonadaceae from Pseu-
domonas, Spirochaetaceae from Spirochaeia, Actinomycetaceae from Actinomyces
and Spirillaceae from Spirillum.
(4) Order. An order is a group of related families. It is usually named by
substituting the suffix -ales for -aceae in the name of the type family. Among
ordinal names that have been used in bacteriology are Actinomijcetales, Spiro-
chaetales, Myxohacterales.
(5) Class. A class is a group of related orders. In this treatise the bacteria
are treated as constituting the class Schizomycetes in Division I., Protophyta, of
the plant kingdom.
(6) Other categories. Other categories or ranks of names are used for higher
groups. Sometimes families are divided into sub-families, these into tribes, these
into subtribes, and these finally into genera.
How to identify an organism by name. One of the purposes of this Man-
ual OF Determinative Bacteriology, as noted previously, is to facilitate the
finding of the correct scientific name of a bacterium. It is well, however, to note
some of the reasons why this result, the identification of an unknown culture,
may not eventuate. Among these the following may be listed:
(1) The unknown organism awaiting identification b}^ the investigator may
possibly be one which has never been named; or, if named, perhaps was inade-
quately described. Of course it will not be listed in the Manual. Little effort
on the part of bacteriologists has been devoted to describing or naming bacteria
except as they have been found to have some economic significance or to possess
some striking or unusual characteristics. There are quite probably many times
as many species of unknown bacteria as have been described and named. Such
unknown species are all about us. It is not surprising, therefore, if one some-
times encounters undescribed species. When such unnamed species are found,
particularly if they are of economic importance or are related to such forms, it
is highly desirable that they should be adequately described and named, and
the results published and made accessible.
(2) The unknown organism may have been described and named in some
publication, but the description and name have been overlooked in the prepara-
tion of the Manual. Perhaps the description has been so inadequate or incom-
plete that it has not been possible to place it in a satisfactory classification. It
should be noted that the number of species that have been described is so great
that no one individual can know them all. Progress in classification comes about
largely as the result of the work of specialists in particular groups. Unfortunately
most groups of bacteria have not been adequately monographed. It is evidently
the function of a Manual such as this to draw largely upon the work of those
who have published monographs covering special groups of bacteria and to
supplement their achievements as far as possible by a necessarily less satisfactory
consideration of the unmonographed groups. It is clear that the fact that an
HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED 23
organism cannot be identified from this text is no proof that it has not been
described and named.
(3) It is possible, of course, that an error has been made in the selection of
the correct name in this Manual. Bacteriological literature has, in recent years,
been engaged in the herculean task of rectifying the nomenclatural blunders of
the past. It is desirable, therefore, that users of the keys and descriptions of this
Manual should be familiar with the rules governing the correct choice of names,
and themselves propose suitable corrections where needed.
Some general rules governing nonienelature that should be known to
students of bacteriology. In summary, some of the more important rules and
recommendations of the Bacteriological Code may be briefly paraphrased. In
case of doubt, the Annotated Code itself should be consulted.
1. Every individual microorganism belongs to a species, every species to a
genus, every genus to a family, every family to an order, every order to a class.
Each one of these ranks is called a taxon (plural taxa) (Principle 7).
2. Each taxonomic group (taxon) with a given definition (circumscription),
position, and rank can bear only one correct name, the earliest name given to it
that is in accordance with the rules of nomenclature (Principle 9) .
3. The name of a species is made up of two words consisting of the name of
the genus followed by the specific epithet. The term "epithet" means a single
descriptive word or a single descriptive phrase. If the latter, the component
words are to be united or joined by a hyphen. Within the same genus, no two
species names may bear the same specific epithet (Rule 6).
4. Each taxon (species, genus, family, order) should have designated a nomen-
clatural type. The type of a bacterial species is preferably a designated culture
preferably maintained in a national type culture collection. When a new species
is described and named, a culture should be deposited by the author with such
type culture collection where it will be available as a standard and useful in
identification of other cultures believed to be related.
The nomenclatural type of a genus is a species of the genus selected in accord-
ance with the rules.
The nomenclatural type of a family is a genus contained within the family.
The family name is formed by adding the ending -aceae to the stem of the name
of the type genus. The nomenclatural type of the family Pseudomonadaceae is
the genus Pseudomonas (Rule 9).
5. Correct names. For the name of a taxon (species, genus, family, etc.) to
be correct it must meet certain requirements. The most important of these are
as follows :
a. The name must be the oldest that conforms to the rules.
b. The name must have been validly published. This means that the name
must have been distributed in printed matter (periodicals, books, other
publications) together with a description or clear reference to a previously
published description. The name must be accepted by the author. It is not
validly published if merely cited as a synonym. A name that has not been
validly published is without standing in nomenclature.
24 HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED
cated. Before a Latin name of a taxon is formed, the Greek word needs to be
spelled with Latin letters, and the whole word placed, when possible, in the corre-
sponding Latin declension with appropriate gender ending. How can the Greek
deri\'ations be indicated without confusion to the student who knows little or
nothing of Greek? In this Manual the following procedure has been adopted as
standard and as probably the most readily understood. The student must remem-
ber that the change is from Greek to Latin (not to English) orthography. The
system used here is not that usually found in giving derivations in medical or
general English dictionaries. Some illustrations may be helpful.
The Greek word for sulfur is delov. The first letter, theta (6), has no Latin equiv-
alent; the Latins used th. The second letter, epsilon (e), is the equivalent of short
e in Latin. The third letter, iota (t), is equivalent to i, the fourth, omicron (o), is
short 0, and the last, nu (v), is n. One may transliterate as theion. But the et of the
Greek, a diphthong, was transliterated by the Latins as a long i. The ending ov
of the Greek indicates that the noun is neuter. The corresponding neuter ending
in Latin is um. In final form we may write deiop = theion = thium. In the Manual
the statement given is simply Gr. neut. n. (Greek neuter noun) thium sulfur. Thi
is the stem from which a great number of new Latin names of taxa have been
constructed, as Thioploca, Thioderma, Thiocystis.
Some awkward transliterations are to be found in the literature. The Greek
diphthong at = ai was usually transliterated as ae by the Latins. The Greek
alfxa = haima = haema. Haemophilus is correctly spelled ; Hemophilus is not a
"simplified spelling" but an incorrectly spelled modern Latin word.
One finds many errors of transliteration in bacteriological nomenclature. If
corrected, the words should be regarded as alternative spellings (variants) of
the same word and not as two different words.
Sometimes there are incongruities in transliteration of Greek into Latin form
in a single word. For example, the specific epithet of the species Micrococcus lyso-
deikticus is an interesting mixture. The second component of the word is the Greek
8hktlk6(7. The first letter, delta (5), is d; the second, epsilon (e), is short e; the third
(and sixth), iota (t), is short i; the fourth (and seventh) is kappa (k), the Latin c;
the eighth, omicron (o), is short o; and the final, sigma (a-), is s. The Latins used
i for the diphthong et. There is no k in the Latin alphabet. The masculine ending
OS in Greek becomes us in Latin. Hence, beiKTiKocr = deicticos = dicticus. Correct
transliteration would have given lysodicticus instead of the current lysodeikticus.
However, in general, it is well to observe the rule that the original spelling of
the word be conserved, unless it can be regarded definitely as a slip of the pen.
A few generic names have been so commonly incorrectly accented as to consti-
tute accepted exceptions. Several examples may be cited.
Many generic names in bacteriology and protozoology have as the final com-
ponent -monas, as Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas. The Greek word is nopas.
The first vowel is short. Correct accentuation would give Pseu.do'mo.nas, Xan.-
tho'mo.nas, etc. with the accent on the antepenult. There is a tendency to regard
the 0 as long and to place the accent on the penult, giving Pseu.do.mo'nas, the
pronunciation accepted by such dictionaries as Century and Borland.
28 HOW BACTERIA ARE NAMED AND IDENTIFIED
Again, many Modern Latin names of taxa have -myces as the last component.
The Greek is ixvK-q'i = myces in which the first vowel is definitely short. In these
generic names the accent would seem properly to be on the antepenult, as Ac-
ti.no'my.ces and Strep.to'my.ces. The commonly accepted accentuation is
Ac.ti.no. my' ces and Strep . to . my'ces.
There is also some confusion relative to syllabication and accentuation in
Modern Latin names of taxa ending in -oides. The derivation of the ending makes
it evident that the oi is not a diphthong, and the o and i should be differentiated
and separately pronounced. For example, the generic name Bacteroides should
be syllabicated and accented Bac.te.ro.i'des. There has been confusion with the
English diphthong oi, and pronunciation with one less syllable, Bac.te.roi'des, has
been recognized.
Abbreviations . The following areviations are used in the Manual in giving
derivations.
Gr. = Greek. The original Greek spelling is not given in the Manual. As noted
above, the word is transliterated into the Latin alphabet; the gender endings of
the Greek are changed usually to the Latin gender endings of the corresponding
Latin declension. This makes evident the stems* that may be used in construction
of the Modern Latin names. Gr. means latinized Greek.
L. = Latin. Usually this indicates that the word is one used in classic Latin
(or in some cases post-classic Latin) and found in an unabridged Latin dictionary.
M.L. = Modern Latin. A word used as the name of a taxon or as a specific
epithet, to be treated and used as a Latin word, of various derivations but not
classic Latin.
Med. L. = Medieval (sometimes pharmaceutical) Latin. Many words derived
from languages other than Latin were Latinized during the middle ages and uti-
lized in fields such as pharmacy, alchemy and biology. Some Modern Latin names
are derived from these.
fem. = feminine gender. noun.
mas. = masculine gender. adj. = particip
neut. = neuter gender. n. = verb.
part.
nom. = nominative.
part. = participle. V. = = genitive.
= adjective.
pi. = ad j. ■ Note that the names of all
plural. gen.
taxa higher than the genus are plural
and have plural endings, as Bacillaceae, Actinomycetales.
* The stem to be used in making compounds is not always complete in the nominative.
It is found by dropping the genitive ending. For example, the generic name Actinomyces
has as the genitive, Actinomycetis ; the stem used in compounds is Actinomycet-, hence the
famil}^ name eerived from Actinomyces is Actinomycetaceae, not Actinomycaceae. Note
should be taken of the fact that all Greek words that end in -ma are neuter and have as
genitive -malis. The stem combining form) always ends in mat. For example Treponema,
gen. Treponematis, has as its stem Treponemal- from which one may derive a family name
Treponemataceae (not Treponemaceae) .
DIVISION I. PROTOPHYTA* SACHS, 1874, EMEND.
KRASSILNIKOV, 1949.
(Sachs, Lehrbuch der Botanik, 4 Aufl., 1874, 249; Schizophyta Cohn, Beitr. z. Biol. d.
Pflanzen, /, Heft 3, 1875, 202; Krassilnikov, Guide to the Bacteria and Actinomycetes, Izd.
Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949, 41.)
Pro.to.phy'ta. Gr. combining form protos first (in time), primordial; Gr. noun phylum
plant; M.L. pi. noun Protophyta primordial plants.
Unicellular organisms and organisms which occur in trichomes. Generally these forms
are too small to be distinguishable to the naked eye. Ordinarily no differentiation of cells
is evident, although those forms that occur in trichomes may show some differentiation
into vegetative and specialized cells of various types (heterocysts, holdfast cells and re-
productive cells). Increase in number of individual cells is normally effected by simple cell
division (fission), rarely by budding; however among the most highly advanced forms,
spores of various types may be developed (endospores, conidia or gonidia). In the highly
specialized parasites such as the viruses, the processes of reproduction have become so
intimately associated with the living protoplasm of the host cells, and the virus particles
are so minute (less than 200 millimicrons in diameter) that the e.xact method of reproduction
has not yet been determined with certainty. For many years it was believed that these
organisms do not possess nuclei; however, in recent years simple types of nuclear bodies
have been demonstrated in many of these organisms, and a nucleus, or at least definite
nuclear material (chromatin), has been found to be present in all cases. Do not contain
chloroplastids, which are found in the cells of the green portions of higher plants. Ubiqui-
tous, occurring in the air, everywhere on the surface of the earth, in and on plants and ani-
mals and even far below the surface of the earth in mine waters.
* The sections which characterize the Division Protophyta, the classes, the orders and in
some cases the families have been prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University,
Geneva, New York.
29
CLASS I. SCHIZOPHYCEAE COHN, 1879.
(Myxophyceae Stizenberger, 1860; Phycochromophyceae Hahenhorst, 18G3 -jCyanophyceen
Sachs, Lehrbuch der Botanik, 4 Aufl., 1874, 249; Cohn, Jahresber. Schles. Ges. f. vaterl.
Cultur, f. 1879, 279-289.)
Schi.zo.phy'ce.ae. Gr. noun schizo cleft, fission; Gr. noun phycus seaweed, alga; M.L.
pi. noun Schizophyceae fission algae.
The organisms in this class are usualh' designated as the blue-green algae and are studied
in connection with other types of algae (green, brown and red) and the higher fungi in
courses in Cryptogamic Botany. However, the blue-green algae differ structurally from all
other types of Thallophyta. On the other hand they resemble the bacteria so that the blue-
green algae and the bacteria are commonly classed in the same Division of the Plant King-
dom.
In order to identify the species of blue-green algae, consult any of the following books:
O. Kirchner, Schizophyceae, in Engler and Prantl, Die Natiirlichen Pflanzenfamilien, I
Teil, Abt. la, 1900, 45-92; Gilbert H. Smith, Cryptogamic Botany, 2nd ed.. Vol. 1, Algae
and Fungi, New York, 1955, 526 pp.; Gilbert H. Smith, Freshwater Algae of the United
States, New York, 1950, 719 pp.
The Schizophyceae are not described further in the present Manual.
CLASS II.
By
SCHIZOMYCETES VON NAEGELI
ROB S. BRE
ER T E D
Late Professor Emeritus, Cornell University, Geneva, New York
E. G. D. MURRAY
Research Professor, University of Western Ontario,
London, Ontario, Canada
NATHAN R. SMITH
Senior Bacteriologist, Retired, Plant Industry Station, U. S. Department
of Agrictdture, Beltsville, Maryland
and
2. Cells in trichomes.
Order VI. Caryophanales, p. 830.
B. Not as above.
1. Cells rigid and maj- grow out into a branching mycelium-like .structure which
may even develop chains of aerial conidia giving colonies a superficial resem-
blance to mold colonies. In two genera spores develop within sporangia (sporan-
giospores), and in one of these genera the spores are motile. Where cells occur
singly or in simple branched forms, they are frequently acid-fast.
Order V. Actinomycetales, p. 694.
2. Not as above.
a. Cells rigid, usually large and may occur as coccoid cells or trichomes. Sulfur
granules may occur on the surface or within the cells. Move by a gliding, oscil-
lating or rolling, jerky motion like that of some blue-green algae. No flagella
present.
Order VII. Bcggiatoales, p. 837.
aa. Not as above.
b. Longer or shorter flexuous cells.
c. Cells flexuous, creeping on a substrate. Frequentlj^ pointed at both
ends. Fruiting bodies are usually developed from a thin spreading
colony (pseudoplasmodium). Slime bacteria.
Order VIII. Myxobacterales, p. 854.
cc. Cells in the form of longer or shorter spirals. Swim freely by flexion of
cells.
Order IX. Spirochaetales, p. 892.
bb. Non-motile, highly pleomorphic organisms of a very delicate character.
Possess filterable stages.
Order X. Mycoplasmatales, p. 914.
ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES ORLA -JENSEN, 1921.
Pseu.do.mo.na.da'les. M.L. fern. pi. n. Pseudomonadaceae type family of the order; -ales
ending to denote an order; M.L. fem.pl.n. Pseudomonadales the Pseudomonadaceae order.
Straight, curved or spiral, rigid, rod -shaped bacteria. Rarely occur in pairs or chains.
The cells in a few species are ellipsoidal and are frequently spoken of as being coccoid or
even spherical in form. They are usually about 1.0 micron in diameter, but in a few species
the individual cell is larger than is normal for bacterial cells, reaching a size of 3.0 to 14.0
microns in diameter and as much as 100 microns in length. The cells are usually polar flagel-
late. When motile they sometimes bear a single flagellum, in other cases a tuft of flagella.
The flagella are normally found at one or both ends of the cell, but in one genus the curved
cells bear a tuft of flagella that is attached in the middle of the concave side (Selenomonas) .
Non-motile species whose characteristics indicate that thej' belong in this order with closely
related, motile species occasionally occur. Cells are Gram-negative so far as known. The
cells in one sub-order contain pigments that have the power of photosynthesis. The cells
in the second sub-order lack such pigments, as do all other groups of bacteria. The cells
in the first sub-order are photo-autotrophic, while chemo-autotrophic species occur in the
second sub-order. Energy is frequently secured by oxidative processes though there are also
many species that show a fermentative physiology. Cells quite frequently occur in zoogloeal
masses. No endospores are found, and reproduction is by means of fission. Many species
occur in coastal, swamp and pond waters and in soil. Some are parasitic and some are even
pathogenic, causing diseases of fishes and other cold-blooded vertebrates. There are a few
species (cholera, blue pus, etc.) that cause diseases of warm-blooded mammals, including
man.
V
enclose granules of free sulfur.
Sub-order I. Rhodobacteriineae , p. 35.
II. Cells do not contain photosynthetic pigments, although they may produce greenish,
brownish, rose or yellow, diffusible, water-soluble pigments or yellow or red non-water-
soluble pigments. Free sulfur granules may occur within or without the cells (Thio-
bacteriaceae). Ferric hydroxide may be deposited (Caulobacteriaceae) .
Sub -order II. Pseudomonadineae, p. 67.
* Rearranged and revised by Prof. C. B. van Niel, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific
Grove, California, July, 1953.
35
36 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Cells spherical, rod-, vibrio- or spiral-shaped. Diameter of individual cells from less than
1.0 to over 10 microns. Red, purple, brown or green bacteria which contain bacteriochloro-
phj-ll or other chloroph3dl-like green pigments, and which usually also possess one or more
carotenoid pigments. Capable of carrying out a photosynthetic metabolism which differs
from that of green plants in that it does not proceed with the evolution of oxygen, and de-
pends upon the presence of extraneous oxidizable compounds which are dehydrogenated
with the simultaneous reduction of carbon dioxide. As oxidizable substrates, a varietj' of
simple substances can be used, such as sulfide, or other reduced sulfur compounds, molecu-
lar hydrogen, alcohols, fatty acids, hydroxy- and keto-acids, etc. All can be grown in
strictly anaerobic cultures when illuminated. Those members which can grow in the pres-
ence of air can also be cultured in the dark under aerobic conditions. Color depends mark-
edly on environmental conditions; small individuals appear colorless unless observed in
masses. May contain sulfur globules. Described species have largely been found in fresh-
water habitats. Some species occur in marine habitats.
The organisms previously included in the order Thiohacteriales Buchanan do not consti-
tute a taxonomic entity; they represent rather a physiological-ecological community. In
this sense, however, a special treatment of this group as a unit has decided advantages from
a determinative point of view.
When first proposed as a systematic assemblage, the order Thiobacferia Migula (Sj'st. d.
Bakt., 3, 1900, 1039) was intended to include the morphologically conspicuous organisms
which, in their natural habitat, contain globules of sulfur as cell inclusions. Since Wino-
gradsky (Beitr. z. Morph. u. Physiol, d. Bact., I, Schwefelbacterien, 1888) had elucidated
the function of hydrogen sulfide and of sulfur in their metabolism, the characteristic inclu-
sions appeared linked with a hitherto unrecognized type of physiology, viz. the oxidation
of an inorganic substance instead of the decomposition of organic materials. From this
oxidation the sulfur bacteria derive their energy for maintenance and growth.
Two groups of sulfur bacteria could be distinguished, one consisting of colorless, the
other of red or purple organisms. The members of both groups presented an unusual mor-
phology apart from the sulfur droplets : in all cases the individual cells were considerably
larger than those of the common bacteria, while many species grew as distinctive colonial
aggregates. Migula separated these sulfur bacteria into two families, Beggiatoaceae and
Rhodobucteriaceae. Even at that time, however, some difficulties e.xisted as to just what
organisms should properly be considered as sulfur bacteria. Miyoshi (Jour. Coll. Sci., Imp.
Univ., Tokyo, 10, 1897, 143) had discovered a bacterium which forms strands, incrusted with
sulfur, in sulfur springs but which does not store sulfur globules in its cells. Although
physiologically this organism appeared to comply with Winogradsky's concept of a sulfur
bacterium, the absence of the typical cell inclusions made Miyoshi decide it could not be
ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES 37
considered as such. The problem was aggravated when Nathansohn, Beijerinck and Jacob-
sen published their studies on small, colorless, Psendomonas-like bacteria capable of oxidiz-
ing hydrogen sulfide, sulfur and thiosulfate, and evidently dependent upon this oxidation
process for their development. Morphologically these organisms have little in common with
the Beggiatoaceae; they were designated by Beijerinck as species of Thiobacillus and have
since been rightly considered as members of the order Psendomonndales (see p. 35). Never-
theless, these organisms are physiologically in no way different from the Beggiatoaceae, so
that if phj'siology only is considered, a good case could be made out for their incorporation
in the Thiohacterinles.
Furthermore, Molisch (Die Purpurbakterien, Jena, 1907, 95 pp.) described in some de-
tail a number of bacterial species which, in view of their characteristic pigment system,
appeared closely related to the Rhodobacieriaceae , but which develop only in organic media
and are, therefore, not sulfur bacteria in the sense of Winogradsk\' or Migula. In stressing
the importance of pigmentation, Molisch combined the red sulfur bacteria and the newly-
discovered purple bacteria into an order Rhodobacteria with the two families Thiorhodaceae
and Athiorhodaceae . It is this grouping that has been followed in the present edition of the
Manual.
Among the non-sulfur purple bacteria, or Athioihodaceae, is included an organism which,
on the basis of its morphology and manner of growth, does not conform to the criteria of
the order Pseudornonadalcs . This is Rhodomicrobium vannielii Duchow and Douglas (Jour.
Bact., 58, 1949, 409). Physiologically it is a typical non-sulfur purple bacterium in that it is
capable of development in strictly anaerobic media supplied with an appropriate oxidizable
substrate only when the cultures are illuminated and carries out a photosynthetic metabo-
lisii without oxygen evolution. Multiplication is not, however, by transverse fission but by
bud formation at the end of a thin filament growing out of a pole of the mother cell followed
by the formation of a cross wall in the connecting filament. This mode of development is
similar to that encountered in the non-photosynthetic bacterium Htjphomicrobium vulgare.
It should also be emphasized here that some of the sulfur purple bacteria (Thiopedia, for
example) and all of the green sulfur bacteria appear at present to be pernianentlj- immotile.
Only a very small number of t^'pical sulfur bacteria have been studied in pure cultures. As
a result the descriptions of genera and species rest mainly on observations made with
collections from natural sources or crude cultures. Most investigators have implicitly ac-
cepted differences in cell size or in colonial appearance as a sufficient justification for es-
tablishing independent species. Evidently this procedure presupposes a considerable degree
of constancy of such characteristics in the organisms in question. It is true that Wino-
gradskj^'s investigations have provided a reasonable basis for this belief, but later studies
with pure cultures of certain purple bacteria have established beyond a doubt that environ-
mental conditions, such as composition of the medium and temperature, may exert a pro-
found influence on the general morphology of these organisms. By this it is not intended to
infer that the previously proposed genera and species of sulfur bacteria should be aban-
doned, but it does follow that a cautious evaluation of the distinguishing features is neces-
sary. In the absence of carefully conducted investigations on morphological constancy and
variability of most of the previously recognized species of sulfur bacteria with pure cultures
grown under a variety of external conditions, the best approach appears to be a tentative
arrangement of these organisms based upon those characteristics which are readily ascer-
tainable. Experience with this group over the past twenty-five years has shown that, while
Winogradskj^'s fundamental work must remain the foundation of present taxonomic ef-
forts, itis advisable to simplifj' the much more elaborate classification developed by Bu-
chanan which was followed in previous editions of this Manual.
Certain genera of sulfur purple bacteria, created by Winogradsky, will very probably be
consolidated when detailed information concerning the morphology of the organisms is
available. Until such time it seems, however, best toj-etain most of them, even though the
38 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
distinguishing characteristics are not always very clear. For the benefit of those who are
familiar with previous methods of classification, it will be indicated where deviations have
been adopted.
The non-sulfur purple bacteria {Athiorhodacene Molisch; Rhodobacterioideae Buchanan)
have been subjected to a comparative morphological and physiological study comprising
more than 150 strains, among which all previously proposed genera and species are repre-
sented (van Niel, Bact. Rev., 8, 1944, 1-118). It has been found that the characteristics
upon which Molisch based the seven genera of this group are inadequate, and a new classi-
fication with only two distinguishable genera has been proposed. This system will be fol-
lowed here.
Nadson (Bull. Jard. Imper. Bot., St. Petersburg, 13, 1912, 64) described a new type of
small, green bacteria not containing sulfur globules in the presence of hydrogen sulfide but
excreting elemental sulfur. They arephotosynthetic and are capable of growing in anaerobic
culture when illuminated. The green pigment differs from the green plant chlorophylls and
from the bacteriochlorophyll of the purple bacteria but has the characteristics of a chloro-
phyllous compound. These are grouped in the family Chlorobacteriaceae.
earotenoid pigments, hence, pigmented purplish to red. Capable of carrying out a photo-
sj'nthetic metabolism in the presence of hydrogen sulfide, cells then storing sulfur globules.
Anaerobic.
The type species is Thiosarcina rosea (Schroeter) Winogradsky.
and carotenoid pigments, coloring the cell masses purplish to red. Capable of photosyn-
thesis, in the presence of hydrogen sulfide, whereby elemental sulfur is formed as an inter-
mediate oxidation product which is deposited as droplets inside the cells.
The type species is Thiocystis violacea Winogradsky.
when free are motile by means of polar fiagella. In pure culture also this type rarely, if ever,
produces large aggregates with the development here mentioned as characteristic for the
genus (Bavendamm, Die farblosen und roten Schwefelbakterien, Pflanzenforschung, Heft
2, 1924, 76). This, along with the other similarities, makes it doubtful whether future studies
will result in the retention of the genera Lamprocijsiis and Thiocystis side by side. Produce
bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments, coloring the cell masses purplish pink to red.
Capable of photosynthesis in the presence of hj'drogen sulfide, storing elemental sulfur as
globules inside the cells.
The type species is Lamprocystis roseopersidna (Kiitzing) Schroeter.
1. Lamprocystis roseopersicina (Kiitz- Winogradsky reports that the cells fre-
ing, 1849) Schroeter, 1886. (Protococcus quently contain pseudovacuoles.
roseopersicinus Kiitzing, Species Algarum, Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con-
Leipzig, 1849, 196; Schroeter, in Cohn, taining hydrogen sulfide and exposed to
Kryptogamen-Flora von Schlesien, 3, 1, light; sulfur springs.
1886, 151.) Illustrations: Warming, Videnskab.
ro.se.o.per.si.ci'na. L. adj. roseus rosy; Meddel. naturhistor. Foren., Kjobenhavn,
Gr. noun persiCMS the peach (Persian apple); 1876, PI. VIII, fig. 3 g; Zopf, Z. Morphol.
M.L. adj. roseopersicinus rosy peach (-col- d. Spaltpflanzen, Leipzig, 1882, PI. V, fig. 8,
ored). 13; Winogradsky, Schwefelbacterien, Leip-
Cells spherical to ovoid, 2 to 2.5 microns zig, 1888, PI. II, fig. 9-15; Bavendamm, Die
in diameter, up to 5 microns long before cell farblosen und roten Schwefelbakterien,
division. Motile by means of polar flagella. Jena, 1924, PI. II, fig. 3.
II. Cells distinctly rod-shaped, about 1.5 to 2 microns in width by 2 to 4 microns in length.
2. Amoebobacter bacillosus.
III. Cells spherical, quite small, about 0.5 to 1 micron in diameter.
3. Amoebobacter granula.
Capable of photosynthesis in the presence of hydrogen sulfide, when the cells store elemen-
tal sulfur as droplets inside the cells.
The type species is Thiopoly coccus ruber Winogi'adsky.
Jena; named for the city of Jena, Germany, turns measuring from 15 to 40 microns in
where Ehrenberg discovered this organism. length and from }4 to }{o of the length in
Cells 2.5 to 4.0 microns thick, cylindrical, width. Polar flagellate, usually tufted at
sometimes pointed at the ends; coiled as both ends. Individual cells rose-red with a
spirals, generally 30 to 40 microns in length, grayish hue, groups of cells deep red. Sulfur
but may be as long as 100 microns. Complete droplets numerous under appropriate con-
turns may measure from 15 to 40 microns ditions.
with a wave depth of 3 to 7 microns. Polar Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con-
flagellate. Tufted at both ends. Olive- taining hydrogen sulfide and exposed to
brown, sepia-brown and reddish brown. light; rarely in sulfur springs.
This coloring appears to be the only rec- Illustrations: Cohn, op. cit., 1875, PI. VI,
ognizable difference from Thiospirilhan san- fig. 15; Warming, Vidensk. Meddel. natur-
(juineiim. Thiospirillum crassum Hama (loc. hist. Foren., Kjobenhavn, 1876, PI. VII, fig.
cit.), reported to be 3.7 to 4 by 12 to 40 8; Buder, Jahrb. wiss. Bot., 56, 1915, 534,
microns and yellowish brown in color, thus fig. 2.
becomes indistinguishable from Thiospiril-
3. Thiospirillum violaceum (Warming,
lumjenense; the 80-microns-long Thiospiril-
lum jenense forma maxima Szafer (Bull. 1876) Winogradsky, 1888. {Spirillum vio-
Acad. Sci. Cracovie, S6r. B, 1910, 162) does laceum Warming, Vidensk. Meddel. natur-
not, at present, justify recognition as a hist. Foren., Kjobenhavn, 1876, 395; Wino-
104.) gradsky, Schwefelbacterien, Leipzig, 1888,
special taxonomic entity.
It is even doubtful whether the observed
color difference between Thiospirillum vi.o.la'ce.um. L. adj. violaceus violet-
colored.
jenense and Thiospirillum sanguineum con-
stitutes a valid criterion for their mainte- Cells short and fat, 3 to 4 by 8 to 10
nance as two distinct species (Buder, Jahrb. microns, ends smoothly rounded. Slightly
wiss. Bot., 56, 1915, 534; Bavendamm, Die curved, bean- or vibrio-shaped. Onl}^ rarely
farblosen und roten Schwefelbakterien, are they twisted suggesting a spirillum.
Pflanzenforschung, Heft 2, 1924, 131). Polar flagellate.
Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con- The shape of cell seems to fit the genus
taining hydrogen sulfide and exposed to Chromatium rather than Thiospirillum, and
light; more rarelj' in sulfur springs. Warming (op. cit., 1876, 395) emphasizes the
Illustrations: Zettnow, Ztschr. f. Hyg., resemblance to Chromatium okenii.
24, 1897, PI. II, fig. 49-52; Buder, op. cit., Color: Bluish violet; this color may be re-
1915, 534, fig. 1; Szafer, op. cit., 1910, PI. IV, lated to a scarcity of sulfur droplets in the
fig. 4; Hama, op. cit., 1933, PI. 18, fig. 1, 8a; cells.
PI. 19, fig. 1. Habitat: Mud and stagnant water.
Illustration: Warming, op. cit., 1876, PI.
VII, fig. 3.
2. Thiospirillum sanguineum (Ehren-
berg, 1840) Winogradsky, 1888. (Ophido- 4. Thiospirillum rosenbergii (Warm-
monas sanguinea Ehrenberg, Verhandl.
ing, 1875) Winogradsky, 1888. (Spirillum
Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1840, 201 ; Spirillum san-
guineum Cohn, Beitr. Biol. Pfl., 1, Heft 3, rosenbergii Warming, Vidensk. Meddel. na-
turhist. Foren., Kjobenhavn, 7, 1875, 346;
1875, 169; Winogradsky, Schwefelbacterien, Winogradsky, Schwefelbacterien, Leipzig,
Leipzig, 1888, 104.) 1888, 104.)
san.gui'ne.um. L. adj. sanguineus blood- ro.sen.ber'gi.i. M.L. gen. noun rosen&er^n
colored, blood-red. of Rosenberg; named for Rosenberg, a
Cells cylindrical, sometimes attenuated Danish algologist.
at ends, spirally coiled; 2.5 to 4.0 microns in Cells 1.5 to 2.5 by 4 to 12 microns; coiled,
width, commonly about 40 microns long with turns of about 6 to 7.5 microns in
with a range of from 10 to 100 microns. length and variable width up to 3 or 4 mi-
Size and shape of coils variable, complete crons. Color very dark, due to numerous
48 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
sulfur globules. Color of protoplasm not losen und roten Schwefelbakterien Jena,
recorded. 1924, 132) or Huber-Pestalozzi (Die Bin-
Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con- nengewasser, ^6, Heft 1, Das Phytoplankton
taining hj'-drogen sulfide and exposed to des Siisswassers, Stuttgart, 1938, 304) that
light. Probably widely distributed, but lessthe cells ever contain sulfur globules. Only
frequently recorded as the organism is not the red color is emphasized. Consequently,
so spectacular as the large Thiospirillum it is quite possible that this organism be-
jenense and Thiospirillum sanguineum. longs in the genus Rhodospirillum.
Illustration: Warming, op. cit., 1876, PI. Cells 1.0 by 8 to 18 microns; coiled to
X, fig. 12. occupy 1}4 to 4 turns, the latter commonly
4 microns wide by 4 microns long. These
5. Thiospirillum rufum (Perty, 1852) dimensions agree with those of Rhodospiril-
Migula, 1900. {Spirillum rufum Perty, Bern, lum ruhrum (Esmarch) Molisch, and it
1852, 179; Migula, S3^st. d. Bakt. 2, 1900, seems probable that the two organisms are
1050.) identical.
ru'fum. L. adj. rujus red, reddish. Habitat: Found in red slime spots on the
General characteristics presumably those side of a well. Mud and stagnant bodies of
of the genus, although it does not appear water.
either from Perty's description or from that Illustration: Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 1,
of Migula {loc. cit.), Bavendamm (Die farb- 1897, PI. Ill, fig. 7.
1. Rhabdomonas rosea Cohn, 1875. Winogradsky, op. cit., 1888, PI. IV, fig. 9-11,
(Cohn, Beitr. Biol. Pfl., 1, Heft 3, 1875, 167; 13-14.
Beggiatoa roseo-persicina Zopf, Z. Morphol. 2. Rhabdomonas gracilis (Warming,
d. Spaltpfianzen, Leipzig, 1882, 30; Rhabdo- 1876) Bergey et al., 1923. {Monas gracilis
chromatium roseiim Winogradsky, Schwefel- Warming, Vidensk. Meddel. naturhist.
bacterien, Leipzig, 1888, 100; Rhabdochro- Foren., Kjobenhavn, 1876, 331; Rhabdochro-
matium fusiforyne Winogradsky , ibid., 102.) matium minus Winogradsky, Schwefelbac-
ro'se.a. L. adj. roseus rosy, rose-red. terien, Leipzig, 1888, 102; Rhodocapsa sus-
Cells uneven in width and length, often pensa Molisch, Die Purpurbakterien, Jena,
swollen to spindle-shaped, sometimes tend- 1907, 17; Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed.,
1923, 402.)
ing towards filamentous growth. The great-
est width of a spindle-shaped or fusiform gra'ci.lis. L. adj. gracilis thin, slender.
cell may be close to 10 microns; in the more Cells much smaller than those of Rhabdo-
filamentous structures it is usually around monas rosea and with less tendency to form
5 microns. The length varies between 10 and fusiform cells. Usually filamentous, more or
30 microns for single cells; filamentous less cylindrical, often with constrictions,
forms, frequently showing bulges and con- but found up to 60 microns in length.
strictions suggestive of compound struc- Shorter filaments motile. Polar flagellate.
tures in which cell division has been incom- Slime formation may occur under special
plete, may attain considerably greater conditions. Rose-red. Sulfur globules.
lengths, up to 100 microns. The ends of Probably an abnormal growth form of Chro-
spindle-shaped cells often taper to very fine matium virosum.
points or attenuated fibers; also, filaments Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con-
are generally thinner toward the extrem- taining hydrogen sulfide and exposed to
ities. Single individuals and short filaments light; sulfur springs.
are motile by means of polar flagella, long Illustrations: Warming, op. cit., 1876, PI.
filaments rarely motile. The ends of a fila- VII, fig. 5; Winogradsky, op. cit., 1888, PI.
ment may become pinched off and swim IV, fig. 12; Molisch, op. cit., 1907, PI. II, fig.
away. 11-12.
Color rose-red; cells are usually filled with 3. Rhabdomonas linsbaueri (Gickl-
sulfur globules. horn, 1921) van Niel, 1948. (Rhabdochroma-
There is no good reason for maintaining tium linsbaueri Gicklhorn, Ber. d. deut. bot.
Rhabdomonas fusiformis (Rhabdochromatium Ges., 39, 1921, 312; van Niel, in Manual, 6th
fusiforme Winogradsky) as a separate ed., 1948, 855.)
species; the variations in size and shape lins.bau'er.i. M.L. gen. noun linsbaueri of
bring this form well within the range of Linsbauer; named for K. Linsbauer, an
Rhabdomonas rosea. Present indications Austrian botanist.
strongly suggest that the latter species Cells resemble those of Rhabdomonas rosea,
should be regarded as a peculiar develop- irregular, rod-shaped, 3 to 5 microns wide,
mental form of Chromatium okenii. up to 30 microns in length.
Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con- The characteristic feature of the species,
taining hydrogen sulfide and exposed to and the chief means of differentiation, is the
light; sulfur springs. occurrence of calcium carbonate inclusions
Illustrations: Cohn, op. cit., 1875, PI. VI, in addition to the sulfur globules in the cells.
fig. 14; Warming, Vidensk. Meddel. natur- Whether this is strictly an environmentally
histor. Foren., Kjobenhavn, 1876, PI. VII, conditioned characteristic, due to the
fig. Ic-e; Zopf, op. cit., 1882, PI. V, fig. 2b; photosynthetic development of the bacteria
50 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
in a medium rich in calcium ions, so that identity of this species with Rhabdomonas
calcium carbonate is precipitated as the rosea would become evident,
alkalinity increases, has not yet been estab- Source: From a pond near Graz, Austria,
lished but seems possible. In that case the Habitat: Fresh water.
crude cultures, have been greatly strengthened by studies with pure cultures of species of
Chromatium. Thus van Niel (Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 3, 1931, 59) reported variations in width
from 1 to 4 microns, and in length from 2 to 10 microns or even up to 50 microns; Manten
(Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 8, 1942, 164 S.) found size differences of 1 to 14 microns with a
pure culture of an organism that he identified as Chromatium okenii. Often the differences
in size of a pure culture can be related to special environmental conditions. On account of
such results a designation of species on the basis of size relations alone is manifest)}^ un-
satisfactory. Moreover, the available data do not suggest that differences in shape, color or
arrangement of sulfur globules can be used more effectively. Lack of adequate experimental
results with a sufficiently large number and variety of pure cultures prevents a more rational
classification at present.
The previously proposed species have been listed below with their respective character-
istics and arranged as far as possible in the order of decreasing width.
Two Chromatium species have been described as containing inclusions of calcium carbon-
ate in addition to sulfur globules. As in the case of Rhabdomonas linsbaueri, it is not known
w'hether this feature may be a direct consequence of the calcium ion content and pH of the
environment and thus fail to have taxonomic significance.
The type species is Chromatium okenii Perty.
PI. XXXIX, fig. 1-2; Tokuda, Botau. from 0.5 to 0.7 by 0.6 to 1 micron (Issat-
Magaz., Tokyo, 50, 1936, 339, fig. 1-23. chenko, Recherches sur les microbes de
I'ocean glacial arctique, Petrograd, 1914,
12. Chroniatium miniitissiniuin Wino- 253), and 1 to 3 by 2 to 5 microns (Issat-
gradskjr, 1888. (Schwefelbacterien, Leipzig, chenko, Borodin Jubilee Volume, 1929?, 9).
1888, 100.) Illustrations : Winogradsky, op. cit., 1888,
mi.nu.tis'si.mum. L. sup. adj. minutissi- PI. IV, fig. 8; Miyoshi, Jour. Coll. Sci., Imp.
mtfs very small. Univ., Tokyo, Japan, 10, 1897, PI. XIV,
Cells about 1 to 1.2 by 2 microns. Also fig. 18.
Genus I. Rhodopseudomonas Kluyver and van Niel, 19S7, emend, van Niel, 1944-
(Includes Rhodobacillus Molisch, Die Purpurbakterien, Jena, 1907, 14; Rhodobacterium
Molisch, ibid., 16; Rhodococcus Molisch, ibid., 20; Rhodovibrio Molisch, ibid., 21; Rhodocystis
Molisch, ibid., 22; Rhodonostoc Molisch, ibid., 23; Rhodosphaera Buchanan, Jour. Bact., S,
1918, 472; Rhodorhagus (sic) Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, 414; Rhodomonas Kluyver
and van Niel, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 94, 1936, 397; not Rhodomonas Orla-Jensen, Cent. f.
Bakt., II Abt., 22, 1909, 331 ; Kluyver and van Niel, in Czurda and Maresch, Arch, f . Mikro-
biol., 8, 1937, 119; Rhodorrhagus Bergey et al.. Manual, 5th ed., 1939, 905; van Niel, Bact.
Rev., 8, 1944, 86.)
Rho.do.pseu.do.mo'nas. Gr. noun rhodum the rose; Gr. adj. pseudes false; Gr. noun
monas monad, unit; M.L. fem.n. Pseudotnonas a bacterial genus; M.L. fem.n. Rhodopseudo-
monas the rose Pseudomonas.
Spherical and rod-shaped bacteria, motile by means of polar flagella. Gram -negative.
54 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
stiffens; M.L. adj. gelatinosus full of gelatin, Thiosulfate is not oxidized; behavior
gelatinous. towards molecular hydrogen unknown.
Cells in young cultures short and small More pronouncedly microaerophilic than
rods, approximately 0.5 by 1 to 2 microns. the other Rhodopseudomonas species; most
In old cultures much longer, up to 15 mi- cultures cannot develop on aerobically in-
crons, and then irregularly curved rods, cubated slants or agar plates.
often swollen and gnarled in places up to 1 Capable of strictly anaerobic development
micron in width. In this stage the cells bear in illuminated cultures by virtue of a photo-
some resemblance to those found in old cul- synthetic metabolism.
tures of Rhodopseudomonas palustris, but Thiamin plus biotin is required for growth
the characteristic Mycobacterium-Yike clus- (Hutner).
ters of the latter are absent. Single cells in- Temperature relations so far unknown.
Distinctive characters: The small size of
frequent due to a copious mucus produc-
tion in all media which causes the cells to the individual cells and the pronounced
clump together. While young cells are ac- clumping which causes the cultures to be
tively motile by means of polar flagella, exceptionally stringy; the unusual color of
motility is often difficult to ascertain as a the cell masses; the ability to liquefy gela-
result of the pronounced tendency to con- tin, to utilize citrate and a number of amino
glomerate; the individuals in the clumps acids. Correlated with these is the failure to
appear to be non-motile. Gram-negative. grow in media with 0.2 per cent propionate,
Gelatin is liquefied; of the single amino acids tartrate and glycerol.
alanine, asparagine, aspartic and glutamic Habitat: Regularly' present in stagnant
acids appear generally satisfactory sub- bodies of water and in mud.
strates. Illustrations : Molisch, op. cit., 1907, Plate
Color quite distinctive in most anaerobic I, fig. 8; van Niel, op. cit., 1944, fig. 55-60, p.
cultures as a pale, delicate, pinkish shade, 99; fig. 61-66, p. 100.
rather peach-colored. Only in the presence
of rather high concentrations of yeast ex- 3. Rhodopseudomonas capsulata (Mo-
tract (when a much heavier growth is ob- lisch, 1907) van Niel, 1944. {Rhodonostoc
tained than with low concentrations supple- capsulatum Molisch, Die Purpurbakterien,
mented with 0.2 per cent of various single Jena, 1907, 23; Rhodopseudomonas capsulatus
oxidation substrates) do the slimy cell (sic) van Niel, Pact. Rev., S, 1944, 92.)
masses appear a dirty, faded brown. Color
is due to bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid cap.su.la'ta. L. dim. noun capsula a small
chest, capsule; M.L. adj. capsulatus capsu-
pigments. Occasionally a water-soluble, lated.
non-carotenoid, bluish red pigment is Depending upon the pH of the medium,
produced which diffuses into the culture cells nearly spherical, or as distinct rods,
medium. often devoid of motility. Motility due
In j^east extract, growth occurs over a pH to polar flagella. The spherical cells are
range extending from at least 6.0 to 8.5. found in media with a pH below 7; thej' are
Cultures produce a characteristic acrid
odor. usually arranged in chains resembling strep-
tococci. Rod-shaped cells are characteristic
More sensitive to fatty acids than are for media with pH above 7; the higher the
other species of Rhodopseudomonas; with pH, the longer the rods. Individual cells
0.2 per cent propionate no growth occurs. slightly less than 1 micron wide, although
The best single oxidizable substrates appear attenuated rods (about 0.5 micron in width)
to be ethanol, glucose, fructose and man- are frequent at pH above 8, and slightly
nose, as well as a variety of amino acids. swollen cells (to 1.2 microns) are found in
Citrate also permits good growth; not, on media containing sugars. Length varies from
the other hand, glycerol, mannitol, sorbitol 1 to 6 microns; most common dimensions in
or tartrate in the usual concentration of approximately neutral media, 2 to 2.5 mi-
0.2 per cent. crons. At pH above 8, abnormal growth in
57
FAMILY II. ATHIORHODACEAE
the form of irregular filaments. Outstand- All cultures can develop anaerobically in
ingly characteristic is the zigzag arrange- illuminated cultures by a photosynthetic
ment of the cells in chains. Gram-negative. metabolism.
Cultures in media of pH 8 or above are Thiamin is required for growth; u few
distinctly mucoid. strains require biotin and nicotinic acid in
Color: Anaerobic cultures develop with a addition (Hutrier).
brown color, the shade ranging from a light Optimum temperature distinctly lower
3'ellowish l^rown to a deep mahogany- than for Rhodopseudomonas palustris, and,
brown. When grown in the presence of oxy- as a rule, around 25° C.
gen, the cultures are dark red. Even the pig- Habitat: Regularly found in stagnant
mentation of the brown-colored organisms bodies of water and in mud.
from an anaerobic culture can be changed Illustrations: Molisch, op. cit., 1907,
into a distinct red by shaking a suspension Plate II, fig. 9; van Niel, op. cit., 1944, fig.
with air for some hours; light enhances the 4-6, p. 19; fig. 27-32, p. 92; and fig. 33-38, p.
rate of this color change. Color due to bac- 93.
teriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments.
No diffusible water-soluble pigment is pro- 4. RhodopseudonionaH spheroides van
duced. Niel, 1944. {Rhodococcus capsulatus Molisch,
Growth possible over a pH range from at Die Purpurbakterien, Jena, 1907, 20; Rhodo-
least 6 to 8.5, morphology becoming abnor- coccus minor Molisch, ibid., 21; van Niel,
mal in the alkaline media. Bact. Rev., 8, 1944, 95.)
Most cultures are odorless, although occa- sphe.ro. i'des or sphe.roi'des. Gr. adj.
sional y afaint peach-like odor can be de- sphaeroides globular.
tected. Cells generally single, nearly spherical,
Growth is not inhibited by the presence of diameter without slime capsule variable, de-
oxygen, although the pigmentation is pending upon medium, ranging from 0.7 to
thereby affected. 4 microns. In young cultures actively motile
Fatty acids and most substituted acids by means of polar flagella; motility soon
are satisfactory substrates. Rapid and ceases in media which are or become alka-
abundant growth with propionate at a line. Copious slime production in media at
concentration of 0.2 per cent. At this same pH above 7. In strongly alkaline cultures
concentration glutaric acid leads, at best, to abnormal cell-shapes occur in the form of
very meager cultures, while tartrate, citrate irregular, swollen and distorted rods, often
and gluconate fail to induce growth, as do having the appearance of spore-bearing
also ethanol, glycerol, mannitol and sorbi- cells, simulated by the production of fat
tol. In media with 0.2 per cent glucose or bodies. In sugar-containing media egg-
fructose good growth is obtained. No growth shaped cells, measuring as a rule 2.0 to 2.5
with mannose. Thiosulfate is not, but by 2.5 to 3.5 microns, are frequently found.
molecular hydrogen can be, oxidized by this Gram-negative.
species. Color: Anaerobic cultures develop with
Gelatin is not liquefied; of the amino brown color, ranging in shade from a light,
acids, alanine and glutamic acid are satis- dirty greenish brown to a dark brown. Cul-
factory substrates while leucine is not uti- tures grown in the presence of oxygen are
lized. distinctly red. As in the case of Rhodopseudo-
Distinctive characters: Cell shape and monas capsulata, the brown color of an
arrangement in chains; brown color of anaerobic culture can be changed to red by
anaerobic, red pigmentation of aerobic cul- shaking with air, light stimulating the color
tures; ability to grow in media with 0.2 per change. Color due to bacteriochlorophyll
cent propionate, glucose, fructose, alanine and carotenoid pigments. The large major-
and glutamic acid; failure to develop with ity of cultures of this species produce, in
leucine, as well as with ethanol, glycerol, addition, a water-soluble, non-carotenoid,
mannitol and sorbitol in the above-men- bluish red pigment which diffuses into the
tioned concentration. culture medium.
58 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Gelatin is not liquefied, and growth with of air, and in illuminated as well as in non-
single amino acids appears somewhat er- illuminated cultures. In cultures exposed to
ratic. No definite correlations have been light, the acid usually disappears later on.
observed. Thiosulfate is not oxidized; hydrogen
Development is possible over a wide pH oxidation has not been observed.
range, extending from at least 6.0 to 8.5. Oxygen does not prevent growth; colonies
All cultures exhibit an unpleasant putrid develop on the surface of agar plates ex-
odor. posed to air, with a red pigmentation.
Requires for optimal development higher Capable of strictly anaerobic development
concentrations of yeast extract as a supply in illuminated cultures by photosynthesis.
of growth factors than either Rhodopseudo- Thiamin, biotin and nicotinic acid are
7nonas palustris or Rhodopseudomonas capsu- required for growth (Hutner).
lata and is more sensitive to low fatty acid Optimum temperature, below 30° C.
concentrations. With 0.2 per cent propionate Distinctive characters: Spherical cell-
in a neutral medium, no growth occurs; shape in most media; brown color of anaero-
caproic and pelargonic acids are toxic in bic and red pigmentation of aerobic cul-
concentrations below 0.1 per cent. On the tures; growth with 0.2 per cent tartrate,
other hand, tartrate and gluconate can serve gluconate, ethanol, glycerol, mannitol,
as oxidation substrates, as can also ethanol, sorbitol, glucose, fructose and mannose;
glycerol, mannitol, sorbitol, glucose, fruc- failure to grow with 0.2 per cent propio-
tose and mannose in 0.2 per cent concentra- nate.
tions. Habitat: Regularly found in stagnant
In sugar-containing media, acid is pro- bodies of water and in mud.
duced; the pH ma}^ drop to below 4.0 before Illustrations : INIolisch, op. cit., 1907, Plate
development ceases. Acid production from II, fig. 15; van Niel, op. cit., 1944, fig. 7-8, p.
glucose occurs both in presence and absence 19; fig. 39-45, p. 96; fig. 46-54, p. 97.
Genvs II. Rhodospirillum Molisch, 1907, emend, van Niel, 1944-
(Molisch, Die Purpurbakterien, Jena, 1907, 24; van Niel, Bact. Rev., 8, 1944, 86; the genus
now includes the genus Phaeospirilhtm Kluyver and van Niel, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 94,
1936, 396.)
Rho.do.spi.ril'lum. Gr. noun rhodum the rose; Gr. noun spira a coil, a spiral; M.L.
dim.neut.n. Spirillum a bacterial genus; M.L. neut.n. Rhodospirillum the rose Spirillum.
Spiral-shaped bacteria, motile by means of polar flagella. Gram-negative. Contain bac-
teriochlorophyll and are potentially photosynthetic in the presence of extraneous oxi-
dizable substances. Molecular oxygen is not produced. Unable to grow in strictly mineral
media, even when possessed of the ability to utilize hydrogen as oxidizable substrate, due
to the need for organic nutrilites. Produce accessory pigments causing the cultures, espe-
cially when grown in the light, to appear in various shades of red to brown.
The type species is Rhodospirillum rubrum (Esmarch) Molisch.
Key to the species of genus Rhodospirillum.
I. Cultures deep red without brownish tinge; characteristic absorption band around 550
millimicrons.
1. Rhodospirillum ruhrum.
II. Cultures reddish brown to orange; characteristic absorption maximum around 520, not
550, millimicrons.
A. Cells 0.5 or less micron in width.
2. Rhodospirillum Julvum.
B. Cells more than 0.5 micron wide.
1. Size of cells 0.7 to 0.9 by 5 to 10 microns.
3. Rhodospirillum molischianum.
2. Size 1.2 to 1.5 by 14 to 30 microns.
4. Rhodospirillum photometricum.
59
FAMILY II. ATHIORHODACEAE
small size of the individual cells. These are p. 109; Giesberger, Jour. Microb. and Serol.,
not over 0.5 micron wide and generally not 13, 1947, fig. 1-2, p. 141.
longer than 2.5 microns. The most common
shape consists of a complete turn of about 3. Rhodospirilluin niolischianuni
1 by 1.5 microns. In media with fatty acids Giesberger, 1947. (Jour. Microbiol, and
as a substrate the spirals appear somewhat Serol., 13, 1947, 137.)
steeper than in fumarate, succinate or mo.li.schi.an'um. M.L. adj. molischianus
malate cultures. Swollen individuals re- pertaining to Molisch.
sembling vibrios are encountered in cultures Cells characteristically spiral -shaped,
which do not appear quite healthy. Forma- moderately large, 0.7 to 0.9 by 5 to 10 mi-
tion of mucus or clumping has not been ob- crons. Mostly with one or two complete
served. turns which vary in width from 1.3 to 2
Gelatin is not liquefied; aspartate has been microns and in length from 4 to 6 microns;
the only amino acid capable of inducing this depends upon environmental condi-
growth. Thiosulfate is not oxidized. tions.
Color: Quite distinct from that of Rhodo- Color: Distinctly reddish brown due to
spirillum rubrimi; colonies and stab cul- the presence of bacteriochlorophyll and
tures are a reddish brown while liquid cul- carotenoids, the latter responsible for the
tures often appear brownish orange. The absorption maxima at 520 and 485 milli-
color is due to bacteriochlorophyll and microns. Spirilloxanthin absent.
carotenoid pigments; among the latter Capable of development under stricth^
spirilloxanthin, as evidenced by the absence anaerobic conditions in media containing
of an absorption maximum at 550 milli- ethanol or fatty- or hydroxy-acids as oxidiz-
microns, isnot represented as a major con- able substrates. Citrate can also be utilized
stituent. Does not produce water-soluble, in this manner, but not glycerol, glucose,
diffusible pigments. hydrogen sulfide or thiosulfates. Tends to be
Capable of strictly anaerobic develop- strictl}^ anaerobic, and hence capable of
ment in illuminated cultures, due to photo- development onlj- in illuminated cultures.
synthetic metabolism. Does not liquefy gelatin.
Fatty acids and the four-carbon dicar- Distinctive characters : The absence of an
boxylic acids are imiformly good substrates; absorption band at 550 millimicrons and the
glutarate is not used. Ethanol and glucose, ability to utilize citrate serve to distinguish
in a concentration of 0.2 per cent, have this type from Rhodospirillum ruhrum,
yielded satisfactory cultures; other carbo- which it closely resembles in size and shape.
hydrates, as well as the corresponding poly- The individual cell size differentiates this
alcohols, have given negative results. species from R. fulvum and R. photometri-
Little information available concerning cum.
pH and temperature relations. Behaves Habitat: Widely distributed. Regularly
generally as a strict anaerobe; adaptation present in stagnant water and mud; can be
to microaerophilic conditions has not been found in abundance in anaerobic cultures of
achieved. Negative aerotaxis very pro- hay extract inoculated with such materials
nounced. and incubated in light.
Distinctive characters : The small size and Illustrations: Giesberger, ibid., fig. 3-5,
the color of the cultures serve as adequate
criteria for its differentiation from Rhodo- p. 141.
spirilhim ruhrum. The strictly anaerobic 4. Rhodospirillum photonietricum
nature and the failure to grow with glu- Molisch, 1907. (Die Purpurbakterien, Jena,
tarate and various amino acids except as- 1907, 24.)
partate can probably be used as supple- pho.to.me'tri.cum. Gr. noun phos light;
mentary specific properties. Gr. adj. metricus measured; M.L. adj.
Habitat: Bodies of stagnant water and photometriciis light-measured.
mud . Cells large, stout, spiral -shaped. Mostly
Illustrations: Van Niel, ibid., fig. 97-102, with one or two complete turns whose wave
FAMILY III. CHLOROBACTERIACEAE 61
Chlo.ro. bac.te.ri.a'ce.ae. M.L. neut.n. Chlorobacterium type genus of the family; -aceae
ending to denote a family; M.L. fern. pi. n. Chlorobacteriaceae the Chlorobacterium family.
Green bacteria, usually of small size, occurring singly or in cell masses of various shapes
and sizes, developing in environments containing rather high concentrations of hydrogen
sulfide and exposed to light. As a rule not containing sulfur globules but frequently de-
positing elemental sulfur outside the cells. Contain green pigments of a chlorophyllous
nature, though not identical with the common green plant chlorophylls nor with bacterio-
chlorophjdl. Capable of photosynthesis in the presence of hydrogen sulfide; do not liberate
oxygen.
A number of genera have been proposed; some are characterized by special colonial growth
forms while others are characterized on the basis of a supposed symbiotic habitus where
the green bacteria grow in more or less characteristic aggregates together with other micro-
organisms. Inview of the variations in size and shape exhibited by the only member of this
group which has so far been obtained and studied in pure culture (van Niel, Arch, f . Mikro-
hio\.,3, 1931, 65ff.), the validity of many of these genera is doubtful. The following keys and
descriptions, therefore, bear a strictly provisional character. Here, as in the case of the
sulfur purple bacteria, significant advances can only be expected from pure-culture studies
under controlled environmental conditions.
Key to the genera of family Chlorobacteriaceae.
I. Free-living bacteria not intimately associated with other microbes.
A. Bacteria not united into well defined colonies.
Genus I. Chlorobium, p. 62.
B. Bacteria united into characteristic aggregates.
1. Bacteria without intracellular sulfur globules.
Genus II. Pelodictyon, p. 63.
2. Bacteria with intracellular sulfur globules.
Genus III. Clathrochloris, p. 64.
II. Green bacteria found as symbiotic aggregates with other organisms.
A. Aggregates composed of green bacteria and protozoa.
Genus IV. Chlorobacterium, p. 65.
62 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
may be found as elements in chains for the (Ecology, 25, 1944, 277) from Scaffold Lake,
greater part composed of normal individ- Wisconsin.
uals. Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con-
Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con- taining rather high concentrations of hydro-
taining rather high concentrations of hy- gen sulfide and exposed to light; sulfur
drogen sulfide and exposed to light; sulfur springs.
springs. Illustrations: Perfiliev, ibid., PI. II, fig.
Illustrations: Szafer, op. cit., 1910, PI. 2; Lauterborn, Verhandl. naturhistor.-
VI, fig. 5; Perfiliev, Jour. Microbiol. (Rus- medizin. Vereins, Heidelberg, N.F. 13, 1915,
sian), 1,1914, PI. II, fig. 1, 5-12; Lauter- PI. Ill, fig. 29-31.
born, op. cit., 1915, PI. Ill, fig. 33.
2. Pelodictyon aggregatuin Perfiliev, 3. Pelodictyon parallelum (Szafer,
1914. (Aphanothece luteola Schmidle, Bei- 1910) Perfiliev, 1914. (Aphanothece parallela
hefte Botan. Cent., 10, 1901, 179; Perfiliev, Szafer, Bull. Acad. Sci., Cracovie, Ser. B, 3,
Jour. Microbiol. (Russian), 1, 1914, 197.) 1910, 163; Perfiliev, Jour. Microbiol. (Rus-
sian), 1, 1914, 198.)
ag.gre.ga'tum. L. part. adj. aggregatus
added to a flock, aggregated, clumped. pa.ral.le'lum. Gr. adj. parallelus parallel.
Cells usually rod-shaped, about 1 to 1.5 Cells rather small, spherical to ovoid, or
by 2 to 4 microns, often vacuolated, produc- even rod-shaped; about 0.5 to 1 by 1 to 3
ing slime capsules and united into irregu- microns, occurring in chains and forming
larly shaped, three-dimensional colonies in flat, plate-like, two-dimensional aggre-
which the cells are more or less tightly gates in which the chains are arranged as
packed without orderly arrangement. Colo- parallel strands. Non-motile.
Color: Yellowish green.
nies may attain a size of up to 1 mm; fre-
quently they are not fully compact but Abnormal cell forms not specifically men-
contain less dense areas or appear perfo- tioned, but likely to occur and to resemble
rated, thus forming transition stages to those of other species.
Pelodictyon claihratiforme. Non-motile. This species may well be a special growth-
Color: Yellowish green. form of Chlorobium limicola.
Abnormal cell forms (involution forms) Habitat: Mud and stagnant water con-
usually in the shape of elongated and taining rather high concentrations of hydro-
curved, forked or club-shaped and swollen gen sulfide and exposed to light; sulfur
rods, occasionally suggesting branching at springs.
extremities. Illustrations: Szafer, op. cit., 1910, PI.
Source: Isolated from sulfureted water in VI, fig. 7; Perfiliev, op. cit., 1914, PI. II, fig.
Europe ; also reported by Button and Juday 2.
Cy.lin.dro.gloe'a. Gr. noun cylindrus cylinder; Gr. novm gloea gum; M.L. fem.n. Cylin-
drogloea cylindrical gum.
Sulfur green bacteria consisting of small ovoid to rod-shaped cells growing in association
with a filamentous, colorless, central bacterium, thus forming colonies of a cylindrical
shape. Non-motile. The green component contains a chlorophyllous pigment different from
the common chlorophylls of green plants and from bacteriochlorophyll. Capable of photo-
synthesis inthe presence of hydrogen sulfide without depositing sulfur globules in the cells.
The type species is Cylindrogloea bacterifera Perfiliev.
f. Hydrobiol., Suppl. 5, 1925, 279) that the grate, whereupon the green constituents
complex Chlorochromatium aggregalum may, appear as small Pelodictyon aggregatum
especially in the presence of oxygen, disinte- {Schmidlea luteola) colonies.
Ni.tro.bac.te.ra'ce.ae. M.L. A^ z'^rofeacier name of type genus of the family; -aceae ending
to denote a family; M.L. plural noun Nitrohacteraceae the Nitrobacter family.
Cells without endospores; rod-shaped, ellipsoidal or even spherical (Nitrosococcus) or
spirillar in shape (Nitrosospira) . Flagella polar, occasionally absent. Gram-negative. Or-
ganisms which derive energy from the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite or from the oxida-
tion of nitrite to nitrate; these bacteria depend on this oxidation for growth and fail to grow
on media containing organic matter in the absence of the specific inorganic materials used
as sources of energy. Many organic compounds commonly used in standard culture media
are toxic to these bacteria. Not parasitic. Commonly found in soil and fresh water.
The type genus for the family is Nitrobacter Winogradsky.
As it appears to be a more logical arrangement, the genera that include the species that
oxidize ammonia are discussed first although the type genus does not belong in this group.
{Nitromonas Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past., 4, 1890, 257; not Nitromonas Orla-Jensen,
Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 22, 1909, 334; Arch. Sci. biol., St. Petersburg, 1, 1892, 127; emend.
S. and H. Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past., 50, 1933, 393.)
Ni.tro.so.mo'nas. M.L. nitrosus nitrous; Gr. monas, monadis a unit, monad; M.L. fem.n.
Nitrosomonas nitrous monad, i.e., the monad producing nitrite.
Cells ellipsoidal, non-rhotile or with a single polar flagellum, occurring singly, in pairs,
short chains or irregular masses which are not enclosed in a common membrane. O.xidize
ammonia to nitrite more rapidly than the other genera of this family.
The type species is Nitrosomonas europaea Winogradsky.
1. Nitrosomonas europaea Winograd- Ovoid rods, 0.6 to 0.9 micron, often oc-
sky, 1892. (Arch. Sci. biol., St. Petersburg, curring in pairs. Young cells nearly spheri-
1, 1892, 127.) cal. Motile by means of a single polar
eu.ro. pae'a. Gr. adj. europaeus of Europe, flagellum 3 to 5 times as long as the rod.
European. Gram-positive (Nelson). Found negative by
Rods, 0.9 to 1.0 by 1.1 to 1.8 microns, oc- H. J. Conn (personal communication).
curring singly, rarely in chains of three to No growth in nutrient broth, nutrient
four. Possess a single polar flagellum 3 to 4 agar, nutrient or plain gelatin, plain or lit-
times the length of the rods, or rarely one mus milk, glucose or plain yeast water, or on
at either end.
Grow readily in aqueous media without or- potato.
Silica gel or agar plates of inorganic
ganic matter and containing ammonium medium: No typical colonies, but yellowish
sulfate, potassium phosphate and mag- brown masses of growth around particles of
nesium carbonate. The cells accumulate in CaCOs in the medium.
soft masses around the particles of mag- Inorganic liquid medium containing
nesium carbonate at the bottom of the flask. ammonium salts: Uniform development
The liquid is occasionally turbid through throughout the liquid as well as in the
development of motile swarm cells or carbonate sediment.
monads. Even low concentrations of organic mat-
Small, compact, sharply defined colonies ter retard or completely inhibit the initia-
brownish in color on silica gel. tion of growth. Plant extracts are toxic.
Aerobic. Free CO 2 and O2 necessary for growth.
Strictly autotrophic. Optimum pH, 8.0 to 9.0. Poor growth
Source: Soils of Zurich, Switzerland; of below pH 7.0. Some growth above pH 9.0.
Gennevilliers, France; and Kazan, Russia.
Optimum temperature for growth and oxi-
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
in soil. Aerobicdation,. 28° C.
2. Nitrosomonas monocella Nelson, Strictly autotrophic.
1931. (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 83, 1931, 287.) Source: Isolated from field soil.
mon.o.cel'la. Gr. monus single; L. cella Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
oom, cell; M.L. adj. monocellus one-celled. in soil.
(S. Winogradsky, Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 192, 1931, 1004; S. Winogradsky
and H. Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past., 50, 1933, 394 and 406.)
Ni.tro.so.spi'ra. M.L. nifrosus nitrous; Gr. spira a coil, spiral; M.L. fem.n. Nitrosospira
nitrous spiral.
Cells spiral-shaped. Oxidize ammonia to nitrite very slowly.
The type species is Nitrosospira briensis S. Winogradsky and H. Winogradsky.
1. Nitrosocystis javanensis (Wino- 401; Starkey, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 72.)
gradsky, 1892) Starkey, 1948. {Nitrosomonas coc.co.i'des. Gr. coccus grain, berry; Gr.
javanensis Winogradsky, Arch. Sci. biol., idus form, shape; M.L. adj. coccoides coccus-
St. Petersburg, 1, 1892, 127; Starkey, in shaped.
Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 72.) Ellipsoidal cells about 1.5 microns in di-
jav.a.nen'sis. Java, a place name; M.L. ameter. Occur as compact aggregates of
adj. javanensis of Java, Javanese. cells imbedded in mucus and surrounded by
Small ellipsoidal cells having a diameter of a thickened capsule to form cyst-like bod-
0.5 to 0.6 micron. Possess a polar flagellum ies. Cells rarely solitary but more often in
20 times as long as the rods. pairs and in small groups of four or more.
In liquid medium produces very compact Probably motile. The mucus which sur-
zoogloeal masses of cells and motile swarm- rounds the cells is not readily stained
ers. The large zoogloeae are themselves whereas the outside coating stains more
easily.
composed of smaller compact aggregates of
cells. Colonies on silica gel : As colonies develop,
On silica gel the colonies are circular to the coating of CaCOs on the gel becomes
elliptical becoming clear or light brown. yellowish and dissolves, and the colony ap-
Aerobic. pears as a bulbous, angular, brown body
Strictly autotrophic. which may become 0.5 mm in diameter.
Source: Soil of Buitenzorg, Java; Tokyo, The cells are held firmly together in these
Japan; and La Reghaia, Tunisia. irregularly shaped bulbous aggregates.
Habitat: Presumably wddely distributed Aerobic.
in soil. Source: Poor soils of Brie and elsewhere
2. Nitrosocystis coccoides Starkey, in France.
1948. {Nitrosocystis a, S. Winogradsky and Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
H. Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past., 50, 1933, in forest and manured soils.
ag'il.is. L. adj. agilis agile, quick. Inorganic liquid medium containing ni-
Rods, 0.5 by 0.8 to 0.9 micron, occurring trite: Produces uniformly dispersed growth.
singly, sometimes in pairs or larger aggre- Optimum pH, between 7.6 and 8.6. Limits
gates. Rapidly motile with a long, thin, of growth, 6.6 to 10.0.
polar flagellum often 7 to 10 times as long as Temperature relations: Optimum for
the rod. (Non-motile culture obtained by growth, between 25° and 30° C. Optimum
Kingma Boltjes, Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 6, for oxidation, 28° C. No oxidation at 37° C.
1935, 79.) Gram-negative. Thermal death point, 60° C. for five min-
No growth in nutrient broth, nutrient utes.
agar, nutrient or plain gelatin, litmus or Strictly autotrophic.
plain milk, glucose or plain yeast water, or Aerobic.
on potato. Source: Isolated from greenhouse soils
Nitrite agar: After two weeks, produces and from sewage effluents in Madison,
semi -spherical, minute, nearly transparent Wisconsin.
colonies. Oxidation usually complete in 10 Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
to 14 days. in soil.
Me. tha.no. mo. na.da'ce.ae. M.L. noun Methanonwnas, -adis a genus of bacteria; -aceae
ending to denote a familj^; M.L. fern. pi. n. Methanomonadaceae the Methanonwnas family.
Rod -shaped organisms deriving their life energy from the oxidation of simple compounds
of hydrogen or carbon. Polar flagellate when motile. Gram-negative. Found in soil and
water.
It is clear that the species placed in the genera in this family belong with other polar
flagellate bacteria (the group of pseudomonads in the broad sense). Their method of de-
riving energy from oxidative processes is in accord with that of many other polar-fiagellate
bacteria. As a matter of convenience and as a means of emphasizing the fact that the species
included here secure their energy from the oxidation of simple hydrogen and carbon com-
pounds, the genera that have been proposed to include these species are grouped into a
family separate from those of the species that secure their energy from the oxidation of
simple nitrogen or sulfur compounds on the one hand, and those that normally secure their
energy from the oxidation of glucose or other organic compounds on the other hand. Further
studies of the differences in physiology found among the polar flagellate bacteria are badly
needed.
* Revised })y Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, January,
1954.
FAMILY II. METHANOMONADACEAE 75
Broth: Turbid, somewhat slimy; pellicle toglutarate are added (Schatz, Jour. Gen.
occasionally produced. Microbiol., 6, 1952, 329).
Milk: No coagulation. A yellow pellicle Broth: Turbid with pellicle.
forms. Medium becomes slimy and assumes Milk: Slowly digested with alkalinization.
a dirty flesh color. Potato: Abundant, spreading, non-pig-
Potato: Moist, yellow, glistening. mented growth.
Indole not produced. Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Carbohydrates not utilized. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Aerobic. Aerobic, obligate.
Non-hemolytic.
Optimum temperature, between 28° and
30° C. Optimum temperature, 28° C.
Facultatively autotrophic. Source: Isolated from soil.
Distinctive characters: Develops auto- Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
trophically in inorganic medium under an in soil.
atmosphere of H2 , O2 and CO2 . Oxidizes
hydrogen to water and uses CO2 as the 3. Hydrogenomonas flava Niklewski,
source of carbon for growth. 1910. (Jahrb. f. wissensch. Botanik, 48,
Source: Isolated from soil near Vienna. 1910, 113; emend. Kluyver and Manten, An-
Habitat: Probably widely distributed in tonie V. Leeuwenhoek, 8, 1942, 71.)
soil. fla'va. L. flavus yellow.
Rods 1.5 microns in length. Motile by
2. Hydrogenomonas facilis Schatz and means of polar flagella. Gram-negative.
Bovell, 1952.* (An undescribed Hydrogeno- Agar colonies on inorganic medium in
monas, Schatz, Proc. Soc. Amer. Bact., presence of H2 ,02andC02 : Small, smooth,
Baltimore Meeting, 1950, 124; Schatz and yellow, shining, adhering to medium. De-
Bovell, Jour. Bact., 63, 1952, 87.) velop well below surface of medium, but
fa'ci.lis. L. Sid\.Jacilis ready, quick. growth is paler.
Rods 0.3 bj^ 2.0 microns in autotrophic Gelatin not liquefied.
and 0.4 by 2.5 microns in heterotrophic cul- Inorganic liquid medium in presence of
tures. Occur singly, in pairs and in short H2 , O2 and CO2 : No pellicle formation.
chains. Motile by means of one or two polar Good development when there is from 2 to 8
flagella. Gram-negative. per cent oxygen in the gas. At higher O2
Gelatin stab: Rapidly liquefied. concentrations good growth occurs only in
Agar colonies: Round, raised, glistening, association with H. vitrea or other bacteria.
translucent, non-fluorescent and non-mu- Oxidizes hydrogen to water.
coid. No distinctive odor developed. Microaerophilic, growing in an atmos-
Autotrophic media: Cultures readily phere of low oxygen tension, not exceeding
maintained in media of this type.
8 per cent.
Autotrophic gas uptake : The same overall Facultatively autotrophic.
reaction is effected as that carried out by Distinctive characters: Found singly on
certain anaerobically adapted green algae slides whereas the rod-shaped cells of Hydro-
(6H2 + 2O2 + CO2 -^ CH2O + 5H2O). In an genomonas vitrea tend to cling together in
atmosphere of CO 2 and H2 , no CO2 fixation masses. Colonies on agar opaque, not trans-
accompanies the quantitative reduction of
nitrate to nitrite by molecular H2 ; nor is parent.
Source: Isolated from mud, garden soil,
there any change in concenti-ation of bicar- pasture land, vegetable mold and peat.
bonate or in total gas pressure (Warburg Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
apparatus) when acetone, pyruvate ora-ke- in soil.
* Prepared by Prof. Albert Schatz, National Agricultural College, Farm School P.O.,
Bucks Co., Pennsylvania, December, 1953.
FAMILY II. METHANOMONADACEAE 77
Discussion : In spite of the fact that reaction would be helpful in clarifying this
several able bacteriologists have studied situation. If the species is to be accepted as
this species and the actinomycete that has a non-motile but related to polar-flagellate
similar physiology, several important points bacteria, it must be Gram-negative. If an
are left in doubt; the most important of
actinomycete, it would be Gram -positive.
these is whether Beijerinck was right ii
Lantzsch reports the organism he studied
thinking the actinomycete something dis , , . , ,. , ^ , , ^
^. . r \- T> 11 T h i,-i „>. (which was an actinomj^cete) to be Gram-
tinct from his Bacillus ohgocarbophilus, or ^ j /
whether Lantzsch (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., Positive.
57, 1922, 309) was right in thinking of them as Source: Isolated from garden soil.
but stages in the growth cycle of a single Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
species. Definite data in regard to the Gram in soil.
Coccoid, straight or curved rod-shaped bacteria. Oxidize sulfur compounds, usually de-
positing free sulfur granules within or without the cells. Never filamentous. Colorless sulfur
bacteria that are sometimes embedded in gelatinous pellicles or in gelatinous bladder-like
colonies. Polar flagellate when motile. Presumably Gram-negative. Found in places where
hydrogen sulfide occurs or may oxidize free sulfur, thiosulfates or related compounds.
While all of the species placed in this family have been described as colorless sulfur bac-
teria, they are still inadequately known and may not all deserve to be designated as sulfur
bacteria. It is hoped that placing them together in one family will cause comparative studies
to be made.
The type genus is Thiobacterium Janke.
Key to the genera of family Thiobacteriaceae.
I. Free sulfur granules deposited within or without the cells. Usually found in sulfurous
waters or soil.
A. Cells coccoid or straight rods.
1. Non-motile so far as known. ^
Genus I. Thiobacterium, p. 79.
2. Motile by means of polar flagella so far as known.
a. Cells rod-shaped, very large.
Genus II. Macromonas, p. 80.
aa. Cells round to ovoid, large.
Genus III. Thiovuhim., p. 81.
B. Cells large, curved rods, somewhat pointed.
Genus IV. Thiospira, p. 82.
II. Oxidize free sulfur, thiosulfates and related sulfur compounds to sulfates. Autotrophic
or facultatively autotrophic.
Genus V. Thiohacillus, p. 83.
Thi.o.bac.te'ri.um. Gr. noun thi iwi suUur; Gr. dim. noun bacterium a small rod; M.L.
neut.n. Thiobacterium small sulfur rod.
Rod-shaped, sulfur bacteria found in fresh or salt water or soil. Cells 1.0 micron or less
in diameter. Motility not observed. Sulfur granules sometimes found inside, sometimes
outside the cells. These cells may or may not be embedded in pellicles or in spherical,
bladder-like colonies.
The type species is Thiobacterium bovista Janke.
1. Thiobacterium bovista (Molisch, of variable sizes. They occur near the surface
1912) Janke, 1924. {Bacterium bovista Mo- of the water.
lisch, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 33, 1912, 59; These organisms have not been cultivated
Janke, Allgem. Tech. Mikrobiol., I Teil, in pure culture.
1924, 68.) Source: Found commonly in sulfurous
bo.vis'ta. M.L. noun Bovista a genus of sea-water in the harbor at Trieste.
puff balls; from German bovist puff ball; Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
M.L. fem.n. bovista puff ball. in coastal waters containing hydrogen sul-
Rod-shaped bacteria embedded in the fide.
wall of bladder-like gelatinous colonies, the
interiors of which are filled with a clear 2. Thiobacterium cristalliferum (Gickl-
liquid. The cells are 0.6 to 1.5 by 2.0 to 5.0 horn, 1920) Janke, 1924. (Bacterium cris'
microns, occurring by the thousands in talliferum Gicklhorn, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
each colony. Each cell contains from one to 50, 1920, 420; Janke, Allgem. Tech. Mikro-
four sulfur granules. No motility observed. biol., ITeil, 1924, 68.)
The cells stain well with gentian violet while cris. tal.li'fe. rum. Gr. noun crystallus a
the gelatinous matrix stains poorly, if at all. crystal; L. v.fero to bear; M.L. adj. cristal-
The spherical colonies increase in number liferus crystal-bearing.
by a kind of budding process that produces Straight to curved, rod-shaped bacteria.
smaller colonies. The colonies are white by 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.4 microns. Deposit sul-
reflected light, black or bluish black by fur crystals outside of the cells. Non-motile.
transmitted light. Groups of these colonies Stain readily in gentian violet.
have the appearance of groups of puff balls Colonies developed on the surface of water
containing potassium sulfide (K2S) which re. ti. for 'mans. L. noun rete a net; L. v
was inoculated with a handful of garden soil formo to form; M.L. part. adj. retifonnans
from Graz, Austria. At the end of three net-forming.
weeks, numerous, snow-white colonies de- Rod-shaped bacteria, 0.5 to 1.0 by 2.0 to
veloped on the surface of the water. 4.5 microns. Globular sulfur granules found
Colonies which at first are of microscopic among the cells. Non-motile. Forms pelli-
size maj^ become 0.8 to 1.5 mm in diameter. cles and zoogloeal masses.
Sulfur crystals appear by transmitted light Developed in water containing potassium
as a black mass in the center of the smaller sulfide (K2S) which was inoculated with the
colonies, but these crystals extend to the decaying roots of nettle plants. This species
margin in older colonies. developed a delicate pellicle in the form of a
Habitat: Garden soil. network on the surface of the water. It
3. Thiobacteriuni retifornians (Gickl- also formed zoogloeal masses attached to
the wall of the culture flask.
horn, 1920) Janke, 1924. (Bacterium retifor-
nians Gicklhorn, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 50, Source: Soil containing decaying roots,
1920, 421; Janke, Allgem. Tech. Mikrobiol., Graz, Austria.
I Teil., 1924, 68.) Habitat: Presumably widely distributed.
Colorless sulfur bacteria always occurring Cells colorless, occurring singly; cylindri-
singly; slightly curved, elongated ellipsoids cal with hemispherical ends, after cell divi-
or cylinders with broad, hemispherical ends. sion often temporarily pear-shaped. 3 to 5
Width varies from 8 to 14 microns, length by 8 to 12 microns. Multiplication by con-
from 12 to 30 microns; most common size, 9 striction inthe middle.
by 20 microns. Multiplication by constric- Actively motile by means of a single polar
tion in the middle. flagellum, about 10 to 15 microns long, al-
Cells actively motile by means of a single ways posteriorlj^ placed with respect to the
polar flagellum distinctly visible without direction of movement. Flagellum delicate,
special staining. It is 20 to 40 microns long, not visible without staining. Rate of move-
and, with respect to the direction of mo- ment sluggish, about 600 microns per min-
tion, always posteriorly placed. Rate of ute. Probably this slow motion is due to the
movement somewhat sluggish, about 800 high specific gravity of the cells.
microns per minute, probably on account Normally contain calcium carbonate
of the high specific gravity of the cells. crystals as inclusions. These are in the form
Normally contain small sulfur droplets of large spherules, one or two of which
and, in addition, large, roughly spherical nearly fill the individual cells. Sulfur glo-
inclusions of calcium carbonate. Two to bules have not been demonstrated with
four such crystal masses almost fill a single certainty as yet.
cell. Under unfavorable conditions the Microaerophilic, but it is uncertain
calcium carbonate crystals may disappear whether hj^drogen sulfide is required.
before the sulfur globules. A second species that is like Macromonas
Microaerophilic; apparently require hy- bipunctata, except that the cells are smaller
drogen sulfide. in size, has been named by Gicklhorn (op.
Habitat: Found in fresh-water environ- cit., 50, 1920, 425). Pure-culture studies may
ments containing sulfide and calcium ions, show the two species to be identical as dif-
as in shallow basins and streams in the upper ference insize of cells has not been found to
layers of the mud. be significant elsewhere among sulfur bac-
tei'ia.
2. Macromonas bipunctata (Gicklhorn, Source: From stems, leaves, etc. of fresh-
1920) Utermohl and Koppe, 1925. (Pseudo- water plants in ponds near Graz, Austria.
nonas bipunctata Gicklhorn, Cent. f. Bakt., Habitat: Found in fresh-water environ-
[I Abt., 50, 1920, 425; Utermohl and Koppe, ments containing calcium ions; but it has
A.rch. f. Hydrobiol., Suppl. Bd. 5, 1925, 235.) been found in sulfide-containing as well as
bi.punc.ta'ta. L. bis twice; L. part. adj. in sulfide-free water. Also found in shallow
punctatus punctate, dotted; M.L. adj. bi- basins and streams in upper layers of the
punctatiis twice punctate. mud.
* Prepared by Prof. Dr. Alexander Janke, Technische Hochschule, Vienna, Austria, De-
cember, 1954.
82 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
size, and the differences appear to be far from constant. The ovoid cells of Thiovulum majiis
are noted as being 11 to 18 microns long and 9 to 17 microns wide, while Thiovulum minus
comprises the smaller forms from 9.6 to 11.0 microns long by 7.2 to 9.0 microns wide. In
view of the regular occurrence of all intermediate sizes, it seems best to recognize only a
single species at present.
The type species is Thiovulum majus Hinze.
* Prepared by Prof . Dr. Alexander Janke, Technische Hochschule, Vienna, Austria, De-
cember, 1954.
FAMILY III. THIOBACTERIACEAE 83
Molisch, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 33, 1912, of the cell). Both ends are more or less filled
55; Vislouch, Jour, de Microbiologie (Riis- ^vith large volutin (metachromatic) gran-
sian),/, 1914,50.) ules. Several minute granules of sulfur are
bi.punc.ta'ta. L. bis twice; L. noun present in the clear center and sometimes at
punctum a point, spot; M.L. adj. bipunc-
the ends. Old cells possess one flagellum at
tatus two-spotted
Small, slightly bent sulfur spirilla, mark- each end; young cells have a flagellum at one
edly pointed at the ends; 6.6 to 14 microns end.
long, 1.7 to 2.4 microns wide (in the center Habitat: Sea and salt waters.
* Revised by Dr. C. D. Parker, South Melbourne, Australia, with the assistance of Dr.
Kenneth L. Temple, Morgantown, West Virginia, June, 1954.
84 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
1. Thiobacillus thioparus Beijerinck, oxidize or make acid; M.L. part. adj. Jer-
1904. (Arch. d. Sci. Exact, et Nat. Haar- rooxidans iron-oxidizing.
lem, Ser. 2, 9, 1904, 153; also see Cent. f. Description prepared by Dr. Kenneth L.
Bakt., II Abt., 11, 1904, 593.) Temple, Morgantown, West Virginia.
thi.o'par.us. Gr. noun thium sulfur; L.v. Short rods, 0.5 by 1.0 micron, with rounded
paro to produce; M.L. adj. thioparus sulfur- ends. Occur singly or in pairs, rarely in
producing. chains. Motile, presumably polar flagel-
Thin, short rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, late. Gram -negative.
averaging 0.5 by 1.7 microns. Motile. Thiosulfate agar colonies: Very thin and
Starkey (Soil Sci., 39, 1935, 209) reports the small with irregular margins, becoming
isolation of cultures (C) that he regards as whitish in center upon aging.
practically identical with this species Thiosulfate liquid medium: Uniform tur-
though they were non-motile and of coccoid bidity; delicate pellicle in two or three
form. Gram-negative. weeks.
Thiosulfate liquid medium: Pellicle con- Ferrous agar: Colonial appearance varies
sists of cells and free sulfur. Medium be- with ferrous-iron content of agar: on low to
comes turbid. pH drops to 4.5. moderate iron concentration, an amber zone
Thiosulfate agar colonies: Small (1 to 2 reveals the presence of microscopic colonies
mm in diameter) circular, whitish yellow due which become lobed and coated with hy-
to precipitated sulfur. Turn brown in old drated ferric oxide; on high ferrous iron
cultures. concentration, growth is abundant becom-
No growth on organic media. ing heavily encrusted with hydrated ferric
Optimum reaction, close to neutrality. oxide.
Growth occurs between pH 7.8 and 4.5. Ferrous liquid medium: Clear, rapidly
Strictly autotrophic. Derives its energy turning amber to reddish brown due to pro-
by the oxidation of thiosulfate to sulfate duction of ferric iron; ferric hydrate pre-
and sulfur without the intermediate forma- cipitated. Pellicle composed of cells and
tion of tetrathionate. Also oxidizes ele- ferric hydrate.
mental sulfur. Does not oxidize hydrogen Nitrogen sources: Utilizes ammonia; ni-
sulfide or sulfides. trate to a lesser extent.
Utilizes nitrate and ammonium salts as Aerobic.
sources of nitrogen. Optimum pH, between 2.5 and 5.8. No
Aerobic. growth above pH 6.0. There is some step-
Source: Canal water, mud and soil. wise adaptation to a lower pH than 2.5.
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed. Strictly autotrophic, deriving its energy
from the oxidation of thiosulfates or inor-
2. Thiobacillus ferrooxidans Temple ganic ferrous iron. Sulfur not appreciably
and Colmer, 1951. (Iron oxidizing bacter- utilized.
ium, Colmer, Temple and Hinkle, Jour. Distinctive characters: The pH range ap-
Bact., 59, 1950, 317; Temple and Colmer, proaches that of Thiobacillus thiooxidans but
Jour. Bact.,6^, 1951,605.) does not extend below pH 2.0, and elemental
fer.ro.o'xi.dans. L. noun Jerrum iron; sulfur is not appreciably used. Thiosulfate
Gr. adj. oxys sharp, acid; M.L. v. oxido to is oxidized rapidly but both liquid and agar
FAMILY III. THIOBACTERIACEAE 85
1945. (Austral. Jour. Exper. Biol, and Med. make acid, to o.xidize; M.L. part. adj. thio-
Sci., S3, 1945, 81; also see Jour. Gen. Micro- oxidans oxidizing sulfur.
biol., 8,1953, 344.) Short rods: 0.5 by 1.0 micron with rounded
con.cre.ti'vo.rus. L. noun concretum firm ends. Occur singly, in pairs or in chains.
or solid matter; L. v. voro to devour or de- Motile by means of a single polar flagellum.
stroy; M.L. part. adj. co/ic?'e<iwrM.s concrete- Gram-negative (Starkey, Soil Sci., 39, 1935,
210).
destroying.
Short, straight rods 0.5 by 1.5 to 2.0 Thiosulfate agar: Scant growth. Nearly
microns with square ends. Stain irregularly, transparent colonies.
showing deeply stained granules in poorly Sulfur broth: Uniform turbidity. No sedi-
stained slender rods. Motile, presumably ment or surface growth. Medium becomes
polar flagellate. Motility lost in older cul- very acid (below pH 1.0).
tures. Single polar flagellum, two to three Thiosulfate broth: Uniform turbidity.
times the length of the organism (unpub- Medium becomes acid, and sulfur is precipi-
lished data). Gram-negative. tated.
Thiosulfate agar colonies: Minute, water- Nitrogen sources: Utilizes ammonia-
clear, whitish yellow on prolonged incuba- nitrogen but not nitrate-nitrogen, which is
tion. No confluent growth. toxic. Asparagin, urea and peptone not
Thiosulfate liquid medium: Uniform tur- utilized.
bidit\-, slight deposit of sulfur. No pellicle. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Sulfur liquid medium: Uniform turbidity; tween 28° and 30° C. Slow growth at 18°
floating sulfur granules fall to the bottom. and 37° C. Death occurs between 55° and
Strictly aerobic. 60° C.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 28° C.; Optimum reaction, between pH 2.0 and
slow growth at 10° and 37° C.; death occurs 3.5. (Limiting reactions, pH 6.0 to less than
at 55° C. pH 0.5.)
Strictly autotrophic, utilizing atmos- Strictly autotrophic, deriving its energy
pheric CO2 as the source of carbon; growth from the oxidation of elemental sulfur and
inhibited by higher concentrations of glu- thiosulfate, o.xidizing these to sulfuric acid.
cose, glycerol and lactate. Derives energy It utilizes the CO 2 of the atmosphere as a
from its oxidation of elemental .sulfur, thio- source of carbon.
sulfate and hydrogen sulfide, o.xidizing Strictly aerobic.
them ultimately to sulfate and sulfuric acid. Distinctive characters: This species pro-
Thiosulfate is oxidized with the intermedi- duces more acid, from oxidation of sulfur,
ate production of tetrathionate. and continues to live in a more acid medium,
Nitrogen sources: Utilizes ammonium- than any other living organism yet reported,
and nitrate-nitrogen equally well. Nitrate the hydrogen-ion concentration of the me-
is not toxic whereas nitrite is. dium increasing to a pH 0.6 and less.
Optimum reaction: Growth occurs be- Source: Isolated from composts of soil,
tween pH 6.0 and acid concentrations up to sulfur and rock phosphate, and soils con-
10 per cent. Sulfuric acid optimum is be- taining incompletel}' oxidized sulfur com-
tween pH 2.0 and 4.0.
Distinctive characters: Responsible for pounds.
Habitat: Soil.
the rapid corrosion of concrete sewers and
other concrete structures where the sewer 9. Thiobacillus trautweinii Bergey et
air contains hydrogen sulfide. al., 1925. (Thionsaurebakterium, Trautwein,
Habitat: Corroding concrete in sewers; Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 53, 1921, 513; also
also found in sewage and presumably in soil see ibid., 61, 1924, 1; Bergey et al.. Manual,
and fresh water. 2nd ed., 1925, 39; Bacterium thiogenes
Lehmann, in Lehmann and Neumann,
8. Thiobacillus thiooxidans Waksman Bakt. Diag., 7 Aufl., 2, 1927, 516.)
and Joffe, 1922. (Jour. Bact., 7, 1922, 239.) traut.wein'i.i. M.L. gen. noun trautweinii
thi.o.ox'i.dans. Gr. noun thiuvi sulfur; of Trautwein; named for K. Trautwein, who
Gr. adj. oxys sharp, acid; M.L. v. oxido to first isolated and studied this species.
ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Short rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns. Mo- Optimum pH, between 7.9 and 8.5. pH
tile by means of six to eight long flagella. limits, 6.0 and 10.0.
Gram-negative. Comments: Trautwein (Cent. f. Bakt., II
Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction. No Abt., 61, 1924, 5) regards his bacterium as
chromogenesis. being closely related to the fluorescent
Thiosulfate agar: Colonies small, white, group and to the denitrifying bacteria of
1 mm in diameter.
Burri and Stutzer. Starkey (Jour. Gen.
Thiosulfate liquid medium: Verj' little Physiol., 18, 1935, 346) reports this species
visible turbiditjs no sulfur precipitated.
to be heterotrophic. However, Lehmann (in
Produces sulfate and tetrathionate with in-
Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 7
crease in pH. Rate of thiosulfate oxidation
Aufl., ^, 1927, 516), under whom Trautwein
increased by presence of organic com-
pounds. did his work, reports that this species is a
No acid or gas from sugars. facultative autotroph as does Parker also
Nitrites and gas produced from nitrate- (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 3, 1953, 344). As
peptone broth; no ammonia produced. May facultatively autotrophic species are in-
live anaerobically in the presence of ni- cluded in Thiobacillus as defined, this
trates. species has again been included in Thio-
Indole not produced. bacillus (see Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, 39).
Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Starkey 's culture B and Parker's M cul-
ures appear to be identical with Thioba-
Lipolytic. cillus trautweinii.
Catalase-positive. Source: Isolated from soil and water
Non-hemolytic.
(Trautwein) and from purified sewage from
Temperature relations: Optimum, 27° C. Wiirzburg (Lehmann).
Minimum, 6.9° C. Maximum, l^etween 36.5°
and 40° C. Death occurs in 2 to 5 minutes at Habitat: Widely distributed in polluted
55° C. waters and soil.
Pseu.do'mo.nas or Pseu.do.mo'nasJ. Gr. pseudes false; Gr. monas a unit, monad; M.L.
fem.n. Pseudomonas false monad.
Cells monotrichous, lophotrichous or non-motile. Gram-negative. Frequently develop
* Completely revised by Dr. Wm. C. Haynes, Northern Utilization Research Branch,
U.S.D.A., Peoria, Illinois (Species Nos. 1-58) and by Prof. Walter H. Burkholder, Cornell
University, Ithaca, New York (Species Nos. 59-149), September, 1953.
t See Footnote, p. 65. Also see Internat. Bull. Bact. Nomen. and Tax., 2, 1952, 121, foi
a proposal to conserve Pseudomonas Migula.
t The former accords with the Latin rules of accentuation; the latter is commonly used.
90 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
fluorescent, diffusible pigments of a greenish, bluish, violet, lilac, rose, yellow or other
color. Sometimes the pigments are bright red or yellow and non-diffusible; there are many
species that fail to develop any pigmentation. The majority of species oxidize glucose to
gluconic acid, 2-ketogluconic acid or other intermediates. Usually inactive in the o.xidation
of lactose. Nitrates are frequently reduced either to nitrites, ammonia or to free nitrogen.
Some species split fat and/or attack hydrocarbons. Many species are found in soil and
water, including sea water or even heavy brines. Many are plant pathogens; verj^ few are
animal pathogens.
The borderline between the straight rods found in Pseudomonas and the curved rods
found in Vibrio is not sharp : occasionally curved rods ma.y occur in species that normally
are composed of straight rods, this variation sometimes being dependent upon the medium
used. Recently, however, Shewan, Hodgkiss and Liston (Nature, 173, 1954, 208) have de-
scribed amethod employing antibiotics and a vibriostatic agent whereby a sharper differen-
tiation between pseudomonads and vibrios may possibly be effected. Future studies of this
nature may show that some of the species in the genus Pseudomonas should be transferred
to the genus Vibrio, and vice versa.
The type species is Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Schroeter) Migula.
bb. Non-motile.
c. Cellulose attacked. Produces an insoluble yellow pigment.
57. Pseudomonas iridescens (non-
gelatin-liquefying variety) .
II. Plant pathogens, causing leaf spot, leaf stripe and similar diseases. (Also see Host Plant
Key, p. 96.)
A. Green fluorescent pigment produced.
1. Gelatin liquefied.
a. Acid from sucrose.
b. Growth in 5 per cent salt.
59. Pseudomonas aceris.
60. Pseudomonas angulata.
61. Pseudomonas aptata.
62. Pseudomonas primulae.
63. Pseudomonas viridilivida.
bb. No growth in 5 per cent salt.
c. Beef peptone agar turns deep brown.
64. Pseudomonas delphinii.
cc. Beef peptone agar imcolored.
d. Colonies yellow.
65. Pseudomonas cepacia.
dd. Colonies white to cream.
66. Pseudomonas apii.
67. Pseudomonas asplenii.
68. Pseudomonas berberidis.
69. Pseudomonas coronafaciens .
70. Pseudomonas lachrymans.
71. Pseudomonas maculicola.
72. Pseudomonas mangiferaeindicae.
73. Pseudomonas marginata.
74. Pseudomonas medicaginis.
75. Pseudomonas phaseolicola .
76. Pseudomonas pisi.
77. Pseudomonas syringae.
78. Pseudomonas tomato.
bbb. Growth in salt solution not recorded.
79. Pseudomonas atrofaciens.
80. Pseudomonas cumini.
81. Pseudomonas desaiana.
82. Pseudomonas erodii.
83. Pseudomonas lapsa.
84. Pseudomonas martyniae.
85. Pseudomonas matthiolae.
86. Pseudomonas 7uorspru?iorum.
87. Pseudomonas papulans.
88. Pseudomonas pseudozoogloeae.
89. Pseudomonas rimaefaciens .
90. Pseudomonas striafaciens.
91. Pseudomonas tabaci.
aa. No acid from sucrose,
b. Lipolytic.
92. Pseudomonas polycolor
95
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Where the host plant is known, the following key will be foimd useful.
I. Cause of necrotic spots on mushrooms.
100. Pseudomonas tolaasii.
II. Cause of spots on ferns, Asplenium nidus.
67. Pseudomonas asplenii.
III. Cause of leaf blights and streaks on monocotyledonous plants.
A. Attack members of the family Amaryllidaceae.
121. Pseudomonas alliicola.
65. Pseudomonas cepacia.
B. Attacks members of the family Bromeliaceae.
94. Pseudomonas ananas.
C. Attack members of the family Gramineae.
141. Pseudomonas alboprecipitans.
142. Pseudomonas andropogonis.
79. Pseudomonas atrofaciens.
69. Pseudomonas coronafaciens .
81. Pseudomonas desaiana.
83. Pseudomonas lapsa.
147. Pseudomonas panicimiliacei.
99. Pseudomonas setariae.
90. Pseudomonas striafaciens .
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 97
i^listening, yellowish gray to creamy. Dis- tually tinged greenish j'ellow, becoming
agreeable odor. Medium becomes brownish brownish yellow.
gray. Broth: Cloudy, pellicle, abundant light
Indole not produced. yellow granular sediment, becoming brown.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. IVIedium becomes j^ellow.
Acetylmethjdcarbinol not produced. Litmus milk: Acidified, coagulated, pep-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. tonized, litmus partially reduced.
Slightly acid, becoming alkaline in glu- Potato: Growth scant, filiform, glisten-
cose. No acid from arabinose, .xylose, lactose, ing, light yellow to light orange, becoming
sucrose, maltose, trehalose, raffinose, man- light brown.
nitol, dulcitol, inositol or salicin. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Indole produced.
Pathogenic for guinea pigs and rabbits, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
horned lizards, Gila monsters and chuck- Blood serum not liquefied.
wallas. Marked hemolysis of rabbit cells Blood not hemolyzed.
and slight hemolysis of Gila monster cells Sodium formate decomposed.
suspended in agar. Catalase-negative.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 20° to Methyl red positive; acetylmethylcar-
25° C. Maximum, 37° C. A retest of several binol not produced.
strains of this organism by Haynes shows Citrate broth: No growth.
that it grows well at 37° C. and is closelj^ Methylene blue reduced.
related to, though not identical with, Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
Pseudomonas aervginosa Migula. galactose, maltose, cellobiose, mannitol,
Distinctive characters: Yellowish green lactose, arabinose, sucrose, trehalose, sor-
fluorescence present only in meat infusion bitol, mannose, dextrin, salicin, glycerol,
media. The pigment is water-soluble, but aesculin, am3^gdalin and starch. No acid
insoluble in chloroform. Pathogenic for from xylose, dulcitol, rhamnose, inulin,
guinea pigs, rabbits, horned lizards and adonitol, raffinose, erythritol or inositol.
chuckwallas. Aerobic, facultative.
Source: Isolated from a bacterial disease
of horned lizards and Gila monsters. 25°Optimum
C. temperature, 37° C. Grows at
Habitat: Pathogenic for lizards. Source: Isolated from guinea pigs dead
from epizootic septicemia.
4. Pseudomonas caviae Scherago, 1936. Habitat : From infected guinea pigs so far
(Jour. Bact., 31, 1936, 83; also see Jour. Inf. as known.
Dis., 60, 1937, 245.)
ca'vi.ae. M.L. fem.noun Cavia generic 5. Pseudomonas boreopolis Gray and
name of the guinea pig; from So. American Thornton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73,
1928, 92.)
Indian, "cabiai", a guinea pig; caviae of
Cavia. bo.re.o'po.lis. Gr. boreas north; Gr. polis
Rods, 0.6 to 1.0 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns, oc- aCity.
city; M.L. fern. gen. n. boreopolis of North
curring singly and in pairs; rounded ends.
Motile by means of 1 to 3 polar flagella. Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns, oc-
curring singly and in pairs. Motile with one
Encapsulated. Gram-negative.
to five polar flagella. Gram-negative.
Gelatin stab: Infundibuliform liquefac- Gelatin colonies: Liquefied.
tion.
Gelatin stab: Liquefied. Medium red-
Agar colonies: Circular, convex, smooth, dened by some strains.
iridescent and translucent, finely granular, Agar colonies: Circular or amoeboid,
entire.
white to buff, flat to convex, smooth,
Agar slant: Growth abundant, grayish glistening, translucent border.
white, butyrous, filiform, glistening, trans- Agar slant: Filiform, whitish, raised,
lucent, markedly iridescent. Medium even- smooth, glistening, fluorescent.
102 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
pairs and in chains. Motile, possessing a Microbiol. Fac. Pharm. Nancy, Fasc. 9,
1936, 35).
single polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
Gelatin colonies: Circular, white, trans- Gelatin stab : Rapid liquefaction. Fluores-
lucent. Dark centers with a greenish shim- cent. Chlororaphine crystals may form.
mer, thinner edges and faint radial lines. Broth: Turbid, greenish, fluorescent.
Gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefaction. Crystals of green chlororaphine may form.
Agar slant: Grayish white, glistening. Broth becomes viscous.
Agar becomes green. Litmus milk: Alkaline; coagulated. Be-
Broth: Turbid; delicate pellicle; white comes viscous. Chlororaphine crystals may
sediment. Becomes green. form in the central part of the culture. Odor
Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated; litmus of coumarin.
reduced. Potato: Citron-yellow layer. Crystals of
Potato: Raised, granular, spreading, vis- chlororaphine are formed.
cid. Becomes brownish. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Indole produced. Indole not produced.
Action on nitrates unknown. Pigment formation: Asparagine, potas-
Aerobic, facultative. sium phosphate, glycerol, sulfate of mag-
Optimum temperature, 20° to 25° C. Fails nesium and sulfate of iron are indispensable
to grow at 35° C. to the formation of crystals of chlorora-
Source: From water from the Schuylkill phine. Green crystals develop slowly and
River. poorly in peptone solutions, best in syn-
Habitat: Water. thetic media.
Aerobic, facultative.
9. Pseudomonas chlororaphis (Guig Optimum temperature, between 25° and
nard and Sauvageau, 1894) Bergey et al. 30° C.
63° C. Cultures killed in ten minutes at
1930. (Bacillus chlororaphis Guignard and
Sauvageau, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris Pathogenic for mice, guinea pigs, frogs,
1, 10 ser., 1894, 841; Bergey et al.. Manual fresh-water fishes and crayfishes. An e.xo-
toxin is formed.
3rd ed., 1930, 166.)
Distinctive character: Produces a beauti-
chlo.ro'ra.phis. Gr. chlorus green; Gr
noun rhaphis a needle; M.L. fem.n. chloro ful emerald-green pigment which crystal-
r aphis a green needle. lizes in cultures as fine needles in bundles
Description taken from Lasseur (Ann. de or as needles radiating from a center. The
la Sci. Agron., Ser. 4,2« Annee, 2, 1913, 165) crystals form slowly and are not always
While Guignard and Sauvageau {op. cit. present. Other species of pseudomonads,
1894, 841) found .spores in this species e.g. Pseudomonas iodinum, form crystals.
Gessard, on reisolation, could find no spores As this power is readily lost, it raises the
(Ann. de la Sci. Agron., Ser. 3, 6^ Ann^e, 2 question whether other species of green,
1911, 374). The identification of the reiso fluorescent pseudomonads may not form
lated culture was confirmed by Guignard crystals under proper conditions.
Source: Isolated from dead larvae of the
The original description is brief and inade-
quate and is probably based on a contami- cockchafer. Later reisolated bj^ various
nated culture. French bacteriologists from contami-
nated water supplies.
Rods, 0.8 b}' 1.5 microns, with rounded Habitat: Decomposing organic matter
ends, occurring singly and in pairs. Motile and fresh water so far as known.
with one to si.\ polar flagella. Gram-nega-
tive. After continued cultivation some cells 10. Pseudomonas myxogenes Fuhr-
decolorize slowly. mann, 1907. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 17,
Gelatin colonies: Circular, viscid, trans- 1907, 356.)
parent, glistening, lobate margin with myx.o'ge.nes. Gr. myxa slime; Gr. gennao
fluorescent corona. Dissociates readilj^ to produce, beget; M.L. adj. myxogenes
(Lasseur and Dupai.x-Lasseur, Trav. Lab. slime-producing.
104 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns, oc- Agar slant: Grayish, translucent growth.
curring singly and in pairs. Motile, possess- Medium shows greenish fluorescence.
ing a bundle of five to seven polar flagella. Broth: Turbid, with delicate pellicle and
Gram-negative. blue-green fluorescence. Stringy sediment.
Gelatin colonies: Smooth, soft, flat, Litmus milk: Alkaline. Coagulated, with
spreading, brownish yellow, entire. Medium slow reduction of litmus; peptonized.
becomes yellowish green fluorescent. Potato: Brownish, spreading, viscid,
Gelatin stab: Growth along stab. Lique- thick.
faction with yellowish white sediment. Indole jjroduced (trace).
Agar colonies: Circular, raised, smooth, Aerobic, facultative.
amorphous, entire. Does not grow at 35° to 36° C.
Agar slant: Lemon-yellow, moist, mu- Source: Isolated from Schuylkill River
coid, gistening, becoming light green- water.
fluorescent. Habitat: Water.
Broth: Turbid, with slimy white sedi-
ment. No pellicle. 12. Pseudomonas synxantha (Ehren-
Litmus milk: Flocculent precipitation. berg, 1840) Holland, 1920. (Vibrio synxan-
Slow peptonization with yellow serum. thus Ehrenberg, Verhandl. d. Berl. Akad.,
Alkaline. 1840, 202; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 220.)
Potato: Dirty yellow, moist, glistening, syn.xan'tha. Gr. pref. syn- along with,
entire. together; Gr. adj. xanthus yellow; M.L.
Indole produced. adj . synxanihus with yellow.
Nitrates reduced to nitrites and am- Description from Hammer (Res. Bull. 20,
monia. No gas formed. Iowa Agr. Exp. Sta., 1915); also see Zim-
Acid from glucose. No acid from lactose mermann (Bakt. unserer Trink- und Nutz-
or sucrose. wasser, Chemnitz, 2, 1890, 44).
Aerobic, facultative. Rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 1.3 to 2.2 microns, oc-
Optimum temperature, 22° C. Scant curring singly and in pairs. Motile with
growth at 35° C. polar flagella (Hammer, personal communi-
Distinctive character: Grows in broth cation, 1944). Gram-negative.
containing up to 6 per cent by volume of Gelatin stab: Liquefied; a greenish tinge,
alcohol. a heavy, flocculent sediment and a partial
Source: Isolated from beer. membrane and ring appear in two weeks.
Habitat: Found in materials undergoing Agar colonies: After 72 hours, large,
alcoholic fermentation, but probably also spreading, transparent; bluish cast by re-
occurs elsewhere. flected light. Colonies may show flesh
color (Zimmermann).
11. Pseudomona.s schuylkilliensis Agar slant: Growth raised, shiny, white,
Chester, 1901. (Bacillus fluorescens schuyl- becoming brown and heavy.
killiensis Wright, Memoirs Natl. Acad. Agar stab : Growth heaviest near the sur-
Sci., 7, 1895, 448; Chester, Man. Determ.
ing. face, becoming light brown, heavy, spread-
Bact., 1901, 320.)
schuyl.kil.li.en'sis. Schujdkill, name of a Broth: Turbid, becoming alkaline and
river; M.L. adj. schuylkilliensis of the green; pellicle and brittle membrane form
Schuylkill. in older cultures. With the addition of glu-
Short rods, with rounded ends, occurring cose or galactose, black granules form on
singly, in pairs and in chains. Motile, posses- the membranes of older cultures.
sing a polar flagellum. Gram-negative. Uschinsky's and Dunham's solutions:
Gelatin colonies: Grayish white, translu- Turbid, occasionally becoming green.
cent. Medium becomes bluish green fluores- Litmus milk: Coagulated; casein digested
cent. in older cultures. Litmus reduced.
Gelatin stab: Slow crateriform liquefac- Potato: Growth spreading, brown with
tion, with blue-green fluorescence. greenish edges.
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 105
Agar slant: Grayish, glistening, translu- Rods with rounded ends, occurring singly,
cent, limited. Agar becomes brownish green. occasionally in chains, 0.7 by 2.0 to 4.0
Broth: Turbid, with slight gray pellicle microns. Motile with two to four polar fla-
and sediment. Broth becomes green. gella. Gram-negative.
Litmus milk: Alkaline; reduction of lit- Gelatin colonies: Flat, bluish, translu-
mus; slight coagulation. Serum becomes cent.
green. Gelatin stab: Surface growth shiny,
Potato: Thin, brownish, moist, glistening, grayish blue. The medium is colored steel-
viscid. blue with greenish fluorescence. Gelatin is
Indole not produced. liquefied. Some strains do not liquefy.
Aerobic, facultative. Agar slant: Grayish white streak. The
Optimum temperature, between 20° and medium takes on a bluish gray color with
25° C. No growth at 35° C. slight fluorescence.
Source: From water from the Schuylkill Broth: Turbid with marked fluorescence.
River. Litmus milk: Unchanged. In association
Habitat: Water. with lactic-acid bacteria the milk takes on a
deep blue color.
16. Pseudomonas septica Bergey et al., Potato: Yellowish gray, shiny layer, be-
1930. (Bacilhis fluorescens septicus Stutzer coming bluish gray. The tissue becomes
and Wsorow, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 71, bluish gray.
1927, 113; Bergey et al., Manual, 3rd ed., Indole not produced.
1930, 169.) Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
sep'ti.ca. Gr. adj. septicus putrefactive, Aerobic, facultative.
septic. Optimum temperature,
Rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 0.8 to 2.0 microns, oc- Source: From milk that25°was
C. bluish in
curring singly. Motile with a polar flagel- color.
lum. Gram-negative. Habitat: The cause of blue milk.
Gelatin stab: Infundibuliform liquefac-
tion. 18. Pseudomonas iodinum (Davis,
Agar colonies: Circular with opalescent 1939) Tobie, 1939. (Chromobacierium io-
center and transparent periphery. dinum Davis, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100,
Agar slant: Moderate, undulate margin. 1939, 273; Tobie, Bull. Assoc. Diplomes
Broth: Turbid with fragile pellicle, green- Microbiol. Fac, Nancy, No. 18, 1939, 16.)
ish in upper portion. i.o.di'num. M.L. neut.noun iodinum
Litmus milk: Alkaline, coagulated. iodine.
Blood serum not liquefied. Rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, occurring
Acid from glucose. singly. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
Aerobic, facultative. Gelatin stab: Stratiform liquefaction.
Optimum temperature, 20° C. Crystals of iodinin form.
Source: Isolated from diseased caterpil-
lars. Agar colonies: Round, smooth, gray-
Habitat: From infected caterpillars so white, moist, glistening. Dark purple crys-
far as known. tals having the appearance of iodine crystals
form in the growth and in the adjacent
17. Pseudomonas syncyanea (Ehren- medium. This pigment is actually a phena-
zine di-N-oxide, there being no iodine
berg, 1840). Migula, 1895. (Vibrio syncyaneus
Ehrenberg, Berichte ii.d. Verh. d. k. Preuss. present (Clemo and Mcllwain, Jour. Chem.
Akad. d. Wissensch. z. Berlin, 5, 1840, 202; Soc, Pt. 1, 1938, 479; Clemo and Daglish,
Migula, in Engler and Prantl, Die natiirl. Jour. Chem. Soc, Pt. 1, 1950, 1481).
Pflanzenfam., 1, la, 1895, 29.) Broth: Turbid. Crystals of iodinin form
on bottom of tube.
syn.cy.a'ne.a. Gr. srjn- along w^ith, en-
tirely; Gr. cyaneus dark blue, dark; M.L. Litmus milk: Alkaline; slow reduction of
adj. syncyaneus entirely blue. litmus.
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 107
Nat. Acad. Sci., 8, 1896, 22; Chester, Man. and Anderson, Jour. Bact., 23, 1932, 343;
Determ. Bact., 1901, 325.) not Pseudomonas graveolens Migula, Syst. d.
stri.a'ta. L. v. strio to groove; L. part. adj. Bakt., 2, 1900, 934.)
striatus grooved. taet'ro.lens. L. adj. taeter offensive; L.
Slender rods, of variable lengths, staining part, olens having an odor; M.L. part. adj.
irregularl}^ occurring singly and in pairs. taetrolens foul-smelling.
Motile, possessing polar flagella. Gram-nega- Short rods with rounded ends, occurring
tive. singly, in pairs and in short chains. Motile
Gelatin colonies: Circular, yellowish, with (Levine and Anderson). One to five polar
filamentous border.
flagella (found on retest of cultures bj-
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Haynes, 1953). Gram-negative.
Agar slant: Smooth, glistening, irregular, Gelatin stab: Not liquefied.
spreading. Agar becomes j-ellowish green. Agar colonies: Circular, slightly raised,
Broth: Turbid, becoming slightly greenish. smooth, entire, amorphous internal struc-
Litmus milk: No coagulation; becoming ture.
alkaline; litmus reduced. Agar slant: Growth abundant and tan-
Potato: Moist, glistening, spreading, be- colored; medium darkened. Penetrating
coming chocolate-brown. odor of must.
Indole not produced. Broth: Turbid; thin, oily pellicle and
Aerobic. sediment. Odor of must.
Grows well at 25° and 36° C. Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated; litmus
Source: Isolated from soil. reduced.
Habitat: Soil. Indole not produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
22. Pseudomonas ovalis Chester, 1901. Hj'drogen sulfide produced.
(Bacillus fltmrescens ovalis Ravenel, Mem- Starch not hydrolyzed.
oirs Nat. Acad. Sci., 8, 1896, 9; Chester, Acid but no gas produced from glucose,
Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, 325.) lactose, galactose, mannose, fructose,
o.va'lis. L. n. ovum an egg; M.L. adj. rhamnose and xjdose. Slight acidity in
ovalis oval. glycerol and mannitol. No acid or gas from
Rods, short with rounded ends, occurring aesculin, amygdalin, arabitol, dextrin, dul-
singly. Motile, possessing polar flagella. citol, glycogen, inulin, maltose, melizitose,
Gram-negative. pectin, raffinose, salicin, sorbitol, starch,
Gelatin colonies: Irregular, lobate, sucrose, xylan, arabinose, erythritol or
slightly granular, translucent, grayish be- trehalose.
coming bluish. Aerobic.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Faintly Catalase-positive.
green near surface.
Optimum temperature, between 23° and
Agar colonies: Circular, opaque, entire, 25° C. Scant growth at 33° and 10° C.
greenish fluorescence. Distinctive character: A strong musty-
Agar slant: Thin, spreading, greenish odor develops in media in which this or-
white. Agar becomes j'ellowish. ganism grows. In this respect it resembles
Broth: Turbid, with pellicle and white P. perolens which, however, liquefies gelatin
sediment; faintly green. and reduces nitrates.
Potato: Scant, yellowish brown growth. Source: Isolated from musty eggs; also
Indole not produced. from milk by Olsen and Hammer (Iowa
Aerobic, facultative. State College Jour. Sci., 9, 1934, 125).
Grows well at 25° and 36° C. Habitat : Found in various foods that have
Source: Isolated from soil. a musty odor; presumably widely dis-
Habitat: Soil. tributed.
Memoirs Nat. Acad. Sci., 7, 1895, 436; Broth: Turbid, with thin whitish pellicle
Chester, Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, 323.) and sediment.
in.cog'ni.ta. L. adj. incognitus not ex- Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated, partly re-
amined, unknown. duced.
Short rods, with rounded ends, occurring ing.Potato: Moist, glistening, brown, spread-
singly, in pairs and in chains. Motile, pos-
ses ing a polar flagellum. Gram-negative. Indole is produced (trace).
Gelatin colonies: Thin, translucent, Aerobic.
slightly granular, becoming greenish. Mar- Optimum temperature, 30° C. Does not
gin undulate. The medium assumes a blue-
green fluorescence. grow at 35°From
Source: C. water from the Schuylkill
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. River.
Agar slant: Thin, moist, translucent. Agar Habitat: Water.
becomes greenish.
Broth: Turbid, becoming greenish. Pel- 26. Pseudomonas mildenbergii Bergey
licle and whitish sediment form. et al., 1930. (Der Blaubacillus, Mildenberg,
Litmus milk: Slightly acid in a month. Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 56, 1922, 309; Bergey
Litmus slowly reduced. et al., Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 172.)
Potato: Moist, glistening, spreading, mil.den.ber'gi.i. Mildenberg, a patro-
brown. nymic; M.L. gen. noun mildenbergii of Mil-
Indole is produced (trace). denberg.
Aerobic, facultative. Rods, 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 3.5 microns,
No growth at 35° to 36° C. with rounded ends, occurring singly. Mo-
Comment: Wright (op. cit., 1895, 441) tile, possessing polar flagella. Gram-nega-
described an organism that is very similar tive.
to this species except that it may produce a Gelatin colonies: Circular, lobed, smooth,
faint brownish green coloration in a gelatin glistening, slightly raised, steel-blue, entire.
stab; Wright named the organism Bacillus Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
nexibilis {Bacterium nexibilis Chester, Ann. Agar colonies: Small, circular, yellowish
Rept. Del. Col. Agr. Exp. Sta., 9, 1897, 74; or reddish yellow, entire, becoming lobed,
Pseudomonas nexibilis Chester, op. cit., grayish green, iridescent. The medium be-
1901, 309). comes dirty grayish green.
Source: Isolated from water from the Agar slant: Smooth, spreading, slimy,
Schujdkill River. glistening, grayish green to dark green,
Habitat: Water. fluorescent.
Broth: Turbid green, iridescent to opales-
25. Pseudomonas rugosa (Wright, 1895) cent with slimy sediment.
Chester, 1901. {Bacillus rugosus Wright, Litmus milk: Not coagulated, blue ring.
Memoirs Nat. Acad. Sci., 7, 1895, 438; Potato: Slimj^, glistening, spreading, steel
Chester, Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, 323.) blue.
ru.go'sa. L. adj. rugosus full of wrinkles. Indole not produced.
Small rods, with rounded ends, occurring Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
singl}^ in pairs and in chains. Motile, pos- Aerobic, facultative.
ses ing 1to 4 polar flagella. Gram-negative. Optimum temperature, 25° C.
Gelatin colonies: Grayish, translucent, Source : Isolated from air.
slightly raised, irregular, sinuous, radiately
arose to entire. 27. Pseudomonas eonvexa Chester,
Gelatin stab : Dense grayish green, lim- 1901. {Bacillus fluorescens convexus Wright,
ited, wrinkled, reticulate surface growth. Memoirs Nat. Acad. Sci., 7, 1895, 438;
No liquefaction. Medium becomes green. Chester, Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, 325.)
Agar slant: Grayish white, limited, con.vex'a. L. adj. convexus vaulted, con-
slightl}^ wrinkled, translucent. Agar be- vex.
comes green. Short, thick rods, with rounded ends.
no PSEUDOMONADALES
Motile with a polar flagellum. Gram-nega- pe.ro 'lens. L. v. perolere to emit a pene-
tive. trating odor; L. part. adj. perolens emitting
Gelatin: Crateriform to stratiform lique- an odor.
faction in 3 to 4 daj's. Small, imperfect spheres and coccoid rods;
Agar colonies: Convex, glistening, gen- occasionallj' longer rods with rounded ends;
erally butyrous, occasionally viscid. Rough, occur singly and in short chains. 0.3 by 0.4
smooth and intermediate forms are recog- to 2.55 microns. Motile with a single polar
nized in the description quoted. The rough flagellum. Gram-negative.
forms are less proteolytic and less active Gelatin: Liquefied.
in the hydrolysis of fats. Agar slants: Growth moderate, glisten-
Agar slant: Growth abundant, spreading, ing, raised, butyrous, spreading, with un-
raised, white, shiny, generally butyrous. dulate border; whitish by reflected and
Sweet ester-like odor resembling that of the semi-translucent by transmitted light.
flower of the May apple. Broth: Turbid, with a flocculent sediment
Broth: Turbidit}^ and sediment with a and a slight pellicle.
thin pellicle. Litmus milk: Acid, gradually decolorized,
Litmus milk: Acid ring followed by acid partial clotting.
coagulum at surface. Complete coagulation Blood serum: Liquefied.
in 2 to 3 weeks, some digestion. Characteris- Potato: Growth thick, glistening, raised,
brownish.
tic Maj'-apple or strawberry odor.
Potato : Growth echinulate to arborescent, Nitrites and ammonia produced from ni-
trates.
raised, glistening, white, becoming brown-
ish. Indole not produced.
Indole not produced. Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. galactose, glycerol, mannitol and arabinose.
Ammonia produced from peptone. Sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffinose, dulcitol,
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. salicin and inulin not utilized.
Acid from glucose and galactose, some- Aerobic, facultative.
times arabinose. No acid from glycerol, Grows well at room temperature. No
inulin, lactose, fructose, maltose, mannitol,
growth at 37° C.
raffinose, salicin or sucrose. Distinctive characters : Produces a musty
No acetylmeth3-lcarbinol produced. odor in eggs. Other varieties and species of
Fat is generally hydrolyzed (Nashif and Pseudomonas that produce the same odor
Nelson, Jour. Dairy Sci., 36, 1953, 459-488). have been described (Szybalski, loc. cit.).
Aerobic. Resembles Pseudomonas fragi but produces
Grows from 10° to 30° C. No growth at a musty rather than a May-apple odor in
media.
37° C. Very sensitive to heat.
Comment: Various names have been Source: Isolated from eggs with a musty
given this species. Hussong (Thesis, Iowa odor.
State College, 1932) thinks that these varie- Habitat: Musty eggs.
ties are the result of dissociative action.
Source: Isolated from milk and other 32. Pseudomonas mephitica Claydon
254.)
dairy products, dairy utensils, water, etc. and Hammer, 1939. (Jour. Bact., 37, 1939,
Habitat: Soil and water. Widely dis-
tributed (Morrison and Hammer, Jour. me.phi'ti.ca. L. adj. mephiticus pestilen-
Dairy Sci., ^4, 1941,9). tial (skunk-like) odor.
Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.5 to 14.0 microns,
31. Pseudomonas perolens (Turner, occurring singly, in pairs and in chains.
1927) Szybalski, 1950. {Achromobacter pero- Actively motile with a polar flagellum.
lens Turner, Austral. Jour. Exp. Biol, and Gram-negative.
Med. Sci., 4, 1927, 57; Szybalski, Nature, Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
165, 1950, 733.) Agar colonies: Convex, circular, about 3
112 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Agar colonies: Circular to amoeboid, Agar colonies : Circular, buff, flat, smooth,
white, flat, glistening, opaque, entire. glistening, entire.
Agar slant: Filiform, pale buff, raised, Agar slant: Filiform, pale buff, convex,
smooth, glistening, undulate. smooth, glistening, undulate.
Broth: Turbid. Broth: Turbid; pellicle may form.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Nitrites may be produced from nitrates.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Starch may be hydrolyzed.
No acid from carbohydrate media. Acid may be produced from glucose and
Attacks phenol.
Aerobic, facultative. glycerol.
Attacks phenol and cresol at times, also
Grows at 37° C. naphthalene.
Source: Isolated from soil. Aerobic, facultative.
Habitat: Soil.
Grows at 35° C.
Source: Isolated from manure and soil.
39. Pseudomonas desmolytica Gray Habitat: Manure and soil.
and Thornton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
73, 1928, 90.) 41. Pseudomonas salopia Gray and
des.mo.ly'ti.ca. Gr. desmus bond; Gr. Thornton, 1928. (Pseudomonas salopium
lyticus able to loose; M.L. adj. desmolyiiciis (sic) Gray and Thornton, Cent. f. Bakt., II
bond-loosening. Abt., 73, 1928, 91.)
Rods, 0.7 to 0.8 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns, sa.lo'pi.a. Med.L. Salop Shropshire;
occurring singly and in pairs. Motile, with M.L. adj. salopius of Shropshire.
one to five polar flagella. Gram-negative. Rods, 0.7 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns,
Gelatin colonies: Circular, gray to buff, occurring singly and in pairs. Motile with
raised or umbonate. Smooth, glistening, one to six polar flagella. Gram-negative.
entire.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Gelatin colonies: Circular, grayish buff',
flat, rugose or ringed, translucent border.
Agar colonies: Circular or amoeboid, Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
whitish, flat or convex, smooth, translucent Agar colonies: Circular or amoeboid,
to opaque, entire. white to buff, flat to convex, smooth, glis-
Agar slant: Filiform, pale buff, raised, tening, translucent border, entire.
smooth, undulate. Agar slant: Filiform, whitish, raised,
Broth: Turbid. smooth, glistening, lobate.
Nitrites often produced from nitrates. Broth: Turbid with pellicle.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Acid usually produced from glucose. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Attacks naphthalene. Acid from glucose and sucrose.
Aerobic, facultative.
Attacks naphthalene.
Grows at 35° C. Aerobic, facultative.
Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil. Grows at 35° C.
Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil.
40. Pseudomonas rathonis Gray and
Thornton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73,
1928, 90.) 42. Pseudomonas cruciviae Gray and
Thornton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73,
ra.tho'nis. RathoPark, place name; M.L. 1928, 91.)
gen. noun rathonis of Ratho.
Small rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, cru.ci'vi.ae. L. crux, cruets a cross; L.
occurring singly and in pairs. Motile, with via a way; M.L. Crucivia Waycross, a place
polar flagella. Gram-negative. name.
Gelatin colonies: Circular, white, raised, Rods, 1.0 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, occurring
smooth, glistening, undulate. singly and in pairs. Motile with one to five
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. polar flagella. Gram-negative.
115
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Gelatin colonies: Circular, white, convex, Nitrates, nitrites, nitramines and N2O
smooth, undulate. reduced to elemental nitrogen.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Carbohj^drates : No growth when used as
Agar colonies: Circular or amoeboid, a carbon source in mineral media.
white to buff, flat to convex, smooth, entire. Aerobic, facultative.
Agar slant: Filiform, pale buff, raised, Optimum pH, 7.0; growth even at pH 9.0.
smooth, undulate. Optimum temperature, 35° C.
Broth: Turbid. Distinctive characters: Colony shape
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. and consistency, mode and color of potato
Starch not hj^droh-zed. growth, ability to grow anaerobically in
No acid in carbohydrate media. media with nitrate, nitrite, nitramine or
Attacks phenol and m-cresol. N2O, producing foam.
Aerobic, facultative. Source: Isolated from soil.
Optimum temperature, between 30° and Habitat: Found widely distributed in soil,
35° C. manure, mud and stagnant water.
Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil. 44. Pseudomoiias tralucida Kellerman
et al., 1913. (Kellerman, McBeth, Scales
37.)
43. Pseudonionas stutzeri (Lehmann and Smith, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 39, 1913,
and Neumann, 1896) Kluyver, 1942.
{Bacillus denitrificans II Burri and Stutzer, tra.lu'ci.da. L. adj. frahicidus trans-
Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 1, 1895, 392; Bac-
terium stutzeri Lehmann and Neumann, parent.
Rods 0.6 by 1.2 microns. Motile with one
Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 237; Bacillus or two polar flagella. Gram-negative.
nitrogenes Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
793; Pseudonionas stutzeri Kluyver, in Agar slant: Moderate, flat, glistening,
Koningsberger, Leerb. d. algem. Plant- grayish growth.
kunde, Scheltema and Holkema, Amster- Broth: Turbid; granular sediment.
dam, 2, 1942, 198; not Pseudonionas stutzeri Litmus milk: Acid, no coagulation.
Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 929.) Potato: No growth.
Indole not produced.
stut'ze.ri. Named for Dr. A. Stutzer, one
of the bacteriologists who originally de- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
scribed this species; M.L. gen. noun stutzeri Ammonia not produced.
of Stutzer. Starch hydrolysis slight.
Description taken from van Niel and Acid from glucose, maltose, lactose, su-
Allen (Jour. Bact., 64, 1952, 421). crose, starch, glycerol and mannitol.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns. Mo- Attacks cellulose.
tile, possessing a single polar flagellum. Aerobic, facultative.
Gram-negative. Optimum temperature, 37° C. Grows also
Gelatin and agar colonies: Strongly co- at Habitat:
20° C. Soil.
herent to media, dry consistency later be-
coming mucoid, resemble craters with ele-
45. Pseudonionas lasia Fuller and Nor-
vated ridges which often branch and merge,
man, 1943. (Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 275.)
concentric zones, polygonal elements,
granular. la'si.a. Gr. adj. lasius hairy, rough,
Gelatin: No liquefaction. shaggy, woolly.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 1.2 to 2.0 microns,
Peptone and yeast agar: Good growth. usually occurring singly but sometimes in
Broth: Surface film on nitrate- or nitrite- chains. Motile with a single polar flagellum.
free media which readily breaks up and pre- Gram-negative.
cipitates. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Potato: Luxuriant, wrinkled, slimy, flesh- Starch agar colonies : Convex, pale 3'ellow,
to peach-colored growth. becoming cream color, entire, round. Sub-
116 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
surface colonies look like small, woolly sodium nitrate cannot be used as substi-
balls. tutes for organic-nitrogen sources. Neither
Water-insoluble dextrin colonies: Col- could 20 water-soluble accessory factors
onies grow below the surface and have a substitute for yeast extract in a synthetic
woolly appearance. Colonies are surrounded mineral salts-glucose medium.
by clear zones. Become cream to pale yellow No pigment produced in any medium.
in color. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Litmus milk : Unchanged except for reduc-
tion of litmus at bottom of the tube. 33°Optimum
C. temperature, between 30° and
Indole not produced. Distinctive characters: In organic media
Nitrites produced from nitrates. containing a small amount of organic matter
Starch hydrolyzed. such as yeast extract or peptone and 0.05 to
Glucose, .xylose, maltose and starch read- 0.2 per cent riboflavin, the riboflavin is
ily utilized. Arabinose, galactose and gum attacked and converted to lumichrome,
arable feebly attacked. No acid formed in which accumulates in the culture as lemon-
any of the above-mentioned substrates. yellow crystals. If riboflavin is not provided
Cellulose, cellulosan, water-soluble and in the medium, appreciable quantities of it
water-insoluble cellulose, dextrins, hemi- are synthesized by this organism.
cellulose and pectin readily attacked. Filter Source: Isolated from soil rich in ribo-
paper strips become pale yellowish in the flavin.
area attacked. Habitat: Unknown.
Peptone, yeast extract, nitrate and am-
monia are suitable nitrogen sources. 47. Pseudomonas denitrificans Bergey
Aerobic. et al., 1923. (Bacillus denitrificans fluorescens
Grows between 22° and 35° C. Christensen, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 11,
Source: Isolated from soil. 1903, 190; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed.,
Habitat: Soil. 1923, 131.)
de.ni.tri'fi.cans. L. de away, from; L.
46. Pseudonionas riboflavina Foster, nitruni soda; M.L. nitrate, niter; M.L.
1944. (Pseudotnonas riboflavinus (sic) Foster, denitrifico to denitrify; M.L. part. adj.
Jour.Bact.,47, 1944,27; also see Jour. Bact., denitrificans denitrifying.
48, 1944, 97.) Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 0.5 to 1.25 microns,
ri.bo.fla'vi.na. M.L. adj. riboflavinus occurring singly and in pairs in large, slimy
pertaining to riboflavin. masses. Motile. Gram-negative.
Thin rods of variable length. Motile. Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, con-
Gram-negative. ing. toured, raised, moist, pearly gray, glisten-
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Yeast-extract agar colonies: Small, con- Gelatin stab: Whitish, lobed surface
vex, smooth, transparent; slightly dentate growth. Yellowish green growth in stab. No
edges. If glucose is added to the agar, liquefaction.
copious quantities of polj'saccharides are Agar colonies: Pearly white, circular,
formed. Presence of fructose, mannitol, su- entire.
crose, maltose, lactose, xylose and galactose Agar slant: Broad, whitish, contoured,
also lead to polysaccharide formation. moist, entire.
Yeast-extract glucose broth: Becomes so Broth: Turbid, with thick, wrinkled
viscid that it scarcely flows.
Milk: Soft curd forms. Slowly peptonized. pellicle.
Litmus milk: Not coagulated.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Potato: Reddish gray layer.
No acid or gas from fructose, mannitol, Indole not produced.
sucrose, maltose, lactose, xylose or galac- Nitrates reduced with production of
tose. Acetic acid oxidized. nitrogen.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. Aerobic, facultative.
Urea, glycine, ammonium chloride or
Optimum temperature, 25° C.
117
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Distinctive characters : No or slow growth Habitat: Skin lesions and muscle tissue of
in culture media in the absence of salt. infected marine fish.
Maximum growth and pigmentation ap-
pears with 1.5 and 2.5 per cent salt. Opti- 52. Pseudonionas niarinoglutinosa
mum pigmentation occurs at 4° and 15° C. (ZoBell and Allen, 1935) ZoBell, 1943.
Pigment insoluble in chloroform. {Achromobacter viarinoglutinosus (sic) Zo-
Source: Several cultures isolated from Bell and Allen, Jour. Bact., 29, 1935, 246;
samples of discolored butter. ZoBell, Jour. Bact., ^6, 1943, 45.)
Habitat : Causes a black to reddish brown ma.ri.no.glu.ti.no'sa. L. marinus ma-
discoloration of print butter. Evidently rine; L. glutinosus full of glue, viscous; M.L.
widely distributed in nature. adj. marinoglutinosus . Meaning obscure.
Short rods, 0.7 to 1.0 by 1.8 to 2.4 microns,
51. Pseudonionas ichthyodermis (Wells with rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs
and ZoBell, 1934) ZoBell and Upham, 1944. and in clumps. Motile with polar flagella.
(Achromobacter ichthyodermis (sic) Wells and Staining granular. Encapsulated. Gram-
ZoBell, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., £0, 1934, 123; negative.
ZoBell and Upham, Bull. Scripps Inst. Gelatin stab: Moderate filiform growth f;
Oceanography, 5, 1944, 246 and 253.) with slight napiform liquefaction. No pig-
ment.
ich.thy.o.der'mis. Gr. ichthys fish; Gr.
derma skin; M.L. ichthyodermis fish skin. Agar colonies: Round with concentric
Small rods, 0.9 to 1.3 by 3.0 to 5.0 microns, circles and crinkled radial lines, 1.5 to 5.0
occurring singlj^ and in pairs. Motile, with mm in diameter. No pigment.
a tuft of polar flagella. Pleomorphic forms Agar slant: Moderate, filiform, flat.
predominate in old cultures. Encapsulated. Butyrous consistency.
Gram-negative. Broth: Moderate clouding, marked ring,
Requires sea water following initial iso- adherent film of growth on test tube wall,
lation. The following differential media are flaky sediment.
prepared with sea water: Milk: No growth.
Agar colonies: Glistening, colorless, con- Potato: No growth.
vex, circular, 2 to 4 mm in diameter. Indole not produced.
Agar slants: Abundant, filiform, raised, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
smooth, opalescent growth. Hydrogen sulfide and ammonia produced
Gelatin tube : Rapid crateriform liquefac- from Bacto-tryptone.
tion complete in 5 days at 18° C. Acid but no gas from xylose and dextrin.
Sea-water broth: Turbidity, with pellicle, No acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose or
little granular sediment and no odor. mannitol.
Milk: No growth. Starch is hydrolj'zed.
Potato : No growth unless dialyzed in sea
water. Then fair growth with no pigment. 25°Optimum
C. temperature, between 20° and
Acid from glucose, sucrose and mannitol Aerobic, facultative.
but not from lactose or glycerol. Source : Isolated from sea water.
Starch hydrolyzed. Habitat: Sea water.
Ammonia liberated from peptone, but no
hydrogen sulfide produced. 53. Pseudonionas nienibranoforniis
Indole formed in tryptophane sea-water (ZoBell and Allen, 1935) ZoBell, 1943.
broth. {Achromobacter membranoformis ZoBell and
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Allen, Jour. Bact., £9, 1935, 246; ZoBell,
Optimum temperature, between 25° and Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 45.)
30° C.; 37° C. incubation will kill recently mem. bra. no. for 'mis. L. membrana a
isolated organisms. membrane; L. forma appearance; M.L. adj.
Aerobic, facultative. membranoform is membranous .
Source: Isolated from diseased kilifish Reds, 0.9 to 1.2 by 3.5 to 4.8 microns, oc-
{Fundnlus parvipinnis) . curring singly and in pairs. Motile with
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 119
Thin rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.5 to 3.6 microns, Indole not produced.
with rounded ends, often staining irregu- No acid or gas from glucose, fructose,
larly. Motile, with one polar flagellum. galactose, mannose, lactose, sucrose, mal-
Gram-negative. tose, arabinose, xylose, rafEnose, inulin,
Gelatin colonies: Circular, light brown in dextrin, glycerol, mannitol or salicin.
color (large colonies show CaCOg crystals). Starch not hydrolyzed.
Gelatin stab : Surface growth with filiform Nitrites are produced from nitrates; no
growth in depth. Liquefaction starts at gas is produced.
bottom. Aerobic.
Agar colonies (sea water) ; Grayish white, Optimum temperature, 30° C.
glistening. In two to three weeks crystals Salt tolerance: Halotolerant, growing
of calcium carbonate form in the agar. slightly in 0.5 per cent salt, strongly in 3 to
Agar slant: Slight, whitish surface 30 per cent salt and moderately in Dead Sea
growth becoming thick, spreading, glisten- water.
ing, with abundant CaCOs crystals in Source: Isolated from the water of the
medium. Dead Sea.
Ammonia formed. Habitat: Found in places where the salt
Aerobic, facultative. content of water is high.
Optimum temperature, 20° C.
Source : Isolated from sea water. 57. Pseudomonas iridescens Stanier,
Habitat: Sea water. 1941. (Jour. Bact., 4S, 1941, 542.)
ir.id.es'cens. Gr. fem.noun iris, -idis the
56a. Pseudomonas halestorga Elazari- rainbow; M.L. part. adj. iridescens showing
Volcani, 1940. (Pse2idomonas halestorgus (sic) colors of the rainbow.
Elazari-Volcani, Studies on the Microflora Rods, 0.2 to 0.3 by 1.5 to 7.0 microns,
of the Dead Sea. Thesis, Hebrew University, average length 5.0 to 6.0 microns, occurring
Jerusalem, 1940, VIII and 82.) singly. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
hal.e'stor.ga. Gr. noun hale salt water; Sea water gelatin stab: Filiform growth.
Gr. adj. storgus loving; M.L. adj. halestorgus Liquefaction by some strains.
salt-water-loving. Sea water agar colonies: Concave, 2 to 3
Rods, the length of which varies greatly mm in diameter, smooth, glistening, trans-
depending on the concentrations of salt : at lucent, pale j^ellow, edge irregular. After 2
3 to 24 per cent, they are usually 0.5 bj^ 1.3 to 3 days a marked iridescence. Later
to 4.0 microns, occurring singly and in pairs; colonies rough, opaque, bright yellow,
in 0.5 and 30 per cent salt and in Dead Sea sunken central portion with translucent
water, the rods are usually very long, peripher3^
twisted threads. Motile by means of a single, Sea water agar slant: Growth spreading,
polar flagellum. Gram-negative. smooth, glistening, translucent, pale yel-
Gelatin stab (12 per cent salt, 1 per cent low, iridescent, butyrous.
proteose peptone, 15 per cent gelatin) : Fili- Sea water broth: Turbid, light yellow,
form, very slight infundibuliform liquefac- granular pellicle.
tion after six weeks. Indole not produced.
Agar colonies (12 per cent salt, 1 per cent Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
proteose peptone, 2 per cent KNO3) : Circu- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
lar, smooth, entire, slightly convex, glisten- Catalase-positive.
ing, slightly transparent, grayish. Urease-negative.
Agar slant (12 per cent salt, 1 per cent Acid from xylose, glucose, galactose,
proteose peptone, 2 per centKNOa) : Moder- lactose, maltose, sucrose and cellobiose. No
ate, filiform, raised, smooth, slightly trans- acid from arabinose. Starch and cellulose
parent, grayish growth. are attacked.
Broth (12 per cent salt, 1 per cent pej)- Aerobic.
tone) : Very turbid; whitish pellicle is Temperature relations: Optimum, 23° C.
formed. Minimum, 5° C. Maximum, 30° C.
121
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Salt range: 0.25 to 6.0 percent. Optim\im, Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose,
1.0 to 4.0 per cent. arabinose, xylose, sucrose, maltose, lactose,
Source: Sea water. raffinose, mannitol, glycerol and dulcitol.
Habitat: Common along the coast of the Slight growth in broth plus 6 per cent salt
North Pacific. (Burkholder).
1935. (Travaux botaniques neerlandais, 32, Source : From diseased leaves of the large
1935, 152.) leaf maple, Acer niacrophyllum.
Habitat: Causes a disease of Acer spp.
bei.jer.inck'i.i. M.L. gen. noun heije-
rinckii of Beijerinck; named for Prof . M. W.
Beijerinck of Delft, Holland. 60. Pseudomonas angulata (Fromme
Small rods. Motile with polar flagelhi. and Murray, 1919) Holland, 1920. (Bac-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. terium angulatum Fromme and Murray,
Indole not produced. Jour. Agr. Res., 16, 1919, 219; Holland, Jour.
Nitrites produced from nitrates by four Bact.,5, 1920,224.)
out of six strains. ang.u.la'ta. L. part. adj. angulatus wdth
Cellulose not decomposed. angles, angular.
Acid from glucose. In yeast-water with 2 Description from Clara (Cornell Agr.
per cent glucose and 12 per cent NaCI, no gas Exp. Sta. Mem. 159, 1934, 24).
is produced. Rods 0.75 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns.
Pigment production: Insoluble purple pig- Motile, with 1 to 6 polar flagella. Gram-
ment produced but not in all media; is lo- negative.
calized markedl}^; reduced oxygen tension Gelatin: Liquefied.
necessary; optimum pH, 8.0; not produced Green fluorescent pigment produced.
in yeast-water or in peptone-water; pro- Beef-extract agar colonies: Dull white,
duced only when grown in extracts of beans circular, raised, smooth and glistening.
or some other vegetable. Broth: Turbid and greenish in 36 hours.
Aerobic. Milk: Alkaline.
Source: Six strains isolated from beans Nitrites produced from nitrates (Burk-
preserved with salt. holder and Starr, Phytopath., 38, 1948, 498).
Habitat: Causes purple discoloration of Indole not produced.
salted beans. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Lipolytic action negative (Starr and
59. Pseudomonas aceris (Ark, 1939) Burkholder, Phytopath., 32, 1942, 601).
Starr and Burkholder, 1942. (Phytomonas Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose,
aceris Ark, Phytopath., 29, 1939, 969; Starr fructose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, su-
and Burkholder, Phytopath., 32, 1942, 601.) crose and mannitol. Alkaline reaction from
a'ce.ris. L. acei- the maple; L. neut. salts of citric, malic, succinic and tartaric
gen. noun aceris of the maple. acids. Rhamnose, maltose, lactose, raffinose,
Rods 0.3 to 0.8 by 0.8 to 2.5 microns. glycerol, salicin, and acetic, lactic and
Motile, with 1 to 2 polar flagella. Gram- formic acids are not fermented.
negative. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Green fluorescent pigment produced. Slight growth in broth plus 5 to 6 per cent
Gelatin: Liquefied. salt (Burkholder).
Beef -extract-peptone agar: Colonies are Aerobic, facultative.
grayish white, appearing in 24 hours. Relationship to other species: Braun
Broth: Turbid. (Phytopath., 27, 1937, 283) considers this
Milk: Clearing with no coagulation. species to be identical in culture with Pseu-
Nitrites produced from nitrates (Burk- domonas tabaci, but they differ in the type of
holder and Starr, Phytopath., 38, 1948, 498). disease they produce.
Indole not produced. Source : Isolated by Fromme and Murray
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. from small angular leaf spots on tobacco.
122 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Source: Isolated from diseased lettuce Beef -extract-peptone agar: Slants sulfur-
from Louisiana. yellow, filiform, butyrous to slightly viscid.
Habitat: Pathogenic on lettuce, Lactuca Most cultures appear rough. Yellow to
saliva. yellow-green pigment diffuses into medium
about the colony.
64. Pseudonionas delphinii (Smith, Potato dextrose agar: Pale yellow. No
1904) Stapp, 1928. {Bacillus delphinii Smith, change in medium.
Science, 19, 1904, 417; Stapp, in Sorauer, Broth: Turbid in 24 hours; yellow pellicle.
Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 2, 5 Milk: Litmus reduced. Medium clears and
Aufl., 1928, 106.) becomes tan with a yellow pellicle.
del.phi'ni.i. Gr. delphinium the larkspur; Krumwiede's Triple sugar agar: Growth
ALL. dim. neut. noun Delphinium generic very abundant, j-ellow-green and extremely
name; M.L. gen. noun delphinii of larkspur. wrinkled; medium becomes red.
Rods 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Chains present. Motile, with 1 to 6 polar Indole not produced.
flagella. Encapsulated. Gram-negative. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
culture. lactose, maltose, sucrose, arabinose, xylose,
Gelatin: Liquefied. glycerol, mannitol and salicin; alkaline re-
Beef agar slants: Growth thin, smooth, action from sodium salts of citric, hippuric,
shining, transparent, margins entire, crys- malonic and tartaric acids. Growth is slight
tals. Agar becomes dark brown. in rhamnose. 2 per cent ethyl alcohol jiot
Broth: Turbid in 24 hours with delicate utilized.
pellicle. Starch not hydrolj^zed.
Milk: Becomes alkaline and clears. Sodium ammonium pectate medium not
Nitrites produced from nitrates (Burk- liquefied.
holder and Starr, Phytopath., 38, 1948, 498). Methyl red test negative; acetylmethyl-
Lidole not produced. carbinol not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Growth in 3 per cent but not in 5 per cent
Lipolytic action negative (Starr and salt.
Burkholder, Phytopath., 32, 1942, 601). Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
Acid from glucose, galactose and fructose; Minimum, between 6° and 9° C. Maximum,
42° C.
slight acid from sucrose. No acid from lac-
tose, maltose, glj'cerol or mannitol. Aerobic.
Starch: Hydrolysis feeble. Source: Seven isolates from different
Weak growth in broth plus 4 per cent salt. onion bulbs collected in New York State.
Optimum pH, 6.7 to 7.1. pH range, 5.6 to Habitat: Pathogenic on onions. Allium
8.6. cepa.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C.
Minimum, 1° C. or less. Maximum, 30° C. 66. Pseudonionas apii Jagger, 1921.
Source: Isolated from black spot of del- (Jour. Agr. Res., 21, 1921, 186.)
phinium. a'pi.i. L. apium celery; M.L. neut. noun
Habitat: Pathogenic on delphinium caus- Apium generic name of celery; M.L. neut.
ing a black spot in the leaves. gen. noun apii of celery.
Description from Clara (Cornell Agr.
65. Pseudonionas cepacia Burkholder, Exp. Sta. Mem. 159, 1934, 24).
1950. (Phytopath., J^0, 1950, 116.) Rods 0.75 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns.
ce.pa'ci.a. L. fem.noun caepa or cepa Motile with a polar flagellum. Gram-nega-
onion; M.L. adj. cepacius of or like onion. tive.
Rods, 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.8 microns, occurring Green fluorescent pigment produced in
singly or in pairs. Motile, with 1 to 3 polar various media.
flagella. Gram-negative. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. Beef -extract agar colonies: Circular,
124 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
faciens Elliott, Jour. Agr. Res., 19, 1920, 153; Description from Smith and Bryan {op.
Steven.s, Plant Disease Fungi, 1925, 27.) cit., 1915, 466) and Clara (Cornell Agr. Exp.
co.ro.na.fa'ci.ens. L. corona crown; L. Sta. Mem. 159, 1934,26).
facio to make; M.L. part. adj. coronafaciens Rods 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.0 micron.s. Motile
halo-producing. with 1 to 5 polar flagella. Encapsulated.
Rods, 0.65 by 2.3 microns, occurring in Gram-negative.
chains. Motile with polar flagella. Encapsu- Green fluorescent pigment produced in
lated. Gram-negative. culture.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in Gelatin: Liquefied.
culture. Beef-peptone agar colonies: Circular,
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. smooth, glistening, transparent, whitish,
Nutrient agar colonies: White, becoming entire margins.
irregularly circular, flat with raised mar- Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. White precipi-
gins. tate with crystals.
Broth : Slight turbidity in 24 hours. Heavy Milk: Turns alkaline and clears.
pellicle formed. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Milk: Alkaline. A soft curd formed fol- Indole reaction weak.
lowed by clearing. Curd sometimes absent. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Test for nitrites produced in nitrate broth Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phj--
negative or faint (Burkholder and Starr, topath.,5j?, 1942, 601).
Phytopath., 38, 1948, 498). Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
Indole not produced. mannose, arabinose, xylose, sucrose and
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. mannitol. Alkaline reaction from salts of
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, citric, malic and succinic acids. Maltose,
Phytopath., 32, 1942, 601). rhamnose, lactose, raffinose, glycerol and
Acid but no gas from glucose and sucrose. salicin not fermented (Clara, op. cil., 1934,
Starch hj^drolysis slight. 26).
Slight growth in broth plus 2 per cent salt. Starch partially digested. Not digested
Temperature relations: Optimum between
(Clara, loc. cit.).
24° and 25° C. Minimum, 1° C. Maximum, Growth in 3 per cent salt after 12 days. No
31° C.
Comment: A variety pathogenic on growth in 4 per cent salt.
Temperature relations : Optimum between
brome-grass, Bromus inermis, has been de-
scribed by Reddy and Godkin (Phytopath., 25° and 27° C. Minimum, 1° C. Maximum,
35° C.
IS, 1923, 81). Produces water-soaked spots
which are dark purple in color. Has been Aerobic, facultative (Clara, loc. cit.).
artificially inoculated on oats {Avena saliva) . Source : Isolated from diseased cucumber
Also pathogenic on Agropyron repens. leaves collected in New York, Wisconsin,
Source: Numerous isolations from Indiana and in Ontario, Canada.
blighted blades of oats. Habitat: Pathogenic on cucumber, Cucu-
Habitat: Causes a halo spot on oats mis sativus, and related plants.
{Avena saliva). Artificial inoculations show
barley (Hordeum vulgare), rye (Secale 71. Pseudomonas niaculicola (McCul-
cereale) and wheat {Trilicum aesHvum) to be
loch, 1911) Stevens, 1913. {Baclerium macu-
susceptible. licolum McCulloch, U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur.
Plant Ind. Bui., 225, 1911, 14; Stevens, The
70. Pseudotnonas lachrymans (Smith
Fungi which cause Plant Diseases, 1913, 28.)
and Bryan, 1915) Carsner, 1918. {Bacterium
lachrymans Smith and Bryan, Jour. Agr. ma.cu.li'co.la. L. macula spot; L. -cola a
Res., 5, 1915, 466; Carsner, Jour. Agr. Res., dweller; M.L. noun maculicola spot dweller.
15, 1918, 201.) Rods 0.9 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns. Filaments
lach'ry.mans. L. lacrimo to shed tears; present. Motile with 1 to 5 polar flagella.
M.L. part. adj. lachrymans shedding tears. Gram-negative.
126 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
30° and 32° C. Minimum between 8° and bean; L. cola dweller; M.L. fem. noun
9° C. Maximum, 40° C. phaseolicola the bean dweller.
pH range, 4.6 to 9.1. Description from Burkholder and Zaleski
Source : Repeatedly isolated from diseased (Phytopath., ^^, 1932, 85).
gladiolus. Rods 1.0 by 2.0 microns, sometimes
Habitat: Pathogenic onGladiolus spp. and slightly curved; filaments present. Motile
7m spp. with a polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in
74. Pseudonionas inedicaginis Sackett, culture.
1910. (Science, 31, 1910, 553; also Colorado Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction.
Agr. Exp. Sta., Bull. 158, 1910, 11.) Beef extract agar: Whitish, circular
me.di.ca'gi.nis. Gr. medice the Median colonies, 2 mm in diameter. Edges entire.
grass, alfalfa, lucerne, medic; M.L. fern, Broth: Turbid.
noun Medicago generic name of alfalfa; M.L. Milk: Alkaline.
fem. gen. noun medicaginis of lucerne or Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
alfalfa. Indole not produced.
Rods 0.7 by 1.2 microns. Motile with 1 to Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
4 flagella. Filaments present. Gram-nega- Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
tive. Phytopath., 82, 1942, 601).
Green fluorescent pigment produced in Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
culture. mannose, arabinose, xylose, sucrose and
Gelatin: Not liquefied. glycerol. No acid from rhamnose, lactose,
Nutrient agar colonies: Growth in 24 maltose, mannitol or salicin. Alkali from
hours whitish, glistening. salts of citric and malic acids, but not from
Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. Pellicle acetic, formic, lactic or tartaric acids.
formed. Viscid sediment. Starch and cellulose not hydrolyzed.
Milk: Becomes alkaline. No change. Slight growth in broth plus 4 per cent salt.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Temperature relations : Optimum between
Indole not produced. 20° and 23° C. Minimum, 2.5° C. Maximum,
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. 428).
33° C. (Hedges, Jour. Agr. Res., 36, 1928,
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
Phytopath., 3£, 1942, 601). Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH be-
Starch not hydrolyzed. tween 6.7 and 7.3. Minimum between 5.0
No gas from carbohydrates. Acid from and 5.3. Maximum between 8.8 and 9.2
sucrose. (Kotte, Phyt. Zeitsch., 2, 1930 453).
Slight growth in broth plus 3.75 per cent Microaerophilic.
salt. Source: Isolated from leaves, pod and
Temperature relations : Optimum between stem of beans showing halo blight.
28° and 30° C. Maximum, 37.5°C. Habitat: Pathogenic on beans (Phaseo-
Aerobic. lus vidgaris), the kudzu vine (Pueraria
Source: Isolated from brown lesions on hirsuta) and related plants.
leaves and stems of alfalfa.
Habitat: Pathogenic on alfalfa, Medicago 19.)76. Pseudonionas pisi Sackett, 1916.
sp. (Colorado Agr. Exp. Sta., Bull. 218, 1916,
75. Pseudomonas phaseolicola (Burk- pi'si. Gr. pisus or pisum the pea; M.L.
holder, 1926) Dowson, 1943. (Phytomonas neut.noun Pisum generic name of the pea;
medicaginis var. phaseolicola Burkholder, M.L. neut. gen. noun pisi of the pea.
Phytopath., 16, 1926, 915; Dowson, Trans. Rods 0.68 to 2.26 microns. Motile with a
Brit. Mycol. Soc, 26, 1943, 10.) polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
pha.se.o.li'co.la. Gr. phaseolus the kid- Green fluorescent pigment produced in
ney bean; L. dim. mas. noun phaseolus the culture.
kidney bean; L.mas.gen.noun phaseoli of the Gelatin: Liquefied.
128 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Agar slants : Moderate growth in 24 hours, acids. Rhamnose, maltose, lactose, raffinose,
filiform, glistening, grayish white. salicin, and acetic, formic and tartaric acids
Broth: Turbid with a scum in 5 days. not fermented.
Milk: Alkaline, soft curd, clears. Starch not hydrolj'zed.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Aerobic, facultative.
Indole not produced. Comment: Orsini (Intern. Bull. Plant
Hj'drogen sulfide not produced. Protect., S3, 1942, 33) reports that a variety
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, of this species is pathogenic on the pepper
Phytopath., 32, 1942, 601). plant {Capsicum).
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose Source: Van Hall originally isolated this
and sucrose. pathogen from lilac.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Habitat: Pathogenic on lilac, citrus, cow
Temperature relations : Optimum between peas, beans, lemons, cherries and many un-
27° and 28° C. Minimum, 7° C. Maximum, related plants.
37.5° C.
Aerobic. 78. Pseudonionas tomato (Okabe, 1933)
Source: Ten cultures isolated from 5 col- Alstatt, 1944. {Bacterium tomato Okabe,
lections of diseased peas showing water- Jour. Soc. Trop. Agr. Formosa, 5, 1933, 32; .„
soaked lesions on stems and petioles. Alstatt, U. S. Dept. Agr., Plant Dis. Rept.,
Habitat: Pathogenic on garden peas, 28, 1944, 530.)
Pisum sativum, and field peas, P. sativum to.ma'to. Am.Ind. tomatl; Sp. tornate;
var. arvense. Eng. tomato; M.L. noun tomato.
Rods 0.69 to 0.97 by 1.8 to 6.8 microns.
77. Pseudonionas syringae van Hall, Motile with 1 to 3 polar flagella. Gram-
1902. (Kennis der Bakt. Pflanzenziekte, negative.
Inaug. Diss., Amsterdam, 1902, 191.) Green fluorescent pigment produced in
culture.
sy.rin'gae. Gr. syrinx, syringis a pipe or
tube; M.L. fem.noun Syringa generic name Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
of syringa or lilac; M.L. fem. gen. noun. Beef -extract agar colonies: White, circu-
syringae of the lilac. lar, flat and glistening.
Description from Clara (Cornell Agr. Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. Pellicle.
Exp. Sta. Mem. 159, 1934, 29). Milk: Becomes alkaline and clears.
Rods 0.75 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns. Nitrites are usually produced from ni-
Motile with 1 or 2 polar flagella. Gram- trates.
negative. Indole not produced.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
culture. Acid but no gas from glucose, sucrose and
Gelatin: Liquefied. lactose. No acid from maltose or glycerol.
Beef -extract agar colonies: Circular, Starch hydrolysis feeble.
grayish white with bluish tinge. Surface Slight growth in 3 per cent salt.
smooth. Edges entire or irregular. Temperature relations : Optimum between
Broth: Turbid in 36 hours. No pellicle. 20° and 25° C. Maximum, 33° C.
Milk: Alkaline. Aerobic.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Source: Isolated from diseased tomato
Indole not produced. leaves.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Habitat: Pathogenic on tomato, Lyco-
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, persicon esculenium.
Phytopath., 3^, 1942, 601).
Slight growth in broth plus 4 per cent salt. 79. Pseudomonas atrofaciens (McCul-
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose, loch, 1920) Stevens, 1925. {Bacterium atro-
mannose, arabinose, xylose, sucrose, man- faciens McCulloch, Jour. Agr. Res., 18, 1920,
nitol and glycerol. Alkaline reaction from 549; Stevens, Plant Disease Fungi, New
salts of citric, malic, succinic and lactic York, 1925, 22.)
129
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
at.ro.fa'ci.ens. L. ater black; L. facio to Acid but no gas from glucose and sucrose.
make;M.L. part. adj. atrofaciens blackening. No acid from lactose or glycerol. Starch not
Rods 0.6 by 1.0 to 2.7 microns. Long hydrolyzed.
chains formed in culture. Encapsulated.
Temperature
Aerobic. range, 5° to 31° C.
Motile with 1 to 4 polar or bipolar flagella.
Gram-negative Source: Isolated from blighted cumin
Green fluorescent pigment produced in (Cuminian).
culture. Habitat: Pathogenic on cumin and dill.
Gelatin: Liquefied.
Beef-peptone-agar colonies: Circular, 81. Pseudomonas desaiana (Burk-
shining, translucent, white. holder, 1939) Savulescu, 1947. (B. pyo-
Broth: Growth never heavy, slight rim, cyaneiis saccharum Desai, Ind. Jour. Agr.
and a delicate pellicle. Sci., 5, 1935, 391; Phytomonas desaiana Burk-
Milk: Becomes alkaline and clears. holder, in Bergey et al., Manual, 5th ed.,
Nitrites produced from nitrates (Burk- 1939, 174; Savulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane,
holder and Starr, Phytopath., 38, 1948, 498). III, 22, 1947 11.)
Indole: Slight production. de.sai.a'na. M.L. adj. desaianus. Named
Hydrogen sulfide: Slight production. for Prof. Desai of India.
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose Rods 0.6 to 1.2 by 1.2 to 2.2 microns. Mo-
and sucrose. tile with a polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
Starch is slightly hydrolyzed. Green fluorescent pigment produced in
Temperature relations : Optimum between culture.
25° and 28° C. Minimum below 2° C. Maxi- Gelatin: Liquefied.
mum between 36° and 37° C. Agar colonies: Grayish blue. Raised.
Aerobic. Broth: Light clouding. Pellicle.
Source: Isolated from diseased wheat Milk: Peptonized without coagulation.
grains collected throughout the United Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
States and Canada. Indole not produced.
Habitat: Causes a basal glume-rot of Glucose, sucrose, lactose and gh'cerol fer-
wheat. mented without gas.
Starch: Hydrolysis present.
80. Pseudomonas cuniini (Kovachev- Optimum
ski, 1936) Dowson, 1943. {Phytomonas cumini Aerobic. temperature, 30° C.
Kovachevski, Bull. Soc. Bot. Bulgarie, 7, Source: Isolated from stinking rot of
1936, 27; Dowson, Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, sugar cane in India and associated with a
m, 1943, 10.) white non-pathogenic bacterium.
cu'mi.ni. Gr. cuminum cumin; M.L. Habitat: Pathogenic on sugar cane, Sac-
neut.noun Cuminum generic name of cu- char u m officinaru tn .
min; M.L. neut. gen. noun cumini of cumin.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, oc- 82. Pseudomonas erodii Lewis, 1914.
curring in chains and filaments. Motile with (Phytopath.,.^, 1914,231.)
1 to 3 polar fiagella. Gram-negative. e.ro'di.i. Gr. erodius the heron; M.L.
Green fluorescent pigment formed in cul- neut.noun Erodium generic name of heron-
ture. bill; M.L. neut. gen. noun erodii of Erodium.
Gelatin: Rapidly liquefied. Rods 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.2 to 1.8 microns.
Potato agar colonies: Grayish white, cir- Motile with 1 to 3 polar flagella. Gram-
cular, glistening, smooth, butyrous. negative.
Broth: Moderate turbidity. Pseudozoo- Green fluorescent pigment produced in
gloea. culture.
Milk: Not coagulated. Casein peptonized. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Agar streak: Heavy, smooth, cream-
Indole not produced. colored growth in 24 hours.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Broth: Dense clouding in 24 hours.
130 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Rods 1.2 by 3.3 microns. Motile with a fructose, mannose, arabino.se, xylose, man-
polar flagellum. Gram-negative. nitol and glycerol. Alkaline reaction from
Gelatin: Liquefied. salts of acetic, citric, malic, lactic and for-
Potato agar colonies: Grayish white, cir- mic acids. Rhamnose, sucrose, maltose, lac-
cular, raised, wet-shining, smooth. tose, raffinose and salicin not fermented.
Milk: Alkaline; clears. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates (Burk- Aerobic, facultative.
holder and Starr, Phytopath., 38, 1948, 498). Good growth in broth plus 7 per cent salt.
Indole not produced. Temperature relations: Optimum be-
Acid from glucose, galactose, fructose, tween 25° and 30° C. Maximum between 37°
1-arabinose, xj'lose, sucrose, pectin, man- andDistinctive
39° C.
nitol and glycerol (Braun, Phytopath., 27, characters: Differs from
1937, 289). Pseudomonas mellea in type of lesion pro-
Ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate, duced; does not digest starch nor reduce
cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, succin- nitrates and does not form acid from lactose
imide, oxamide, acetamide and urea can be nor sucrose. Pathogenic for laboratory ani-
used as nitrogen sources (Braun). mals (Elrod and Braun, Sci., 94, 1941, 520).
Starch not hydrolyzed. Cultural characters differ from those of
Aerobic. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Migula.
Relationship to other species: Braun {loc. Source: Repeatedly isolated from leaf
cit.) states that Pseudomonas tabaci and spot of tobacco in the Philippines.
Pseiidomonas angulata are identical in Habitat: Pathogenic on tobacco.
culture.
Source: Isolated from wildfire lesions and 93. Pseudomonas viridiflava (Burk-
tobacco leaves in North Carolina. holder, 1930) Clara, 1934. (Phytomonas viri-
Habitat: Pathogenic on tobacco, Nico- diflava Burkholder, Cornell Agr. Exp. Sta.
tinna fabacvm. 111.) 127, 1930, 63; Clara, Science, 75, 1934,
Mem.
92. Pseudoniona.s poly color Clara, 1930. vi.ri.di.fla'va. L. viridis green; L. flavus
(Phytopath., 20, 1930, 704.) yellow; M.L. adj. viridiflavus greenish
po.lj^'co.lor. Gr. poly- many; L. color
color; M.L. adj. polycolor many colored. yellow.
Description from Clara (Cornell Agr.
Description taken from Clara (Cornell Exp. Sta. Mem. 139, 1934, 30).
Agr. E.xp. Sta. Mem. 159, 1934, 28). Rods 0.75 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 3.15 microns.
Rods 0.75 to 1.2 by 1.05 to 3.0 microns. Motile with 1 or 2 polar flagella. Gram-
Motile with 1 or 2 polar flagella. Gram- negative.
negative. Green fluorescent pigment produced in
Green fluorescent pigment produced in culture.
culture. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Beef -extract agar colonies: Grayish
Beef -extract agar colonies: Graj^ish white, margins corrugated, edges irregular.
white, circular, raised; thin, transparent Broth: Turbid in 36 hours.
margins. Milk: Becomes alkaline and clears.
Broth: Turbid in 36 hours with thin pel- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
licle. Indole not produced.
Milk: Alkaline; no curd. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
Indole not produced. Phytopath.,3^, 1942, 601).
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phyto- mannose, arabinose, xjdose, mannitol and
path., 32, 1942, 601). glycerol. Alkaline reaction from salts of
Acid l)Ut no gas from glucose, galactose. acetic, citric, malic, lactic and succinic
134 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
acids. Sucrose, lactose, maltose, raffinose, Watson, 1927) Dowson, 1943.* (Phytomonas
salicin, and salts of formic and tartaric acids 9.)
bowlesii (sic) Lewis and Watson, Phyto-
not fermented. path., 17, 1927, 511; Pseudomonas bowlesiae
Starch: No hydrolj'sis. Dowson, Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, 26, 1943,
Growth in broth plus 5 per cent NaCl.
Aerobic, facultative. bow.le'si.ae. M.L. fem.n. Bowlesia ge-
Comment: A variety that does not grow neric name; M.L. gen. noun bowlesiae of
Bowlesia.
in Uschinsky's solution and that produces
colonies of an unusual shape has been iso- Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.2 to 1.6 microns,
lated from the stems and leaves of blighted occurring singly, in pairs or in short chains.
beans in Denmark. See Petersen (Tidsskr. Motile with bipolar flagella. Gram-negative.
f. Planteavl., 38, 1932, 851). Green fluorescent pigment produced in
Source: Two cultures isolated from culture.
spotted beans, one from England and one Gelatin: Liquefied.
from Switzerland. Agar slants: Yellowish, moist, glistening
Habitat: Pathogenic on bean, Phaseolus and viscid.
vulgaris. Broth: Uniform turbidity throughout.
Heavy viscous sediment in old cultures.
94. Pseudoitionas ananas Serrano, 1934. Milk: Alkaline; coagulation with a slow
(Philipp. Jour. Sci., 55, 1934, 355.) peptonization.
a'na.nas. Braz.Ind. ananas pineapple; Nitrites produced from nitrates.
M.L. indecl.neut.noun ananas. Indole produced.
Rods 0.6 by 1.8 microns. Motile with 1 to Hj'drogen sulfide produced.
4 polar flagella. Gram-negative. Acid from glucose, maltose and xylose.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in No acid from sucrose.
certain media.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 27° C.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Minimum, —1° C. Maximum, 37° C.
Beef -extract glucose agar colonies: White, Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH, 7.2.
with undulating edges, smooth to rugose, pH range, 4.5 to 8.6.
glistening to dull. Aerobic.
Beef-extract agar: Growth scant. Source: Isolated from diseased, water-
Broth: Feeble growth. soaked spots of bowlesia.
Milk: Becomes alkaline with curd. Habitat: Pathogenic on Bowlesia septen-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. trionalis.
Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. 96. Pseudomonas ligustri (d'Oliveira,
Acid but no gas from glucose, xylose and 1936) SSvulescu, 1947. {Bacterium ligustri
mannitol. Feeble with lactose. No acid from
d'Oliveira, Revista Agron., 2J^, 1936, 434;
sucrose. Savulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane, III, 22,
Starch not hydrolyzed. 1947, 11.)
Temperature relations : Optimum between li.gus'tri. L. ligustrum the privet; M.L.
30° and 31° C. Minimum between 7° and neut.noun Ligustrum generic name of
10° C. Maximum, 45° C. privet; ligustri of the privet.
Aerobic. Rods 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.3 to 3.0 microns. No
Source: Isolated from rotted pineapples. chains. Not encapsulated. Motile with 2 to
Habitat: Causes a rot of pineapples. 5 polar flagella. Gram-negative.
Ananas comosus. Green pigment produced on Dox agar and
in broth.
95. Pseudomonas bowlesiae (Lewis and Gelatin: Liquefied.
* The authors of this binomial report (personal communication) that the original spell-
ing bowlesii used for the specific epithet is an orthographic error. The correct spelling is
"bowlesiae" .
135
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Beef -extract agar colonies: Growth mod- Source: Isolated from marginal lesion on
erate. Milky white, circular, convex. lettuce from Kansas.
Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. No pellicle. Habitat: Pathogenic on lettuce and re-
Milk: Coagulated in 6 days and later di- lated plants.
gested. Litmus slightly acid.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 98. Pseudomonas sesami Malkoff, 1906.
Indole not produced. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 16, 1906, 665.)
Ammonia not produced. se'sa.mi. Gr. sesamum sesame; M.L.
No gas from carbohydrates. Acid from neut.noun Sesamum generic name of sesame;
glucose, galactose, arabinose and mannose. sesami of sesame.
No acid from sucrose, maltose, lactose, raf- Description from Nakata (Ann. Phyt.
finose, raannitol or salicin. Soc. Japan, .?, 1930, 242).
Source: From diseased Japanese privet Rods 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.2 to 3.8 microns.
in Lisbon, Portugal. Motile with 2 to 5 polar flagella. Gram-
Habitat: Pathogenic on privet, Ligus- negative.
trum ja'ponicum. Green fluorescent pigment produced in
culture.
97. Pseudomonas marginalis (Brown, Gelatin: Liquefaction rapid.
1918) Stevens, 1925. {Bacterium marginale Beef -agar colonies: Circular, flat, striate,
Brown, Jour. Agr. Res., 13, 1918, 386; smooth, entire margins, white.
Stevens, Plant Disease Fungi, New York, Broth: Growth rapid. No pellicle.
1925, 30; Phyfomonas intyhi Swingle, Phyto- Milk: Alkaline. No coagulation.
path., 15, 1925, 730.) Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
mar.gi.na'lis. L. margo, marginis edge, Indole not produced.
margin; M.L. adj. marginalis marginal. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Description from Brown (op. cit., 1918, Acid but no gas from glucose. No acid
386) and Clara (Cornell Agr. Exp. Sta. Mem. from lactose, sucrose or glycerol.
159, 1934, 27). Starch not hj^drolyzed.
Rods. Motile with 1 to 3 polar flagella. Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
Gram-negative. Minimum, 0° C. Maximum, 35° C.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in Aerobic, facultative.
culture. Source: Isolated from l)rown spots on
Gelatin: Liquefied. leaves and stems of sesame.
Agar colonies: Cream-colored to yellow- Habitat: Pathogenic on sesame.
ish.
Broth: Turbid, with pellicle. 99. Pseudomonas setariae (Okabe,
Milk: Alkaline. Soft curd at times. 1934) Savulescu, 1947. (Bacterium setariae
Nitrites are produced from nitrates. Not Okabe, Jour. Soc. Trop. Agr. Formosa, 6,
produced (Clara). 1934, 63; SSvulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane,
Indole not produced. III, 22, 1947, 11.)
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. se.ta'ri.ae. L. saeta a bristle; M.L.
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose, saetarius bristle-like; M.L. fem.noun Se-
fructose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, rham- taria generic name of foxtail; setariae of
nose, mannitol and glycerol. Alkali from Setaria.
salts of acetic, citric, malic, formic, lactic, Rods 0.4 to 0.8 by 1.8 to 4.4 microns.
succinic and tartaric acids. Sucrose, mal- Motile with a polar, seldom bipolar, flagel-
tose, lactose, raffinose and salicin not fer- lum. Gram-negative.
mented (Clara). Yellowish, water-soluble pigment pro-
Starch hydrolysis feeble. None (Clara). duced in culture.
Temperature relations : Optimum between Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
25° and 26° C. Minimum, 0° C. Maximum, Beef -extract agar colonies: Circular,
38° C. white, opalescent, smooth, glistening.
Aerobic. Broth: Tur])id after 18 hours. Pellicle.
136 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Habitat: Causes a root rot of ginseng, chlorus green; M.L. adj. xanthochlorvs yel-
Panax quinquefoliitm. lowish green.
Description from Erw. Smith (Bacteria
107. Pseudomonas ribicola Bohn and in Rel. to Plant Dis., 3, 1914, 272).
Maloit, 1946. (Jour. Agr. Res., 73, 1946, 288.) Rods 0.75 to 1.5 by 3.0 microns. Motile
ri.bi'co.la. M.L. noun Ribes generic name with 1 to 3 polar flagella. Gram-negative.
of currant; L. colo to dwell; M.L. fera.n. Green fluorescent pigment produced in
ribicola the currant dweller. culture.
Rods, 0.4 to 0.9 by 0.9 to 1.7 microns, Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
Agar colonies: Circular, slightly raised,
occurring singly, in pairs and in hypha-like
chains. Motile by 1 or more polar flagella. yellow-white.
Gram-negative. Broth: Strong clouding in 24 hours. A
Gelatin: Very slow liquefaction. white pellicle.
Beef -extract agar colonies: Punctiform, Milk: Slow coagulation and clearing.
smooth, translucent, white; edges entire. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Beef -extract agar slant: Growth scant, Indole produced after 10 days.
filiform, glistening, translucent, white, Hydrogen sulfide produced slowly.
slightly viscid. Acid but no gas from glucose and galac-
Broth: Slightly turbid; no ring or pellicle. tose.
Potato dextrose slants: Growth moder- Temperature relations: Optimum, 27° C.
ate, filiform, glistening, butyrous to viscid. Minimum, 2° C. Maximum, 44° C.
Source: Isolated from rotting potato
Medium slightly yellow. Dirty pink pig-
ment in old cultures. tubers in Germany.
Milk: Slightly darkened, becoming alka- Habitat : Pathogenic on potato tubers and
line. a number of unrelated plants.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
109. Pseudomonas aleuritidis (McCul-
Growth good in Uschinsky's and Fermi's
solutions; yellow-green pigment produced. loch and Demaree, 1932) Stapp, 1935. (Bac-
terium aleuritidis McCulloch and Demaree,
No growth in Cohn's and Ashby's mannitol Jour. Agr. Res., 43, 1932, 339; Stapp, Bot.
solutions.
Indole not produced. Rev., 1, 1935,408.)
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. a.leu.ri'ti.dis. Gr. aleurites of wheaten
Acid from glucose, galactose, fructose, flour; M.L. fem.noun Aleurites generic
xylose and mannitol. name; M.L. gen. noun aleuritidis of Aleu-
rites.
Starch not hydrolyzed.
Rods 0.6 to 0.7 by 1.1 to 3.0 microns.
Asparagine utilized as a carbon-nitrogen
Motile with 1 to 5 polar, rarely bipolar,
source. Tj^rosine oxidized.
Not lipolytic. flagella. Encapsulated. Gram-negative.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- certain media.
tween 20° and 25° C. Minimum, less than Gelatin: Not liquefied.
3.5° C. Maximum, between 30° and 32° C. Beef agar slants: Growth is thin, white
Source: Six single-cell isolates from leaf and viscid.
spot of golden currant in Wyoming.
Broth: A heavy white surface growth in
Habitat: Pathogenic on Ribes aureum. 24 hours. Sediment.
Rods 0.75 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 3.75 microns. Nutrient agar colonies: Yellowish white,
Motile with 1 or 2 polar fiagella. Gram- wet-shining, smooth; margins irregular.
negative. Broth: Heavy turbidity in 24 hours.
Green fluorescent pigment produced in Sediment.
culture. Milk: Cleared.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Beef -extract agar colonies: Circular, Indole not produced.
grayish white with bluish tinge, raised with Acid from glucose and galactose. No acid
slightly irregular edges. from sucrose.
Broth: Turbid in 36 hours with a smooth, Starch hydrolysis feeble.
viscous pellicle.
Milk: Alkaline. 30°Optimum
C. temperature between 25° and
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Aerobic, facultative.
Indole not produced. Distinctive character : Differs from Pseu-
H3'drogen sulfide not produced. domonas barkeri in that it does not liquefy
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phj^- gelatin nor produce indole. Produces cap-
topath., 32, 1942, 601). sules.
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose Source : Isolated from blighted pear blos-
fructose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, man- soms in South Africa.
nitol and glycerol. Alkaline production from Habitat: Pathogenic on pear blossoms.
salts of acetic, citric, lactic, malic, succinic
and tartaric acids. Rhamnose, maltose, 117. Pseudomonas viburni (Thornberry
sucrose, lactose, raffinose and salicin not and Anderson, 1931) Stapp, 1935. (Phyto-
utilized. monas viburni Thornberry and Anderson,
Starch not hydrolyzed. Phytopath., 21, 1931, 912; Stapp, Bot. Rev.
Slight growth in broth plus 6 per cent 1, 1935,407.)
NaCl. vi.bur'ni. L. viburnum waj' -faring tree;
Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH, be- M.L. neut.noun Viburnum name of a genus
tween 6.8 and 7.1. Minimum, between 5.0 of flowering plants; M.L. gen. noun viburni
and 5.3. Maximum, between 9.2 and 9.4. of Viburnum.
(Kotte, op. cit., 2, 1930, 453). Rods 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns.
Aerobic, facultative. Encapsulated. Motile with 2 to 4 polar
Source: Isolated from rot of French en- flagella. Gram-negative (Burkholder); not
dive, Cichorium intybus, by Swingle and by Gram-positive as stated in original.
Okabe, and from C. endivia by Kotte. Green fluorescent pigment produced in
Habitat: Pathogenic on endive, lettuce culture (Burkholder).
and larkspur. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Glucose beef-extract colonies: Dull gray,
116. Pseiidomonas nectarophila circular, edges entire.
(Doidge, 1917) Rosen and Bleeker, 1933. Broth: Turbid with pellicle.
Milk: Alkaline.
{Bacterium nectar ophilum Doidge, Ann.
Appl. Biol., J^, 1917, 73; Rosen and Bleeker, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Indole not produced.
Jour. Agr. Res., ^6, 1933, 98.)
Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
nee. ta.ro 'phi. la. Gr. nectar nectar; Gr. Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. nectarophilns
Phytopath., 32, 1942, 601).
nectar-loving. Acid from glucose and galactose but not
Rods 0.5 to 0.7 by 0.6 to 1.5 microns. sucrose (Burkholder).
Motile with 1 to 5 polar flagella. Encapsu- Starch: No hydrolysis.
lated. Gram-negative. Slight growth in 3.5 per cent salt (Burk-
Green fluorescent pigment produced in holder).
culture.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Minimum, 12° C. Maximum, 35° C.
142 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
(Phytomonas alliicola Burkholder, Phyto- Broth: Turbid with pellicle. Dark brown.
path., 32, 1942, 146; Starr and Burkholder, Milk: Soft curd with pellicle. Clears in
Phytopath., ibid., 601.) zones. Litmus reduced.
al.li.i'co.la. L. allium onion; L. -cola Nitrites produced from nitrates.
dweller; M.L. fern. noun alliicola onion Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
dweller. Indole not produced.
Rods 0.7 to 1.4 by 1.05 to 2.8 microns. Acid from glucose, galactose, xylose,
Motile with 1 to several polar flagella, at rhamnose, sucrose, maltose, mannitol,
times bipolar. Gram-negative. glycerol and salicin. Alkali produced from
Gelatin: Liquefied. the salts of citric, malic, malonic, succinic,
Beef -extract peptone agar streaks : Mod- tartaric and hippuric acids. Good growth
erate in growth, white at first, later dirty in tyrosine and in asparagine broth.
in appearance, edges wavy, consistency vis- Starch not hydrolyzed.
cid. Medium deep brown. Aerobic.
Potato-glucose agar frequently becomes Source: Eight isolates from leaf spots of
greenish. gardenias in New Jersey.
Broth: Turbid with light pellicle. Brown. Habitat : Pathogenic on leaves of Gardenia
Milk: Cleared and litmus reduced. Neu- jasminoides.
tral.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. 123. Pseudonionas caryophylli (Burk-
Indole not produced. holder, 1942) Starr and Burkholder, 1942.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. {Phytomonas caryophylli Burkholder, Phy-
Lipolytic action very strong. topath., 32, 1942, 143; Starr and Burk-
Acid but no gas from 1-arabinose, d-xy- holder, ibid., 601.)
lose, rhamnose, glucose, d-galactose, fruc- ca.ry.o'phyl.li. Gr. caryophyllum nut
tose, d-lactose, maltose, sucrose, glycerol, leaf, the clover tree; M.L. mas. noun
mannitol and salicin. Alkali from salts of caryophyllus specific epithet in Dianthus
acetic, citric, formic, hippuric, lactic, malic, caryophyllus , the clove-pink or carnation;
succinic and tartaric acids. M.L. gen. noun caryophylli of the carnation.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Rods 0.35 to 0.95 by 1.05 to 3.18 microns.
Slight growth in broth plus 4 per cent At times slightly curved. Motile with 1 to
salt. several polar flagella. Frequently bipolar.
Aerobic. Gram-negative.
Temperature relations: Optimimi, 30° C. Gelatin: Liquefaction after 3 to 4 weeks.
Minimum, 5° C. Maximum, 41° C. Potato glucose agar colonies: 3 to 4 mm in
Source: Seven isolates from storage rot diameter, circular, smooth, glistening,
of onion bulbs. edges entire. Color is tan to gray-mauve.
Habitat: Pathogenic on onion bulbs, Al- Old culture dark brown. Consistency buty-
lixun cepa. rous.
Broth: Turbid with a white sediment.
122. Pseiidonionas gardeniae Burk- Milk: Litmus slowly becomes blue. Slight
holder and Pirone, 1941. (Phytopath., 31, reduction at bottom of tube. No clearing.
1941, 194.) Nitrites produced from nitrates. Also
gar.de'ni.ae. L. Garden patronymic; ammonia and gas are produced in a syn-
M.L. fem.noun Gardenia plant generic thetic nitrate medium. Asparagine, KNO3
name; M.L. gen. noun gardeniae of Gardenia. and NH4H2PO4 can be utilized.
Rods 0.75 by 2.4 microns. Motile with Indole not produced.
1 to 2 polar flagella. Gram-negative. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Lipolytic action slight to moderate.
Beef -extract peptone agar colonies: Acid from 1-arabinose, d-xylose, rham-
Growth fair, white to dirty gray and viscid. nose, glucose, d-galactose, fructose, d-lac-
Medium becoming dark brown. tose, maltose, sucrose, glj^cerol, mannitol
Potato-glucose agar: No brown color. and salicin. Alkali with sodium salts of
144 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Motile with 1 to 5 polar flagella. Encapsu- Woodrow patronymic; M.L. gen. noun woo(/-
lated. Gram-negative. rowii of Woodrow.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Rods 0.8 by 1.5 microns. Motile with
Beef -peptone agar colonies: Small, flat, a single polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
.smooth, dry, shining, translucent, graj^ish Gelatin: Liquefied.
and butyrous. Potato dextrose agar colonies: Circular,
Broth: Turbid in 4 days. Transient pel- capitate with margins entire. Pale, dull
licle.
gray. 1.2 cm in diameter in 7 daj's.
Milk: Slightly alkaline. No coagulation Broth: Turbid.
nor clearing. Potato cylinders: Scant growth. Medium
dark gray.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. No
growth on synthetic nitrate agar. Milk : Litmus reduced and casein digested.
Indole not produced. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Loefiler's blood serum: Liquefied.
Acid reaction occurs in galactose, starch Indole not produced.
and sucrose. No gas. Synthetic asparagine medium. No growth.
Starch not hj-drolyzed. Methyl red test negative; acetylmethyl-
Source : From diseased leaves and fruit of carbinol not produced.
the passion fruit in New Zealand. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Habitat: Pathogenic on Passiflora edulis. Acid but no gas from glucose, lactose and
sucrose, but no growth in salicin.
127. Pseudomonas seininuni Caylej', Salt tolerance: Up to 1 per cent.
1917. (Jour. Agr. Sci., 8, 1917, 461.)
28°Optimum
C. temperature between 25° and
se'mi.num. L. semen, sennnis seed; L.
gen.pl. semimim of seeds. Aerobic.
Source: Isolated from leaves of Vitis
Rods 1.0 by 4.0 to 5.0 microns. Spore-
like bodies present. Encapsulated. Motile woodrowii in India.
with a single flagellum. Reported as Gram- Habitat : Pathogenic on V. woodrowii but
not on V. vinifera.
po.sitive; however, probablj^ in error. No
cultures are available for a retest of this
character. 129. Pseudomonas fabae (Yu, 1936)
Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction. Burkholder, 1948. (Phytomonas fabae Yu,
Agar colonies: White, more or less circu- Bull, of the Chinese Bot. Soc, 2, 1936, 34;
lar, transparent, spreading. Burkholder, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 139.)
Broth: Turbid. Pellicle. fa'bae. L. faba the horse bean; M.L.
Litmus milk: Milk becomes clear and gen. noun /aftoe of the hor.se bean.
apricot color. Rods 0.8 to 1.1 by 1.1 to 2.8 microns. Mo-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. tile with 1 to 4 polar flagella. Gram-nega-
Acid but no gas from glucose and sucrose. tive.
No acid from lactose. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Starch: No hydrolysis. Nutrient agar colonies: Circular, entire,
Optimum temperature, 25° C. viscid, glistening, raised, smooth to
Aerobic, facultative. wrinkled, white to salmon. Medium amber.
Source: Isolated from seeds, stems and Broth: Turbid after 12 hours. Pellicle.
pods of diseased peas in England. Milk: Growth slow. Clears.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
128. P.seiidonionas vitiswoodrowii Pa- Indole production slight.
id and Kulkarni, 1951. (Pseudomonas ritis- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
woodrowii (sic) Patel and Kulkai'ui, Curr. Acid but no gas from glucose. No acid
Sci.,^0, 1951, 132.) nor gas developed from arabinose, xylose,
vi.tis.wood.ro'wi.i. L. fem.noun vitis fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactose, mal-
a vine; M.L. fem.noun Vitis a generic name; tose, raffinose, dextrin, inulin, mannitol or
146 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Source : Isolated from a brown leaf spot of Habitat: Causes a disease of the banana
iris.
Habitat : Pathogenic on Iris tectorum and plant.
Iris japo7iica. 135. Pseudomonas polygoni (Thorn-
berry and Anderson, 1937) Burkholder,
133. Pseudomonas levistici Oster- 1948. (Phytomonas polygoni Thornberry
walder, 1909. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 25, and Anderson, Phytopath., 27, 1937, 947;
1909, 260.) Burkholder, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 140.)
le.vis'ti.ci. L. neut.noun ligusticum a po.ly'go.ni. Gr. polygonum knot weed;
Ligurian plant, lovage; L. neut.noun le- M.L. neut.noun Polygonum generic name;
visticum a corruption of ligusticum; M.L. M.L. gen. noun polygoni of Polygonum.
neut.noun Levisticum generic name of Rods 0.5 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 2.5 microns.
lovage; M.L. gen. noun levistici of Levisti- Motile with 2 to 8 bipolar flagella. Encap-
cum. sulated. Gram-positive (?). Other species
Rods 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.1 to 1.5 microns. reported by these investigators as Gram-
Motile with a polar flagellum. Gram-nega- positive have proved to be Gram-negative
tive. on a retest (Burkholder).
Gelatin: Colonies greenish white. Li- Gelatin: Liquefied. Brown.
quefied. Glucose agar slant: Abundant, filiform,
Nutrient agar: Good growth at room flat, dull, smooth, pale olive-gray, bvity-
temperature. Yellowish white. rous. Medium turns brown.
Broth: Pellicle. Broth: Turbid. Pellicle.
Indole produced. Milk: Alkaline and clears. Litmus not re-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. duced.
Source : Isolated from spots on the leaves Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
of lovage. Indole not produced.
Habitat: Pathogenic on lovage, Levisti- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
cum officinale. No appreciable amount of gas from car-
bohydrates.
134. Pseudomonas niaublaucii (Foex Starch: No hydrolysis.
and Lansade, 1936) SHvulescu, 1947. {Bac- Temperature relations: Optimum, 18° C.
terium maublancii Foex and Lansade,
Minimum, 7° C. Maximum, 35° C.
Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 202, Aerobic.
1936,2174; Savulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane, Source: From diseased leaves of Poly-
III, 22, 1947, 11.) gomim convolvulus in Illinois.
mau.blan'ci.i. Maublanc, patronymic; Habitat: Pathogenic on black bindweed,
M.L. gen. noun maublancii of Maublanc. Polygonum convolvulus.
Rods 0.4 by 1.3 microns. Motile with 1
to 3 polar flagella. Gram-negative. 136. Pseudomonas radiciperda (Javo-
Gelatin: Liquefied. ronkova, 1932) Savulescu, 1947. (Bacterium
Gelatin colonies: Round, translucent, radiciperda Javoronkova, Bull. Plant Pro-
margins entire. tect., Leningrad, Ser. II, 5, no. 1, 1932, 161;
Broth: Thin pellicle. savulescu. Anal. Acad. Romane, III, 22,
Milk: Not coagulated; clears. 1947, 11.)
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. ra.di.ci.per'da. L. radix, radicis root; L.
Indole not produced. perdo to destroy; M.L. fem.noun radiciperda
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. the root destroyer.
Carbohydrates not fermented. Description from Javoronkova (Rev. App.
Ammonia produced. Myc, 11, 1932, 652).
Growth in Fermi's solution, not in Us- Rods 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns. Encapsu-
chinsky's solution. lated. Motile by means of 1 or 2 polar fla-
Source: Isolated from rotting vascular gella. Gram-negative.
and parenchymatic tissue of banana stalks. Gelatin: Liquefied.
148 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Broth: Growth slow with moderate tur- mas. noun petasites a broad-leafed plant,
bidity in 48 hours. A thin pellicle. colt's foot; M.L. mas. noun Petasites generic
Milk: Alkaline and clears. name; M.L. gen. noun petasitis of Petasites.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Rods 0.8 to 1.1 by 1.1 to 1.7 microns.
Indole not produced. Motile with a polar flagellum. Gram-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. negative.
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Phytopath., 3£, 1942,601). Beef agar colonies: White, circular or
Acid but no gas from glucose, arabinose, amoeboid, butyrous.
fructose and xylose. No acid from sucrose, Broth: Strong turbidity. Pellicle.
maltose, lactose, raffinose, glycerol or Milk: Coagulated in 30 days.
mannitol. Nitrites produced from nitrates with gas
Starch partially digested. formation.
Temperature relations : Optimum between Indole not produced.
22° and 30° C. Minimum, 1.5° C. Maximum Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
between 37° and 38° C. No evident acid in peptone broth, but gas
Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH be- from glucose, lactose and sucrose. Acid but
tween 6.0 and 6.6. Minimum, 5.0. Maximum no gas from glycerol.
between 8.3 and 8.6. Weak growth in broth plus 6 per cent salt.
Source : Elliott used for her description 4 Temperature relations : Optimum between
cultures isolated from lesions on sorgo, 27° and 30° C. Minimum, approximately
sorghum and broom-corn. 5° C. Maximum, 47° C.
Habitat: Pathogenic on sorghum, Holcus Source: Isolated from brown to black
sorghum. lesions on Petasites japonicus in Japan.
Habitat : Pathogenic on leaves of Petasites
143. Pseudomonas lignicola Westerdijk
japonicus.
and Buisman, 1929. (De lepenziekte, Arn-
hem, 1929, 51.) 145. Pseudomonas woodsii (Erw. Smith,
lig.ni'co.la. L. lignum wood; L. -cola 1911) Stevens, 1925. {Bacterium woodsii
dweller; M.L. fem.noun lignicola wood Erw. Smith, Bacteria in Relation to Plant
dweller or inhabitant. Diseases, 2, 1911, 62; Stevens, Plant Disease
Rods. Single or short chains. Motile with Fungi, New York, 1925, 39.)
1 to several polar flagella. Gram-negative. wood 'si. i. Named for A. F. Woods, an
Gelatin: No liquefaction. American plant pathologist; M.L. gen. noun
Malt agar streaks: Milk-w^hite with a woodsii of Woods.
colorless edge.
Description from Burkholder and Guter-
Broth: Turbid with light pellicle. man (Phytopath., 25, 1935, 118).
Milk: No coagulation. No acid. Rods 0.67 by 1.56 microns. Motile with a
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
Indole not produced. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Starch hydrolysis slight. Beef -extract agar slants : Growth slow and
Optimum temperature, ±25° C. scant, filiform, creamy, butyrous.
Source : From vessels of elm wood showing Broth: Turbid.
dark discoloration, in Holland. Milk: Becomes alkaline but otherwise
Habitat: Pathogenic on elm wood. little changed.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
144. Pseudomonas petasitis (Takimoto, Indole not produced.
1927) Siivulescu, 1947. {Bacterium petasitis Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
(sic) Takimoto, Ann. Phyt. Soc. Japan, Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
2, 1927, 55; Savulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane, Phytopath., 3^, 1942,601).
III,^^, 1947, 11.) Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
pe.ta'si.tis. Gr. mas. noun petasus a galactose, arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, lac-
sombrero, a broad-brimmed felt hat; Gr. tose, glycerol and mannitol. Alkaline reac-
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 151
tion from salts of acetic, citric, malic and grass; L. adj. miliaceus pertaining to millet;
succinic acids. Sucrose, maltose, salicin, and Panicum miliaceum millet.
lactic and formic acids not fermented. Description translated by Dr. K. Togashi.
Starch not hydrol3-zed. Rods 0.8 to 1.1 by 1.8 to 2.6 microns.
Slight growth in broth plus 3 per cent salt. Motile, with a single flagellum. Gram-
Aerobic. negative.
Source: Isolated from water-soaked Gelatin: Not liquefied.
lesions on carnation leaves. Potato-agar plates: Growth moderate,
Habitat: Pathogenic on carnation, Dian- whitish, then tinged with light orange, un-
tfius canjophylbis. dulating margins.
Broth: Turbid; white pellicle formed.
146. Pseudonionas eriobotryae (Taki- Milk: No coagulation and slow digestion.
moto, 1931) Dowson, 1943. {Bacterium erio- Alkaline.
botryae Takimoto, Jour. Plant Protect., 18, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
1931, 354; Dowson, Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, Indole not produced.
26, 1943, 10.) Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
e.ri.o.bo'trj^.ae. Gr. erium wool; Gr. No acid and no gas from sucrose, glucose,
hotrys grape cluster; M.L. fem.noun Erioho- lactose, glycerol or sodium nitrate.
trya woolly grape, a generic name; M.L. Starch not hydroh'zed.
gen. noun eriobotryae of Eriobotrya.
Translated by Dr. K. Togashi. 35°Optimum
C. temperature between 30° and
terium wieringae Elliott, Man. Bact. Plant Rods 0.5 by 2.0 microns. Motile with 1 to
Pathogens, 1930, 264; Saviilescu, Anal. 5 polar flagella. Gram-negative.
Acad. Romane, III, 22, 1947, 11.) Beef -agar colonies: Smooth, round, white
wie'ring.ae. Named for Dr. K. T. Wie- to grayish, fluorescent,
ringa, the bacteriologist who first described Milk: Cleared in 5 days. Not coagulated,
the species; M.L. gen. noun wieringae of Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Wieringa. No gas from sugars.
Because Bacterium betae Chester (Ann. Temperature relations : Optimum between
Rept. Del. Col. Agr. Exp. Sta., 9, 1897, 53) 28° and 30° C. Minimum, 4° C. Maximum,
may be a pseudomonad, the more distinctive 37° C.
species name proposed by Elliott has been Source: Isolated from vascular rot of
retained. beets in Holland.
Description from Elliott (op. cit., 1930, Habitat: Pathogenic on beets, Beta vul-
264). garis.
Source: Smith isolated this ])uthogeii from Broth: Turbid, yellow ring, abundant
Japanese plimis. sediment.
Habitat: Pathogenic on plum {Prunus Milk: Coagulation and peptonization.
salicina), peach (P. persica), apricot (P. Indole not produced.
(irmeniaca), etc. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
3. Xaiilhonionas vilians (Brown, 1918) Acid from glucose, sucrose, maltose and
Dowson, 1943. {Bacterium vitians Brown, mannitol. No acid from lactose.
Jour. Agr. Res., 13, 1918, 379; Dowson, Starch hydrolysis feeble.
Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, 26, 1943, 13.) Temperature relations: Optimum, 29° C.
vi'ti.ans. L. vitio to injure; L. part. adj. Minimum, 1.5° C. Maximum, 39° C.
vitians injuring. Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH, 6.5.
Rods. Motile with bipolar flagella. Gram- Minimum, between 4.5 and 4.8. Maximum,
negative. between 9.0 and 9.5.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. Tolerates salt up to 9 per cent.
Beef-extract agar colonies: Circular, Aerobic.
smooth, thin, cream to cream-yellow. Comment: It is doubtful whether this
Broth: Turbid with yellow ring. species belongs in this genus.
Milk: Clears and turns alkaline. Source: Isolated from galls on sugar beets
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. collected in Colorado, Kansas and Virginia.
Indole: Feeble production. Habitat: Produces galls on sugar beets
Hydrogen sulfide: Feeble production. and on garden beets.
Acid but no gas from glucose.
Starch: Feeble hydrolysis. 5. Xanthomonas rubrilineans (Lee et
Pectate medium not liquefied. al., 1925) Starr and Burkholder, 1942.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- {Phytomonas rubrilineans Lee, Purdy, Bar-
tween 26° and 28° C. Minimum, 0° C. Maxi- num and Martin, Hawaiian Sugar Planters'
mum, 35° C. Assoc. Bui., 1925, 25; Starr and Burkholder,
Aerobic. Phytopath., 32, 1942, 600.)
Source : Isolated from the stem of diseased
ru.bri.li'ne.ans. L. ruber red; lineo to
lettuce plants from South Carolina. make a straight line; rubrilineans making
Habitat: Pathogenic on lettuce, Lactuca red stripes.
sativa. Rods 0.7 by 1.67 microns. Motile with 1
or seldom more polar flagella. Gram-nega-
4. Xanthonionas beticola (Smith tive.
et al., 1911) Savulescu, 1947. {Bacterium Gelatin: Liquefied.
beticolum Smith, Brown and Townsend, U. Agar (Beef-extract + glucose) colonies:
S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Ind., Bui. 213, Small, smooth, glistening, buff to yellow.
1911, 194; S&vulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane, Broth: Turbid with pellicle. Sediment.
III, 22, 1947, 12). Milk: Casein precipitated and digested.
be.ti'co.la. L. beta the beet; L. v. colo to Nitrites produced from nitrates.
inhabit; M.L. noun beticola the beet dweller.
Description from Brown, Jour. Agr. Res., Indole not produced.
37, 1928, 167, where the species is referred to Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
as Bacterium beticola (Smith, Brown and Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
Townsend) Potebnia. Phytopath., 32, 1942, 600).
Rods 0.4 to 0.8 by 0.6 to 2.0 microns. Acid from glucose, fructose, arabinose,
Motile with 1 to 4 polar flagella. Encapsu- xylose, lactose, sucrose, raffinose and man-
lated. Presumably Gram-negative although nitol.
originally reported as Gram-variable. Starch: Slight hydrolysis.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Pectate medium not liquefied.
Beef-agar slants: Growth moderate, Growth range, pH 5.4 to pH 7.3.
filiform, flat, glistening, yellow. Aerobic, facultative.
158 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Source: Isolated from red stripe lesions in Motile with a polar flagellum. Gram-
sugar cane. negative.
Habitat: Pathogenic on sugar cane. Gelatin: No liquefaction. Liquefaction
(Wieringa, Tidschr. Plantziekt., 4I, 1935,
6. Xanthoinonas barbareae Burkholder, 312; McCulloch, Jour. Agr. Res., 54, 1937,
1941. (Phytopath., 31, 1941, 348.) 859; Dowson, op. cit., 1939, 190; Stapp,
Arbeiten Biol. Reichsanst. f. Land- u.
bar.ba're.ae. M.L. fem.n. Barbarea ge- Forstw., 22, 1938, 392).
neric name of cress; M.L. gen. noun barbareae
of Barbarea. Potato agar colonies: Circular, convex,
Rods 0.4 to 0.95 by 1.0 to 3.15 microns. smooth, moist, shining, yellow.
Motile with a single polar flagellum. Gram- Broth: Turbid. Yellow pellicle and pre-
negative. cipitation.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Milk: No coagulation. Casein digested.
Alkaline.
Beef-extract peptone colonies: Circular,
yellow, smooth, butyrous, growth moderate. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Potato glucose agar: Growth abundant, Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide produced.
pale 3'ellow. Mucoid.
Broth: Turbid, j^ellow granular ring. Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phy-
Milk: Soft curd, with clearing and produc- topath., 32, 1942, 600).
tion of tyrosine crystals. Litmus reduced. No acid or gas in peptone broth from
Nitrates utilized but no nitrites produced. glucose, sucrose, lactose or glycerol. Acid
Asparagine and nitrites not utilized. from glucose, sucrose, lactose, mannitol and
Hydrogen sulfide produced. glycerol in peptone-free medium (McCul-
Indole not produced. loch, op. cit., 1937,859).
Starch hydrolyzed (Dowson, Jour. Roy.
Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phy- Hort. Soc.,6S, 1938,289).
topath., 32, 1942, 600).
Acid from glucose, galactose, xylose, Pectate medium not liquefied.
maltose, sucrose and glycerol. Alkali pro- Temperature relations: Optimum, 27°C.
duced from salts of malonic, citric, malic Minimum, between 1° and 3° C. Maximum,
37° C.
and succinic acids. Rhamnose, salicin and
hippuric acid salts not utilized. Source: Isolated from leaf spot of tu-
Starch hydrolyzed. berous begonia.
Pectate medium liquefied. Habitat: Pathogenic on Begonia spp.
Aerobic.
Distinctive characters: Similar to 8. Xanthomonas betlicola Patel et al.,
Xanthomonas campestris but does not infect 1951. (Patel, Kulkarni and Dhande, Curr.
cabbage, cauliflower or horseradish. Sci.,^0, 1951, 106.)
Source: From black rot of winter cress, bet.li'co.la. East Indian betle, the name
Barbarea vulgaris. of the betel, a shrubby vine; L. v. colo to
Habitat: Pathogenic on leaves and stems dwell; M.L. fem.n. betlicola the betel-
dweller.
of Barbarea vulgaris.
Rods slender, occurring singly or in
pairs. Motile. Encapsulated. Gram-nega-
7. Xanthoinonas begoniae (Takimoto, tive.
1934) Dowson, 1939. (Bacterium begoniae Gelatin: Liquefied.
Takimoto, Jour. Plant Protect., 21, 1934, Potato-glucose agar colonies: 11 mm in
262; Dowson, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100, diameter in 7 days, baryta-yellow, lobate,
1939, 190.) striations at periphery.
be.go'ni.ae. Named for B6gon; M.L. Broth: Turbid; yellow growth.
fem.n. Begonia generic name; M.L. gen. Milk: Litmus reduced. Casein digested.
noun begoniae of Begonia. Loeffler's blood serum liquefied.
Translated by Dr. K. Togashi. Indole not produced.
Rods 0.5 to 0.6 by 1.2 to 2.0 microns. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
159
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
gested. Litmus reduced. Crystal formation Broth: Moderately turbid. Ring and j-el-
(Burkholder). low sediment.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Milk: Precipitation of casein; digestion.
Nitrogen sources utilized are peptone, Alkaline.
aspartic acid, alanine, leucine, sodium Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
ammonium phosphate, allantoin, t.yrosine, Indole not produced.
uric acid and brucine. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Indole not produced. Acid from glucose, galactose, fructose,
Hydrogen sulfide not produced on lead lactose, maltose, sucrose and glycerol. No
acetate agar. HoS produced after ZoBell acid from mannitol.
and Feltham's method (Burkholder). Starch hydrolyzed.
Selenium dioxide reduced. Pectate medium not liquefied.
Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, ibid., Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
600). tween 25° and 30° C. Maximum, 35° C.
Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose, pH range for growth: pH 5.8 to 9.0. Opti-
galactose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, xylose, mum pH, between 6.5 and 7.0.
raffinose, mannitol, glycerol and starch. Slight growth in 5 per cent salt.
Alkali from salts of citric, lactic, malic and Aerobic.
succinic acids. Arabinose, rhamnose, dulci- Source: Species first isolated from squash.
tol, salicin, inulin and cellulose not utilized. Habitat : Causes a leaf spot of squash and
Starch hydrolj^zed. related plants.
Pectate medium not liquefied.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- 16. Xanthomonas desniodii Uppal and
tween 28° and 32° C. Minimum, between 5° Patel, 1949. (Uppal and Patel, in Patel,
and 7° C. Maximum, 37° C. Thermal death Curr. Sci., 18, 1949, 213; also see Patel,
point between 53° and 55° C. Indian Phytopath., 2, 1949, 5.)
pH range for growth: pH 5.2 to 10.5. Opti- des.mo'di.i. M.L. neut.n. Desmodium
mum pH, between 6 and 8. generic name of host; M.L. gen. noun
Strict aerobe. desmodii of Desmodium.
Distinctive characters: Cultural charac- Rods, 0.4 to 0.8 by 1.6 to 2.4 microns, oc-
ters the same or similar to those of Xantho- curring singly or in pairs. Motile with a
monas juglandis. The two species do not single polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
cross-infect. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Source: 26 isolates from widely scattered Nutrient agar slants: Growth fair, filiform,
filbert orchards in Oregon and Washington. flat, dull, smooth, opaque and pinard-
Habitat: Pathogenic on filberts {Corylus
avellana and C. maxima). yellow.
Potato-glucose agar (neutral) colonies :
Yellowish amber with colorless margins,
15. Xanthomonas cucurbitae (Bryan, circular, viscid, smooth and wet.
1926) Dowson, 1939. (Bacterium cucurbitae Beef broth: Growth slow. Moderate in 48
Bryan, Science, 63, 1926, 165; Bryan, Jour. hours and good in 4 daj's.
Agr. Res., 40, 1930, 389; Dowson, Zent. f. Milk: Litmus turns red in 10 days. Reduc-
Bakt., II Abt., 100, 1939, 190.) tion slow.
cu.cur'bi.tae. L. cucurbita a gourd; M.L. Indole not produced.
fem.n. Cucurbita generic name; M.L. gen. Hydrogen sulfide production fair.
noun cucurbitae of Cucurbita. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Rods 0.45 to 0.6 by 0.5 to 1.3 microns. No growth in Cohn's, Uschinsky's or
Motile, usually with a single polar flagellum. Fermi's solution.
Gram-negative. Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose,
Gelatin: Liquefied. lactose, mannitol, maltose and sucrose in
Beef -agar slants: Growth moderate, mus- synthetic medium. Poor growth in salicin,
tard-yellow, undulating margins, viscid to rafhnose, fructose, arabinose, xylose, dulci-
butyrous. tol and glycerol, and no growth in tartaric,
162 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
rapid. Slightly raised, yellow, butyrous in fructose, xylose, lactose, maltose, sucrose,
young cultures, difficult to pick up in old raffinose, glycerol, inulin and glycogen.
cultures. Alkaline reaction from salts of acetic, citric,
Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. lactic and succinic acids. No fermentation
Milk: White curd in bottom. Litmus a of arabinose, mannitol, dulcitol, salicin, and
dirty wine color in supernatant liquid. salts of formic, oxalic and tartaric acids
Uschinsky's medium: Good growth. (Lewis).
Fermi's solution: Scant growth. Starch hydrolyzed (Lewis).
Indole not produced. Pectate medium not liquefied.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. tween 25° and 30° C. Maximum, between
Ammonia produced from peptone. 36" and 38° C. (Elliott).
Acid but no gas from arabinose, glucose, Source: Isolated from angular leaf spot
fructose, galactose, lactose, maltose, man- of cotton.
nitol, raffinose, sucrose and xylose. Glycerol Habitat: Pathogenic on cotton, where-
not attacked. Tartrate utilized. ever it is grown, causing a leaf spot, a stem
Starch hydrolj^zed. lesion and a boll lesion.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
tween 22° and 28° C. Minimum, 10° C. Maxi- 26. Xanthomonas pelargonii (Brown,
mum, 37° C. Thermal death point, 50° C. 1923) Starr and Burkholder, 1942. (Bac-
Source: Six isolates from gardenia leaf terium pelargoni (sic) Brown, Jour. Agr.
spots. Res., 23, 1923, 372; Starr and Burkholder,
Habitat : Causes a spot on young leaves of Phytopath., 32, 1942, 600.)
gardenias. pe.lar.go'ni.i. Gr. pelargus the stork:
M.L. neut.n. pelargonium generic name of
25. Xanthomonas nialvacearum (Erw. stork's bill; M.L. gen. noun pelargonii of
f Smith, 1901) Dowson, 1939. (Pseudomonas Pelargonium.
nialvacearum Erw. Smith, U. S. Dept. Agr., Rods 0.67 by 1.02 microns. Encapsulated.
Div. Veg. Phys. and Path., Bull. 28, 1901, Motile with a single polar fiagellum. Gram-
153; Dowson, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100, negative.
1939, 190.) Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
mal.va.ce.a'rum. L. malva the mallow; Beef -agar colonies: Cream-colored, glis-
M.L. fem.pl.n. Malvaceae the mallow family; tening, round, with delicate internal mark-
M.L. fem.pl. gen. n. malvacearum of the mal- ings.
lows. Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. Incomplete
Description from Elliott (Man. Bact.
Plant Pathogens, 1930, 153) and Lewis pellicle.
Milk: Alkaline. Clearing in bands.
(Phytopath., 20, 1930, 723). Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Rods. Motile with a single polar fiagellum. Indole production slight.
Gram-negative. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phy-
Agar slants: Growth moderate, convex, topath., 32, 1942, 600).
smooth, glistening, pale yellow, wavy to Slight acid but no gas from glucose, su-
irregular margins. crose and glycerol.
Broth: Slight to moderate turbidity. Starch hydrolysis feebly positive.
Sediment. Pectate medium liquefied.
Milk: Casein precipitated and slowly di- Temperature relations: Optimum, 27° C.
gested. Maximum, 35° C.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. No growth in broth plus 3.5 per cent salt.
Hydrogen sulfide produced (Burkholder) . Aerobic.
Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Source: Isolated from spots on leaves of
Phytopath., 32, 1942, 600). Pelargonium from District of Columbia,
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose. Maryland and New Jersey.
166 ORDER I, PSEUDOMONADALES
Habitat: Pathogenic on Pelargonium spp. in a beef extract peptone medium and also in
and Geranium spp. tj^rosine medium. The first of these is patho-
genic on beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and re-
27. Xanthomonas phaseoli (Erw. lated plants. The second was isolated from
Smith, 1897) Dowson, 1939. {Bacillus white kidney beans in India and is patho-
phaseoli Erw. Smith, Bot. Gaz., U, 1897, genic on Phaseolus vulgaris, P. lunatus, P.
192; A. A. A. S. Proc, 46 1898, 288; Dow- coccineus and Dolichos lablab.
son, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100, 1939, 190.) Habitat: Pathogenic on the bean {Phase-
pha.se'o.li. Gr. phaselus the kidnej^ bean; olus vulgaris), the hyacinth bean {Dolichos
L. phaseolus kidney bean; M.L. mas.n. lablab) , the lupine {Lupinus polyphyllus) , etc.
Phaseolus generic name of bean; M.L. gen. Not pathogenic on the soy bean {Glycine
noun phaseoli of the bean. sp.) nor cowpea {Vigna sp.).
Description from Burkholder (Cornell
Agr. Exp. Sta. Mem. 127, 1930, 18; Phyto- 28. Xanthomonas plantaginis (Thorn-
path.,^^, 1932,609). berry and Anderson, 1937) Burkholder, 1948.
Rods 0.87 by 1.9 microns. Motile with a {Phytomonas plantaginis Thornberry and
single polar flagellum. Gram-negative. Anderson, Phytopath., 27, 1937, 947; Burk-
Gelatin: Liquefied. holder, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 161.)
Beef -extract agar colonies: Circular, plan.ta'gi.nis. L. plantago, plantaginis
amber-yellow, smooth, butyrous, edges the plantain; M.L. fem.n. Plantago generic
entire. name of plantain; M.L. gen. noun plantaginis
Broth: Turbid in 24 hours. Yellow ring. of plantain.
Milk: Casein precipitated and digested. Rods, 0.6 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 1.8 microns, oc-
Alkaline. Tyrosine crystals formed. curring singly or in chains. Encapsulated.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Motile with 1 to 2 polar flagella. Gram-nega-
Indole not produced. tive.
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Gelatin: Slight liquefaction.
Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phy- Glucose agar slant: Growth moderate,
topath., 3^, 1942,600). filiform, raised, opaque, yellow and viscid.
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose, Broth: Moderately turbid with ring.
fructose, arabinose, xjdose, maltose, lactose, Milk: Slight acidity, no reduction of lit-
sucrose, raffinose and glycerol. Alkaline mus. Peptonization.
reaction from salts of acetic, malic, citric Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
and succinic acids. Mannitol, dulcitol, sali- Indole not produced.
cin and formic and tartaric acids not fer- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
mented. No appreciable amount of gas from carbo-
Starch hydrolj^zed. hydrates.
Pectate medium not liquefied. Starch hydrolyzed.
Aerobic.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C.
Very slight growth in beef broth plus 4 Minimum, 12° C. Maximum, 35° C. Thermal
per cent salt (Hedges, Jour. Agr. Res., 29,
1924, 243). death point, 50° C.
Aerobic.
Distinctive character: Similar in culture Source: From diseased leaves of Plantago
to Xanthomonas campestris, X.juglandis, X. lanceolata in Illinois.
vesicatoria, etc., but they do not cross Habitat: Pathogenic on Plantago spp.
infect.
Comments: A variety that produces pus- 29. Xanthomonas ricinicola (Elliott,
tules on the leaves and pod of soy bean, 1930) Dowson, 1939. {Bacterium ricini Yoshi
Glycine max, both in America and Japan, and Takimoto, Jour. Plant Protect., Tokyo,
has been described by Hedges (Science, 66, 16, 1928, 12; Bacterium ricinicola Elliott,
1922, 11). Liquefies pectate medium. Man. Bact. Plant Path., 1930, 193; Dowson,
Two additional varieties have been de- Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100, 1939, 190.)
scribed which produce a dark brown color ri.ci.ni'co.la. L. ricinus the castor oil
167
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
plant; M.L. mas.n. Kicinus generic name of 31. Xanthonionas stizolobiicola Patel
the castor bean; L. v. colo to dwell; M.L. et al., 1951. (Patel, Kulkarni and Dhande,
fem.n. ricinicola, Ricinus dweller. Curr. Sci., 20, 1951, 106.)
Rods, 0.4 to 0.9 by 1.3 to 2.6 microns, sti.zo.Io.bi.i'co.la. M. L. neut.n. Stizolo-
occurring in short chains. Encapsulated. biutn generic name of host; L. v. colo to
Motile with polar flagella. Gram-negative. inhabit; M.L. fem.n. stizolobiicola the
Gelatin: Liquefied. Stizolobium dweller.
Nutrient agar colonies: Lemon-yellow, Rods. Mostly single. Encapsulated. Mo-
changing to brown. tile. Gram-negative.
Milk: Slightly acid. No coagulation. Pep- Gelatin: Liquefied.
tonization. Nutrient agar colonies : 8 mm in diameter
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. in 4 days, flat, entire, glistening, creamy to
Acid but no gas from lactose. pinard-yellow.
Starch hydrolyzed. Broth: Good growth.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Synthetic asparagine medium: No growth.
tween 29° and 30° C. Minimum, 2.5° C. Maxi- Loeffller's blood serum: Liquefied in 10
days.
mum, 39° C.
Aerobic. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Comment: Elliott (loc. cit.) renamed this Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
species to avoid confusion with Phytomonas Methyl red negative; acetylmethylcar-
ricini Archibald. binol not produced.
Source: Isolated from leaf -spot of castor Indole not produced.
bean. Acid but no gas from glucose, lactose and
Habitat: Pathogenic on Ricinus com- sucrose. Salicin not attacked.
Starch and casein hydrolyzed.
Lipolytic.
30. Xanthonionas sesbaniae Patel Salt tolerance: Up to 3 per cent.
et al., 1952. (Patel, Kulkarni and Dhande, 30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 28° and
Curr. Sci.,^^, 1952,74.)
Aerobic.
ses.ba'ni.ae. M.L. fem.n. Sesbania generic Relationship to other species: Elliott
name of the plant host; M.L. gen. noun
sesbaniae of Sesbania. (Man. Bact. Plant Path., 2nd ed., 1951, 129)
Rods, 0.7 by 1.3 microns, occurring singly lists Xanthomonas phaseoli on Stizolobium
deeringianum. The two pathogens appear
or in chains. Encapsulated. Gram-negative. similar.
Gelatin: Liquefied.
Source: Isolated from leaves, stems and
Potato-glucose agar colonies: Circular, 2
cm in diameter in 7 daj^s, with striations petioles of Stizolobium deeringianum in
India.
starting 5 mm awaj" from the center up to
Habitat: Pathogenic on Stizolobium
the periphery. Barium-yellow.
Litmus milk: Slightly peptonized with deeringianum.
casein digested. Litmus slowly reduced.
32. Xanthonionas taraxaci Nieder-
Hydrogen sulfide produced.
hauser, 1943. (Phytopath., 33, 1943, 961.)
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Acid but no gas from glucose, sucrose and ta.ra.x'a.ci. M.L. neut.n. Taraxacum ge-
neric name of host; M.L. gen. noun taraxaci
lactose. Salicin not attacked. of Taraxacum.
Starch hydrolyzed. Rods, 0.7 to 1.2 by 1.4 to 3.3 microns,
Temperature relations: Optimum, 31° C. occurring singly or in pairs. Motile with a
Thermal death point, 51° C. single polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
Source: Isolated from leaf spots on jSes- Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction.
bania aegyptiaca. Beef-extract peptone agar colonies: Cir-
Habitat: Pathogenic on Sesbania aegyp- cular, smooth, bright yellow. Growth mod-
tiaca. erate.
168 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Broth: Turbid with thin ring. Lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder, Phy-
Milk: Litmus reduced. Soft curd precipi- topath., 32, 1942, 600).
tated and slowly digested. Liquid gradually Ammonia from peptone.
clears. Tyrosine crystals produced. Acid but no gas from glucose, d-fructose,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. d-mannose, d-galactose, sucrose, lactose
Indole not produced. and sometimes salicin. No utilization of
Hydrogen sulfide produced. 1-rhamnose, inositol, maltose, raffinose,
Lipase produced. inulin, d-mannitol or dulcitol.
Acid from glucose, xylose, galactose, Starch hydrolyzed.
fructose, lactose, sucrose and glycerol. Pectate medium not liquefied.
Arabinose, maltose, raffinose, inulin, manni- Temperature relations: Optimum, 26° C.
tol, ethanol and salicin not attacked. Salts Minimum,
of acetic, citric, lactic, malic and succinic Aerobic. 6° C. Maximum, 36° C.
acids utilized with an increase in pH. Salts Distinctive characters: Many forms of
of tartaric, formic, salicylic and benzoic Xanthomonas translucens have been de-
acids not utilized. scribed, all of which have the same cultural
Starch hydrolyzed. characters; they differ mainly in patho-
Pectate medium liquefied. genicity.
Salt tolerance: 3.25 to 3.5 per cent. Comment: Various varieties, formae spe-
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C. ciales and races of this species have been
Minimum, between 0° and 3° C. Maximum, described. See Elliott (Man. Bact. Plant
38° C. Path., 2nd ed., 1951, 142-146) for details.
Aerobic. Source : Originally isolated from bacterial
Source: Seven isolates from diseased Rus- blight of barley.
sian dandelions grown at Ithaca, New York. Habitat: Causes water-soaked stripes,
Habitat: Pathogenic on Taraxacum kok- streaks or other lesions on leaves, culms
Russian dandelion. or glumes of grain and related plants.
Occurs naturally on Triticum spp., Hor-
33. Xanthoinonas translucens (Jones deum spp., Bromus spp., Secale cereale,
et al., 1917) Dowson, 1939. (Bacterium trans- Phleum pratense and, by inoculation, on
Avena spp.
lucens Jones, Johnson and Reddy, Jour.
Agr. Res., 11, 1917, 637; Dowson, Zent. f.
Bakt., II Abt., 100, 1939, 190.) 34. Xanthomonas uppalii Patel, 1948-
trans. lu'cens. L. transluceo to be trans- (Indian Phytopath., 1, 1948, 67.)
lucent; L. part, translucens being translu- up.pa'li.i. Named for B. N. Uppal, an
cent. Indian plant pathologist; M.L. gen. noun
Rods 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.5 microns. uppalii of Uppal.
Motile with a single polar flagellum. Gram- Rods, 0.7 to 1.0 by 2.0 to 2.4 microns,
negative. mostly single. Motile with a single polar
Gelatin: Liquefied. flagellum. Gram-negative.
Beef-peptone agar colonies: Round, Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction.
smooth, shining, amorphous except for Nutrient agar slants: Growth smooth,
inconspicuous, somewhat irregular con- slightly raised, dull, filiform, opalescent,
centric striations within, wax-yellow tinged lemon-chrome.
with old gold; margin entire. Potato-glucose agar colonies: Growth
Broth: Turbidity becomes rather strong. copious, glistening, butyrous, empire-
Pellicle.
Milk: Soft coagulum and digestion. Milk yellow.
Broth: Turbid. No pellicle. Sediment and
clears. Tyrosine crystals produced. floccules in 4 days.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Milk: Growth good. Litmus reduced.
Indole: Slight production. Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 169
variety of the latter species, it is not patho- peas, Vigna spp., and disease of the red
genic on horseradish. Originally isolated kidney bean, Phaseolus vulgaris.
from leaf spots of radishes and turnips in
Indiana. 38. Xanthomonas nakatae (Okabe,
Source: Isolated from spotted tomato 1933) Dowson, 1943. {Bacterium nakatae
fruits in South Africa. Type B, Okabe, Jour. Soc. Trop. Agr.,
Habitat: Pathogenic on tomatoes, Lyco- Formosa, 5, 1933, 161; Dowson, Trans.
persicon esculenhim, and peppers, Capsicum Brit. Mycol. Soc, 26, 1943, 12.)
annuum. na'ka.tae. Named for K. Nakata, a
Japanese plant pathologist; M.L. gen. noun
37. Xanthomonas vignicola Burk- nakatae of Nakata.
holder, 1944. (Phytopath., 34, 1944, 431.) Rods 0.3 to 0.4 by 1.1 to 2.5 microns.
vig.ni'co .la. M.L. fem.n. V igna gen&vic Encapsulated. Motile with a single polar
name of host; L. v. colo to dwell; M.L. flagellum. Gram-negative.
fem.n. vignicola the Vigna dweller. Gelatin: Liquefied. Brown color.
Rods 0.7 (0.46 to 0.92) by 1.76 (1.0 to Beef -extract agar colonies: Amber-yellow,
2.8) microns. Motile with a single polar circular, smooth, glistening, margins entire.
flagellum. Gram-negative. Medium turns brown.
Gelatin: Liquefied. Broth: Moderate turbidity with yellow
Beef -extract peptone agar slant: Fili- ring. Medium turns brown.
form, glistening, edges entire, primuline- Milk: Casein precipitated and digested.
yellow, butyrous. Tyrosine crystals produced. Brown color.
Broth: Turbid in 48 hours; heavy ring; Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
no pellicle. Indole not produced.
Litmus milk: Light curd becoming solid. Hydrogen sulfide produced (slight) .
Slow peptonization with crystal formation. Acid but no gas from glucose, sucrose,
Litmus reduced. Brownish syrup at end of maltose and lactose.
6 weeks. Starch: Active hydrolysis.
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Indole not produced. tween 30° and 32° C. Minimum, 10° C.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Asparagine and tyrosine not utilized as Maximum, 39° C.
No growth in beef extract broth plus 2
carbon-nitrogen sources. Tyrosine broken per cent salt.
down to a brownish pigment in other media. Aerobic.
Lipolytic. Distinctive character: Differs from Type
Salt tolerance: 2 per cent retards and 3 A in that it produces a brown pigment in
per cent inhibits growth. culture. (Description of Type A not seen.)
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose, Source: Isolated from water-soaked to
lactose, maltose, sucrose and raffinose. brown leaf spots on jute.
Alkaline reactions with salts of citric and Habitat: Pathogenic on jute, Corchorus
malic acids. Fructose, 1-arabinose, xylose, capsularis.
rhamnose, glycerol, salicin and the sodium
salts of lactic, formic, succinic, tartaric and 39. Xanthomonas papavericola (Bryan
hippuric acids not attacked. and McWhorter, 1930) Dowson, 1939.
Starch hydrolyzed. (Bacterium papavericola Bryan and Mc-
Pectate medium liquefied. Whorter, Jour. Agr. Res., 40, 1930, 9; Dow-
Aerobic. son, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100, 1939, 190.)
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- pa.pa.ve.ri'co.la. L. papaver the poppy;
tween 27° and 30° C. Minimum, between M.L. neut.n. Papaver generic name of
6° and 9° C. Maximum, 37° C. poppy; L. V. colo to dwell; M.L. fem.n.
Source : Six isolates from cankers of cow- papavericola poppy dweller.
pea stems. Rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 1.0 to 1.7 microns,
Habitat: Causes canker disease of cow- occurring in chains. Encapsulated. Motile
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 171
an.tir.rhi'ni. Gr. antirrhinum the plant 48. Xanthomonas badrii Patel et al.,
snapdragon; M.L. gen. noun antirrhini of
the snapdragon. 1950. (Patel, Kulkarni and Dhande, Indian
Description from Elliott (Man. Bact. Phytopath.,3, 1950, 104.)
Plant Path., 1930, 93). bad'ri.i. From the given name of Badri
Rods 0.3 to 0.4 by 0.8 to 1.2 microns. En- Uppal, Indian plant pathologist; M.L.
gen. noun badrii of Badri.
capsulated. Motile with polar flagella.
Rods, 0.7 to 1.0 by 1.4 to 1.8 microns,
Gram-negative. occurring singly and rarely in chains. Motile
Gelatin: Liquefied.
with a single polar flagellum. Gram-nega-
Agar colonies: Circular, glistening, white, tive.
later yellow. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Milk: Coagulated and casein digested. Nutrient agar colonies: Smooth, glisten-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. ing, entire, empire-yellow; growth slow.
No gas produced. Milk: Cleared in 8 days. Litmus reduced.
Aerobic.
Loeffler's blood serum: Liquefied.
174 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Milk: Coagulated.
Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Optimum pH, 6.8 to 8.0. Conjac: Liquefied.
Source: Isolated many times from mot- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
tled stripe of sugar cane in Louisiana. Indole produced.
Habitat: Pathogenic on sugar cane. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Johnson's grass and sorghum Gas from glucose.
Optimum temperature, 24° C.
58. Xanthomonas cannae (Bryan, 1921) Habitat: Pathogenic on Amorphophallus
Savulescu, 1947. (Bacterium cannae Bryan, konjac.
Jour. Agr. Res., 21, 1921, 152; Sivulescu,
Anal. Acad. Romane, III, 22, 1947, 12.) 60. Xanthomonas zingiber! (Uyeda,
can'nae. Gr. carina a reed; M.L. fem.n. 1908) SSvulescu, 1947. (Eine neue species,
Canna generic name; M.L. gen. noun cannae Uyeda, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 17, 1907,
of Canna. 383; Pseudomonas zingiheri Uyeda, Rept.
Rods 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns. Imp. Agr. Exp. Sta., Japan, No. 35, 1908,
Encapsulated. Motile with 1 to 3 polar 114; Savulescu, Anal. Acad. Romane, III,
flagella. Gram-negative. 22, 1947, 13.)
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. zin.gi'be.ri. Gr. indecl. zingiheri ginger.
Agar slants: Growth filiform, white, Description from Stapp (in Sorauer,
moist, with thin margins and granular Handb. d. Pflanzenkrank., 2, 5 Aufl., 1928,
centers. 65).
Broth: Turbid; heavy sediment. Rods 0.5 to 1.1 by 0.75 to 1.8 microns.
Milk: Alkaline and clears. Non-motile at first, later a polar flagellum
Nitrites produced from nitrates. develops. Gram-negative.
Indole not produced. Gelatin: Liquefied.
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Agar colonies: White.
No acid produced from carbohydrates. Milk: Coagulation and peptonization of
Temperature relations: Optimum, 35° C. the casein.
Minimum, 5° C. Maximum, 40° C. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Aerobic. Indole not produced.
Source: Isolated from diseased canna Hydrogen sulfide produced.
leaves collected in Washington, D. C. and No gas from glucose.
in Illinois.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 28° C.
Habitat: Causes a disease in Canna
Minimum, 5° C. Maximum, 40° C.
indica. Source: Isolated from ginger plant show-
ing a rot at the base of the sprouts.
59. Xanthomonas conjac (Uyeda, Habitat: Pathogenic on ginger. Zingiber
1910) Burkholder, 1948. {Pseudomonas
officinale.
conjac Uyeda, Bot. Mag. Tokyo, 24, 1910,
182; Burkholder, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, Addendum: Species inceriae sedis. Two
171.) additional groups of yellow, polar-flagellate
con'jac. M.L. conjac the specific epithet species are described in this addendum al-
of Amorphophallus konjac, the host. though they are not typical of the genus
Description from Elliott (Man. Bact. Xanthomonas in all respects. The first is a
Plant Path., 19,30, 121). group of three species of plant pathogens.
Rods 0.75 to 1.0 by 1.5 microns. Motile One of these species is non-motile, but it ap-
with 1 to 4 polar flagella. Presumably Gram- pears to be closely related to the two polar-
negative although the original description flagellate species with which it is associated.
records this species as Gram-positive (Burk- Plant pathologists have placed these three
holder). species in Xanthomonas even though they do
Gelatin colonies: Circular to irregular, not possess all of the characteristics of the
light yellow. species in this genus senszi stricto. The
Broth : Pellicle formed. non-water-soluble, yellow pigment differs
17i ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
from that found in true xanthomonads. as is known. They have been isolated from
Likewise none of the three species liquefies the surface of leaves, soil and similar ma-
gelatin. Neither do they show the gummy terials. All produce a non-water-soluble,
growth of true xanthomonads, and they yellow pigment, but no one has as yet under-
differ in other important characteristics. taken a comparative study of cultures to
The second group comprises eleven species determine which of these species, if any,
which are not pathogenic to plants so far are true xanthomonads.
Group I. -Plant pathogens. 130, 1897 , 423; Bacterium stewarti (sic) Smith,
1. Xanthomonas stewartii (Erw. Bacteria in Relation to Plant Diseases, S,
Smith, 1914) Dowson, 1939. (Sweet corn 1914, 89; Xanthomonas stewarti (sic) Dow-
bacillus, Stewart, N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. son, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 100, 1939, 190.)
179
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
ste.war'ti.i. Stewart patronymic; JVI.L. part. adj. crescens growing; M.L. adj. tardi-
gen. noun stewartii of Stewart. crescens slow growing.
Description from Smith (U. S. Dept. Rods 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.58 microns. Motile
Agr., Div. Veg. Phys. and Path., Bull. 28, with a polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
1901). Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Rods 0.4 to 0.7 by 0.9 to 2.0 microns. Beef -extract agar colonies: Circular,
Encapsulated. Non- motile (McCulloch, mustard -yellow, edges entire, 1.0 to 1.5 mm
Phytopath., 8, 1918, 440). Gram-negative. in diameter.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Broth: Light clouding.
Nutrient agar colonies: Small, round, Milk: Slightly alkaline. Clearing after 5
yellow. to 6 weeks.
Broth: Growth feeble with whitish ring Nitrites produced from nitrates.
and yellow precipitate. Indole not produced.
Milk: Yellow ring but no visible action Hydrogen sulfide not produced, or feebly
on the milk. Slightly acid. so.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
McNew (Phytopath., 28, 1938, 773) states galactose, arabinose, xylose and rhamnose.
that less virulent strains assimilate only Alkaline reaction from salts of citric, malic
organic nitrogen; those of intermediate and succinic acids.
virulence assimilate nitrogen from inorganic Starch not hydrolyzed.
salts without reduction of nitrates to ni- Not lipolytic (Starr and Burkholder,
trites; virulent strains reduce nitrates to Phytopath., 82, 1942, 603).
nitrites. Temperature relations: Optimum, 26° C.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Maximum, 32° C. Minimum, 5° C. (McCul-
Indole production slight or none. loch, Phytopath., 28, 1938, 648).
Reduction of methylene blue in Dun- Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH be-
ham's solution feeble or doubtful. tween 6.5 and 7.5. Growth slight at 5.8 and
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose, 8.0 (McCulloch, loc. cit.).
sucrose, mannitol and glycerol. No acid No growth with 3 per cent salt (McCul-
from maltose. Acid from fructose, arabinose loch, loc. cit.).
and xylose (McNew, loc. cit.); also from Aerobic.
lactose and mannose (Dowson, op. cit., Distinctive character: Very slow grower.
100, 1939, 190). Source: Isolated by McCulloch and by
Starch not hydrolyzed. Burkholder from blighted iris leaves.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C. Habitat: Pathogenic on Iris spp.
Maximum, 39° C. Minimum, 8° C.
Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH be- 3. Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby,
tween 6.0 and 8.0. Limits, about pH 4.5 to 1929)
11.) Dowson, 1943. {Bacterium albilineans
8.5. Ashby, Trop. Agr., Trinidad, 6, 1929, 135;
8 per cent salt restricts growth. Dowson, Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, .^5,1943,
Strict aerobe.
Source: From wilted sweet corn. al.bi.li'ne.ans. L. adj. albus white; L.
Habitat: Pathogenic on corn, Zea mays. part. adj. lineans striping; M.L. adj. albili-
Sweet corn very susceptible and field corn neans white-striping.
Description from Martin, Carpenter and
slightly so.
Weller (The Hawaiian Planters' Record,
36, 1932, 184).
2. Xanthomouas tardicrescens (Mc- Rods, 0.25 to 0.3 by 0.6 to 1.0 micron,
Culloch, 1937) Dowson, 1943. (Bacterium occurring singly or in chains. Motile with a
tardicrescens McCulloch, Phytopath., £7, polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
1937, 135; Dowson, Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, Agar colonies: After 7 to 10 days, minute
26, 1943, 12.) transparent drops, moist, shining. Honey-
tar.di.cres'cens. L. adj. tardus slow; L. yellow to Naples -yellow.
180 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
10. Pseudomonas pictorum Gray and Acid from glucose, maltose, lactose and
Thornton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, starch. No acid from glycerol, mannitol or
1928, 89.) sucrose.
pic.to'rum. Named for the Picts, a Scot- Aerobic, facultative.
tish tribe; M.L. neut.pl. gen. n. 'pictorum of Optimum temperature,
the Picts. Source: Isolated twice 20° C. California
from
Rods 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.5 to 5.0 microns. soils.
Motile, usually with a single polar flagel- Habitat: Soil.
lum. Gram-negative. 12. Pseudomonas subcreta McBeth and
Gelatin colonies: Circular, greenish
Scales, 1913. (Bur. Plant Industry, U. S.
yellow, convex, smooth, glistening, entire.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Dept. Agr., Bull. 266, 1913, 37.)
Agar colonies: Circular, yellow, conve.x, sub.cre'ta. L. pref. sub- somewhat; L.
creta chalk; M.L. adj. subcretus somewhat
smooth, glistening, entire. chalky.
Agar slant: Filiform, yellow, convex,
Rods 0.3 by 1.4 microns. Motile with one
smooth, glistening, entire.
Broth: Turbid. to five polar flagella. Gram-negative.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Gelatin stab: Filiform growth, no lique-
Starch not hydrolyzed. faction.
Acid from glucose and maltose. Cellulose agar: No surface growth.
Attacks phenol. Moderate, generally faint yellow growth
in medium, area of growth sunken.
Aerobic, facultative.
Agar slant: Glistening, smooth, moist,
Optimum temperature, 25°C. vitreous to faint yellow growth.
Source: One culture from soil.
Habitat: Soil. Starch agar: Enzymatic zone 2 to 4 mm.
Broth: No growth.
Litmus milk: No growth.
11. Pseudomonas argiita McBeth, 1916. Potato: Growth scant, concave due to
(Soil Science, 1, 1916, 465.) slight liquefaction, white to faint yellow.
ar.gu'ta. L. part. adj. argutus clear, Bleached around growth.
bright. Indole not produced.
Rods 0.3 by 0.8 micron. Motile with one Trace of nitrites produced from nitrates.
or two polar flagella. Gram-negative. Ammonia not produced.
Gelatin stab : Moderate, yellowish growth. Acid from glucose, lactose, maltose,
No liquefaction in 30 daj^s. sucrose and starch. No acid from glycerol
Agar colonies: Circular, slightly convex, or mannitol.
soft, grayish white, granular, entire. Aerobic, facultative.
Agar slant: Scant, grayish white growth.
Potato agar slant: Moderate, yellowish, Optimum temperature, 20° C.
Habitat: Soil.
glistening growth.
Broth: Turbid. 13. Pseudomonas lacunogenes Gores-
Ammonia cellulose agar: Enzymatic zone line, 1933. (Jour. Bact., £6, 1933, 447.)
2 to 3 mm in 30 days. la.cu.no'ge.nes. L. lacuna a hollow; L.
Filter paper broth: Paper is reduced to gicjno to produce; M.L. adj. lacunogenes pro-
loose flocculent mass which disintegrates ducing hollows.
very readily on slight agitation. More rapid Short rods, 0.2 to 0.3 by 1.0 to 1.2 microns,
decomposition when the broth contains with pointed ends, occurring singly or in
ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate, pep- pairs. Motile with a single polar flagellum
tone or casein as source of nitrogen. from 2 to 15 microns in length. Gram-nega-
Litmus milk: Acid, not digested. tive.
Potato: No growth. Plain gelatin stab: No growth.
Indole not produced. Nutrient gelatin stab: Growth brownish
Nitrites produced from nitrates. yellow, half-way down stab, heavier at
Ammonia not produced. surface. No liquefaction.
183
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Nutrient agar colonies: Small, yellow; Short rods, 0.2 to 0.3 by 1.0 to 1.2 microns,
surface of the agar pitted or dimpled. After with pointed ends, occurring singly or in
5 days colonies 5 to 7 mm in diameter, pairs. Motile with a single polar flagellum.
orange-yellow, slightly raised, surrounded Gram-negative.
b.y a depression. Plain gelatin stab: No growth.
Nutrient agar slant: Growth heavy, light Nutrient gelatin stab: Growth yellow,
orange-yellow; consistency of warm butter; half-way down stab, best at surface. No
edge entire, slightly raised. Shallow de- liquefaction.
pression formed on each side of streak. Nutrient agar colonies: Very small, light
Agar softened beneath growth. yellow surface pitted. After 5 days colonies
Nutrient broth: Turbid in 48 hours. Light 5 mm in diameter.
orange-j'ellow pellicle; considerable, viscous Nutrient agar slant: Growth heavy,
sediment. orange -yellow, consistency of warm butter;
Litmus milk: Alkaline; butter-colored edge entire, slightly raised; slight de-
pellicle. Reduction in bottom of tube after pression formed on each side of growth.
10 daj's. No curd. No digestion. Agar softened beneath growth.
Potato: Growth moderate, orange-yellow, Nutrient broth: Turbid in 48 hours. No
smooth. No darkening. pellicle or surface growth. Moderate amount
Indole not produced. of sediment. Old cultures with a yellow ring
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. at surface and occasionally a loose mem-
Starch agar plates not hydrolyzed. brane.
Utilizes arabinose, galactose, lactose, Litmus milk: Slightly alkaline after 10
fructose, maltose, melezitose, raffinose, daj's. No reduction. No surface growth.
starch, xj-lose, glucose, mannose, sucrose, Potato: Scant j'ellow-orange growth. No
pectin, rhamnose, salicin and dextrin. No darkening.
growth in dulcitol, erythritol, glycerol, hidole not produced.
sorbitol, mannitol or inulin. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 28° C. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Good growth at 25° C. Moderate growth at Starch not hydrolyzed.
20° and at 37° C. No growth at 10° and at Arabinose, glucose, galactose, lactose,
42° C. fructose, maltose, mannose, xylose, sucrose,
Limits of pH: 5.4 to 10.0. melezitose and raffinose utilized.
Aerobic, facultative. Temperature relations: Optimum, 28° C.
Distinctive characters: Softens agar; Good growth at 25° C. Moderate growth at
considerable change in viscosity of agar due 20° and at 37° C. No growth at 10° and at
to this digestion; utilization of ammonium 42° C.
sulfate as nitrogen source. Limits of pH: 5.8 to 9.0.
Source: Three cultures isolated from an Aerobic, facultative.
experimental trickling filter receiving Distinctive characters: Softens agar; con-
creamery wastes. siderable change in viscosity of agar due to
Habitat: Probably widely distributed in this digestion.
nature.
Source: Isolated from an experimental
14. Pseudonionas segnis Goresline, trickling filter receiving creamery wastes.
1933. (Jour. Bact., 26, 1933, 452.) Habitat: Probably widely distributed in
nature.
seg'nis. L. adj. segnis slow, tardy.
Thesis, Leiden, 1898, 115 pp.. Delft, in Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 4, 1898, 857; Acetobader
Beijerinck, Proc. Kon. Akad. v. Wetenschapp., Amsterdam, 2, 1900, 503; Acetobacter Bei-
jerinck. Arch, n^erl. d. sciences exact, et natur., S^r. II, 6, 1901, 212; Acetobacter in Fuhr-
mann, Beiheft Bot. Centralbl., Orig., 19, 1905, 8; Acetimonas Orla-Jensen, Cent. f. Bakt.,
II Abt., 22, 1909, 312; Acetobacter Winslow et al.. Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 201; Acetomonas
Leifson, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 20, 1954, 109.)
A.ce.to.bac'ter. L. noun acetum vinegar; M.L. mas.n. bacter the masculine form of the
Gr. neut.n. bactrum a rod or staff; M.L. mas.n. Acetobacter vinegar (acetic) rod.
Individual cells ellipsoidal to rod-shaped, occurring singly, in pairs or in short or long
chains. Motile with polar flagella*, or non-motile. Involution forms may be spherical,
elongated, filamentous, club-shaped, swollen, curved or may even appear to be branched.
Young cells Gram-negative; old cells often Gram- variable. Obligate aerobes; as a rule
strongly catalase-positive, sometimes weakly so. Oxidize various organic compounds to
organic acids and other oxidation products which may undergo further oxidation. Com-
mon oxidation products include acetic acid from ethyl alcohol, gluconic and 5-keto-
gluconic acid from glucose, dihydroxy-acetone from glycerol, sorbose from sorbitol, etc.
Nutritional requirements vary from simple to complex. Development generally best in
yeast infusion or yeast autolysate media with added ethyl alcohol or other o.xidizable sub-
strates. Optimum temperature varies with the species. Widely distributed in nature where
they are particularly abundant in plant materials undergoing alcoholic fermentation;
of importance to man for their role in the completion of the carbon cycle and for the pro-
duction of vinegar.
It is recognized that there are marked morphological and physiological similarities be-
tween species of Acetobacter and Pseudomonas (see Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 394; and
Stanier, Jour. Bact., 54, 1947, 191, among others). However, the species of Acetobacter may
be differentiated from all other Pseudomonadaceae by their unique ability to oxidize sig-
nificant quantities of ethanol under the extremely acidic conditions imposed by the
presence of from about 2 to more than 11 per cent acetic acid.
The evidence also indicates a significant difference in the end-products of hexose and di-
saccharide oxidation. The species of Acetobacter produce gluconic and 5-ketogluconic acids
from both glucose and maltose whereas species of Pseudomonas oxidize glucose to gluconic
and 2-ketogluconic acids and maltose to maltobionic acid (see Pervozvanski, Khim. Referat.
Zhur., 7, 1939, 43; Lockwood, Tabenkin and Ward, Jour. Bact., 4^, 1941, 51; Stodola and
Lockwood, Jour. Biol. Chem., 171, 1947, 213; Kluyver, Deley and Rijven, Antonie van
Leeuwenhoek, 16, 1950, 1; and Foda and Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 65, 1953, 233, among others).
The type species is Acetobacter aceti (Beijerinck) Beijerinck.
* Leifson (Bact. Proc, 53rd Gen. Meeting Soc. Amer. Bact., 1953, 34, and Antonie van
Leeuwenhoek, 20, 1954, 102), in a study of the flagellation of cultures of Acetobacter, reports
that the species of Acetobacter that oxidize acetic acid are peritrichous, and that the species
that do not oxidize acetic acid ordinarily have four polar flagella. Further photographs such
as can be obtained with the electron microscope must, however, be obtained before the exact
point of attachment of the flagella can be determined with certaint3^
t It is not known with certainty whether Acetobacter pasteurianus and Acetobacter kuetz-
ingianus are capable of using inorganic nitrogen as a sole source of nitrogen for growth.
See Acetobacter rancens Beijerinck to which these two species are very closely related. Also
see Frateur, La Cellule, 53, 1950, 316^320.
Species Nos. 2 to 3b inclusive will, however, utilize ammonium salts if supplied with
185
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
1. Acetobacter aceti (Beijerinck, 1898) Liquid media: Forms slimy pellicle; may
Beijerinck, 1900. (Mycodermes, Pasteur also form a ring or turbidity without pel-
Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 54, 1862 licle.
265; Pasteur, ibid., 55, 1862, 28; Mycoderma Acid from glucose, ethanol, propanol and
aceti Pasteur, Ann. Sci. d. Ecole Normal glycol. No acid from arabinose, fructose,
superiore, 1, 1864, 103-158; Bacterium aceti galactose, sorbose, sucrose, maltose, lactose,
Beijerinck, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 4, 15 raffinose, dextrin, starch, glycogen, inulin,
211; Acetobacter aceti Beijerinck, published methanol, isopropanol, butanol, isobutanol,
as a synonym in Krai's Sammlung v. Mikro pentanol, glj'cerol, erythritol, mannitol,
org., Prague, 1898, 7; Beijerinck, Proc. Kon dulcitol or acetaldehyde (Henneberg, Die
Akad. V. Wetensch., Amsterdam, 2, 1900 deutsch. Essigind., 2, 1898, 147).
503.) Distinctive characters : Marked oxidative
a.ce'ti. L. noun acetum vinegar; L. gen power causing rapid and complete oxidation
noun aceti of vinegar.
of substrate such as glucose or ethyl alcohol ;
Beijerinck's description of this organism ability to utilize inorganic nitrogen salts as
which forms the basis of the description
a sole source of nitrogen (Hoyer, Inaug.
given here, is based on Pasteur's earlier de Diss., Leiden, 1898, 43; Beijerinck, Cent. f.
scription.* Bakt., II Abt., 4, 1898, 215); growth and
Rods, 0.4 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, oc
curring singly and in long chains, frequently oxidative activity in association with fer-
showing large club-shaped forms. Stain yel menting yeasts (Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 36,
low with iodine solution. Motility variable 1938, 360).
Motile cells possess a single polar flagellum Optimum temperature, 30° C. Growth
(Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 394). occurs between 10° and 42° C.
Beer gelatin containing 10 per cent su- Habitat: Vinegar, souring fruits, vege-
crose: Large, shiny colonies are formed. tables and beverages.
other required nutrients (Stokes and Karsen, Jour. Bact., 49, 1945, 495; Foda and Vaughn,
Jour. Bact., 65, 1953,79).
* Beijerinck (op. cit., 4, 1898, 211) explains the relationship of Pasteur's organism to
those described by others as follows: "Two of the many varieties of B. (Bacterium) rancens
have been described by Henneberg under the names B. oxydans and B. acetosum. Hansen
erroneously named this species B. aceti as did Brown also. Neither Hansen nor Brown
knew B. aceti of Pasteur."
186 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
3a. Acetobacter pasteurianus (Han- aceti in showing a heavier growth above the
sen, 1879) Beijerinck, 1916. (Mycoderma surface of the medium.
pasteurianum Hansen, Compt. rend. d. Acid from glucose, ethanol, propanol and
Trav. d. Lab. d. Carlsberg, 1, 1879, 96; Bei- glycol. No acid from arabinose, fructose,
jerinck, Proc. Sect. Sci., Kon. Akad. v. galactose, sorbose, sucrose, maltose, lactose,
Wetenschappen, Amsterdam, 18, 1916, 1199.) rafiinose, dextrin, starch, glycogen, inulin,
pas.teur.i.a'nus. Named for Pasteur, methanol, isopropanol, butanol, isobutanol,
French chemist and bacteriologist; M.L. pentanol, glycerol, erythritol, mannitol,
adj . pasteurianus of Pasteur. dulcitol or acetaldehyde (Henneberg, Die
Rods, 0.4 to 0.8 by 1.0 micron, occurring deutsch. Essigind., 2, 1898, 147).
singly and in chains, at times showing thick, Optimum temperature, 34° C; minimum,
club-shaped forms. Motility variable. between 6° and 7° C; maximum, 42° C.
Motile cells possess a single polar flagellum Habitat: Beer. Found in double beer.
(Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 394). Stain
blue with iodine. 4. Acetobacter inelanogenus Beije-
Wort gelatin colonies: Small, circular, rinck, 1911. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 29,
entire, gray, slimy. 1911, 175.)
Forms a dry, wrinkled, folded pellicle on me.la.no'ge.nus. Gr. adj. melas, melanis
double beer with one per cent alcohol. black; Gr. v. gennao to produce; M.L. adj.
Meat infusion gelatin: Growth wide- inelanogenus black-producing.
spread; later rosette form, toothed. Rods. Non-motile or motile. Motile cells
Acid from glucose, ethanol, propanol and possess a single polar flagellum (Vaughn,
glycol. No acid from arabinose, fructose, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 394).
galactose, sorbose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, Gelatin: Apparent liquefaction probably
raffinose, dextrin, starch, glycogen, inulin, caused by acid, not an enzyme. When held
methanol, isopropanol, butanol, isobutanol, on artificial media for some time, the power
pentanol, glycerol, erythritol, mannitol, of liquefying gelatin is lost, probably due to
dulcitol or acetaldehyde (Henneberg, Die a slower production of acid. Deep brown pig-
deutsch. Essigind., 2, 1898, 147). ment produced; gelatin becomes insoluble
Optimum temperature, 30° C. Growth in boiling water and in trypsin solution.
occurs between 5° and 42° C. Beer- or wort-gelatin plates: Characteris-
Habitat: Vinegar; beer and beer wort. tic dark brown, wide-spreading, diffuse
areas.
3b. Acetobacter kuetzingianus (Han- Tap water - agar - glucose - peptone - potas-
sen, 1894) Bergey et al., 1923. {Bacterium sium phosphate-iron citrate-chalk medium:
klitzingianum (sic) Hansen, Compt. rend. d. In 24 hours at 30° C, black, spreading, dif-
Trav. d. Lab. d. Carlsberg, 3, 1894, 191; fuse areas.
Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 35.) Produces the pigment from peptone or
yeast autolysate if maltose or glucose is
kuet.zing.i.a'nus. Named for Kuetzing, present as a source of carbon. When grown in
a German botanist; AL L. adj. kuetzingianus
of Kuetzing. glucose-peptone broth or agar with CaCOa
Short, thick rods, occurring singly, rarely at 25° to 30° C, the pigment is produced
after one to several weeks.
forming chains of notable length. Capsule
Pigment : The pigment causing the brown
stains blue with iodine and with potassium coloration is an aromatic substance which is
iodide. Non-motile. blackened by iron salts. Reduces alkaline
Double beer gelatin colonies: Small, en- solutions of silver and mercury, blackening
tire, w'ith vermiform surface. them (Beijerinck, op. cit., 29, 1911, 175).
Wort gelatin colonies: Small, entire, with Minimum nutritional requirements : Pan-
surface free of wrinkles.
tothenic acid, nicotinic acid, p-aminoben-
Double beer: Forms a rather thick, folded zoic acid, thiamine, mineral salts and an
pellicle. Distinguished from Acetobacter oxidizable substrate such as alcohol, glu-
188 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
cose, etc. (Gray and Tatum, Proc. Nat'l. lactose, raffinose, de.xtrin, starch, inulin,
Acad. Sci., 30, 1944, 404, and Foda and sorbitol, glycogen, isodulcitol or methanol.
Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 65, 1953, 79). Optimum temperature, between 30° and
Acetic acid produced from alcohol. Glu- 35° C; minimum, between 10° and 15° C;
conic and 5-ketogluconic acids produced maximum, between 40° and 41° C.
from glucose and maltose. Thermal death point, 50° C. for 5 minutes.
O.xidizes mannitol to fructose; sorbitol to Distinctive character: The formation of a
sorbose; and glj^cerol to dihydroxj^acetone. rose to red pigment in suitable media, par-
Produces acid from arabinose, .xylose, glu- ticularly those containing glucose and cal-
cose, fructose, galactose and maltose. Some cium carbonate.
strains do not attack maltose. Note: Vaughn {loc. cit.) has proposed the
Distinctive character: The formation of name Acetobacter roseus to replace the name
dark brown to black pigment in media con- Acetobacter hoshigaki. As originally de-
taining glucose. scribed, this organism was given the name
Source: Isolated from beer. Bacterium hoshigaki var. rosea by Takahashi
Habitat : Causes light-colored beer to be- and Asai {op. cit., 82, 1930, 390) without the
come darker brown. It is a very strong beer- authors having first named and described
vinegar bacterium. Also found in souring the species Bacterium hoshigaki. The Japa-
fruits. nese word "hoshigaki" has been used in a
confusing manner, viz. Bacterium indiis-
5. Acetobacter roseus Vaughn, 1942. trium var. hoshigaki (Takahashi and Asai,
{Bacterium hoshigaki var. rosea Takahashi loc. cit.) and Bacterium hoshigaki var.
and Asai, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 82, 1930, glucuronicum I, II and III (Takahashi and
390; Vaughn, Wallerstein Lab. Communica- Asai, Jour. Agr. Chem. Soc. Japan, 9, 1933,
tions, 5,No. 14, 1941,20.) 351 and Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 87, 1933,
ro'se.us. L. adj roseus rose -colored. 385). None of these Japanese names are in
Rods, 0.7 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 1.8 microns, the form of true binomials.
generally occurring singly, in pairs, often Source: Isolated from fermenting mash of
in chains. Non-motile. Pellicle on fluid dried persimmons (hoshigaki) ; also from
media yields no starch or cellulose reaction. souring figs and dates.
Koji (a mixture of rice and mold spores
used to start fermentation of Japanese bread 6. Acetobacter suboxydans Kluyver
and sake) extract agar colonies: Small, and de Leeuw, 1923. (Paper read at the con-
granular, circular, glistening, umbonate, vention of the Dutch Society of Micro-
becoming brownish. biology, Utrecht, December, 1923; see
Wort agar colonies: Circular, milky Tijdschrift v. Vergelijkende Geneeskunde,
white, becoming brownish in the center and 10, Afl. 2-3, 1924.)
yellowish at the periphery. sub. ox'y. dans. L. pref. sub- somewhat,
Koji extract agar streak: Grayish white, slightly; Gr. adj. oxys sharp; M.L. part. adj.
glistening with ciliate margin, becoming oxydans oxidizing; M.L. part. adj. suboxydans
purple-brown to brown. slightly o.xidizing.
Koji extract: Turbid, with thin film as- Short rods. Occur singly or in chains.
cending on wall of tube. Non-motile. Morphologically like Aceto-
Bouillon: Turbid with ring formation. bacter rancens.
Yeast infusion glucose agar: Colonies Forms a very thin, hardlj' visible pellicle
similar to those on wort agar. on fluid media.
Yeast infusion glucose broth: Turbid with Wort agar colonies: Very small, circular,
thin, ascending film. slightly yellow.
Red color produced on sake-wort agar and Minimum nutritional requirements: Pan-
all media containing calcium carbonate. tothenic acid, nicotinic acid, p-aminoben-
Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose, zoic acid, valine, alanine, isoleucine,
arabinose, glycerol, mannitol, ethanol and histidine, cystine, proline, mineral salts
propanol. No acid from maltose, sucrose. and an oxidizable substrate such as alcohol,
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 189
glucose, etc. (Landy and Dicken, Jour. Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 394). The chains show
Biol. Chem., H6, 1942, 109; Lampen, Under- bud-like swellings.
kofler and Peterson, Jour. Biol. Chem., 1^6, Gelatin colonies: Circular, becoming
1942, 277; Underkofler, Bantz and Peterson, irregular in shape with peculiar ramifica-
Jour. Bact., 45, 1943, 183; Stokes and Lar- tions.
sen, Jour. Bact., J^, 1945, 495). Minimum nutritional requirements: Pan-
Acid from ethanol, propanol, glycol, tothenic acid, nicotinic acid, p-amino-
glucose, glycerol and sorbitol. benzoic acid, valine, alanine, isoleucine,
Optimum temperature, 30° C. histidine, cystine, proline, mineral salts
Distinctive character: Partial o.xidation and an o.xidizable substrate such as alcohol,
of substrates as indicated by the formation glucose, etc. (Foda and Vaughn, Jour.
of calcium 5-ketogluconate crystals on the Bact., 65, 1953, 79).
surface of agar slants containing glucose and Acid from arabinose, fructose, glucose,
calcium carbonate. galactose, sucrose, maltose, rafiinose, dex-
Source: Isolated from spoiled beer. trin, ethanol, propanol, erythritol, man-
Habitat: Beer; also found in souring nitol, glycol or glycerol. No acid from
fruits and wine vinegar. sorbose, lactose, starch, gl3^cogen, inulin,
methanol, isopropanol, butanol, isobutanol,
7. Acetobacter oxydans (Henneberg, pentanol, dulcitol or acetaldehyde (Hen-
1897) Bergey et al., 1923. {Bacterium oxydans neberg, Die deutsch. Essigind., 2, 1898, 147).
Henneberg, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 3, 1897,
223; Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 21°Optimum
C. temperature, between 18° and
36.) Distinctive characters: Low optimum
ox'y.dans. Gr. adj. oxys sharp; M.L. temperature for growth and oxidation of
part. adj. oxydans oxidizing. substrates; also the ability to oxidize a
Rods, 0.8 to 1.2 by 2.4 to 2.7 microns, large number of substrates.
occurring singly and in chains. Motile cells Habitat: Beer, souring fruits, wine vine-
possess a single polar flagellum (Vaughn,
* Prepared by Dr. S. F. Snieszko, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Leetown via Kear-
neysville, West Virginia, August, 1953.
190 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefaction. flagellum (Kulp and Borden, Jour, of Bact.,
No pellicle. U, 1942, 673). Gram-negative.
Agar slant: Gray, smooth, filamentous. Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, gray,
Broth: Turbid with delicate pellicle. translucent, stippled.
Litmus milk: Acid; coagulated; pep- Gelatin stab: Napiform liquefaction.
tonized. Agar colonies: Whitish, raised, moist,
Potato: Brownish yellow to brownish stippled.
red color. Horse blood agar colonies: 2 to 3 mm in
Indole is produced. diameter, round, entire, raised, smooth,
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. moist, semi-translucent, grayish white,
Acid and gas from glucose broth (Leh- forming a dirty brown-yellow coloration
mann and Neumann, op. cit., 1896, 238). after 3 to 5 days at room temperature;
Aerobic, facultative. marked hemolysis.
Optimum temperature, between 25° and Agar slant : Thin, whitish, glassy, spread-
30° C. ing, becoming yellowish and opalescent.
Distinctive characters: There does not Broth: Turbid, with heavy pellicle.
seem to be any real difference between this Loeffler's serum: Growth abundant, but
organism and Aeromonas liquefaciens Kluy- no digestion.
ver and van Niel. Schaperclaus (Fisch- Litmus milk: Acid; coagulated; pep-
krankheiten, Braunschweig, 1 Aufi., 1935, tonized.
46; Ztschr. f. Fischerei, 37, 1939, 7) recog- Potato: Yellowish brown, moist, slightly
nizes definite varieties of this species: raised.
some are non-pathogenic, others are patho- Indole is produced.
genic to carp, and still others are patho- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
genic to eels. Ammonium sulfate, uric acid and aspara-
Source: From Chemnitz tap water (Zim- gine may serve as sources of nitrogen.
mermann). Commonly found in water of Catalase produced.
the River Main (Lehmann and Neumann, Hydrogen sulfide produced.
op. cit., 238; also see op. cit., 7 Aufl., 2, 1927, Urea not attacked.
47). Methylene blue reduced.
Habitat: Found in water supplies, es- Acid and gas from glucose, galactose,
pecially those in which carp, eels and other fructose, mannose, maltose, sucrose, man-
fishes occur. Causes an infectious edema in nitol, glycerol and starch. Acid and gas
carp (Cyprinus) (Schaperclaus, op. cit., from salicin at 22° C. but not at 37° C. Acid
1930, 289; see Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 105, from glycogen and dextrin. Glucose fer-
1942, 49) and other fishes. mented with the production of 2,3-butane-
diol. Lactose, arabinose, raffinose, rham-
3. Aeromonas hydrophila (Chester, nose, dulcitol, sorbitol and inositol not
1901) Stanier, 1943. {Bacillus htjdrophilus attacked.
fuscus Sanarelli, Cent. f. Bakt., 9, 1891, In the fermentation of beet molasses,
222; Bacillus hydrophilus Chester, Manual Murphy, Watson, Muirhead and Barnwell
Determ. Bact., 1901, 235; Proteus hydro- (Canad. Jour. Tech., 29, 1951, 375) found
philus Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, this organism to yield up to 96 per cent of
211; Stanier, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 213.) theoretical 2,3-butariediol and acetoin.
hy.dro'phi.la. Gr. noun hydor water; Gr. This is a higher yield than the same authors
philus loving; M.L. adj. hydrophilus water- found for Aerobacter aerogenes.
loving. Starch hydrolyzed.
Description taken from Emerson and Gas ratio HjrCOs = 1:4.71. Methyl red
Norris (Jour. Exp. Med., 7, 1905, 32) and negative, acetylmethylcarbinol positive,
from E. M. Miles and A. A. Miles (Jour. indole negative, citrate positive (Speck and
Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 299). Stark, Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 697).
Rods, 0.6 by 1.3 microns, occurring singly Aerobic, facultative.
and in chains. Motile, with a single polar
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
192 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Note: Species incertae sedis. At least tons) is listed in the Manual as producing
twelve additional species that appear to acid and gas from glucose and related
be identical with or closely related to the sugars. A monographic studj' of these or-
four species described in full have been ganisms is needed. The descriptions of some
reported in the literature. These were isola- species that were found before 1900 appear
ted from water, aquatic animals (midge to be as adequate as are the early descrip-
larvae, leeches, fishes) or dairy products. tions of Aeromonas liquefaciens. No attempt
It should also be noted that at least one has been made to determine which specific
plant pathogen {Xanthomonas proteamacu- epithet or epithets have priority.
* Prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed and Mr. Erwin F. Lessel, Jr., Cornell University,
Geneva, New York, February, 1954.
t See Speucer (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 13, 1955, 111) for a recent discussion of the classifica-
tion of this group.
194 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
jerinck, Arch, neerl. d. Sci. exact, et natur., Distinctive characters: Coccoid bacteria
£3, 1889, 401; Photobacter phosphoreum which do not liquefy gelatin and which
Beijerinck, Folia Microbiologica, Delft, produce acid and gas from glucose but not
4, 1916, 15; Ford, Textb. of Bact., 1927, from lactose. In the presence of glucose,
615.) especially when combined with asparagine,
phos.pho're.um. Gr. v. phosphor eo to the cells swell up greatly and lose their
bring light; M.L. adj. phosphoreus light- luminescent property. Luminescence on
bearing. organic matter occurs only when there is a
Description taken from Fischer (op. cit., sufficient proportion of inorganic salt.
1888, 107) and Beijerinck {op. cit., 1889, Comments: Several publications which
401). antedate that of Fischer (op. cit., 1888, 107)
Coccobacilli, 0.5 to 2.0 microns; oc- allude to the fact that the binomial Bac-
casional rods are 0.5 to 1.0 micron. In the terium phosphorescens might have been
presence of glucose, especially glucose and effectively published earlier than 1888. One
asparagine combined, some of the cells tend reference (Anonymous, Nature, 35, 1886-
to branch and to take the form of bac- 1887, 377) cites Hermes, the Director of the
teroids. Frequently occur as zoogloeae. Berlin Aquarium, as having published an
Non-motile (Fischer); some cells show a article in which he describes and names as
sluggish motility (Beijerinck); (Johnson, Bacteriian phosphorescens a luminescent
personal communication, 1953, stated that organism obtained from a specimen of cod
even electron micrographs failed to reveal (Gadus callarias) at the Berlin Aquarium;
flagella) ; actively motile on suitable media this was the same organism which Fischer
(Kluyver, personal communication, June, secured from the Berlin Aquarium and
1953) ; Leifson (personal communication, which he named Bacterium phosphorescens.
July, 1953) reports that an occasional cell A second reference (Ludwig, Cent. f. Bakt.,
of culture L342 from Delft shows mono- 2, 1887, 404) states that Hermes demon-
trichous flagellation. Stain lightly with strated before the Berlin Society the phos-
aniline dyes. Gram-negative (Manual, 3rd phorescent bacterium from the Berlin
ed., 1930, 178). Aquarium under the name Bacterium phos-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. phorescens. Other references (Anonymous,
Agar slant: Grayish white layer (Manual, Gesell. deutsch. Naturforsch. u. Aerzte,
loc. cit.). Tageblatt, 60, 1887, 77 and 254) showed
Broth: Slightly turbid with thin pellicle that Hermes used this organism several
(Manual, loc. cit.). times for demonstration purposes in the
Potato: Ordinary acid potato, no growth; Aquarium and before the Society. As
neutralized with sodium phosphate, thin Hermes' publication has not been found, and
brownish growth (Chester, Ann. Rept. Del. as the binomial Bacterium phosphorescens is
Col. Agr. Exp. Sta., 9, 1897, 124). not effectively published in anj- of the three
Proteolytic enzymes not secreted. references given directly above, Fischer is
Glucose, fructose, maltose and galactose credited here as the author of this binomial.
are anaerobically fermented with the pro- Considerable confusion exists in the
duction of gas. This is a butanediol fermen- literature concerning this species, most of
tation that produces H2 and CO2 (Kluyver, which can be elucidated by the following:
personal communication, 1953). (1) Fischer (Ztschr. f. Hyg., 2, 1887, 54-92)
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. described an organism, isolated from sea
Minimum temperature, between 5° and water from the West Indies, which he named
10° C. Bacillus phosphorescens; (2) a second species
Quality of luminescence: Bluish green. of phosphorescent bacteria, obtained from
Salt tolerance: To assure phosphorescence the Berlin Aquarium, was described, but
and good growth, the osmotic tension of not named, by Fischer in a supplement to
inorganic salt solutions used for cultivation the work cited above (ibid., 92-95); Leh-
should be equivalent to that produced in a mann (Cent. f. Bakt., 5, 1889, 785) also
3 per cent sodium chloride solution. described an organism obtained from the
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 195
Berlin Aquarium, and he states that it is Guide to the Bacteria and Actinomycetes,
identical with the one which Fischer ob- 514.)
Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949,
tained from this same source; (3) in a later
paper (Cent. f. Bakt., S, 1888, 107), Fischer pie.ran.to'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun pier-
identified the second species, as well as antonii of Pierantoni; named for Prof. U.
phosphorescent bacteria that he isolated Pierantoni, an Italian scientist.
from dead fish from the Baltic and North Original description supplemented by
Seas, as Bacterium phosphorescens. Some material taken from Meissner (Cent. f.
authors, e.g. Lehmann and Neumann (Bakt. Bakt., II Abt., 67, 1926, 204).
Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 198; and other edi- Cocci, 0.8 micron in diameter, and short
tions), Migula (Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 433) rods, 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns. Occasionally
and Chester (Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, vacuolated. Motile or non-motile, the
181), when referring to Bacterium phos- motile cells possessing a single flagellum or
phorescens Fischer, quote the supplement a tuft of 2 to 4 flagella. Gram-negative.
to Fischer's paper in the Ztschr. f. Hyg., 2, Gelatin colonies: Circular, luminous.
1887, 92, as the source of the name Bacterium Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
phosphorescens, whereas the first use of this Sepia agar colonies: Circular, white,
binomial by Fischer was in the Cent. f. convex, smooth and serrate with an intense,
Bakt., 3, 1888, 107. This failure to give an greenish luminescence.
exact reference has caused confusion in Egg glj'cerol agar slant: Yellowish green,
later publications, especially since Bacillus luminous streak.
phosphorescens is the only binomial pro- Broth: Turbid.
posed, or even used, by Fischer in his paper Indole not produced.
published in the Ztschr. f. Hyg., 2, 1887, Acid and gas from glucose and maltose.
54-95, which also contains a description of Some strains produce acid but no gas from
the organism he later identified as Bacterium lactose and sucrose.
phosphorescens. Still other writers (Gorham, Aerobic.
in Dahlgren, Jour. Franklin Inst., 180, 1915,
517 and insert following 714) have used the Optimum temperature, 33° C.
Optimum pH for growth, 9.0. No growth
name Bacillus phosphorescens in lieu of at pH 5.0.
Bacterium phosphorescens, thus augmenting Optimum pH for luminescence, 8.0. No
the confusion. luminescence at pH 5.0.
Relationships to other species of bacteria: Quality of luminescence: Greenish.
Beijerinck regards Photobacterium phos- Source: Isolated from the photogenic
phorescens Beijerinck as identical with organ of the cephalopod Rondeletia minor.
Micrococcus phosphoreus Cohn (Folia Micro- Habitat: Apparently found only in
biologica, Delft, 4, 1916, 15, footnote 4) Rondeletia minor but may also be found in
but different from Photobacterium pfleugeri closely related species.
Ludwig (Arch, neerl. d. Sci. exact, et natur.,
24, 1891, 369). 3. Photobacterium fischeri Beijerinck,
Source: Isolated from cod (Gadus cal- 1889. (Einheimischer Leuchtbacillus, Fis-
larias) from the Baltic Sea; also found on cher, Cent. f. Bakt., 3, 1888, 107; Beijerinck,
haddock {Melanogrammus aeglifinus) and on Arch, nderl. d. Sci. exact, et natur., 23, 1889,
lobster (Homarus sp.). 401; Vibrio fischeri Lehmann and Neumann,
Habitat: Found on dead fish and in sea Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 342; Achromo-
water, so far as known. bacter fischeri Bergey et al.. Manual, 3rd ed.,
1930, 220.)
2. Photobacterium pierantonii (Zir- fisch'er.i. M.L. gen. noun ^sc^e/z of Fis-
polo, 1918) Krassilnikov, 1949. {Micrococcus cher; named for Prof. Bernhard Fischer,
pierantonii Zirpolo, Boll. del. Societa dei one of the earliest students of luminescent
Natural, in Napoli, 31, (1918) 1919, 75; bacteria.
Photobacterium pierantonii, incorrectly Description taken from Fischer (op. cit.,
ascribed to Bergey et al. by Krassilnikov, 1888, 107), Beijerinck (op. cit., 1889, 401) and
196 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Johnson and Shiink (Jour. Bact., 31, 1936, tol, inositol, sorbitol, erythritol, arabitol
589). or alpha-methyl-glycoside.
Short, thick rods, 0.4 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.5 Starch hydrolysis is doubtful or verj'
microns, with rounded ends, occurring slight.
singly and in pairs. Occasional rods slightly Decarboxjlates glutamic acid to form
curved, ends slightly pointed. Not encap- 7-aminobutyric acid and CO2 ; decarboxjd-
sulated. Motile. Johnson, Zworykin and ates lysine (Pearson, Jour. Cell, and Comp.
Warren (Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, 167) made Physiol., 41, 1953, 65).
pictures with the electron microscope of Alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic
a culture which they identified with this acid and threonine are capable of serving
species; the organism showed a tuft of polar as sole nitrogen sources for this organism
flagella. Gram-negative. (Pearson, Jour. Tenn. Acad. Sci., 27, 1952,
229).
Sea-water gelatin colonies : After 48 hours,
colonies small (less than 0.5 mm in diam- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
eter), circular, entire, homogeneous, with Ammonia produced in peptone media.
slight liquefaction. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Sea-water gelatin stab: Slight, infundi- Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
buliform liquefaction, sometimes slightly tween 25° and 28° C. Minimum, between 5°
beaded, tending to become crateriform in and 10° C. No growth at 37° C.
old cultures. Optimum temperature for luminescence,
Nutrient sea-water agar colonies: Small, 28° C. Weak at 10° C., none at 5° nor at 37° C.
circular, smooth, entire, slightly raised, Optimum pH for luminescence, between
homogeneous, iridescent. Old colonies be- 7.4 and 7.8; less intense at 7.0 and 8.2.
come yellowish with margins slightly ser- Fischer (Erg. d. Plankton Expedition d.
rate. Humboldt-Stiftung, 4, 1894) noted that
Sea-water agar slant: Growth abundant, this organism grows best in alkaline rnedia.
grayish to jellowish, smooth, viscous, Quality of luminescence: Orangish, main-
homogeneous, iridescent. tained for 5 to 8 weeks (Beijerinck); green-
Growth on autoclaved fish: Moderate, ish (Johnson and Shunk). Luminescence
grayish to yellowish, smooth, glistening, favored by the presence of glycerol in the
luminescent, no odor of putrefaction. medium.
Sea water containing 0.2 per cent peptone : Salt tolerance: The osmotic tension of
Moderate growth, mostly near the surface; inorganic salt solutions used as media for
very thin pellicle; sediment found in old this species must be equivalent to that
tubes. produced in a 2.8 to 3.0 per cent sodium
Milk: No growth. Milk with 2.8 per cent chloride solution to assure luminescence and
sodium chloride : Slight growth and lumines- good growth.
cence, but no action on the milk. Not pathogenic for white rats.
Distinctive character: Luminescence on
Potato plugs resting on cotton saturated
organic matter occurs only when there is a
in sea water: Growth fairly abundant,
spreading, slightly brownish, luminous. suflftcient proportion of inorganic salt pres-
Blood serum: No growth. ent.
Source: Isolated from sea water at Kiel
Indole not produced.
and from herring.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Habitat: Frequentlj^ found on dead fish,
Acid but no gas from glucose (Gorham, Crustacea and other salt-water animals and
in Dahlgren, Jour. Franklin Inst., 180, in coastal sea water. Phosphorescent bac-
1915, 517 and insert following 714). Acid teria also occur on meat and even on sol-
from glycerol, fructose, galactose, mannose, dier's wounds where they produce no known
maltose, cellobiose, dextrin and salicin. harmful effects. No food poisoning has been
No acid or gas from lactose, sucrose, arabi- traced to meat on which these organisms
nose, xylose, fucose, rhamnose, trehalose, have grown (Niven, Circular No. 2, Ameri-
raffinose, glycogen, inulin, adonitol, dulci- can Meat Inst. Foundation, 1951, 1-11).
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 197
A.zo.to.mo'nas. Gr. azous without life; Fr. noun azote nitrogen; Gr. fem.n. monas unit,
monad; M.L. fem.n. Azotomonas nitrogen (-fixing) monad.
Rod- to coccus-shaped cells. Motile by means of 1 to 3 polar fiagella. No fat-like reserve
food granules in the cells. Chemo-heterotrophic. Produce acid and sometimes gas from glu-
cose and other sugars and alcohols. Many carbon compounds other than sugars are used as
sources of energj-. Indole is produced. Aerobic. Active in the fixation of atmospheric nitro-
gen. Found in soil.
The type species is Azotomonas insolita Stapp.
1. Azotomonas insolita Stapp, 1940. 7.0° and 9.5° C. Maximum, 48° C. Good
(Abstracts of Communications, Third In- growth at 37° C. Thermal death point,
ternat. Congr. for Microbiol., Sect. VIII, 60° C.
1939, 306; abst. in Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. of Limits of pH, 3.3 to 9.5.
America, 4, 1939, 244; Zent. f. Bakt., II Source: Isolated from a mixture of chop-
Abt., 102, 1940, 1.) ped cotton husks and rice hulls.
in.so'li.ta. L. adj. insolitus unusual. Habitat: Soil.
Coccoid rods 0.6 to 1.2 by 0.6 to 1.8 mi-
crons. Motile by means of 1 to 3 polar 2. Azotonionas fluorescens Krassilni-
flagella. Gram-negative. kov, 1947. (Quoted from Krassilnikov, Guide
Gelatin: No liquefaction. to the Bacteria and Actinomycetes, Izd.
Agar colonies: Flat, whitish, entire, Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949, 420.)
weakly fluorescent.
flu.o.res'cens. L. noun fluor a flux; M.L.
Agar slant: Glistening, white growth.
v. fluoresco to fluoresce; fluor-spar, a flux-
Broth: Strongly turbid; sediment; pel- ing mineral which is fluorescent; M.L.
licle.
part. adj. fluorescens fluorescing.
Milk: Unchanged.
Translated by Dr. A. Petraitis, New York
Potato: Growth somewhat dry, not slimy,
dirty gray, spreading. State Experiment Station, Geneva, New-
York.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Acid and gas from adonitol, arabinose, Rod-shaped cells, 0.5 to 0.8 by 2.0 to 5.0
dextrin, glucose, galactose, glycerol, microns, which become shorter in old cul-
inositol, lactose, fructose, maltose, man- tures. Motile by means of one to three
nose, mannitol, raffinose, rhamnose, salicin, polar flagella. Gram-negative.
sorbitol, starch, sucrose and xylose. Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Inorganic media with or without nitro-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. gen: Good growth.
Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed. Colonies are wide, smooth and glistening.
Ammonium salts are utilized. A slightly yellowish or violet fluorescent
Aerobic. pigment is produced which diffuses through
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- the medium.
tween 25° and 30° C. Minimum, between Milk: Peptonized.
* Rearranged by Dr. A. W. Hofer, New York State Experiment Station, Cornell Univer-
sity, Geneva, New York, November, 1953.
199
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Acid but no gas from various sugars and Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
alcohols. Aerobic.
Starch is hj'drolyzed. Source: Isolated from soil.
Fixes nitrogen. Habitat: Soil.
28, 1934, 213; K&ss, Lid and MoUand, Norske al., 1934) Kiss et al., 1945. {Bacterium algini-
Videnskaps-Akad., Oslo, I Mat.-Naturv. cum Waksman, Carey and Allen, Jour.
Klasse, No. 11, 1945, 9.) Bact., 28, 1934, 213; K&ss, Lid and Molland,
fu.ci'co.la. L. mas.n./tiCMS a seaweed; M. Norske Videnskaps-Akad., Oslo, I Mat.-
L. noun Fucus a genus of brown seaweeds; Naturv. Klasse, No. 11, 1945, 9.)
L.v. colo to inhabit; M.L. noun fucicola the al.gi'ni.ca. L. fem.n. alga seaweed; M.L.
Fucus dweller. adj . alginicus pertaining to alginic acid from
Short rods, 0.6 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns, seaweed.
with ends rounded to almost coccoid; Rods short to almost spherical, 0.6 to 1.0
slightly curved. Actively motile with twirl- micron in diameter. Encapsulated. Slug-
ing motion. Gram-negative. gishly motile. Gram-negative.
Alginic acid plate : Colonies finely granu- Alginic acid plate: White, finely granu-
lar, entire; at first whitish, turning brown in lated colonies with entire margin. Does not
three to five days, and later almost black, clear up the turbidity in plate. Odor pro-
producing a deep brown, soluble pigment. duced resembles that of old potatoes.
Alginic acid liquid medium: Limited Alginic acid liquid medium: Thin pellicle;
growth on surface in the form of a pellicle. weak alginase formation.
Frequently produces no growth at all. Sea-water gelatin: Thin growth through-
Sea-water gelatin: Active liquefaction; out gelatin stab; no liquefaction in 7 days
no growth on stab; thin, fluorescent growth
at 18° C.
throughout liquefied zone. Agar liquefaction: None.
Agar liquefaction: Positive, although lim- Sea-water glucose broth: Uniform but
ited; only softening of agar. very limited turbidity; no pellicle; no sedi-
Sea-water glucose broth: Faint turbidity; ment.
no pellicle; no sediment. Litmus milk containing salt : No apparent
Litmus milk containing salt: No apparent
growth. growth.
Potato moistened with sea water: Moist,
Potato moistened with sea water: No spreading, cream-colored growth; heavy
growth. sediment in free liquid at bottom.
Starch plate: No growth. Starch plate: Limited, pale blue growth;
Aerobic. no diastase.
Optimum temperature, 20° C. Aerobic.
Source : Isolated from sea water near the
surface of the sand bottom. Optimum temperature,
Source: Isolated from sea20°water
C. and from
Habitat: Rare in sea water.
the surface of algal growth.
5. Alginomonas alginica (Waksman et Habitat: Common in sea water.
My.co.pla'na. Gr. tnyces fungus; Gr. planus a wandering; M.L. fem.n. Mycoplana fungus
wanderer.
Cells branching, especially in young cultures. Frequently banded when stained. Polar
flagellate. t Capable of using phenol or similar aromatic compounds as a sole source of
energy. Grow well on standard culture media. From soil.
The type species is Mycoplana diniorpha Gray and Thornton.
* Prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, January,
1954.
t The orginal statements regarding the flagellation of these species are contradictory.
The first reads "Polar, peritrichous"; the second "Polar or peritrichous".— Editors.
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE 205
* Revised by Mrs. James B. Lackey n^e Elsie Wattie, University of Florida, Gaines-
ville, Florida, March, 1954.
207
FAMILY IV. PSEUDOMONADACEAE
Bloch reports that sugars are utilized in (Kl. Mitt. d. Ver. f. Wasser-, Boden- und
developing cell substances. Wattie finds that Lufthyg., Berlin-Dahlem, 4, 1928, 143; also
there is evidence of slight acid production see Beger, Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 154,
from glucose, lactose, xylose and mannitol, 1949, 61.)
whereas Butterfield finds no action on all
fi.li.pen'du.la. L. nounfilum a thread; L.
sugars tested. In addition to the sugars adj. penduhis hanging down; M.L. adj.
named above, these included sucrose, filipendulus thread hanging down.
arabinose, galactose, mannose, cellobiose, Description prepared by Prof. H. Beger,
raffinose, melizitose, dextrin and salicin. Berlin-Dahlem, Germany.
Ptire-culture "activated sludges" formed Cells coccoid (0.8 micron in diameter) to
bj' this species have been shown to produce rod-shaped (0.8 by 2.0 microns). The cells
a high rate of oxidation of the pollutional are surrounded by a gelatinous mass which
material in sewage (synthetic and natural), varies in size from 1.5 to 2.0 by 4.5 cm and
oxidizing about 50 per cent of the 5-day bio- which is composed of numerous, more or
chemical oxygen demand in a 5-hour aera- less spherical masses 3 to 5 mm long. The
tion period and about 80 per cent in a 24- largest cells completely fill the newly formed
hour interval. Nitrogenous materials are not globules which lie at the end of filaments
included in this oxidation as this species is hanging downward from zoogloeal masses
not capable of such action. suspended from the under surface of pump
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- pistons and other submerged objects; the
tween 28° and 30° C. Good growth at 20° and cells in the older globules are smaller (0.4
at 37° C. Minimum, 4° C. by 0.7 micron) and are found near the sur-
Optimum pH, 7.0 to 7.4. face of the globule, the interior being rela-
Strict aerobe. tively free of cells.
Distinctive characters: Oxidizes sewage Several other bacteria are found in asso-
and other organic solutions. Also see ciation with this species. As a result, the
McKinney and Horwood (Sewage and Ind. gelatinous mass appears rust-colored (cov-
Wastes, 2^, 1953, 117), who found other floc- ered with iron bacteria) when found in acid
forming organisms besides Zoogloea ramigera waters and grayish white when isolated from
in activated sludge; these were identified water that is neutral.
as Bacillus cereus, Escherichia intermedia, Nutrient gelatin: Only the small forms,
Paracolohactrum aerogenoides and Nocardia such as those found in older globules, are
actinomorpha. A species of Flavobacterium able to grow on this medium. Substantial
was also found in the floes in association growth occurs at the bottom of the stab in
with these species. 48 hours.
Source: Originally (1867) found in a cul- Source: Isolated from pump pistons and
ture of decomposing algae. It has been re- other submerged objects from a waterworks
peatedly found in materials containing de- near Berlin.
composing plant materials and sewage and f Habitat: Found in water contaminated
is especially common in the floes formed in with sewage or industrial wastes.
the activated sludge process of purifying
sewage. Note: Species incertae sedis: For species
Habitat: Produces zoogloeal masses in that resemble those placed in the genus
water containing decomposing organic mat- Zoogloea Cohn in many important respects,
ter. Common. see Nevskia ramosa Famintzin and Myco-
nostoc gregarium Cohn. Additional species
2. Zoogloea filipendula Beger, 1928. have also been placed in the genus Zoogloea.
Humboldt-Stiftung, 1894, 19; not Halophilus Sturges and Heideman (nomen nudum), Abst.
of Bact., 8, 1924, 14; not Halobacterium Schoop (nomen nudum), Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig.,
134., 1935, 26; Halobacter Anderson, Applied Microbiol., 2, 1954, 66.)
Ha.lo.bac.te'ri.um. Gr. noun hals salt; Gr. dim. noun bacterium a small rod; M.L. neut.n.
Halobacterium the salt bacterium.
Obligate halophilic, rod-shaped bacteria which are highly pleomorphic. Require at least
12 per cent salt for growth, and will live even in saturated brine solutions. Motile species
are polar flagellate; some species are non-motile. Gram-negative. Usually chromogenic,
producing non-water-soluble, carotenoid pigments which vary in shade from colorless
to orange or even brilliant red. Carbohydrates may or may not be attacked without the
production of visible gas. Nitrates are reduced, occasionally with the production of gas.
Found in tidal pools, especially in the tropics, salt ponds, salt seas or other places where
heavy brines occur naturally; also found on salted fish, salted hides and similar materials.
The type species is Halobacterium salinarium Elazari-Volcani.
Key to the species of genus Halobacterium.
I. Gas not produced from nitrates.
A. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
1. Pale pink to scarlet chromogenesi
1. Halobacterium salinarium.
2. Pink to dark red chromogenesis.
2. Halobacterium cutirubrum.
B. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
3. Halobacterium halobium.
II. Gas produced from nitrates.
A. Produces acid from glucose.
4. Halobacterium marismortui.
B. Does not produce acid from glucose.
5. Halobacterium trapanicum.
Source: Isolated from salted hides which Broth (30 per cent NaCl + 1 per cent pep-
were presumably salted with solar salt. tone "Poulenc"): Pellicle; turbid; colored
Habitat: Sea water and solar salt. sediment.
3. Halobacterium halobium (Petter, Asparagine broth (30 per cent NaCl -|- 3
per cent asparagine) : No growth.
1931) Elazari-Volcaui, 1940. (Microbe du Indole not produced.
rouge de morue, Le Dantec, Ann. Inst. No acid from glucose, sucrose or maltose
Past., 5, 1891, 656; also see Le Dantec,
(tests made in 30 per cent salt + 1 per cent
Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 61, 1906, 136;
Bacillus halobius ruber Klebahn, Mitteil. peptone -|- 2 per cent carbohydrate).
Nitrites produced from nitrates; no gas is
a. d. Inst. f. allg. Bot. i. Hamburg, 4, 1919,
47; abst. in Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 52, 1921, produced.
123; Bacterium halobium Petter, Proc. Kon. Catalase-positive.
Aerobic.
Acad. V. Wetensch. Amsterdam, 34, 1931,
1417; also see Petter, Over roode en andere Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Salt tolerance: Halophilic, obligate;
bacterien van gezouten visch. Thesis,
grows above 12 per cent NaCl up to satura-
Utrecht, 1932; Flavobacterium {Halobac- tion.
terium) halobium Elazari-Volcani, Studies on Distinctive character: The pigment is
the Microflora of the Dead Sea. Thesis,
soluble in methanol, ethanol, acetone,
Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, 1940, V and 59.)
chloroform, carbon disulfide, benzol, petro-
ha.lo'bi.um. Gr. noun hals salt; Gr. noun leum ether, toluene and xylene. The carot-
bius life; M.L. adj. halobius living on salt.
enoids are named bacterio-ruberine a and /3.
Rods, the length of which varies greatly
Source: Seven different strains were iso-
with the medium and age of culture: 0.6 to
0.9 by 2.0 to 6.0 microns in young cultures ring. lated from reddened, salted codfish and her-
grown on agar (30 per cent NaCl + 1 per Habitat: Produces a red discoloration on
cent peptone "Poulenc"); 2.0 to 27.0 mi- salted herring and codfish.
crons long in liquid peptone media, occur-
ring singly. (Klebahn described rods up to
45 microns in liquid media; in old cultures 4. Halobacterium marismortui Ela-
(horse-serum agar), irregular involution zari-Volcani, 1940. (Flavobacterium {Halo-
forms appear which are round, ovoid or bacterium) maris-mortui (sic) Elazari-Vol-
coccus-like, 1.0 to 1.5 by 1.7 to 2.7 microns.) cani, Studies on the Microflora of the Dead
Cells from opaque colonies contain charac- Sea. Thesis, Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, 1940,
V and 48.)
teristic gas vacuoles. The cells are very sen-
sitive to changes in salt concentration; be- ma.ris.mor'tu.i. L. noun mare the sea;
low 12 per cent NaCl and in w^ater, they L. gen. noun maris of the sea; L. adj. mortuus
swell and form ovoid, amoeboid and club-, dead; M.L. gen. noun marismortui of the
spindle-, drumstick- and pear-shaped arte- Dead Sea.
facts. Because of these irregular forms, the Rods, the length and shape varj'ing
organism was described by several investi- greatly with the medium : in Dead Sea water
gators as polymorphic (Cloake, Dept. of -f 1 per cent proteose peptone, the cells
Scientific and Ind. Research, Food Investi- occur singly and measure 0.5 by 1.6 to 3.0
gation Board No. 18, London, 1923). Slightly microns; in 24 per cent salt + 1 per cent
motile with a pendulum-like movement; peptone and on agar + peptone + salt and
flagella observed with electron microscope on Dead Sea water + peptone + agar, the
(Houwink, Jour. Gen. Microlnol., 15, 1956, cells are spheroids which measure 1.0 to
146). Gram-negative. 1.5 microns in diameter. Non-motile. When
Agar colonies (30 per cent NaCl -f 1 per stained, the rods burst while the spheroids
cent peptone "Poulenc"): Circular, trans- retain their shape. Gram-negative.
parent or opaque; color varies from almost Gelatin stab (18 per cent salt + 1 per cent
white to orange, red, violet and purple; the peptone + 30 per cent gelatin) : Surface
color of the colonj^ also changes during the growth. No liquefaction (2 months).
course of growth. Agar colonies (24 per cent salt + 1 per
211
FAMILY IV. PSBUDOMONADACEAE
cent proteose peptoue + 2 per cent KNO3) : Rods, 0.6 by 1.5 to 3.5 microns. The length
Circular, smooth, entire, raised to convex, and shape of the cells may vary greatly with
butyrous, glistening, opaque with a slightly the medium: in Dead Sea water + 1 per cent
transparent margin which is less colored, proteose peptone, the cells occur singly and
orange-brown, orange-red or orange-yellow. are 0.45 to 0.55 by 1.5 to 4.8 microns with
Agar slant (24 per cent salt + 1 per cent occasional rods measuring 8.0 to 16.0 mi-
peptone + 2 per cent KNO3): Growth crons in length; in 24 per cent salt + 1 per
moderate, filiform, raised to convex, glisten- cent peptone, the short rods predominate;
ing, smooth, butyrous, opaque, orange-red. in 24 per cent salt + 1 per cent peptone + 2
Broth (24 per cent salt + 1 per cent pep- per cent KNO3 agar, the cells are ovoid,
tone):Turbid; orange-red pellicle; slightly measuring 1.0 to 1.5 microns in diameter.
viscous sediment. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
Asparagine broth (24 per cent salt + 1 Gelatin stab (18 per cent salt -f 1 per
per cent asparagine): Turbid. cent peptone -1- 30 per cent gelatin) : Surface
Indole not produced. growth. No liquefaction (2 months).
Acid from glucose, fructose, mannose and Agar colonies (24 per cent salt + 1 per
glycerol ; slight acid from xylose and salicin cent proteose peptone + 2 per cent KNO3) :
(tests made in 24 per cent salt + 1 per cent Small (1 to 2 mm in diameter), circular,
peptone + 1 per cent carbohydrate during smooth, entire, convex, glistening, trans-
3 weeks). parent, light orange or slightly colorless.
Starch not hj-drolyzed. Agar slant (24 per cent salt -f 1 per cent
Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates; peptone + 2 per cent KNO3): Growth
gas is produced (tests made in 24 per cent moderate, filiform, raised, glistening,
salt + 1 per cent peptone + 2 per cent smooth, opaque or slightly transparent,
KNO3). light orange.
Aerobic. Broth (Dead Sea water -f 1 per cent pep-
Optimum temperature, 30° C. tone):Orange-rose pellicle; turbid; orange
Salt tolerance: Halophilic, obligate; sediment. In 24 per cent salt + 1 per cent
grows in 18 per cent to saturated salt solu- peptone: orange -rose ring; turbid; orange
tions; slight growth in 15 per cent salt. sediment.
Distinctive character: The pigment pro- Asparagine broth (24 per cent salt + 1
duces a blue color with concentrated sul-
per cent asparagine) : Moderately turbid.
furic acid, thus suggesting a carotenoid; it Indole not produced.
is very soluble in pyridine, less soluble in No acid from arabinose, xylose, glucose,
methanol, ethanol and chloroform, slightly
soluble in acetone, very slightly so in ben- fructose, galactose, mannose, lactose, su-
zol and insoluble in xylene and petroleum crose, maltose, raffinose, inulin, dextrin,
ether. glycerol, mannitol or salicin (tests made in
Source: Isolated from Dead Sea water. 24 per cent salt + 1 per cent peptone + 1
Habitat: Salt lakes. per cent carbohydrate during 3 weeks).
Starch not hydrolyzed.
5. Halobacteriuin trapanicum (Petter, Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates;
1931) Elazari-Volcani, 1940. (Bacterium gas is produced (tests made in 24 per cent
trapanicum Petter, Proc. Kon. Acad. v. salt + 1 per cent peptone + 2 per cent
KNO3).
Wetensch. Amsterdam, S4, 1931, 1417; also
see Petter, Over roode en andere bacterien Catalase-positive.
van gezouten visch. Thesis, Utrecht, 1932; Aerobic.
Flavohacterium (Halobacterium) trapanicum
Optimum temperature, between 30° and
Elazari-Volcani, Studies on the Microflora 37° C.
of the Dead Sea. Thesis, Hebrew Univ., Salt tolerance: Halophilic, obligate;
Jerusalem, 1940, V and 59.) grows in 18 per cent to saturated salt solu-
tra.pa'ni.cum. M.L. adj. trapanicus per- tionsslight
; growth in 15 per cent salt.
taining to "Trapani" salt. Distinctive character: The pigment pro-
212 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
duces a blue color with concentrated sul- Source: Isolated from "Trapani" salt
furic acid, thus suggesting a carotenoid. r..^^ • -d ,~.j , ,
,. 1 ui ■ -J- 1 , , , • "^"^ ^ cannery in Bergen (Norway) and
Very soluble in pyridine; less soluble in = Sea.
from the water of the Dead \ j/
methanol, ethanol and chloroform; slightly
soluble in acetone, very slightly so in ben- Habitat: Sea salt, sea-water brine and
zol; insoluble in xylene and petroleum ether. salt lakes.
* Redefined and rearranged by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New
York, December, 1953. Prof. Herbert Beger, Institut fiir Wasser-, Boden- und Lufthygiene,
Berlin-Dahlem, Germany, has given this section a further revision so as to include genera
and species not previously recognized in the Manual, February, 1954.
FAMILY V. CAULOBACTERACEAE 213
by ZoBell and Allen (Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol, and Med., 30, 1933, 1409) has proved to be
most useful for studying bacteria that live attached to a substrate.
The species included in Pasteuria Metchnikoff and Blaslocmdis Henrici and Johnson
reproduce by a curious form of fission or budding. They have been transferred to a new-
Order, Hyphomicrobiales Douglas.
or glycerol not utilized. Ammonium sulfate ander, Minnesota, and other fresh-water
or casamino acids used as sources of nitro- lakes (Henrici and Johnson, op. cit., 30,
gen; ammonium nitrate not utilized. 1935, 83). Also found in well-water in Ken-
Optimum temperature, 30° C. tucky (Bowers et al., op. cit.).
Aerobic, facultative. Habitat: Water, where it grows upon firm
Source: Found frequently in Lake Alex- substrates.*
Gal.li.o.nel'la. Named for Benjamin Gaillon, receiver of customs and zoologist (1782-
1839) in Dieppe, France; M.L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.n. Gallionella a generic name.
Cells kidney-shaped or rounded. Placed at the end of the stalk with the long axis of the
cell transverse to the long axis of the stalk. Stalks secreted by the cells are slender and
twisted. Branch dichotomously or in the form of umbels. Stalks more or less dumb-bell or
bisquit-shaped in cross section. Composed of ferric hydroxide, completely dissolving in
weak acids. Two polar flagella are present when the cells are motile. Gram-negative. Multi-
plication byfission of the cells, the daughter cells remaining at first at the end of the stalk;
later they may be liberated as swarm cells. Grow only in iron-bearing waters. Do not store
manganese compounds. From both fresh and salt water. When the first species was discov-
ered the twisted stalks were thought to be a chain of diatoms.
The type species is Gallionella ferruginea Ehrenberg.
* The papers by Houwink (Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 21, 1955, 29) and by Kandler,
Zehender and Huber (Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 21, 1954, 57) were received after the manuscript
covering the family Caulobacteraceae was prepared. They give further information regard-
ing the structure and function of the stalk of Caulobacter sp. Clearly the stalks developed
by species in this genus are quite different in nature from the stalks of ferric hydroxide or
gum secreted by the cells of other species placed in other genera of this family.
t Gallionella Ehrenberg is accepted and is continued in use in this edition of the Manual
although under a strict interpretation of Rules of Nomenclature it should apparently be
regarded as a homonym and therefore illegitimate. Gaillonella Bory de St. Vincent, proposed
as the name of a genus of algae, appears to have priority (see Internat. Bull. Bact. Nomen.
and Tax., 2, 1951, 96). However, Gaillonella B. de St. V. is no longer used by students of
diatoms so that Gallionella E. may be retained as a gemis conservandum in bacteriology with-
out causing confusion. Unless Gallionella E. is retained, the little used Didymohelix Griffith
must be again introduced into the Manual with the formation of a series of new combina-
tions.
The situation is complicated because the final settlement of this problem of nomenclature
requires action both by the Judicial Commission of the International Association of Micro-
biologists and the Special Committee on Diatomaceae of the International Botanical Con-
gress. The majority of the special students of iron bacteria have accepted and used Gallion-
ella E., e.g. Molisch (1910), Naumann (1921), Cholodny (1924), Butkevich (1928), Dorff
(1934), Henrici and Johnson (1934), Beger (1941) and Pringsheim (1952).
FAMILY V. CAULOBACTERACEAE 215
Tidskr., 27, 1933, 360; not GaUionella ferru- 5. GaUionella infurcata Beger, 1937.
ginea Ehrenberg, Die Infusionthierchen, (Spiro-phyUum sp., Suessenguth, Cent. f.
1838, 166; Beger, Ber. d. deutsch. Bot. Ges., Bakt., II Abt., 1927, 69 and 339; Beger, Gas-
52, 1949, 9.)
und Wasserfach, 80, 1937, 887; Spirophyllum
um.bel.la'ta. L. noun iimhella umbrella; infurcatum Beger, ibid., 889.)
M.L. adj. umbellatus umbel-like.
Five to six cells are formed at the end of in.fur.ca'ta. L. prep, in in; L. nonn furca
the stalks before separation. The cells are fork; M.L. adj. furcatus forked; M.L. adj.
kidnej^-shaped and 1.0 by 2.0 microns in infurcatus forked.
size. The stalks then divide into 5 to 6 Stalks twisted but not branched. Cells
branches forming a simple umbel. This proc- coccoid, 1 micron in diameter. After fission
ess of cell division and growth of branches into two cells, they become detached from
continues until finally the whole mass ap- the stalk.
pears composed of umbels. Source: Found in water basins in the
Source: From leaf mold found in streams
in British-Gambia. Botanical Garden of Miinchen-Nymphen-
burg.
Habitat: Found in tropical, iron-bearing
streams. Habitat: Found in iron-bearing waters.
Si.de.ro'pha.cus. Gr. noun siderus iron; Gr. noun phacus lentil; M.L. mas.n. Sidero-
phaciis iron lentil.
The stalks are horn-shaped, without branches, and do not form twisted bands; they are
round to ovoid in transverse section. Cells biconcave or rod-like; after division they sepa-
rate from the stalk. Ferric hydroxide is stored in the stalks.
The type species is Siderophaciis corneolus (Dorff) Beger.
1. Siderophaciis corneolus (Dorff, 1934) the top than at the base. Three to eight
Beger, 1944. (GaUionella corneola Dorff, Die stalks arise from a broad holdfast. Cells
Eisenorganismen, Pflanzenforschung, Heft 0.6 to 1.0 by 2.5 to 3.0 microns.
16, 1934, 25; Beger, Ber. d. deutsch. Bot. Source: Found in an iron-bearing rivulet
Ges., 61, 1944 12.) near Lot-Malmby, Central Sweden; also
cor.ne'o.lus. L. adj. corneolus horny, firm. found near Berlin.
Stalks 15 to 30 microns long, broader at Habitat: Found in iron-bearing waters.
at right angles to the axis of the broad, lobe- Source: Found in the aquarium in the
like stalk. Cells 2 by 6 to 12 microns, con- Botanical Garden, St. Petersburg. Similar
taining a number of highly refractile glob-
ules of fat or sulfur. Multiplication by but smaller organisms found b}' Henrici
binary fission. and Johnson (Jour. Bact., SO, 1935, 63) in a
Not cultivated on artificial media.
jar of water from the lily pond of the Univer-
Note: Nevskia pediculata Henrici and
Johnson is now regarded as a Lactobacillus. sity of Minnesota greenhouse in Minne-
See Lactobacillis brevis Bergey et al., syn. apolis.
Betabacterium vermijonne IMayer. Habitat : Found in water
* Manuscript prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell Universitj^, Geneva, New York,
December, 1953; further revision with the introduction of additional genera and species
by Prof. Dr. Herbert Beger, Institutfur Wasser-, Boden- und Lufthygiene, Berlin-Dahlem,
Germanj% March, 1954.
t The so-called torus is a marginal thickening of a thin capsule. The torus is heavily im-
pregnated with iron compounds so that the torus of an individual cell looks like the link
of a chain or, if incomplete, like a horseshoe.
218 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
(Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, 2 S^r., Supp. 3, 1909, 29; also see Die Eisenbakterien,
Jena, 1910, 11.)
Si.de.ro.cap'sa. Gr. noun siderus iron; L. noun capsa a box; M.L. fem.n. Siderocapsa
iron box.
One to many spherical to ellipsoidal, small cells embedded without definite arrangement
in a primary capsule. The primary capsules may be surrounded by a large secondary cap-
sule, and these may then be united into larger colonies. Iron compounds are predominantly
stored on the surface of the primary capsule, and when a secondary capsule is present, it
is also completely covered.
The type species is Siderocapsa treubii Molisch.
cell membrane contains an abundance of ferric hydroxide whereas the sheath is relatively
devoid of this substance. Non-motile and unattached. Found in iron-bearing waters.
The type species is Sidcronemn qlobuUfervm Beger.
1. Sideroiiema globuliferiim Boger, sheath 1.6 microns thick; the cells in these
1941. (Sideronemn glohulijern (sic) Beger, chains are non-confluent. Ferric hydroxide
Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 103, 1941, 321.) is found in the cell membrane but only
glob.u.li.fe'rum. L. divcv.noun cjlob^dus a, sparingly so in the sheath. Non-motile and
small sphere, globule; L. v. fero to bear, unattached.
carry; M.L. adj. (/lobulijerus globule-bear- Source: Found on gla.ss slides submerged
ing.
in spring water near Magdeburg, Germany.
Cells coccoid, round to egg-shaped, 4.8
to 5.0 by 6.5 microns. Occur in chains (3 to Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
S cells) which are enclosed in a gelatinous in iron-bearing waters.
the capsules which are found in surface isms, these are so much like F errihacterium
films. No motility observed. duplex Brussoff that they clearly belong in
Aerobic. the same genus.
Comment: The differences between the Source: Found in the Anebodae region of
two species placed by Naumann (loc. cit.) Sweden.
in the genus Sideroderma are not very sig- Habitat : Found in fresh water, in swampy
nificant. Moreover, as surface-film organ- ditches and in small streams.
(Cholodny, Ber. d. deutsch. Bot. Ges., Ifi, 1922, 326; also see Die Eisenbakterien, Pflanzen-
forschung. Heft 4, 1926, 55; Siderothece Naumann, Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad.
Handl., 62, No. 4, 1922, 18; Siderocystis Naumann, ibid., 42; also see Dorff, Die
Eisenorganismen, Pflanzenforschung, Heft 16, 1934, 12; and Beger, Ber. d.
deutsch. Bot. Ges., 62, (1944) 1950, 8.)
Si.de.ro.mo'nas. Gr. noun sider^ls iron; Gr. noun monas a unit, monad; M.L. fem.n.
Sideromonas iron monad.
Short, coccoid to rod-shaped cells each embedded in a rather large, sharply outlined
capsule. The number of cells may increase within the capsule, and older capsules may unite
to form larger colonies, the outlines of which are ill-defined. The capsules are impregnated
with iron or manganese compounds or are completely encrusted with them.
The type species is Sideromonas confervarum Cholodny.
Slender rods measuring 0.5 by 2.5 microns. Rods broader than those of Sideromonas
Rods, several to many placed irregularly in vulgaris, 0.5 to nearly 1.5 by 1.0 to 1.5 mi-
a gelatinous envelope, form, when old, crons. Each rod is surrounded by a large
zoogloea-like masses as much as 7.5 microns primary capsule; the capsules later fuse
in diameter. The rods are surrounded by and form a gelatinous envelope in which
primary capsules which are impregnated the cells are irregularly arranged. Form
with iron compounds and which later fuse. zoogloea-like masses up to 10 microns in
Reported by Dorff (Tabulae Biologicae, diameter. Iron compounds deposited within
16, 1938, 221) to be autotrophic. the capsular substance.
Comment: The characters of the genus Possibly autotrophic (Dorff, Talnilae
Siderocystis, as described by Naumann Biologicae, 16, 1938, 221).
{loc. cit.), do not seem adequate to distin- Aerobic.
guish it from the genus Sideromonas, estab- Comments: While there are some differ-
lished earlier by Cholodny. ences in the sizes of the organisms placed
Source: Found in the Aneboda region in by Naumann in the three different species
Sweden. named above, such differences may, in
Habitat: Forms deposits on submerged reality, not be significant: these differences
objects in ditch and river waters. may be due to variations in the nutritive
value of the water in which each of the
4. Sideromonas major (Naumann, 1922) organisms was growing.
Beger, comb. nov. {Siderothece major Nau- Source: Found in the Aneboda region in
mann, Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Sweden.
Handl., 62, No. 4, 1922, 17; Siderothece Habitat: Develop concretionary deposits
minor Naumann, loc. cit.; Siderocystis (microscopic particles) on submerged ob-
minor Naumann, ibid., 43.) jects in swampy ditch and river waters;
ma'jor. L. comp.adj. major larger. also found in wells and pipes in waterworks.
Nau.man.ni.el'la. M.L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.n. Naumanniella named for Einar
Naumann, a Swedish limnologist.
Cells ellipsoidal or rod-shaped with rounded ends, occurring singly or in short chains;
the rods may be straight or curved and frequently are constricted in the middle. Each cell
is surrounded by a small capsule and a marginal thickening (torus) heavily impregnated
with iron and manganese compounds. Gelatinous capsules of the type found in Siderocapsa
are absent. Cell division occurs simultaneously with constriction and separation of the
torus. The species in this genus have not been cultured. Found at the surface and in or on
the bottom mud of iron-bearing water.
The type species is Naumanniella neuslonica Dorff.
I. Cells rod-shaped.
A. Cells occur singly.
1. Cell diameter greater than 1.2 microns with the torus.
a. Cells with the torus 1.8 to 3.3 by 4.0 to 10.0 microns.
1. Naumanniella neustonica.
aa. Cells with the torus 1.2 to 1.5 by 3.1 to 3.6 microns.
2. Naumanniella minor.
2. Cells 1 by 2 microns with the torus.
224 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
3. N aunianniella pygtnaea.
B. Cells occur in chains.
4. Naumanniella catenata.
II. Cells ellipsoidal.
6. Naumanniella ellipiica.
O.chro'bi.um. Gr. noun ochra yellow ochre, iron oxide; Gr. noun bins life, dwelling;
M.L. neut.n. Ochrobium ochre-dweller.
Ellipsoidal to rod-shaped cells that are partially surrounded by a marginal thickening
(torus) that is heavily impregnated with iron. This torus remains open at one end so that
it resembles a horseshoe. The cells are surrounded b}' a delicate, transparent capsule that
contains a very small amount of iron. Polar flagellate. Widely distributed in fresh water.
The type species is Ochrobium tectum Perfiliev.
1. Ochrobium tectum Perfiliev, 1921. the open ends together. The cells are cov-
(Perfiliev, in Wislouch, Bull. Institut ered with a delicate outer capsule, and they
Hydrobiol., Russia, 1921; also see Nach- may be united in small colonies. When
richten des Sapropelkommittees, Leningrad, motile, they bear two unequal polar flagella.
1922, 1; and Verhandl. Intern. Verein. f. Comment: The cells are much like those
theor. und angew. Limnologie (1925)3, T. 3, found in the algal genus Pteromonas, only
1927; Sideroderma limneticum Naumann, smaller.
Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl., Source: Originally found in the region
62, 1922, 32.)
about Leningrad; then found independently
tec'tum. L. v. tego to cover; L. past part. by Naumann (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 78,
tectus covered.
Cells small, ellipsoidal to rod-shaped, 0.5 1929, 514) in Sweden and later by Beger
to 3.0 hj 1.5 to 5.0 microns. Each cell is (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 154, 1949, 65)
surrounded by a heavily iron-impregnated in wells of waterworks near Berlin.
torus which is open at one pole. Pairs of Habitat: Widely distributed iniron-bear-
cells appear like a pair of horseshoes with ing waters.
Genus VIII. Siderococcus Dorff, 1934.
(Die Eisenorganismen, Pflanzenforschung, Jena, Heft 16, 1934 9.)
Si.de.ro.coc'cus. Gr. noun siderus iron; Gr. noun coccus a berry, sphere; M.L. mas.n.
Siderococcus iron coccus.
Cells cocciform and of small size. Lack a gelatinous capsule. Not encrusted with iron
compounds; these are deposited entirely outside of the cells.
The type species is Siderococcus limoniticus Dorff.
(Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl., Cells, 1.5 by 3.5 microns after encrusting
62, 1922, 55.) iron compounds are removed with dilute
li.ne.a'ris. L. adj. linearis linear. HCl, occurring in pairs.
The type species of genus Siderobacter Source: Found in the Aneboda region in
Naumann. Sweden.
Cells 1.0 by 5.0 microns after the encrust- Habitat: Found in surface films on the
ing iron compounds have been dissolved water of swamps and small streams.
away with dilute HCl. Opaque, encrusted
cells, 1.2 b}- 7.0 microns. Always occur 5. Siderobacter latus Beger, 1941.
singl}' in contrast to the larger-celled (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 154, 1949, 63
and 66.)
Siderobacter duplex, where the cells occur in
pairs. la'tus. L. adj. latus broad.
Source: Found in the Aneboda region in Straight or occasionally curved cells, 2.5
Sweden. b}^ 6.0 to 15.0 microns, usually occurring
Habitat: Found in surface films and on singly. Participate in the formation of iron
submerged objects. and lime concretions.
Source: Found on concretions on the
4. Siderobacter duplex Naumann, 1922. brick walls of two wells suppljang a rapid
(Kungl. Svenska Vetenskapsakad. Handl., sand filter near Berlin, Germany.
62, No. 4, 1922, 55.) Habitat : Found in the cool waters of deep
wells.
du'plex. L. adj. duplex two-fold, double.
Genus X. Ferrobacillus Leathen and Braley, 1954*
(Bact. Proc. 54th General Meeting, Soc. of Amer. Bact., 1954, 44.)
Fer.ro. ba.cil'lus. L. noun /errum iron, here meaning ferrous iron; L. dim. noun bacillus
a small rod; M.L. noun Ferrobacillus ferrous-iron rodlet.
Short, plump, rod-shaped cells occurring singly and in pairs, seldom in chains; the cells
are not united to form colonies. O.xidize ferrous iron to the ferric state in acid environments.
Optimum reaction, pH 3.5.
The type species is Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans Leathen and Braley.
*Description of genus and species prepared by Wm. W. Leathen, Mellon Institute, Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania.
228 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Distinctive characters: By catalytic ac- of even minute traces of ferrous iron medium
tion, this species increases by several fold to an acid thiosulfate medium may cause
the amount of sulfuric acid normally formed decomposition of the thiosulfate, evidenced
by the atmospheric oxidation of pyritic by the development of turbidity due to the
materials found in bituminous coal seams formation of colloidal sulfur; this purely
and associated rock strata. chemical reaction involving thiosulfate
Comment: This organism closely resem
maj^ easily be misinterpreted as a bacterial
bles Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and may, in oxidation of this same substrate.
fact, be identical with it. However Temple Source: Isolated from bituminous coal
and Colmer (Jour. Bact., 59, 1950, 317)
oxi- "^^^« drainages and from waters receiving
report that Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
dizes thiosulfate while Leathen and Braley ^^^^ discharges.
(op. cit., 1954, 44) report that Ferrobacillus Habitat: Indigenous to bituminous coal
ferrooxidans does not oxidize thiosulfate. regions. Frequently form relatively hard
Thelatter workers (personal communication, granules of ferric iron in which many
May, 1954) further report that the transfer bacteria are entrapped.
II. Crescent-shaped to spiral cells that are frequently united into spiral chains of cells.
A. Cells not embedded in zoogloeal masses.
1. Spiral cells with polar flagellation.
a. Possess a tuft of polar flagella.
Genus VII. Spirillum, p. 253.
aa. Possess a single, polar flagellum.
Genus VIII. Paraspirillvm, p. 257.
2. Crescent-shaped cells with a tuft of flagella attached to the middle of the concave
side of the cell.
Genus IX. Selenomonas, p. 258.
B. Crescent- to spiral-shaped cells embedded in a spherical mass of jelly. Found in
fresh water.
Genus X. Myconostoc, p. 260.
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, January,
1954; the section covering the microaerophilic and anaerobic animal pathogens was re-
viewed by Dr. E. V. Morse, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, Madison,
Wisconsin, May, 1955.
230 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
1. Vibrio comma (Schroeter, 1886) wiede, Rogers and Smith, Jour. Bact., 5,
Winslow et al., 1920. (Kommabacillus, 1920 204.)
Koch, Berliner klin. Wochenschr., ^i, 1884, „^/,„„ n- ^ ^„ „^„.^„
479; bpinllum cholerae asiaticae Zopf, Die com'ma.
o • -77 77 • • r, r. • , , ur. comma
, , a comma.
0.6 by 1.0 to
Spaltpilze, 3 Aufl., 1885, 69; Microspira Slightly curved rods, 0.3 to
comma Schroeter, in Cohn, Kryptogamen ^.0 microns, occurring singly and in spiral
Flora V. Schlesien, 3, 1, 1886, 168; Vibrio chains. Cells may be long, thin and delicate
cholerae Neisser, Arch. f. Hyg., 19, 1893, 199; or short and thick. May lose their curved
Winslow, Broadhurst, Buchanan, Krum- form on artificial cultivation. Motile,
232 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
I
0-sub-group I, O sub-groups II, III, IV, V, VI and indi-
vidual races (mostly hemolytic). Para-
cholera, cholera-like, and some El Tor
vibrios.
Non-hemolytic Hemolytic (goat (Types within sub-groups underlined.)
(goat cells). cells) .
Cholera vibrios. El Tor vibrios.
Types — original , Types — original
variant and mid- and variant (?mid-
dle. dle).
rides. These are derived from cases of chol- be.ro.li.nen'sis. M.L. Berolinum place
era and have the serological and biochemical name, Berlin; M.L. adj. berolinensis of
characteristics of 0-Group I, Vibrio chol- Berlin.
era. Group I strains are more common than Curved rods, somewhat smaller than those
those of Group II, which have, however, of Vibrio comma, frequently occurring in
been isolated from epidemics with a high pairs. Pleomorphic. Motile by means of a
mortality. The phospholipid fraction is single, polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
common to both tj^pes when isolated in the Gelatin colonies: Small, grayish, slightly
early part of an epidemic but is not found granular, fragmented; very slow liquefac-
in strains of other groups. The harmless tion.
water vibrios, which are so heterogeneous Gelatin stab: Slow, napiform liquefaction.
serologically (Taylor and Ahuja, Indian Agar slant: Grayish yellow, moist, glis-
Jour. Med. Res., 26, 1938, 8-32), form a tening growth.
single chemical group with a homogeneous Broth: Turbid, with gray pellicle.
structure. They fall into Group III, which Litmus milk: No coagulation, no acid.
differs in its protein structure from the Potato: Brownish streak.
authentic cholera vibrios and which re- Indole produced.
sembles Group II in its polysaccharide. The Nitrites produced from nitrates.
vibrios of Group IV, which came from El Not pathogenic for mice, pigeons or
Tor and from chronic vibrio carriers, are guinea pigs.
believed, on epidemiological grounds, to Aerobic, facultative.
be harmless, although serological methods Optimum temperature, 37° C. Minimum,
have failed to distinguish them from chol- above 10° C. Maximum, less than 60° C.
erigenic vibrios. Group V, which, like III Source: Isolated from filtered Spree river
and IV, contains protein II, consists, like water.
Group IV, of strains from chronic vibrio Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
carriers. Group VI strains are only rarely in polluted water.
isolated in nature, and representatives of
this group are generally found among col- 3. Vibrio metschnikovii GamaMia, 1888.
lections of old laboratory strains. They {Vibrio metschnikovi (sic) Gamaleia, Ann.
appear to be the result of polysaccharide Inst. Past., 2, 1888, 482.)
variation from Group I after long-con- metsch.ni.ko'vi.i. Named for Metsch-
tinued growth on artificial media. nikoff, a Russian bacteriologist; M.L. mas.
gen.n. metschnikovii of Metschnikoff.
2. Vibrio berolinensis Xeisser, 1893. Curved rods, somewhat shorter and
(Arch. f. Hyg., 19, 1893, 200.) thicker than those of Vibrio comma. Long,
234 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
slender chains of cells are formed in old Indole not produced; indole reaction weak
cultures. Motile by means of a single, polar (Lehmann and Neumann).
flagellum. In the animal body the cells are Hydrogen sulfide production very slight.
nearly coccoid. Gram-negative. Gas not produced from glucose.
Gelatin colonies: Like those of Vibrio Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
comma. Aerobic, facultative.
Gelatin stab: Rapid, napiform liquefac- Optimum temperature, 30° C.
tion. Source: Isolated from feces of patients
Agar slant: Yellowish, plumose, moist, suffering from cholera nostras (gastroen-
teris).
glistening growth.
Broth: Turbid, with thin, white pellicle. Habitat: Found in the intestinal contents
Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated (eighth in cholera nostras and cholera infantum.
day) ; not peptonized.
Potato: Delicate, brownish growth. 5. Vibrio sputigenus (Migula, 1900)
Indole produced. Bergey et al., 1923. (Vibrio aus Sputum,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Brix, Hyg. Rundschau, 4, 1894, 913; Micro-
Aerobic, facultative. spira sputigena Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2,
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Maximum, 1900, 981; Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed.,
1923, 80.)
less than 45° C.
Pathogenic for pigeons, fowls and guinea spu.ti'ge.nus. L. noun sputum spit, spu-
pigs. tum; Gr. v. gennao to bear; M.L. adj. sputi-
Source: Isolated from fowl dead of a chol- genus sputum-borne.
era-like disease. Slightly curved rods, about the same
Habitat: Found in the intestinal contents size and form as those of Vibrio comma,
of chickens, pigeons and other animals suf- occurring singly, occasionally three or four
fering from a cholera-like disease. in a chain. Motile by means of a single, polar
flagellum. Gram-negative.
4. Vibrio proteus Buchner, 1885. (Kom- Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, slightly
mabacillus der cholera nostras, Finkler and granular, yellowish, becoining brownish.
Prior, Deutsche med. Wochenschr., 1884, Gelatin: Crateriform liquefaction.
632; Buchner, Sitzungsber. d. Gesel. f. Agar slant: Grayish white, moist.
Morph. u. Physiol., Miinchen, Heft 1, 1885, Broth: Turbid, no pellicle formed.
10.) Litmus milk: Acid; coagulated.
pro'te .us. Gr. noun Proteus a sea-god who Potato: Thin, gray layer, spreading.
could change his form; M.L. mas.n. Proteus Indole not produced.
a generic name. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Description supplemented by material Aerobic, facultative.
taken from Lehmann and Neumann (Bakt.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Diag., 7 Aufl., 2, 1927, 541). Source: Isolated from sputum.
Curved rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 2.4 microns,
often pointed at both ends. Motile by means 6. Vibrio xenopus Schrire and Green-
of a single, polar flagellum. Gram-negative. field, 1930. (Trans. Roy. Soc. So. Africa,
Gelatin colonies: Small, gray, circular, 17, 1930, 309.)
granular, entire; rapid liquefaction with xe'no.pus. Gr. adj. xenus alien, strange;
the formation of large craters. Gr. noun pus, podis a foot; M.L. mas.n.
Gelatin stab: Rapid, saccate liquefaction. Xenopus strange foot, a genus of toads.
Agar slant: Dirty grayish, plumose Spiral forms, occurring singly and in
growth. pairs. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
Broth: Turbid, with fetid odor. Gelatin stab: Slow, crateriform liquefac-
Litmus milk: Slightly acid; coagulated; tion.
peptonized. Agar colonies: Small, white, glistening,
Potato: Grayish, slimy layer. slimy, entire.
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE 235
Agar slant: Grayish white, slimy, entire crons, occurring singly and in spiral chains.
growth. Polar staining. Motile by means of one or
Broth: Turbid with flocculent sediment. two polar flagella. Gram-negative.
Litmus milk: Unchanged. Note: All differential media except the
Potato: Not reported. fresh-water broth, litmus milk and potato
Indole not produced. were prepared with sea water.
Blood serum peptonized. Gelatin colonies: Circular, 1 mm in di-
Starch not hydrolyzed. ameter, dense center, brown discoloration
Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose, of gelatin.
glycerol and sorbitol. Gelatin stab: Stratiform above, infundi-
Nitrites produced slowly from nitrates. buliform below; complete liquefaction in
Aerobic, facultative. 5 days; brown discoloration of gelatin.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Agar colonies: Convex, circular, 0.5 mm
Source: Isolated from an abscess of the in diameter, entire, translucent.
pectoral muscle of an African toad. Agar slant: Abundant, filiform, glisten-
ing, butyrous growth with no pigment.
7. Vibrio leonardii Mdtalnikov and Sea-water broth: Heavy turbidity; slight
Chorine, 1928. (Ann. Inst. Past., Ji2, 1928, viscid sediment; surface ring.
1647.) Fresh-water broth: No visible growth.
le.o.nar'di.i. M.L. gen. noun leonardii of Litmus milk: Completely decolorized.
Leonard; named for A. G. Leonard. Potato: No visible growth.
Curved rods with rounded ends, 0.5 to Indole not produced.
1.0 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns. Motile by means Hydrogen sulfide rapidly produced.
of 1 to 3 polar flagella. Gram-negative. Acid but no gas from glucose and maltose.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Glycerol, xylose, lactose, sucrose, mannitol
Agar colonies: Small, transparent, circu- and salicin not fermented.
lar, having a characteristic odor. Starch is hydrolyzed.
Broth: Turbid, with thin pellicle. Non-lipolytic.
Litmus milk: No coagulation, acid, with Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
reduction of litmus. Ammonia produced from peptone but not
Potato: Slight, colorless growth. from urea.
Coagulated blood serum not liquefied. Casein not digested.
Indole not produced. Aerobic, facultative.
Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Optimum temperature, between 20° and
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, ga- 25° C.
lactose, lactose, sucrose and mannitol. No Source: Isolated from sea water.
acid or gas from maltose or glycerol. Habitat: Common; probably widely dis-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. tributed.
Aerobic, facultative.
9. Vibrio phytoplanktis ZoBell and
Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Habitat: Highly pathogenic for insects Upham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps Inst, of Ocean-
such as Galleria mellonella L. (wax moth) ography, Univ. Calif., 5, 1944, 261.)
and Pyrmista nubialis Hiibn. (European phy.to.plank'tis. Gr. neut.n. phylum
corn borer). plant; Gr. adj. plancius wandering; M.L.
neut.n. plankton (plancium) plankton; M.L.
8. Vibrio niarinopraesens ZoBell and neut.n. phytoplankton plant plankton; M.L.
adj. ^phytoplanktis of the phytoplankton.
Upham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps Inst, of Ocean-
Curved rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 2.0 to 5.4 mi-
ography, Univ. Calif., 5, 1944, 256.) crons, occurring mostly singly with some
ma.ri .no.prae'sens. L. adj. marinus of the short spiral chains. Bipolar staining. Motile
sea; L. part. adj. praesens present; M.L. by means of a single polar flagcllum. Gram-
adj. marinopraesens present in the sea.
negative.
Curved rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 1.2 to 2.4 mi- Note: All differential media except the
236 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
fresh-water broth, litmus milk and potato Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. However,
were prepared with sea water. some strains liquefy within 2 days at 32° C;
Gelatin colonies: Diffuse, irregular; waxy these may represent a distinct variety or a
appearance, slightly depressed; rapid lique- separate species.
faction. Agar colonies: Circular, entire, convex,
Gelatin stab: Slow, crateriform, lique- glistening, non-viscid.
faction becoming stratiform. Buff pigment. Agar slant: Abundant, filiform, trans-
Agar colonies: 1 to 2 mm in diameter, parent or translucent growth.
translucent, smooth, convex, circular. Broth : Pellicle formation varies from
Agar slant: Luxuriant, echinulate; water.y absent to pronounced, whitish and non-
appearance; slightly mucoid, glistening coherent.
growth with buff or cream pigment. Litmus milk: Not coagulated.
Sea-water broth: Heavy turbidity; abun- Potato: Sparse, moist, brownish growth.
dant, flocculent sediment; surface ring. Indole not produced.
Fresh-water broth: No visible growth. Hj^drogen sulfide produced.
Litmus milk: No visible change. Acid from glucose, fructose, sucrose, man-
Potato: No visible growth. nose, mannitol and glycerol. No acid from
Indole not produced. galactose, lactose, maltose, rhamnose, raf-
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. finose, arabinose, xylose, sorbitol, dextrin,
Acid but no gas from glucose, maltose starch or salicin.
and sucrose. Glycerol, xylose, lactose, man- Acetjdmethylcarbinol not produced.
nitol and salicin not fermented. Non-lipolytic.
Starch not hydrolj^zed. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Non-lipolytic. Catalase-positive.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Aerobic, facultative.
Ammonia produced from peptone but
not from urea. Optimum temperature, between 30° and
35° C; temperature range, 2° to 42° C.
Casein is digested. Related organisms: Robinson (A Possible
Aerobic, facultative (good anaerobic Explanation of Microbial Halophilism, The-
growth). sis, McGill University, 1950, 92 pp.) isolated
Optimum temperature, between 20° and a similar organism from bacon-curing brines
25° C. in Canada. At concentrations of 11.7 and
Source: Lsolated from sea water and ma- 17.5 per cent NaCl, cells are spirillum-
rine phytoplankton. shaped and sluggishly motile. Pellicle formed
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed. on broth. Gelatin liquefied. Acetjdmeth-
ylcarbinol produced. Catalase and urease
10. Vibrio costicolus Smith, 1938. (Roy. absent. Acid from raffinose and inulin. No
Soc. Queensland, Proc. for 1937, 49, 1938, acid from mannose, dulcitol, cellobiose,
29.) adonitol or ethyl alcohol. Organism will
cos.ti'co.lus. L. noun, cos/o rib; L. v. colo note grow in absence of salts, but NaCl may
to dwell; M.L. adj. costicolus rib dwelling be replaced by KCl, NaBr, NaoS.Oa , LiCl
(from bacon). or MgCU (also see Flannery, Doetsch and
Curved rods, 0.5 by 2.0 to 4.0 microns; Hansen, Jour. Bact., 64, 1952, 713-17).
old cells coccoid. Actively motile by means Source: Isolated from the tainted ribs
of a single, polar flagellum. Young cultures of bacon and tank brines in bacon factories
show pronounced beaded staining. Gram- in Australia.
negative. Habitat: Found in cured meats and meat-
No growth on media which does not con- curing brines.
tain salt. Limit for growth, 2 to 23 per cent
NaCl; optimum, 6 to 12 per cent. 11. Vibrio halonitrificans* Smith, 1938.
* This organism is, in realitj-, a denitrifier, not a nitrifier, and therefore this name
inappropriate.
237
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE
(Roy. Soc. Queensland, Proc. for 1937, 49, the organisms isolated by Sturges and
1938, 29.) Heideman (Absts. Bact., 7, 1923, 11; ibid.,
ha.lo.ni.tri'fi.cans. Gr. noun hals , hairs 8, 1924, 14; ibid., 9, 1925, 2) in the U. S. A.
the sea salt; M.L. part. adj. nitrificans ni- Habitat: Known to be found in meat-
trifying; M.L. adj. halonitrificans nitrifying curing brines but probably more widely
salt. distributed.
Curved rods, usually 0.3 by 1.2 to 2.5 mi-
crons, occurring singly. Motile by means of 12. Vibrio luminosus Beijerinck, 1888.
a single, polar flagellum. No marked varia- (Vibrio luminosus (nomen nudtim) Beije-
tion in form in media of varied salinity. rinck, Botan. Zeitg., 46, 1888, 763; Photo-
Stain somewhat faintly with the usual bacterium luminosum Beijerinck, Arch.
stains. Gram-negative. N^erl. d. Sci. Exact, et Natur., 23, 1889, 401 ;
No growth on media which does not con- Microspira luminosa Migula, Syst. d. Bakt.,
tain salt. Limit for growth, 1 to 23 per cent 2, 1900, 1015.)
salt; optimum growth in 4.0 to 6.0 per cent lu.mi.no'sus. L. adj. luminosus Inminons.
salt. Small rods having the size and form of the
Gelatin stab: Liquefied within 7 days at cholera vibrio when grown in media con-
35° C.; at 20° C. shallow, superficial lique- taining little nitrogen and carbohydrates.
faction was evident in 20 days. Sometimes form chains of vibrios which
Agar colonies: Light amber, glistening, resemble spirilla. In richer media the cells
convex, transparent, non-viscid, slightly become much larger. Motile. Gram-nega-
spreading. tive (Chester, 1897).
Agar slants: Growth slow at 4° C., col- Gelatin: Liquefied. In presence of 0.5 per
onies appearing in 14 days. cent asparagine and 0.5 per cent peptone,
Nutrient and nitrate broths: Growth. offensive odors not produced. Putrefaction
No growth, however, when covered with a of the gelatin occurs when the nitrogen
paraffin oil seal. source is insufficient.
Litmus milk: Not coagulated; growth Peptonized meat bouillon gelatin: No
slight or absent. growth. Good growth and luminescence
Potato: Growth moist, fairly abundant, with the addition of 3.0 to 3.5 per cent of
whitish. sea salt, potassium chloride or magnesium
Indole not produced. chloride.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Agar: Growth rapid, shines feebly.
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, mannose, Sea-water broth: Produces forms which
rhamnose, galactose, lactose, maltose, raf- resemble the bacteroids of legume bacteria.
finose, sorbitol and glycerol not fermented. Blood serum: No growth. Addition of 3.0
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. to 3.5 per cent of sea salt, potassium chloride
Non-lipolytic. or magnesium chloride allows good growth
Nitrites produced from nitrates. and luminescence.
Catalase-negative. Nitrates not reduced.
Aerobic. Indigo-blue not readily reduced.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Salt tolerance: In order to assure phos-
tween 30° and 35° C. Slow growth at 4° C. phorescence and good growth, the osmotic
Killed in 10 minutes in 6 per cent saline tension of inorganic salt solutions used for
broth at 55° C. cultivation should be equivalent to that
Limiting reactions for growth, pH 5.4 produced in a 3 per cent sodium chloride
and pH 9.2. solution.
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice. Optimum temperature for growth and
Source: Five strains were isolated from
luminescence,
Aerobic. between 25° and 28° C.
tank brines from bacon-curing factories
in Australia. The strains showed little var- Quality of luminescence: Bluish green,
iation in characters. Except for its ability persisting for 1 to 2 weeks.
to liquefy gelatin, this species resembles Distinctive characters: Develops only
238 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Gelatin colonies: Small, j^ellowish white. of Pierantoni; named for Prof. U. Pieran-
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction. Growth at toni, an Italian scientist.
the surface and along the stab. Rods, 0.5 by 1.5 microns, with rounded
Agar: Abundant growth. ends. Rods curved and vibrio-shaped ac-
Agar slant: Growth dull and wrinkled. cording to Meissner (ibid., 201). Motile by
Blood agar: Good growth and lumines- means of one to three polar flagella. Gram-
cence; beta hemolysis. negative.
Broth: Pellicle formed. Gelatin colonies: Circular and irregularly
Koser's citrate medium: Growth and lu- lobulate.
minescence. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Milk: Growth. Agar colonies: Circular, light green,
Potato: Luxuriant growth. smooth, entire.
Indole produced. Glycerol agar slant: Slightly luminous
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. streak.
Acid but no gas from glucose and sucrose. Broth: Turljid, with pellicle.
No acid or gas from lactose. Indole not produced.
Starch hydrolyzed. Acid from glucose and maltose. Some
Gives a cholera-red reaction, i.e., pro- strains also attack lactose, sucrose and
duces both indole and nitrites. mannitol.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Best growth in alkaline media.
Optimum salt concentration, 0.9 per cent. Aerobic, facultative.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 22° C.; Optimum temperature, 37° C.
growth at 37.5° C. Source: Isolated from the photogenic
Aerobic, facultative. organ of the cephalopod Sepiola intermedia
Distinctive characters: Morphologically Naef.
and culturally like Vibrio comma. Lumi-
nescent. Pathogenic to guinea pigs and 16. Vibrio agarliqiiefaciens (Gray and
pigeons. Chalmers, 1924) Bergey et al., 1934. (Mi-
Source: Originally isolated from the Elbe crospira agar-liquefaciens (sic) Gray and
River. If Vibrio phosphorescens Jermoljewa Chalmers, Ann. Appl. Biol., 11, 1924, 325;
(Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 100, 1926, Bergey et al., Manual, 4th ed., 1934, 119.)
170) is accepted as identical with this spe- a.gar.li.que.fac'i.ens. Malay agar, a jelly
cies, then it has also been found in the in- from seaweeds; L. v. liquefacio to liquefy;
testinal contents of three cholera patients, M.L. part. adj. agarliquefaciens liquefying
one gastroenteritis and one typhoid pa-
tient; Jermoljewa (ibid., 171) also isolated agar.
Short, curved rods, usually c-shaped,
his organism from the bile of a cadaver. with occasional s-shaped and coccoid forms.
Sonnenschein (op. cit., 12S, 1931, 92) reiso- Cells 2.0 microns long by 0.5 to 0.7 micron
lated this species from a fish taken from broad; 3.0 to 5.0 microns long in division
the Elbe River and found that it main- stages. Coccoid forms stained, 0.5 to 0.7
tained its ability to luminesce when grown micron long. Motile by means of a single,
in o.x bile. polar flagellum. Gram stain not reported.
Habitat: Found in fresh water, in human Gelatin stab: Very slight surface growth
feces and in bile. Probably widely distrib- after one month; the streak then shows a
uted. beaded line. No liquefaction.
Agar colonies: Surface colonies appear
15. Vibrio pierantonii (Zirpolo, 1918) as a whitish growth in a depression, sur-
Meissner, 1926. (Bacillus pierantonii Zir- rounded by a white ring. The colony is later
polo. Boll. Soc. Nat. Napoli, 30, (1917) surrounded by a ring of liquid agar. Deep
1918, 206; Meissner, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., colonies show a clear area and may be irreg-
67, 1926, 200.) ular, oval or angular.
pier.an.to'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun pierantonii Agar slant: A deep groove is cut along
240 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
the inoculation streak, whitish growth along Optimum pH, between 6.8 and 7.5.
sides. The gel is later much weakened. Distinctive characters : When grown sym-
Broth: Slightly turbid. No pellicle. biotically with a second, unnamed species
Acid from glucose, lactose and maltose. found in rotted manure, the latter species
No acid from sucrose or glycerol. is able to hydrolyze cellulose in straw, prob-
Starch hydrolyzed. ably because the first species (Vibrio andoii)
Decomposes cellulose and agar. The pres- decomposes the xylan that protects the
ence of one per cent glucose prevents the cellulose from the action of the second spe-
liquefaction of agar. cies.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Source: Isolated from rotted stable ma-
Utilizes ammonium salts as a source of nure.
nitrogen. Habitat: Presumably decomposing or-
Aerobic. ganic matter.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C;
18. Vibrio beijerinckii Stanier, 1941.
will grow at 16° but not at 34° C.
Habitat: Soil. (Tyrosine vibrio of the sea, Beijerinck, Proc.
Sect. Sci., Kon. Akad. Vetenschappen,
17. Vibrio andoii Aoi and Orikura, 1928. Amsterdam, 13, 1911, 1072; Stanier, Jour.
(Eine neue Agarzersetzende Bodenbak- Bact., 42, 1941, 539.)
terienart, Aoi, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 63, beij .er.inck'i.i.M.L. gen. nounbeijerinckii
1924, 30; Aoi and Orikura, Cent. f. Bakt., of Beijerinck; named for Prof. M. W. Beije-
II Abt., 74, 1928, 331.) rinck, the Dutch biologist who first dis-
an.do'i.i. M.L. gen .no\in andoii of Andoi; covered this species.
named for Andoi, a Japanese scientist. Small, curved rods, 0.4 to 1.0 by 2.0 to
Curved rods with more or less tapering 6.0 microns, usually single, sometimes oc-
ends, c- or s-shaped, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.5 to 2.5 curring in short chains; in older cultures,
microns. Motile by means of a single, polar occur mostly as straight rods. Actively
flagellum. Gram-negative. motile by means of polar flagella. Encap-
Gelatin: No growth. sulated. Gram-negative.
Peptone agar media: No growth. Sea-water peptone agar colonies : Round,
Peptone broth: No growth. smooth, glistening, mucoid, entire. White
Litmus milk: No growth. to gray in color. After 24 hrs, 3 to 4 mm in
Potato: No growth. diameter. The agar softens and clears for
Ammonium sulfate agar colonies: Puncti- a distance of 3 to 5 mm from the edge of the
form, circular, concave, surrounded with colony, the outer edge of the gelase field
a clear zone. being sharply defined. The colonies eventu-
Ammonium sulfate agar slant: Growth ally grow to as much as 10 mm in diameter
grayish, becoming straw-yellow, sinking with a gelase margin of 2 to 3 cm.
into the medium as the agar liquefies. Sea-water nitrate agar: Growth is slower
Glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, than with peptone, but pigment production
xylose and "konjac" assimilated. Konjac, is much more marked. After 48 hours, col-
a Japanese food in tablets and strips, re- onies are 1 mm in diameter with a dark
sembles gelatinized agar; it is prepared from brown to black center and a colorless mar-
the tuber of the konjac plant, Amor-pho- gin. Pigmented granules may be seen lying
phallus rivieri. among the cells.
Starch hydrolyzed. Sea-water peptone agar slant: Abundant
Cellulose and lignin not attacked. growth after 24 hours, spreading, slightly
Xylan decomposed. raised, smooth, glistening, mucoid, dirty-
Cellobiose decomposed. white to dark gray in color. Agar digestion
Aerobic, facultative. is evidenced onlj' by a general softening of
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- the slant. After several days, a pale brown,
tween 25° and 28° C. Minimum, 8° C. Max- diffusible pigment is produced by some
imum, 37° C. strains.
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE 241
Sea-water nutrient gelatin slant: Good, coming bright yellow, then pale brown.
filiform, gray growth after 24 hours, with They are sharply sunken into the agar and
considerable liquefaction. Slant completely are surrounded b}' a narrow, sharply de-
liquefied after one week. fined gelase field. Liquefaction does not
Sea-water nutrient gelatin stab: Fair, occur except on heavily seeded plates.
filiform growth after 24 hours, best at sur- Sea-water peptone agar slant : Fair growth
face. Napiform liquefaction, complete after after 48 hours, filiform, smooth, glistening,
7 to 10 days. translucent, pale yellow, slightly sunken
Sea-water peptone broth: Heavily turbid in the agar. Later a pale yellow, diffusible
after 24 hours. Gray pellicle and flocculent; pigment may be produced, and the streak
gray sediment. Later a light brown, soluble tends to become light brown in color. On
pigment is formed. old slants the agar is slightly liquefied.
Indole not produced. Sea-water nutrient gelatin slant: Fili-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. form, smooth, pale j-ellow growth after 48
Very slight or no acid from glucose, ga- hours with slight liquefaction; liquefaction
lactose, maltose, lactose and cellobiose. almost complete after 7 days.
Arabinose, xylose and sucrose not fer- Sea-water gelatin stab: Filiform growth
mented. Agar is extensively softened but after 48 hours with slight liquefaction; col-
not liquefied. Cellulose, chitin and alginic orless; growth best at surface. Later the
acid not attacked. liquefaction becomes stratiform and almost
Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed. complete.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Sea-water peptone broth: Good growth
Ammonia and nitrates utilized as sole after 48 hours; turbid with a granular sedi-
sources of nitrogen. ment and yellow pellicle.
Urease-negative. Indole not produced.
Catalase-positive. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Aerobic. Glucose, galactose, sucrose, maltose,
Optimum temperature, 23° C.; grows lactose, xylose and cellobiose attacked.
between 5° and 30° C. Arabinose not utilized. Cellulose is attacked
Salt range: 0.25 to 6.0 per cent. Optimum, to a slight extent, and agar is softened and
between 2.0 and 4.0 per cent. sometimes liquefied. Chitin and alginic acid
Source: Found in sea-water and, in the are not attacked.
winter months, in the plankton; also found Starch not hydrolyzed.
in fresh water and in sewage. Isolated both Nitrites produced from nitrates.
in Holland and in California. Along the Urease-negative.
coast of California it appears to be the most Catalase-positive.
common species of marine agar-digester. Aerobic.
Habitat: Widely distributed in sea water Optimum temperature, between 20° and
and also in fresh water. 25° C. Grows between 5° and 30° C.
Salt range, 1.0 to 5.0 per cent. Optimum,
19. Vibrio fuscus Stanier, 1941. (Jour. between 2.0 and 4.0 per cent.
Bact., 4^, 1941,540.) Source: Found only once in a marine cel-
fus'cus. L. adj. fiiscus dark or tawny. lulose-enrichment culture in California.
Small, slightly curved rods, 0.7 by 1.5 to Habitat: Presumably salt water.
5.0 microns, usually occurring singly, some-
times in short chains. Very actively motile 20. Vibrio granii (Lundestad, 1928)
by means of a single, polar flagellum. Not Stanier, 1941. (Bacterium granii Lundestad,
encapsulated. Gram-negative. Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 75, 1928, 330; Stan-
Sea-water peptone agar colonies: 1 mm ier, Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 538.)
in diameter after 48 hours; round, smooth, gra'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun granii of Gran;
glistening, translucent, entire, pale ^yellow named for Prof. H. H. Gran, who first de-
and slightly sunken in the agar. Colonies tected agar-liquef3'ing bacteria.
several mm in diameter after 7 days, be- Rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.4 to 2.4 microns, with
242 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs, 92.)22. Vibrio cyclosites Gray and Thorn-
and at times in short chains. Motile. Polar ton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928,
flagellate (Stanier, loc. cit.). Gram-negative.
Fish-gelatin colonies: Punctiform, black, cyc.lo.si'tes. Gr. nonn ajclus a ring: Gr.
glistening. V. sited to eat; M.L. adj. cyclosites feeding
Fish-gelatin stab: Slow, crateriform lique- on rings, i.e., on ring compounds.
faction. Curved rods 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.5 to 4.0 mi-
Sea-weed agar colonies: Circular, flat, crons. Motile by means of a single, polar
opaque, glistening, white, slimy, entire. flagellum. Gram-negative.
Agar is dissolved. Gelatin colonies: Circular, buff to brown,
Fish-agar slant: Flat, white, elevated, flat, smooth, glistening, entire.
glistening, undulate growth. Liquefaction. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Broth: Turbid with grayish white, slimy Agar colonies: Circular to irregular, pale
sediment. buff (later greenish), smooth, entire.
Indole not produced. Agar stab: Filiform, greenish buff, raised,
No action on sugars. smooth, undulate.
Starch usuallj^ hydrolyzed. Broth: Turbid.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Indole not reported.
Aerobic, facultative. Acid from glucose.
Optimum temperature, between 20° and Starch not hydrolj'zed.
25° C. Minimum, between 0° and 5° C. Max- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
imum, between 30° and 32° C. Attacks phenol and ?«-cresol.
Source: Isolated from sea-water of the Aerobic, facultative.
Norwegian Coast.
Optimum temperature, between 30° and
Habitat: Presumably found in sea water 35° C.
and on sea weeds. Habitat: Soil.
21. Vibrio neocistes Gray and Thorn- 23. Vibrio oxaliticus Bhat and Barker,
ton, 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928, 1948. (Jour. Bact., 55, 1948, 359.)
92.) ox.a.li'ti .cus. Gr. noun oxalis sorrel, a
ne.o.cis'tes. Gr. adj. nensnev;; Gr. noun sour plant; Gr. adj. lyticus dissolving; M.L.
ciste box; M.L. fern. gen. n. neocistes of New- adj. oxaliticus intended to mean decom-
ark, a city. posing oxalate.
Curved rods 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 4.0 mi- Curved rods 0.4 by 1.3 microns. Actively
crons. Motile by means of one to three polar motile by means of a single, polar flagellum.
flagella. Gram stain not recorded. Not encapsulated. Gram-negative.
Gelatin colonies: Liquefied. Nutrient agar colonies: Small, moist,
Gelatin stab: Liquefied. Medium red- raised, entire; no chromogenesis. Pin-point
dened. in size in 48 hours, growing slowly until
Agar colonies: Circular or amoeboid, buff they reach a diameter of 1.5 mm in 6 days.
to brownish, convex, smooth, glistening, Nutrient broth: Moderate growth after
entire. 24 hours, appearing at first as a thin film
Agar slant: Filiform, fluorescent, raised, while a slight, general turbidity develops
smooth, glistening, undulate. in another 24 to 48 hours.
Broth: Turbid. Calcium oxalate agar: Growth rapid and
Acid from glucose. colonies small; medium becomes alkaline.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Oxalate broth: Becomes turbid following
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. the formation of a slight surface film.
Attacks naphthalene. Oxalates and pyruvates support growth
Aerobic, facultative. within 3 to 4 days when added to a mineral
(Optimum temperature, between 30° and medium as the sole carbon source; formates
35° C. support growth only when the incubation
Habitat: Soil. period is extended. The following do not
243
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE
support growth under any of the above Litmus milk: Not coagulated. Reaction
conditions when added to the mineral me- becomes alkaline but growth is poor.
dium: butyrates, citrates, lactates, malates, Aerobic, facultative.
malonates, succinates, tartrates or glucose. Optimum temperature, between 25° and
Indole not produced. 30° C. Poor growth at 37° C.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Optimum pH : Prefers media with an alka-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. line reaction.
Aerobic. Distinctive characters: In old cultures in
Source: Five strains were isolated from liquid calcium oxalate media and especially
Boston, Mass., and Berkeley, California, in media made with plant materials con-
soils by inoculation of soil into a medium taining oxalate crystals, the cells become
containing potassium oxalate and other encrusted with a surface deposit. This ap-
minerals in distilled water. All soil samples pears to be calcium carbonate and is easily
tested showed the presence of this species. dissolved with dilute acid, especially dilute
HCl.
Ayers, Rupp and Johnson (U. S. Dept. Agr.
Bull. No. 782, 1919, 38 pp.) and den Dooren Source: Originally isolated by adding the
de Jong (Dissertation, Delft, 1926, Table e.xcreta of earthworms that had ingested
XVIII) tested over 125 strains of bacteria plant materials containing oxalate crystals
without finding any that decomposed ox- to a liquid medium containing ammonium
alate. Bassilik (Jahrb. wiss. Bot., 63, 1913, oxalate. Pure cultures were isolated with
255) found only three strains out of 90 tested difficulty by using a silica gel medium con-
which decomposed oxalate, two slowly; taining ammonium oxalate. Later these
the third was the species described by him organisms were found to be generally pres-
(Vibrio extorquens). ent in forest and garden soils in Switzerland.
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil. Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
in soil.
24. Vibrio extorquens (Bassalik, 1913)
Bhat and Barker, 1948. (Bacilhis extorquens 25. Vibrio cuneatus Gray and Thornton,
Bassalik, Jahrb. f. wiss. Bot., 53, 1913, 255; 1928. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928, 92.)
Bhat and Barker, Jour. Bact., 55, 1948, 367; cu.ne.a'tus. L. part. adj. amea/z/s wedge-
Pseudomonas extorquens Janota, Med. Dos- shaped.
wiadczalna i Mikrobiol., 2, 1950, 131; see Curved rods, 1.0 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns,
Biol. Abstracts, .25,1951, Abs. no. 34148.) the cells tapering at one extremity. Motile
ex.tor'quens. L. puTt.ad] . extorquens twist- by means of one to five polar flagella. Gram-
ing out. negative.
Slightly curved rods, 1.5 by 3.0 microns. Gelatin colonies: Liquefied.
Motile by means of a single, polar flagel- Gelatin stab: Liquefied.
lum. Gram-negative. Agar colonies: Circular to amoeboid,
Gelatin media: Poor growth. Colonies white to buff, flat to convex, smooth, trans-
small (less than 1 mm in diameter in 7 days), lucent, border entire.
round, entire, butyrous. Surface colonies Agar slant: Filiform, whitish, smooth,
dirty yellow to yellowish red, eventually glistening.
becoming a beautiful red color. No lique- Indole production not recorded.
faction. No acid from carbohydrate media.
Oxalate and similar mineral media: Starch not hydrolyzed.
Growth rapid and abundant. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Peptone-agar colonies: Growth slower Attacks naphthalene.
than on gelatin. Aerobic, facultative.
Liquid oxalate media. Grows rapidly as
a rose-colored film on the bottom and walls 35°Optimum
C. temperature, between 30° and
of the flask, leaving the liquid clear. Source: One strain was isolated from
Potato: Slow growth with darkening of soil from Rothamsted, England.
potato. Habitat: Soil.
244 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
26. Vibrio percolans Mudd and Warren, crons, only slightly curved, occurring singly
1923. (Jour. Bact., 8, 1923, 447.) and sometimes in pairs. Motile by means
per'co.lans. L. v. percolo to filter through; of a single, polar flagellum. Gram-negative.
L. part. adj. percolans filtering through. Note: All differential media except the
Curved rods, 0.3 to 0.4 by 1.5 to 1.8 mi- fresh-water broth, litmus milk and potato
crons, occurring singly or in short chains. were prepared with sea water.
Pleomorphic. Actively motile by means of Gelatin colonies: Pin-point, yellow.
1 to 3 polar flagella. Gram-negative. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Yellow,
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. filiform growth along stab.
Agar colonies: Circular, slightly convex, Agar colonies: Punctiform, yellow,
amorphous, entire. opaque, pulvinate, smooth.
Agar slant: Bluish white, glistening Agar slant: Luxuriant, filiform, shiny
streak. growth with waxy yellow pigment.
Broth: Turbid. Pellicle, sediment. Sea-water broth: Moderate turbidity;
Litmus milk: Unchanged. thick, yellow pellicle; slight, flocculent
Potato: White, slimy streak. sediment.
Coagulated blood serum not liquefied. Fresh-water broth: Moderate growth.
Indole not produced. Litmus milk: No visible change.
No action on carbohydrates. Potato : No visible growth.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Indole not produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Passes through bacterial filters (Berkefeld Glucose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, xylose,
V candles). glycerol, mannitol and salicin not fer-
Aerobic, facultative. mented.
Starch not hydrolyzed.
Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Non-pathogenic. Non-lipolytic.
Relationships to other species: Except Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
for polar flagellation, this species has char- Ammonia produced from peptone but
acters much like those of Alcaligenes faecalis not from urea.
Castellani and Chalmers. The two species Casein not digested.
are frequently confused. For example Leh- Aerobic, facultative (poor anaerobic
mann and Neumann renamed Alcaligenes growth) .
faecalis as Vibrio alcaligenes in their Bakt.
Diag., 7 Aufl., 2, 1927, 548, in the mistaken 25°Optimum
C. temperature, between 20° and
idea that the former organism is polar flagel- Source: Isolated from sea water and from
late. Leifson and Hugh (personal com- marine sediments.
munication, 1954), who recognize the spe- Habitat: Common; probably widely dis-
cies Vibrio alcaligenes, report that Vibrio tributed.
alcaligenes produces nitrites from nitrates
and that it does not hydrolyze urea (with 28. Vibrio piscium David, 1927. (Cent,
possible rare exceptions). They report also f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 102, 1927, 46.)
that Vibrio alcaligenes occurs more fre- pis'ci.um. L. noun piscis a fish; L. gen.pl.
quently in the intestine than does Alca- piscium of fishes.
ligenes faecalis Petruschky. Curved rods 0.3 to 0.5 by 2.0 microns.
Source: Isolated from a hay infusion. Motile by means of a single, polar flagellum.
Habitat: Water. Gram-negative.
Gelatin colonies: Circular, granular,
27. Vibrio adaptatiis ZoBell and Up- opaque.
ham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps Inst, of Ocean- Gelatin stab: Napiform liquefaction.
ography, Univ. Calif., 6, 1944, 258.) Agar colonies: Yellowish, circular,
a.dap.ta'tus. L. part. adj. adaptatus fitted, smooth, entire, iridescent.
adapted. Agar slant: Light yellow, transparent
Curved rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 1.6 to 2.3 mi- streak.
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE 245
Blood agar plates (in 10 per cent CO2 14, 1953, 118; Ristic and Morse, ibid., 399;
atmosphere) : Growth. and Ristic, Morse, Wipf and McNutt, ibid.,
Thiol agar (prepared by adding 35.0 gm 15, 1954, 309). Non-pathogenic to rabbits,
of granular agar and 0.05 gm of glutathione ally.
rats and mice when injected intraperitone-
to 1.0 liter of thiol medium (supplied in
dehydrated form by Difco Laboratories) Source: Twenty-two strains were isolated
and adjusting the pH to 8.9): Moderate from the placentas or fetuses of cows having
growth. Colonies vary from small (1 mm in abortion.
diameter), transparent and convex to trans- Habitat: Causes abortion in cattle and
sheep.
lucent or opaque, light tan colonies up to
3 mm in diameter. Masses of growth are
translucent and light gray or light tan. 31. Vibrio coli Doyle, 1948. (Comma-
Broth: A viscid ring pellicle may appear; shaped microorganisms. Whiting, Doyle
faint clouding of the medium occurs; a and Spray, Purdue Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta.
filmy, stringy deposit may settle out. Bull. 257, 1921, 12; Vibrio of swine dysen-
Litmus milk: No growth. tery, Doyle, Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 5, 1944,
Potato: No growth. 3; Doyle, ibid., 9, 1948, 50.)
Indole not produced. co'li. Gr. noun colum or colon the large
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. intestine, colon; M.L. gen. noun coli of the
Nitrites produced from nitrates (Bryner colon.
and Frank, Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 16, 1955, Description taken from Doyle {loc. cit.)
76). and Hauduroy et al. (Diet. d. Bact. Path.,
Blood serum slant: Feeble growth. No 2nd ed., 1953, 649).
liquefaction. Curved rods, comma- and sometimes
No gas from carbohydrates. No change spiral-shaped, 0.2 to 0.5 by 1.5 to 5.0 mi-
or slightl.y acid from glucose, lactose and crons. Motile by means of a single, polar
sucrose. No acid from the following carbo- flagellum. Gram-negative.
hydrates when each was added to a medium Agar colonies: Transparent and color-
of beef infusion with peptone, agar and less. Good growth only when the medium
Andrade's indicator: glucose, fructose, contains 10 per cent of defibrinated blood
galactose, arabinose, raffinose, trehalose, and when the atmosphere contains 15 per
sucrose, maltose, lactose, dextrin, inulin, cent CO2 ; abundant growth in the moisture
salicin, dulcitol, mannitol and sorbitol. of condensation.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C. Gelatin: Not liquefied.
Minimum, 15° C. Maximum, 40.5° C. With- Litmus milk: No growth; not coagulated.
stands 55° C. for 5 minutes. Indole not produced.
Strains isolated from cases of abortion Glucose, sucrose, lactose, maltose and
are catalase-positive (Bryner and Frank, mannitol not utilized.
loc. cit.). Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Salt tolerance: Tolerates 1.5 to 2.0 per Coagulated blood serum not hemolyzed.
cent NaCl in a semisolid medium. Pathogenicity: Injection causes no dis-
Bile tolerance: Most strains grow in a ease in calves, rabbits, rats, mice, guinea
semisolid medium containing 10 per cent pigs or chickens. Injection causes dj-sentery
fresh ox bile; all strains grow in 5 per cent in swine.
ox bile media (Schneider and Morse, Cor- Source: Isolated from the mucosa of the
nell Vet., J!^5, 1955, 84). entery. of a swine which had died of dys-
colon
Aerobic to microaerophilic.
Pathogenicity: Infection with Vibrio Habitat: Causes dysentery in swine.
fetus (vibriosis) causes abortion in cattle
and sheep. Pathogenic for guinea pigs, ham- 32. Vibrio jejuni Jones et al., 1931.
sters and embryonated chicken eggs (see (Jones, Orcutt and Little, Jour. Exp. Med.,
Webster and Thorp, Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 53, 1931, 853.)
247
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE
0.8 by 2.0 to 8.0 microns, occurring singly, Nitrites produced from nitrates by some
in pairs or in short chains. Active, darting strains.
motility by means of 1 to 3 polar flagella. Indole not produced.
Gram-negative.
Grows only in media to which body fluids Hydrogen sulfide produced.
(blood, ascites, etc.) have been added or in Carbohydrates not utilized.
other enriched media. Optimum pH, 7.2. Feeble growth between
Ascitic fluid broth: Almost imperceptible pH 6.0 and 9.7.
turbidity. Serology: Cross-reacting, somatic anti-
Thioglycollate broth: Light, floccular gens have been demonstrated.
turbidity. Anaerobic.
Blood agar colonies : After 5 days, smooth,
convex, grayish yellow, dull and translucent Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth
with a finely fimbriate margin. Less than feeble at 27° and 45° C. No growth at 20° C.
Source: Isolated by Pr^vot from a case of
0.5 mm in diameter. Frequently surrounded
by a narrow zone of green. bronchitis.
Coagulated blood serum: Cloth-like Habitat: Found in the human oral cavity
growth. No odor. and in fusospirochetal diseases of the mouth.
1. Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (Beijer- phic forms are common. Older cells appear
inck, 1895) Kluyver and van Niel, 1936. black due to precipitated ferric sulfide.
(Bacterium hydrosulfureum ponticum Zelin- Actively motile, possessing a polar flagel-
sky, Proc. Russ. Phys. and Chem. Soc, 25, lum. Stains readily with carbol fuchsin.
1893, 298; Spirillum desulfuricans Beijer- Gram-negative.
inck, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 1, 1895, 1; Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Kluyver and van Niel, Zent. f. Bakt., II Grows best in fresh-water media. Fails to
Abt., 94, 1936, 369; Sporovibrio desulfuricans develop in sea water upon initial isolation.
Starkey, Koninkl. Nederland. Akad. v. Produces opalescent turbidity in absence
Wetenschappen, Proc, 41, 1938, 426; also in of oxygen in mineral media enriched with
Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 9, 1938, 268.) sulfate and peptone.
de.sul.fur'i.cans. L. pref. de from; L. Media containing iron salts and sulfur
noun sulfur sulfur; M.L. part. adj. desul- compounds blackened. Bacteria found asso-
furicans reducing sulfur compounds. ciated with precipitated ferrous sulfide.
Slightly curved rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1 to 5 Peptone-glucose agar colonies (in absence
microns, usuall}- occurring singly but some- of air) : Small, circular, slightly raised, dull,
times in pairs and short chains which cause entire, soft in consistency.
them to look like spirilla. Swollen pleomor- Peptone, asparagine, glycine, alanine,
aspartic acid, ethanol, propanol, butanol, and peptone. Organisms most abundant in
glycerol, glucose, lactate, succinate and sediment.
malate known to be utilized as hydrogen Agar colonies: Small, circular, slightly
donors. Some varieties oxidize H2 . raised, darker centers, entire, soft con-
Produces up to 3100 mg HjS per liter. sistency.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Peptone, asparagine, glycine, alanine,
Reduces sulfate to hydrogen sulfide; glucose, fructose, ethanol, butanol, gh^cerol,
also reduces sulfites, thiosulfates and acetate, lactate and malate known to be
hyposulfites. utilized in presence of sulfate. Some strains
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- utilize molecular hydrogen as the sole source
of energy.
tween 25° and 30° C. Maximum, between
35° and 40° C. Reduces sulfate to hj'drogen sulfide. Also
Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH, be- reduces sulfites, thiosulfates and hy-
tween 6and 7.5. Limits for growth, between posulfites.
pH 5 and 9. Produces up to 950 mg of hydrogen sulfide
Cytochrome is produced.
Anaerobic. perNitrites
liter. not produced from nitrates.
Habitat : Soil, sewage and water. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
tween 25° and 30° C. Maximum, between
2. Desulfovibrio aestuarii (van Delden, 35° and 40° C.
1904; ZoBell, 1948. (Microspira aestuarii van Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH, be-
tween 6and 8. Limits for growth, between
Delden, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 11, 1904,81;
ZoBell, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 208.) pH 5.5 and 8.5.
Anaerobic.
aes.tu.a'ri.i. L. noun uestuarium an Habitat: Sea water, marine mud, brine
estuary, inlet; L. gen. noun aestuarii of an and oil wells.
estuary.
Morphologically indistinguishable from 3. Desulfovibrio rubentschikii (Baars,
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans described above, 1930) ZoBell, 1948. {Vibrio riibentschickii
although it has a greater tendency to pleo- (sic) Baars, Over Sulfaatreductie door Bak-
morphism and is slightly larger. Motile, terien, Diss. Delft, 1930, 89; ZoBell, in Man-
possessing a polar flagellum. Gram-nega- ual, 6th ed., 1948, 208.)
tive. ru.ben.tschi'ki.i. M.L. gen. noun ruben-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. tschikii of Rubentschik; named for Dr. L.
Grows preferentially in media prepared Rubentschik.
with sea water or 3 per cent mineral salt Slightly curved rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1 to 5
solution enriched with sulfate and peptone. microns, usually occurring singly, some-
According to Baars (Over Sulfaatreductie times in pairs and short chains. Actively
door Bakterien, Diss. Delft, 1930, 164 pp.) motile, possessing a polar flagellum. Gram-
negative. Morphologically indistinguishable
the marine species can be acclimatized to
from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.
tolerate hj^potonic salt solutions, but Rit- Reduces sulfate to hydrogen sulfide; also
tenberg (Studies on Marine Sulfate- reduces sulfites, thiosulfates and hypo-
Reducing Bacteria, Thesis, Univ. of Calif., sulfites.
1941, 115 pp.) was unable to confirm this
Culturally and phj'siologically like D.
observation. Likewise Rittenberg was desulfuricans except that D. rubentschikii
unable to acclimatize D. aestuarii to tolerate utilizes propionic, butyric, valeric, palmitic
temperatures exceeding 45° C. or to produce and stearic acids and galactose, sucrose,
endospores. lactose and maltose.
Produces faint turbidity in absence of Anaerobic.
oxygen in sea water enriched with sulfate Habitat: Soil and ditch water.
250 ORDER I. PSEUDOMONADALES
Me.tha.no.bac.te'ri.um. Gr. noun iiiethy wine; M.L. noun methanum methane; Gr.
neut.n. bacterium a small rod; M.L. noun Methanobacterium the methane (-producing)
rodlet.
Straight or slightly curved rods, sometimes united in bundles or long chains. Reported to
be non-motile. Anaerobic. Chemo-heterotrophic or chemo-autotrophic, oxidizing various
organic or inorganic compounds and reducing carbon dioxide to methane. Gram-negative.
The anaerobic genus Methanobacterium was proposed by Kluyver and van Niel in 1936 with
an indication that they regarded Sohngen's methane bacterium as the type species of the
genus. Later, Barker (1936) found organisms that he regarded as identical with those pre-
viously isolated by Sohngen, and he proposed the name Methanobacterium sohngenii for this
species. While the organisms belonging to this genus are reported to be non-motile, the
curved form of their cells and their physiology places them near the species placed in De-
suFovibr-io.
The type species is Methanobacterium soehngenii Barker.
Cell.vib'ri.o. L. noun cella a room, cell; L. v. vibro to vibrate; M.L. mas.n. Vibrio that
which vibrates, a generic name; M.L. mas.n. Cellvibrio cell vibrio, but here the cell is an
abbreviation of cellulose, hence, cellulose vibrio.
Long slender rods, slightly curved, with rounded ends, showing deeply staining granules
which appear to be concerned in reproduction. Monotrichous. Most species produce a yellow
or brown pigment with cellulose. Oxidize cellulose, forming oxycellulose. Growth on ordi-
nary culture media is feeble. Found in soil.
The type species is Cellvibrio ochraceus Winogradsky.
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, May, 1955.
t Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, with the
assistance of Prof. Onorato Verona, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, September, 1953.
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE 251
Cell.fal.ci'cu.la. L. noun cella a room, cell; M.L. noun ceUulosum cellulose; L. noun
falcicula a sickle; M.L. fem.n. Cellfalcicula cell sickle, but here the cell is an abbreviation of
cellulose, hence, cellulose sickle.
Short rods or spindles, not exceeding 2 microns in length, with pointed ends, containing
metachromatic granules. Old cultures show coccoid forms. Monotrichous. Oxidize cellulose,
forming oxycellulose. Growth on ordinary culture media is feeble. Soil bacteria.
The type species is Cellfalcicula viridis Winogradsky.
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell LTniversity, Geneva, New York, September,
1937.
253
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE
Cells form either long screws or portions of a turn. Volutin granules are usually present.
Usually motile by means of a tuft of polar flagella (5 to 20) which may occur at one or both
ends of the cells. Aerobic, growing well on ordinary culture media except for one saprophyte
and the pathogenic species; these have not yet been cultivated. Usually found in fresh and
salt water containing organic matter.
The type species is Spirillum undula (Miiller) Ehrenberg.
Gelatin stab: Growth along entire stab. Amer. Med. Assoc, 123, 1943, 332) for im-
No liquefaction (Dimitroff, op. cit., 12, portant literature.
1926, 31). Active liquefaction (Giesberger, Source: Found in the blood of rats and
op. cit., 1936, 65). mice.
Agar colonies: Dew drop, convex, entire, Habitat: A cause of rat-bite fever. Widely
moist, colorless. distributed.
Agar slant: Dew drop, isolated colonies.
Broth: Cloudy, no flocculation. 7. Spirillum kutscheri Migula, 1900.
Uschinsky's protein-free medium: Abun- {Spirillum undula majus Kutscher, Cent. f.
dant growth. Bakt., I Abt., 18, 1895, 614; Migula, Syst. d.
Litmus milk: No growth. Bakt., 2, 1900, 1024.)
Loeffler's blood serum: Convex, isolated ku'tsche.ri. M.L. gen. noun kutscheri of
dew drop colonies. No liquefaction. Kutscher; named for K. H. Kutscher, the
Potato: No growth. German bacteriologist who first isolated
Methyl red negative; acetylmethylcar- this organism.
binol not produced. Stout, spiral -shaped threads 1.5 microns
Indole not produced. in diameter. Wave lengths, 10.5 to 12.5 mi-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. crons; width, 3.0 to 4.5 microns. The spiral
No acid or gas from carbohydrates. form may be lost on continued cultivation.
Lactates and citrates utilized (Giesberger, Volutin granules present. Motile by means
loc. cit.). of tufts of flagella at the poles. Gram-nega-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. tive.
Aerobic, facultative. Gelatin plate: Surface colonies are trans-
parent and round; deep colonies are dark
Optimum temperature, 35° C.
Source: Isolated from mud on an oyster brown.
shell. Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction.
Habitat: Probably the muddy bottom of Agar colonies grow poorly; granular.
brackish water. Deep colonies yellowish green to dark
brown.
6. Spirillum minus Carter, 1888. (Car- Agar slant: Delicate, transparent growth.
ter, Sci. Mem. Med. Officers Army India, 3, Potato: Limited growth.
1888, 45; Spirochaeta muris Wenyon, Jour. Utilizes malic and succinic acids.
Hyg., 6, 1906, 580.) Grows well on peptone broth. Also
mi'nus. L. comp.adj. minus less, smaller. utilizes ammonia compounds.
Description taken from Adachi (Jour. Catalase-positive.
Exp. Med., S3, 1921, 647) and Giesberger
(Inaug. Diss., Delft, 1936, 67). 27°Optimum
C. temperature, between 22° and
Short thick cells, 0.5 by 3.0 microns, Source: Isolated from putrid materials
having 2 or 3 windings which are thick, and liquid manure.
regular and spiral. Actively motile by means Habitat: Putrefying liquids.
of bipolar tufts of flagella. Gram-negative.
Has not been cultivated on artificial 8. Spirillum volutans Ehrenberg, 1832.
media. (Prototype, Vibrio spirillum Miiller, Ani-
Aerobic, facultative. malcula infusoria et marina, 1786; Ehren-
Pathogenic for man, monkeys, rats, mice berg, Physik. Abhandlungen d. k. Akad.
and guinea pigs. Berlin, 1832, 38.)
This species is regarded by some as a vo'lu.tans. L. v. voluto to tumble about;
spirochaete. Because of its habitat and L. part. adj. volutans tumbling about.
wide distribution it has been described The largest of the spirilla; probably first
under many different names. It is possible seen by Miiller.
that some of these names indicate varieties Spiral-shaped cells 1.5 microns in di-
or even separate species. See Beeson (Jour. ameter. Wave length, 13 to 14 microns;
257
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE
width 4 to 5 microns. Slightly attenuated li.po'fe.rum. Gr. noun lipus fat; L. v.fero
ends. Dark granules of volutin are present to carry; M.L. adj. lipoferus fat-bearing.
in the cytoplasm. Motile, possessing a tuft Curved cells with one-half to one spiral
of ten to fifteen fiagella at each pole. Gram- turn. Contain minute fat droplets which
negative. ma}^ deform the cells. Motile by means of a
Migula (Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 1025) tuft of polar fiagella. Gram-negative.
reports that this species has not been Calcium malate agar colonies: Circular,
cultivated on artificial media and that the small, transparent, dry. The malate is oxi-
cultures described by Kutscher (Ztschr. f. dized to calcium carbonate. Cells contain
Hyg., 20, 1895, 58) as Spirillum volutans fat droplets.
are of a different species. Vahle (Cent. f. Peptone agar colonies: More abundant
Hakt., II Abt., 25, 1910, 237) later describes development. Cells lack fat droplets and
the cultural characters of an organism which are typically spirillum in form.
he regards as identical with Kutscher's Glucose peptone broth: Cells actively
organism. Giesberger (Inaug. Diss., Delft, motile with large fat droplets.
1936, 65) saw what he felt was the true Fixes atmospheric nitrogen in partially
Spirillum volutans but could not cultivate pure cultures, i.e., free from Azotobacter
it. and Clostridium (Beijerinck, loc. cit.).
Schroder (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 85, 1932,
Optimum temperature, 35° C. 17) failed to find fixation of nitrogen when
Habitat: Stagnant water.
she used cultures derived from a single cell.
Aerobic.
9. Spirillum lipoferum Beijerinck, 1925.
(Azotobacier spirillum Beijerinck, Kon. Optimum temperature, 22° C.
Beijerinck regards this as a transitional
Akad. Wetensch. Amsterdam, 30, 1923, 431, form between Spirillum and Azotobacter.
([uoted from Giesberger, Inaug. Diss., Giesberger (op. cit., 1936, 64) thinks it a
Delft., 1936, 24; Beijerinck, Cent. f. Bakt., Vibrio.
II Abt., 63, 1925, 353.) Habitat: Garden soil.
times it is almost straight. A single, polar This organism has not been cultivated,
flagellum is demonstrable; such a flagellum Source: Encountered only once in a cul-
may occur at each end. Division of the cell ture of Oscillatoriae in water from the River
is transverse and is preceded by a division Granta near Cambridge, England,
of the nucleus. Habitat: Fresh water.
Se.le.no. mo'nas. Gr. noun selene the moon; Gr. noun monas a unit, monad; IM.L. fem.n.
moon monad.
Cells kidney- to crescent-shaped with blunt ends. Motile by means of a tuft of flagella
attached to the middle of the concave side. The flagella are thicker at the base than at the
free end and are usually about one and a half times as long as the cell. Gram-negative.
Anaerobic. Parasites found in the alimentary tracts of mammals, including man.
Three species are described, and it is possible that when comparative studies are made
the three will be found to belong to but a single species. On the other hand it is equally pos-
sible that not only these three but also additional species will be recognized (Lessel and
Breed, Bact. Rev., 18, 1954, 167).
The type species is Selenomonas palpitans Simons.
1. Selenomonas palpitans Simons, 1922. a true nucleus, dividing as the cell divides.
(Guinea pig selenomonad, da Cunha, Brasil Boskamp {ibid., 65) was unable to deter-
Medico, 29, 1915, 33; Selenomonas palpitans mine whether this division was mitotic or
Simons {nomen dubium), Cent. f. Bakt., I amitotic. With Giemsa's stain the cyto-
Abt., Orig., 57, 1921, 50; Simons, inBoskamp, plasm is blue whereas the chromatin ma-
ibid., 88, 1922, 58.) terial, the cell membrane and the flagella
pal 'pi. tans. L. part. adj. palpitans trem- stain red. Gram-negative,
bling. Anaerobic (?) as presumed by Boskamp
Description taken from Boskamp {loc. (^^^^^ ^^^^^ fron^ the fact that these
f^'^i-)- organisms, in feces, died quickly when
Kidney- to crescent-shaped cells with ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^j^. ^.j^^^ likewise did not grow
blunt ends, 1.8 to 2.3 by 6.8 to 9.1 microns. ,. „ „ j-v.^^ , ^^^;„
'
Motile by means of. a /
tuft,^ of, flagella
a ^^ on the
^u aerobically
., t^ on ordmary
j • xi_ media. c
concave •'side
. . of. the
^, ,1 The
cell. rru a 11
flagella are Source: Found in the cecum oi a guinea
thicker at the base than at the free end and P*^
are usually about one to one and a half times Habitat : Found in the ceca of guinea pigs.
cavity, the stomach
long as the cell. A highly refractive Not found in the buccal
granule is found on the concave side at the or the small intestine. Decrease rapidly in
base of the tuft of flagella; this granule number in the upper large intestine and dis-
stains with nuclear stains and appears to be appear entirely in the lower part.
* Prepared by Mr. Erwin F. Lessel, Jr., Cornell University, Geneva, New York, January,
1954.
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE 259
at the middle of the concavity. The so-called deepl}^ staining mass is easily demonstrable.
nuclear body shows plainly in the electron Reproduction is by binary fission transverse
micrographs. to the long axis of the cell and through the
Source: Isolated from the buccal cavity of flagellar region. Each half of the flagella
man. passes to one of the two pear-shaped daugh-
Habitat: Found in the buccal cavity. ter cells where it is attached near the blunt
end; later the flagella undergo an apparent
3. Selenoinonas runiinantium (Certes, shift in position to the center of the con-
cavity.
1889) Wenyon, 1926. {Ancyromonas runiinan-
tium Certes, Bull. Soc. Zool., France, H, Probably anaerobic but does not grow on
1889, 70; Selenomastix ruminantium Wood- ordinary media either aerobically or an-
cock and Lapage, Quart. Jour. Micro. Sci., aerobically.
Woodcock and Lapage (op. cit., 445 ff.)
59 (N.S.), 1913-1914, 433; Wenyon, Proto-
zoology. 1,1926,311.) found ellipsoidal, non-motile organisms
mixed abundantly with the motile crescents
ru.mi.nan'ti.um. L. part. adj. ruminans, and felt that these might represent a stage in
ruminantis ruminating; M.L. neut.pl.n.
ruminantia ruminants; M.L. pi. gen. noun the life history of the crescents although
ruminantium of ruminants. they could not demonstrate this. Wenyon
{op. cit., 311) also thinks that a rounded
Rigid, crescent-shaped cells which meas- flagellate organism may be a stage of the
ure 2to 3 by 9.5 to 11 microns. Woodcock and
crescent-shaped organism, but he presents
Lapage {op. cit., 434) state that the cells are no proof to support this conclusion.
only slightly crescentic and never assume Source: Found by Certes {op. cit., 70) by
the S shape as reported by Certes (op. cit., microscopical examination of rumen juice
439); furthermore, they report that the of cattle, sheep and deer. Later found by
curve lies in but one plane. A tuft of flagella Woodcock and Lapage {op. cit., 433) very
which attains a length of 8.0 to 9.5 microns abundantly in the rumen juice of goats.
springs from the center of the concavity. Habitat : Found as a predominant organ-
The protoplasm stains homogeneously ex- ism on microscopical examination of rumen
cept at the base of the flagella where a juices from herbivorous mammals.
My.co.nos'toc. Gr. noun myces fungus; M.L. neut.n. Nostoc a genus of algae; i\LL. neut.n.
Myconostoc fungus nostoc.
Curved, colorless cells occurring singly or in curved or spiral chains. Embedded in small,
spherical, gelatinous masses. Found in fresh- or sulfur-water containing decomoosine
organic matter.
The type species is Myconostoc gregarium Cohn.
* Prepared by Mr. Erwin F. Lessel, Jr., Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Septem-
ber, 1953.
261
FAMILY VII. SPIRILLACEAE
When the gelatinous mass disintegrates, to be a stage in the life cycle of a Spii-ilhim,
swarm cells are formed which are pre- probably Spirillum undula Ehrenberg.
sumably polar flagellate. The individual These organisms have not been cultivated
cells are granular and stain rather poorly. on artificial media.
During reproduction, the filaments be- Source : Found in the surface scum of sul-
come somewhat elongated and expand the fur-water in a jar with decomposing algae,
gelatinous mass to an ellipsoidal shape. As especially Spirogyra sp. (Cohn, op. cit.,
1875, 183). Also found by Migula {op. cit.,
the gelatinous sphere undergoes transverse
1900, 960) in peat bogs between Weingarten
fission, there is a concomitant division of the and Karlsruhe. Hansgirg (Osterr. Vot.
filament, the daughter cells finally separat- Ztschr., 38, 1888, 265) frequently found this
ing from each other. Lankester (Quart.
organism among his algal cultures in Bo-
Jour. Micros. Sci., 13, (N.S.), 1873, 408) hemia.
erroneously believed this gelatinous form Habitat: Fresh-water ponds.
ORDER II. CHLAMYDOBACTERIALES BUCHANAN, 1917.*
* Rearranged and revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New
York, November, 1953; further revision, with the introduction of an additional family and
genera and species, by Prof. Dr. Herbert Beger, Institut fiir Wasser-, Boden- und Luft-
hygiene, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany, January, 1955.
262
FAMILY I. CHLAMYDOBACTERIACEAE 263
Sphae.ro'ti.lus. Gr. noun sphaera a sphere; Gr. noun tilus anything shredded, flock,
down; M.L. mas.n. Sphaerotilus sphere down.
Attached or free-floating, colorless trichomes showing false branching, though this may
be rare in some species. When e.xamined under the electron microscope, the sheath shows a
homogeneous structure. Sheath may become j'ellowish or brown with the deposition of iron
oxide. The deposition of iron is dependent on environmental factors, not on the ph3'siologi-
cal ability to store iron. Trichomes consist of rod-shaped or ellipsoidal cells surrounded by
a firm sheath. Multiplication occurs both by non-motile conidia and by motile swarm cells,
the latter with a subpolar tuft of flagella. Gram-negative so far as known. Found in fresh
water.
The systematic positions of the species placed in Sphaerotilus, Leptothrix and related ge-
nera are uncertain. Pringsheim (Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, Series B, 233, 1949, 605,
and Biol. Reviews, 24, 1949, 200) would combine some of the species now placed in Lepto-
thrix with Sphaerotilus nutans and broaden the definition of Sphaerotilus to include other
species here placed in Leptothrix and Clonothrix. However, Beger and Bringmann (Zent. f.
Bakt., II Abt., 107, 1953, 318) indicate differences in the structures of the sheaths of Sphaero-
tilus and Leptothrix and give other reasons why it may be better to keep the earlier groupings
as they have been.
The type species is Sphaerotilus natui^s Kiitzing.
1. Sphaerotilus natans Kiitzing, 1833. nitrogen, does not grow in the ordinary pep-
(Kiitzing, Linnaea, 8, 1833, 385; not (Sp/jae?o- tone solution, grows best with low concen-
tilus natans Sack, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., trations of meat extract (Zikes, Cent. f.
65, 1925, 116.) Bakt., II Abt., 4S, 1915, 529). See Stokes
na'tans. L. part. adj. wafa/is swimming. (Jour. Bact., 67, 1954, 278) for a recent study
Colorless, slimy trichomes which attain of the cultural and physiological charac-
a length of several millimeters. The tri- teristics of this species,
chomes are ensheathed, show false branching Distinctive characters: This species
and are either free-floating or attached at thrives in great tassels on solid substrata
one end by means of a small disc. The indi- covered by dirty running water. These tas-
vidual cells are cylindrical, 1 by 2 to 6 mi- sels are composed of trichomes of bacterial
crons, and vacuolated (Lackey and Wattie, cells held together by slim}^, tubular
U. S. Pub. Health Ser., Pub. Health Repts., sheaths. The latter maj' become softened
55,1940,975). and dissolved, releasing Pseudomonas-hke
]\Iultiplication occurs through the forma- swarm cells. The same organism grows in
tion of conidia within the sheath of the a quite different state in quiet waters
vegetative cells, from which thej' swarm out with only a little organic matter, forming
at one end, swim about for a time, then branched structures occurring in trichomes,
attach themselves to objects and develop the sheaths of which are not slimy. A third
into delicate trichomes. form is produced when ferrous compounds
Gelatin rapidly liquefied, requires organic and very little organic substance are pres-
264 ORDER II. CHLAMYDOBACTERIALES
ent. The sheaths become brittle and glass- 600X show the diameter of the trichomes to
like in appearance by deposition of ferric be greater than the diameter of Bacillus
hj^droxide in a hard colloidal form. Prings- anthracis spores shown at the same mag-
heim (Endeavour, 11, 1952, 209) states that nification. Such spores are 1.3 to 1.5 microns
under these conditions it is identical with in diameter.
Leptothrix ochracea, which looks ochre-like Zikes (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 43, 1915,
in bulk but never brown under the micro- 529) gives the following differential charac-
scope. tersCells
: smaller than those of Sphaerotilus
Source: Originally found in polluted natans, 1.5 to 2.5 microns; false branching
waters. May become a real nuisance in constant; grows best in high concentrations
sewage purification plants of the activated of meat extract; will grow in ordinary pep-
sludge type (Lackey and Wattie, op. cit., tone solutions; can utilize inorganic nitro-
1940, 975) and in streams polluted with sul- gen; liquefies gelatin slowly.
fite liquor from pulp and paper mills Source: Isolated by Cohn from water con-
(Lackey, Mimeographed Rept., U. S. taining Myconostoc.
Pub. Health Ser., 1941). Habitat: Comparatively unpolluted fresh
Habitat: Stagnant and running water, water capable of sustaining algae.
especially sewage-polluted streams. Widely
distributed throughout the world in fresh 3. Sphaerotilus flviitans (Migula, 1895)
water. Schikora, 1899. {Streptothrixfluitans Migula,
in Engler and Prantl, Die natiirl. Pflanzen-
2. Sphaerotilus dichotonius (Cohn, fam., 1, la, 1895, 38; Schikora, Ztschr. f.
1875) Migula, 1900. (Cladothrix dichotoma Fischerei, 7, 1899, 1-28.)
Cohn, Beitr. z. Biol. d. Pflanz., 1, Heft 3, flu'i.tans. L. part. adj. fluitans floating.
1875, 185; Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, Verj thin, attached trichomes as much as
1033.) 1 cm in length. The trichomes are sur-
di.cho'to.mus. Gr. adj. dichotomus di- rounded bya soft sheath from which almost
vided, forked. spherical conidia issue, usually attaching
The identity of this species as distinct themselves to the exterior of the sheath
from Sphaerotilus natans has been ques- where they multiply.
tioned. In his text, Cohn reports the di- Source: Found attached to pieces of wood
ameter of the trichomes to be 0.3 micron. and stems of plants in running water.
This clearly is an error as his figures at Habitat: Fresh water.
Growth very abundant, spreading over the Iron citrate and ammonium agar colonies :
entire surface; iridescent. Very filamentous. Colonies and filaments
Peptone and manganese acetate broth: encompassed by a spattering of rust-colored
Abundant growth in the form of loose fiakes.
Indole not produced. spots.
Manganese acetate agar colonies: Large
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. and filamentous, the filaments being
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. strongly colored.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Iron citrate and ammonium agar slant:
Growth in the form of isolated colonies;
Optimum temperature, 28° C.
Optimum pH, 8.0. strongly colored.
Aerobic, but growth favored by the pres- Manganese acetate agar slant: Abundant
ence of CO2 . growth which adheres to the medium except
Habitat: Found in iron-bearing, fresh in those places covered with water of con-
waters; widely distributed. densation.
Peptone and manganese acetate broth:
2. Leptothrix thermalis (Molisch, 1925) Firm pellicle with a metallic sheen.
Dorff, 1934. (Chlamydothrix thermalis Mo- Indole not produced.
lisch, Sc. Rept. Tohoku Imp. Univ., 4 ser. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Biol., Sendae, Japan, 1, 1923, 135 (or pos- Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
sibly 1,1925, 146); Dorff, Die Eisenorganis- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
men, Pflanzenforschung, Heft 16, 1934, 38.)
28°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25° and
ther.ma'lis. Gr. noun therme heat; M.L.
adj. thermalis pertaining to heat. Optimum pH, 8.0.
Unbranched trichomes, 0.4 to 0.5 micron Aerobic; growth not favored by the pres-
thick, united in bundles. Surrounded by a ence of CO2 .
sheath which may store iron and turn Habitat: Found growing on the surfaces
brown. of objects submerged in water; widely dis-
Source : From warm and hot spring waters tributed.
in Japan.
Habitat: Found in warm and hot (37° to 4. Leptothrix discophora (Schwers,
74° C.) spring waters. 1912) Dorff, 1934. (Megalothrix discophora
Schwers, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 33, 1912,
3. Leptothrix sideropous (Molisch, 273; Leptothrix crassa Cholodny, Cent. f.
1910) Cholodny, 1926. {Chlamydothrix sider- Bakt., II Abt., 61, 1924, 292; Dorff, Die
opous Molisch, Die Eisenbakterien, 1910, Eisenorganismen, Pflanzenforschung, Heft
14; Cholodny, Die Eisenbakterien, Pflanzen- 16, 1934, 31.)
forschung, Heft 4, 1926, 25.) dis.co'pho.ra. Gr. noun discus a disc; Gr.
si.de'ro.pous. Gr. adj. sideropus or adj. phorus bearing; M.L. adj. discophorus
sideropous iron-footed. disc-bearing.
Description taken from Molisch {op. cit. Description taken from Schwers (op. cit.,
1910, 14) and Cataldi (Estudio Fisiologico 1912, 273) and Cataldi (Estudio Fisiologico
y Sistemdtico de Algunas Chlamydobac y Sistemdtico de Algunas Chlamydobac-
teriales. Thesis, University of Buenos Aires teriales. Thesis, University of Buenos
1939, 62 and 66). Aires, 1939, 60 and 66).
Cells rod-shaped, 0.5 to 0.8 micron Cells 0.5 by 0.8 micron. Motile. Tri-
Motile. Trichomes short and unbranched chomes long, slender, articulated, composed
Sheath very thin and colorless, giving an of elements of varjdng length showing
iron reaction only at the base of the tri false branching (Cholodny, Cent. f. Bakt.,
chome. Attached by a broad holdfast which II Abt., 61, 1924, 297). Usually attached to
gives a marked iron reaction. Not acid-fast. a submerged substrate, but may be free-
Gram-negative. floating. A sheath, thick (10 to 15 microns)
Gelatin: No liquefaction. at the base, tapering toward the free tip
267
FAMILY I. CHLAMYDOBACTERIACEAE
and heavily impregnated with iron oxide, 6. Leptothrix lopholea Dorff, 1934. (Die
surrounds the trichomes. Reproduction by Eisenorganismen, Pflanzenforschung, Heft
motile swarm cells liberated from the tip 16, 1934, 33.)
and also by the emergence of the trichome lo.pho'le.a. Gr. noun lophus a crest;
from the sheath, with subsequent breaking M.L. dim. adj. lopholeus somewhat crested
up into individual, non-motile cells. Not or tufted.
acid-fast. Gram-negative. Short, slender unbranched trichomes,
Gelatin not liquefied. uniform in diameter, attached to a sub-
Iron citrate and ammonium agar colonies: strate, 5 to 13 trichomes arising from a
More or less rounded, with oily inclusions, common holdfast. Trichomes 20 to 33 mi-
filamentous border. crons long, cells 0.5 by 1.0 to 1.3 microns.
Manganese acetate agar colonies: Fila- Sheaths composed of iron oxide; dissolve
mentous growth, the filaments being rather completely in dilute hydrochloric acid.
large and showing false branching. Trichomes slip out of the sheath as in
Iron citrate and ammonium agar slant: Leptothrix: ochracea.
Growth only in the water of condensation, Habitat: Water.
rarely on the slant.
Peptone and manganese acetate broth: 7. Leptothrix echinata Beger, 1935.
Abundant growth in the form of loose flakes. (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 92, 1935, 401.)
Indole not produced. e.chi.na'ta. Gr. noun echinus the hedge-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. hog; M.L. adj. echinatus like the hedgehog,
bristly.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Similar to the preceding species but oc-
curring inlarger colonies, 20 to 50 trichomes
Optimum temperature, between 25° and
28° C. arising from a common holdfast. Trichomes
Optimum pH, 8.5. are shorter (9 to 10 microns).
Aerobic; growth not favored by the pres- Sheath is thicker at the base and tapers
ence of CO2 . toward the free tip of the trichome, which is
Habitat : Found in fresh water; widely dis- slightly spiral. The sheath contains an or-
tributed. ganic matrix visible after treatment in di-
lute hydrochloric acid.
5. Leptothrix major Dorff, 1934. (Dorff Habitat: Found in water, especially in
Die Eisenorganismen, Pflanzenforschung, manganese-bearing waters.
Heft 16, 1934, 35; also see Beger and Bring- 8. Leptothrix epiphylica (Migula, 1895)
mann,Zent. f.Bakt., IIAbt., 107, 1953,323.) Schoenichen and Kalberlah, 1900. (Strepto-
ma'jor. L. comp.adj. major larger. thrix epiphytica Migula, in Engler and
Trichomes, up to 1 and more cm in length, Prantl, Die natiirl. Pflanzenfam., /, la,
attached by a holdfast, richly branched, 1895, 36 and 38; Chlamydothrix epiphytica
forming tufts. Trichomes composed of rod- Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 1033; Schoe-
like cells, 1.4 by 5 to 10 microns, which con- nichen and Kalberlah, Eyferth's Einfachste
tain small false vacuoles. Giant cells up to Lebensformen, 3rd ed., 1900, 46.)
75 microns in length. Two trichomes may be e.pi.phy'ti.ca. Gr. prep, epi' upon; Gr.
found in the same sheath. The sheath may noun phytum plant; M.L. adj. epiphyticns
be as much as 12 microns in thickness, taper- epiphytic, growing on plants.
Chains of cells enclosed in short, colorless
ing to the tip, storing manganese and iron.
trichomes which are surrounded by thick,
Resembles the sheath of Leptothrix disco- gelatinous masses; the gelatinous masses are
phora but is firmer in texture. Light to dark attached to algae, but never in groups or
l)rown in color. clusters.
Source: From the Spree River near Berlin. Habitat: Widely distributed in fresh
Habitat: Found in fresh- water streams. water containing algae.
268 ORDER II. CHLAMYDOBACTERIALES
9. Leptothrix volubilis Cholodny, 1924. Habitat: Found near the shore in lakes.
{Lynghya epiphytica Hieronymus, in Kirch-
ner, in Engler and Prantl, Die naturl. 11. Leptothrix winogradskii Cataldi,
Pflanzenfam., 1, la, 1898, 67; Cholodny, 1939. (Estudio Fisiologico y Sistemdtico de
Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 61, 1924, 292; Algunas Chlamydobacteriales. Thesis, Uni-
Chlamydothrix epiphytica Naumann, versity of Buenos Aires, 1939, 58.)
Ber. d. deutsch. bot. Gesellsch., 46, 1928,
wi.no.grad'ski.i. M.L. gen. noun wino-
141; not Chlamydothrix epiphytica Migula, gradskii of Winogradsky; named for S.
Syst. d. Bakt., 3, 1900, 1033; Leptothrix Winogradsky, a Russian bacteriologist.
epiphytica Dorff, Die Eisenorganismen, Cells 0.9 micron in diameter. Motile,
Pflanzenforschung, Heft 16, 1934, 32; not presumably polar flagellate. Trichomes very
Leptothrix epiphytica Schoenichen and Kal- long, never attached. Sheath 1.5 microns
berlah, Ej'ferth's Einfachste Lebensfor- thick. Not acid-fast. Gram-negative.
men, 3rd ed., 1900, 46.) Gelatin not liquefied.
vo.lu'bi.lis. L. adj. volubilis twisting Iron citrate and ammonium agar colonies:
spirally around a support, twining. Very filamentous, terminate in spirals,
Cells rod-shaped and colorless, measuring lusterless red.
1 by 2 microns. The cells are enclosed in Manganese acetate agar colonies: Very
long, cylindrical, unbranched trichomes filamentous, red to bright chestnut in color.
which grow in a spiral fashion around Iron citrate and ammonium agar slant:
threads of Oe(?o^om?/m, Tolypothrix, etc. The Colonies quite large and distinct, pale
bacterial trichomes are, in turn, surrounded white.
by cjdindrical, ochre-yellow sheaths, about Manganese acetate agar slant: Filaments
3 microns in diameter, which are encrusted long, red to chestnut-colored and inter-
with iron. The cells m&y leave the sheaths as twined much as are cotton fibers.
in Leptothrix ochracea. Peptone and manganese acetate broth:
Habitat : Found in fresh water containing Filaments quite long and intertwined like
algae. cotton fibers.
Indole not produced.
10. Leptothrix skujae Beger, 1953. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
{Leptothrix tenuissima Skuja, Symbolae Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Botanicae Upsaliensis, 9, 1948, 33; not Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Leptothrix tenuissima Naegeli, in Kiitzing, Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Species Algarum, 1849, 265; Beger, in Beger Optimum pH, between 5.0 and 9.8.
and Bringmann, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., Aerobic; growth favored by the presence
107, 1953,331.) of COo .
Source: Isolated from fresh water in the
sku'jae. M.L. gen. noun skujae of Skuja;
named for H. Skuja, the Swedish algologist neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
who first described this species. Habitat: Presumably widely distributed.
Unattached trichomes, generally without
false branching, spirally wound together, 12. Leptothrix pseudovacuolata (Per-
0.3 to 0.4 micron in diameter. The sur- filiev, 1925) Dorff, 1934. (Spirothrix pseudo-
rounding sheath is as much as 18 microns in vacuolata Perfiliev, Verh. d. Int. Verein. f.
diameter and tapers toward the tip. Cells theor. u. angew. Limnologie, 1925, Stutt-
rod-shaped and colorless, with a few gran- gart, 1927; Dorff, Die Eisenorganismen,
ules lying in chains. Pflanzenforschung, Heft 16, 1934, 36.)
Resembles Leptothrix discophora Dorff. pseu.do. va.cu.o.la'ta. Gr. adj. pseudes
Source: From Store Halsjon, Prov. Upp- false; L. adj. vacuus empty; M.L. noun
land, Sweden. Found between other water vacuola a vacuole; M.L. adj. pseudovacuola-
plants and in the plankton. tus having false vacuoles.
FAMILY I. CHLAMYDOBACTERIACEAE 269
length; including the sheath, they measure crons. Iron oxide is deposited in the sheath.
1.5 to 1.7 microns in diameter. Several tri- Around this, a gelatinous mass is formed,
chomes arising from the same point and as much as 22 microns in length and ovoid in
each trichome developing a few false form. Iron is not deposited in this gelatinous
branches produces a fan-shaped appearance. mass.
All trichomes end at approximately the
same distance from the starting point. The Source: Found on slides submerged in an
trichomes are bent so that the entire fan- aquarium in Berlin in which Cahomba was
shaped group arches somewhat. The indi- growing.
vidual cells are rod-shaped, 0.5 by 3.0 mi- Habitat : Found in fresh water.
The bands may reach a length of 700 mi- the surface of bottom mud along with
crons. Beggiatoa, Thiospira, Zoogloea and similar
Source : Found in Germany in ponds where types of bacteria.
C/tara sp. was growing; also found by Beger Habitat: Presumably widelj' distributed
(1954) in decomposing plant materials on in fresh-water ponds.
Genus II. Pelonema Lauterhorn, 1915.
(Verhandl. Naturhist.-med. Verein z. Heidelberg, N.F. 13, 1915, 408.)
Pe.lo.ne'ma. Gr. adj. pellos or pelos dark-colored; Gr. noun neina filament; M.L. neut.n.
Pelonema dark-colored filament.
Long, unbranching trichomes, occurring singly, which are either straight or spirally
twisted. The trichomes are enclosed in a very thin, delicate sheath. Non-motile, but may be-
come motile. Within the trichomes are C3'lindrical, colorless cells which contain one or
several to many false vacuoles which emit a reddish gleam of light. Found on the surfaces
of ponds and lakes w^hich contain decomposing algae and which are poorly aerated.
The type species is Pelonema temie Lauterborn.
Key to the species of genus Pelonema.
I. Cells contain a single false vacuole.
A. Cells 8 to 12 microns long; trichomes are straight and attain a length of up to 300
microns.
1. Pelonema tenue.
B. Cells 4 to 6 microns long; trichomes are straight and are 200 or more microns long.
2. Pelonema hyalinum.
II. Cells contain several to many false vacuoles.
A. Trichomes are straight, measuring up to 500 microns in length.
3. Pelonema pseudovacuolatum.
B. Trichomes are spirally twisted, reaching a length of 40 to 160 microns.
4. Pelonema spirale.
1. Pelonema tenue Lauterborn, 1915. hy. a. li'num. Gr. adj. ^T/ahwi/s of crystal,
(Verhandl. Naturhist.- med. Verein z. glass; M.L. adj. hyalinus hyaline.
Heidelberg, N.F. 13, 1915, 408.) Straight trichomes which measure 200 or
te'nu.e. L. adj. tenuis slender. more microns in length. The cells, 2 by 4 to
Straight trichomes, up to 300 microns 6 microns, contain a single false vacuole
long, which may become motile when the which is quite large and slightly refractive;
water in which they are growing is low in the vacuole is rectangular in shape and has
oxygen content. Cells are 2 by 8 to 12 mi- rounded edges.
crons. Each cell contains a single false Source: From water from Little Ploner
vacuole which nearly fills the cell; the Lake, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany,
vacuole is irregular in shape and emits but Habitat: Found in the upper algae-con-
a small reddish gleam of light. taining layers of deep fresh-water lakes.
Source: From pools in the Rheinebene,
Germany, where Chara was growing. 3. Pelonema pseudovacuolatum Lau-
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed terborn, 1915. (Verhandl. Naturhist.- med.
in fresh-water ponds and lakes which con- Verein z. Heidelberg, N.F. 13, 1915, 408.)
tain decomposing algae. pseu.do. va.cu.o.Ia'tum. Gr. adj. pseudes
false; L. adj. vacuus empty; M. L. noun
2. Pelonema hyalinum Koppe, 1923. vacuola a vacuole; M.L. adj. pseudovacuola-
(Pelonema hyalina (sic) Koppe, Archiv. f. tns having false vacuoles.
Hydrobiologie, H, 1923, 625.) Straight trichomes measuring up to 500
272 ORDER II. CHLAMYDOBACTERIALES
microns in length. The cells are 2 by 4 mi- 1915. (Verhandl. Naturhist.-med. Verein z.
crons and possess several small false vacu- Heidelberg, N.F. 13, 1915, 408.)
oles which are sharply but irregularly out- spi.ra'le. Gr. noun spira a spiral; M.L.
lined. The cytoplasm of the cells emits a adj. spiralis spiral.
marked bluish gleam of light. Spirally twisted trichomes, 1.0 to 1.5 by
Source: From pools and shallow lakes 40 to 160 microns, with a wave length of 8
which contained an abundance of decom- to 14 microns. The cells contain numerous,
posing algae. small but long false vacuoles.
Habitat: Found in fresh water. Source: From a pool in Germany rich in
Chara.
4. Peloneina (?) spirale Lauterborn, Habitat: Found in fresh water.
1. Crenothrix polyspora Cohn, 1870. noun spon/s a seed; M.L. noun spora a spore;
(Beitr. z. Biol. d. Pflanz., 1, Heft 1, 1870, M.L. adj. polysporus many-spored.
108.) Trichomes long (up to 1 cm), articulated,
po.ly'spo.ra. Gr. adj. poly many; Gr. unbranched and sessile. There is consider-
273
FAMILY III. CRENOTRICHACEAE
able variation in the diameter of the indi- gliding motion and are surrounded by a fine,
vidual trichomes, the base measuring 1.5 transparent membrane, but no sheath.
to 5.0 microns and the swollen tip measur- Subsequent authors, when describing this
ing 6.0 to 9.0 microns. Each trichome is sur- species, have usually failed to mention this
rounded b}' a colorless sheath which later third type of reproductive cell observed by
may become rust-colored and heavily en- Cohn.
crusted, especially at the base, with deposi- Cultivation: Has not been grown on
tions of ferric hydroxide and, to a lesser artificial media in pure culture. Grows
e.xtent, manganese oxides. The ensheathed readily in water containing organic matter
trichomes may reach a diameter of 12 mi- regardless of the iron content of the water.
srons or more. Cells within the trichomes Related species: Cholodny believed
are usually about 1.5 times as long as they Clonothrix fusca to be identical with Creno-
are wide and are more or less rectangular in thrix polyspora. However, Clonothrix ftisca
shape. shows genuine false branching and produces
During reproduction the cells divide by conidia by fission in only one plane so that
longitudinal and transverse fission into non- the trichomes taper toward the tip instead
motile conidia of two types: microconidia, of expanding (see Kolk, Amer. Jour. Bot.,
which are 1 to 2 microns in diameter, and 25, 1938, 11, for a differentiation of these
macroconidia, which measure about 5 two species).
microns in diameter; intermediate forms Comments: Zopf (Entwicklungsgesch.
may also occur. When the tip of the sheath Unters. (i. Crenoihrix polyspora, die Ursache
ruptures, the conidia are extruded; these der Berliner Wasserkalamitat. Berlin, 1879,
may attach themselves to some object and 2) regards Leptothrix kuehniana Rabenhorst
grow into trichomes, or they may germinate as identical with Crenothrix polyspora Cohn,
upon the exterior of the sheath from which and there seems to be much evidence in
they were liberated, giving rise to new tri- favor of considering the tw-o species as
chomes attached to the surface of the older identical. If Cohn's organism proves to be
one, thus simulating false branching. The identical with Rabenhorst's, then the spe-
conidia often form a zoogloeal mass, but cific epithet kuehniana has priority over
only in the presence of dissolved iron. polyspora; however, until the relationship
In addition to the above-mentioned types of the two organisms has been clarified, the
of reproductive cells, Cohn (ibid., 120) ob- name Crenothrix polyspora is retained here.
served a third structure which he condi- Source: This organism is wide-spread in
tionall}'^ alluded to as a spore. These cells water pipes, drain pipes and springs w^here
originate from the swollen terminal cell the water contains iron. It frequently fills
which is usually ellipsoidal in shape and
pipes under such circumstances and causes
sometimes as much as seven times as long
as it is wide (3.67 by 26.25 microns). The a real nuisance. Found by Cohn in samples
of water from springs in the neighborhood
protoplasm of this terminal cell becomes
of Breslau, Germany.
finely granular and eventually emerges from
the sheath. From these cells, short, color- Habitat: Found in stagnant or running
less Oscillaria-like trichomes are produced waters containing organic matter and iron
which contain no more than eight cylindri- salts. Harmless, but frequently becomes
cal cells measuring 5 to 6 by 10 to 12 microns. bothersome in w^ater pipes and city water
The trichomes have a characteristic, slow, supplies; grows as thick, brownish masses.
Phrag.mi'di.o.thrix. Gr. noun phragma fence; Gr. noun eidus form, shape; Gr. noun
thrix, trichis hair; M.L. fem.n. Phragmidiothrix fence-like hair.
Trichomes are articulated, unbranched and attached, the free ends being swollen. Sur-
274 ORDER II. CHLAMYDOBACTERIALES
rounding the trichomes are very thin, delicate, colorless sheaths which do not store iron or
manganese compounds. The cells are small and disc-shaped and are uniform in size. Conidia
of the same diameter as the cells are produced. Found in salt water.
Hansgirg (Bot. Ztg., 49, 1891, 313) concluded that Phragmidiothrix should be included in
the genus Crenothrix, and that the genus Crenothrix should be divided into two sections,
Eitcrenothrix and Phragmidiothrix.
The type species is Phragmidiothrix viuUise'ptata (Engler) Engler.
1. Clonothrix putealis (Kirchner, 1878) measure 7 microns and the tips measure 2
Beger, 1953. {Glaucothrix putealis Kirchner, microns in diameter. The sheaths may be-
Kryptogamen-Flora von Schlesien, 2, 1, come encrusted with oxides of manganese
1878, 229; Clonothrix fusca Roze, Jour, de and/or iron, particularly those of manga-
Botanic, 10, 1896, 325; Beger, in Beger and nese. Sheath encrustations may reach a
Bringmann, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 107, thickness of 24 microns when manganese
1953, 327.) oxides are prevalent and 10 microns when
pu.te.a'lis. L. adj. putealis belonging to a iron oxides are abundant. Cells cj'lindrical
well. with rounded ends, 2 by 10 microns, be-
Ensheathed trichomes, up to 0.6 mm long, coming larger toward the base and smaller
which show false branching and which taper toward the tips of the trichomes.
towards the tip; the bases of the trichomes Multiplication by extrusion of single cells
FAMILY III. CRENOTRICHACEAE
275
or by rather uniform, spherical, non-motile Crenolhrix polyspora, but Kolk (Amer.
conidia formed into short trichomes in Jour. Bot., 25, 1938, 11) has clearly differ-
chains of 2 to 6 or more, their diameters entiated these species.
being about 2 microns. Source : From a well in Proskau, Schlesien.
Historical: This organism was described Habitat: Widely distributed in rivers
by Roze as a blue-green alga, but subse- and streams with gravelly, manganese-
quent observers have failed to find pigment. bearing bottoms; also found in water works
It was described independently by Schorler and pipe lines, where it may cause technical
(Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 12, 1904, 689) who difficulties. May occur in dark brown masses
also gave it the name Clonothrix fusca. that are large enough to be seen readily in
Cholodny considered it identical with tap water.
ORDER III. HYPHOMICROBIALES DOUGLAS, Ordo Nov,
* New material prepared by and old material rearranged by Prof. H. C. Douglas, Depart-
ment of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington,
December, 1953.
276
FAMILY I. HYPHOMICROBIACEAE 277
The cells are attached to long, slender stalks may be best explained by assuming that
which radiate from a common center; as when the buds germinate they first undergo
many as 8 stalks may be attached to a com- a simple fission, perhaps producing clusters
mon holdfast; usually thej' are attached of cells, and that then, from these clusters,
directly to a glass slide, occasionally to the individual cells secrete stalks which
algae or other organisms or to some amor- thus radiate from a common holdfast.
phous debris. Multiplication is by budding, Related species: Similar stalked bacteria
the buds being globular in shape. The which reproduce by budding are illustrated
smaller cells stain solidly, but the larger by Henrici and Johnson (ibid., 77 and 91)
cells that are budding show a differentiation but are not named or described in detail.
of the protoplasm: the free end stains deeply Source: From glass slides submerged in
while that part of the cell which is attached Lake Alexander, Minnesota.
to the stalk stains more faintly. Young cells
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
are Gram-positive, but budding individuals
are Gram-negative. in fresh-water ponds. Does not occur closer
Temperature relations: Found only in to the shore than the 2-meter contour.
lake water where temperatures do not ex- Found constantly in the open lake at all
ceed 23° C. depths up to 13 meters. Occurs more abun-
Comments: It is believed that the char- dantly in the fall months than in the sum-
acteristic growth of this organism in whorls
ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES BUCHANAN, 1917.
A.zo.to.bac.te.ra'ce.ae. M.L. mas.n. Azotobacter tj-pe genus of the familj^; -aceae end-
ing to denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Azotobacteraceae the Azotobacter family.
Relatively large rods or even cocci, sometimes almost yeast-like in appearance. Cells
without endospores. The type of flagellation in this genus has been definitely established
as peritrichous. Gram-negative. Obligate aerobes, usually growing in a film on the surface
of the culture medium. Capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen when provided with carbo-
hydrate or other energy source. Grow best on media deficient in nitrogen. Soil and water
bacteria.
There is a single genus.
A.zo.to.bac'ter. Gr. adj. azons without life; Fr. noun azote nitrogen; M.L. mas.n, bacter
the masculine equivalent of Gr. neut.n. bactrum a rod or staff; M.L. mas.n. Azotobacter
nitrogen rod.
Description same as for the family.
The type species is Azotobacter chroococcum Beijerinck.
* Revised by Dr. A. W. Hofer, New York State Experiment Station, Cornell University,
Geneva, New York, Jime, 1938; further revision by Dr. A. W. Hofer, May, 1954.
284 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
cent of amide nitrogen, less than 1 per cent tain more than 4 per cent of hemicelluloses,
of humin nitrogen and about 1 per cent of more than 45 per cent of crude protein, more
basic nitrogen. than 7 per cent of ash, and less than 4 per
Aerobic. cent of lignin-Iike materials. The nitrogen
fraction contains more than 1 per cent
Optimum temperature, between 25° and
28° C. amide nitrogen, more than 1 per cent humin
Distinctive characters: Inability to grow nitrogen, and 2 per cent or more of basic
in peptone media, even in the presence of nitrogen (Greene, Soil Sci., 39, 1935, 327).
glucose; frequent occurrence of a dark brown
or black pigment. 28°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25° and
Source: Isolated from soil. Distinctive characters: Lack of a brown
Habitat : Occurs naturally in the majority pigment; occasional fluorescence; growth
of neutral or alkaline field soils. in peptone broth containing glucose.
Comment: A non-chromogenic variety
2. Azotobacter agilis Beijerinck, 1901. of this species has been recognized by
(Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 7, 1901, 577.) Kluyver and van den Bout (Arch. f. Mi-
krobiol., 7, 1936,263).
a'gi.lis. L. adj. agilis quick, agile.
Rods, 4 to 6 microns in length, almost Source: Originally isolated from canal
spherical. Actively motile by means of water at Delft.
numerous, peritrichous flagella (Hofer, Habitat: Occurs in water and soil.
Jour. Bact., 47, 1944, 415). Some strains
are reported to be non-motile. Gram-nega- 3. Azolobacter indicus Starkey and De,
tive. 1939. {Azotobacter iniicum (sic) Starkey and
Grows in absence of organic nitrogen. De, Soil Sci., 47, 1939, 337.)
Gelatin: No liquefaction. in'di.cum. L. adj. indicus of India.
Mannitol agar colonies: Circular, gray- Ellipsoidal rods, 0.5 to 1.2 by 1 7 to 2.7
ish white, translucent with whitish center. microns when grown on nitrogen-free glu-
Washed agar colonies : Show slight bluish cose agar. One of the distinctive character-
green fluorescence. The presence of a fluo- istics is the presence of two large, round,
rescent pigment is readily demonstrated highly refractive bodies in the cells, one
by placing cultures under ultraviolet light, usually at each end. Motile by means of
3600 A. Examination by paper chromotog- numerous peritrichous flagella (Hofer, Jour.
raphy indicates that this pigment is not Bact., 47, 1944, 415). Gram-negative.
fluorescin, the pigment found in fluorescent The organism grows slowly but in time
pseudomonads (Johnstone, Jour. Bact., produces large amounts of slime. Has high
69, 1955, 481). acid tolerance, since it grows from pH 3 to 9.
Mannitol agar slant: Grayish, translu- Sucrose or glucose agar plates: Colonies
cent, fluorescent. are colorless, round, very much raised and
Plain agar slant : Yellowish white, smooth, uniformly turbid, having much the appear-
glistening, translucent with opaque center. ance of heavy starch paste. After two weeks,
Broth: Turbid, with sediment. a buff to light brown color develops.
Litmus milk: Becoming clear in 10 to 14 Mannitol agar slant: Grows very poorly.
days.
Peptone agar slant with 0.5 per cent glu-
Potato: Yellowish white, slimy, becom- cose: Limited grayish growth.
ing yellowish brown. Nutrient broth: No growth.
In the presence of organic acids, a green-
ish or reddish pigment is formed. Liquid media: Generallj^ turbid with
The organism fixes atmospheric nitrogen some sediment.
actively and gives off CO2 . Fixes atmospheric nitrogen readily with
Aerobic. either glucose or sucrose as source of energy.
Chemical analysis: Four-day cultures Aerobic.
grown upon mannitol agar, when dried, con- Optimum temperature, 30° C.
FAMILY I. AZOTOBACTERACEAE 285
Distinctive characters: Tolerance of acid- because the organisms in the new genus
ity; wide limits of pH tolerated; abundant differ in morphology and physiology in
slime production; large globules of f;it important respects from the organisms in
within cells. the genus Azotobacier proper. Further
Relationships to other species: Derx comparative studies should be made before
(Kon. Nederl. Akad. v. Wetensch., Amster- this separation is accepted,
dam, Proc. Sect. Sci., 53, 1950, 145; Ann. Source: Isolated from soils of India and
Bogoriensis, 1, 1950, 1) has made this species Java,
the type species of a new genus, Beijerinckia, Habitat : Soils.
Rhi.zo.bi.a'ce.ae. M.L. neut.n. lihizobium type genus of the family; -aceae ending to
denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Rhizohiaceae the Rhizobium family.
Cells without endospores, rod-shaped, sparsely flagellated (one polar or lateral flagellum
or 2 to 4 peritrichous ones); some species are non-motile. Usually Gram-negative. One
genus {Chromobacterium) produces a violet pigment. Grow aerobically on ordinary culture
media containing glucose. Glucose and sometimes other carbohydrates are utilized without
appreciable acid formation. Saprophytes, symbionts and pathogens; the latter are usually
plant pathogens forming abnormal growths on roots and stems.
*Original revision by Dr. and Mrs. O. N. Allen, Universit}^ of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis-
consin, January, 1938; further revision by Dr. O. N. Allen, September, 1953.
286 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
* No specific name has been proposed for the organism causing the formation of nodules
on plants that are members of the so-called "cowpea" group. Data showing possible inter-
relationships ofcertain plant species of the soybean and cowpea cross-inoculation groups
prompted Walker and Brown (Soil Science, 89, 1935, 221-225) to propose a consolidation
of the two groups to be recognized as being inoculated by a single species, Rhizohium ja-
ponicum. Results obtained by Reid and Baldwin (Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. for 1936, 1,
1937, 219) show these inter-relationships to include the lupine group also.
287
FAMILY II. RHIZOBIACEAE
Usually smaller than in Rhizobium legumi- mas.n. Lupinus generic name of lupine;
nosarum and R. trifolii. Gram-negative. M.L. gen. noun lupini of Lupinus.
Growth on mannitol agar is rapid with Rods. Motile by means of 1 to 4 flagella,
tendency to spread. Streak inoculation is usually 2 or 3. Bacteroids are vacuolate
raised, glistening, semi-translucent, white, rods, seldom if ever branched. Gram-nega-
slimy. Occasionally mucilaginous, but this tive.
character is not so marked as in Rhizobinni Growth on j-east water, mannitol agar is
trifolii. scant to moderate with alkaline reaction.
Very slight acid formation from glucose, Beef -peptone gelatin: Little growth with
galactose, mannose, sucro.'^e and lactose. extremely slow liquefaction.
Aerobic. On galactose an alkaline reaction serves
Optimum temperature, 25° C. to differentiate Rhizobium lupini from all
Source: Isolated from root nodules of fast-growing rhizobia (R. phaseoli, R. rneli-
Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean), P. angusti- loti, R. trifolii and R. leguminosarum) . An
folius (bean) and P. multiflorus (scarlet initial alkaline reaction followed more
runner) (Burrill and Hansen, 111. Agr. Exp. quickly by an acid reaction on rhamnose
Sta. Bui. 202, 1917, 137). and xylose separates R. lupini from slow-
Habitat: Widely distributed in the soils growing R. japonicum and the Rhizobium
In which beans are grown. sp. from cowpea.
In general Rhizobium lupini produces
3. Rhizobium trifolii Dangeard, 1926. slight to moderate acidity on pentose sugars
(Le Botaniste, Ser. 16, 1926, 191.) and no change or alkaline reaction on hex-
oses, disaccharides or trisaccharides.
tri.fo'li.i. L. noun trifoliuni clover, tre- Litmus milk: No serum zone; no reduc-
foil; M.L. neut.n. Trifolium generic name
of clover; M.L. gen. noun trifolii of clover. tion; slight alkaline reaction.
Rods. Motile by means of peritrichous Meager growth on potato and parsnip
slants and on carrot agar.
flagella. Bacteroids from nodules are pear- Aerobic.
shaped, swollen and vacuolated, rarely x-
or y-shaped. Gram-negative. Optimum temperature, 25° C.
Source: Isolated from root nodules on
Growth on mannitol agar is rapid. The
colonies are white becoming turbid with Lupinus (lupine), Serradella and Orniihopus.
Habitat: Widely distributed in soils in
age. Frequently mucilaginous. Streak cul-
which these legumes grow.
tures transparent at first. Growth mucilagi-
nous, later flowing down the agar slant and
accumulating as a slimy mass at the bottom. 5. Rhizobium japonicum (Kirchner,
Produces large amounts of gum. 1895) Buchanan, 1926. (Rhizobacterium ja-
Slight acid production from glucose, ga- ponicum Kirchner, Beitrage z. Biol. d. Pflan-
lactose, mannose, lactose and maltose. zen, 7, 1895, 213; Buchanan, Proc. Iowa
Aerobic. Acad. Sci., 83, 1926, 81.)
Optimum temperature, 25° C. ja.po'ni.cum. M.L. adj. japonicus of
Source: Isolated from root nodules of Japan.
species of Trifolium (clover). Rods. Motile by means of monotrichous
Habitat: Widely distributed in the soils flagella. Bacteroids of nodules are long and
where clover grows. slender with only occasional branched and
swollen forms. Gram-negative.
4. Rhizobium lupini (Schroeter, 1886) Growth on mannitol agar is slow and
Eckhardt et al., 1931. {Phytomyxa lupini scant. The streak is slightly raised, glisten-
Schroeter, in Cohn, Kryptogamen-Flora ing, opaque, white, butyrous, with little
von Schlesien, 3, I, 1886, 135; Eckhardt, gum formation.
Baldwin and Fred, Jour. Bact., 21, 1931, Pentose sugars give better growth than
273.) the he.xoses.
lu.pi'ni. L. noun lupinus the lupine; M.L. Little if any acid formed from carbohy-
288 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
drates. Acid slowly formed from xylose and Rods. Motile by means of peritrichous
arabinose. flagella. Bacteroids club-shaped and
Aerobic. branched. Gram-negative.
Optimum temperature, 25° C. Growth on mannitol agar is fairly rapid.
Source: Isolated from root nodules on The streak is raised, glistening, opaque,
Soja max (soy bean). pearly white, butyrous. Considerable gum
Habitat : Widely distributed in soils whereis formed,
soy beans are grown. Acid from glucose, galactose, mannose
and sucrose.
6. Rhizobium meliloti Dangeard, 1926. Aerobic.
(Le Botaniste, Sdr. 16, 1926, 194.) Optimum temperature, 25° C.
me.li.lo'ti. Gr. noun vieli honey; Gr. Source: Isolated from root nodules of
noun lotus the lotus; Gr. noun melilotus Melilotus (sweet clover), Medicago and Tri-
melilot or sweet clover; M.L. fem.n. Meli- gonella.
lotus generic name of sweet clover; M.L. Habitat: Widely distributed in soils in
gen. noun meliloti of Melilotus. which these legumes grow.
* Originally prepared by Prof. H. J. Conn, New York State Experiment Station, Cornell
University, Geneva, New York, September, 1943; revised by Prof. Walter H. Burkholder,
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, July, 1954.
289
FAMILY II. RHIZOBIACEAE
sine, 1-cystine, d-glutamic acid and yeast No organic acid or visible gas from sugars ;
extract can be used as a source of nitrogen nearly all sugars, glycerol and mannitol
(Pinckard, loc. cit.). are utilized with the production of CO 2.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 28° C. Nitrates completely assimilated; test for
Minimum, 8° C. Maximum, 36° C. (Pinck- nitrites may be negative (Hofer, Jour. Bact.,
ard, loc. cit.). 41, 1941, 202).
Distinctive characters: Differs from Agro- Temperature relations: Optimum, 28° C.
bacterium tumefaciens in that it does not Minimum, near 1° C. Maximum, 45° C.
utilize nitrates and grows much more slowly Aerobic.
on ordinary media. Infects only members Media containing KNO3, K2HPO4 and
of the genus Rubus. Starr and Weiss (Phyto- glycerol, ethanol or propanol become alka-
path., 33, 1943, 317) state that this species, line to phenol red (Sagen, Riker and Bald-
unlike Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agro- win, Jour. Bact., 28, 1934, 581).
bacterium rhizogenes, does not utilize as- Growth occurs in special alkaline media
paragin as a sole source of carbon and nitro- of pH 11.0 to 12.0 (Hofer, Jour. Amer. Soc.
gen. Agron., 27, 1935, 228).
Source: Isolated from raspberry canes, Hydrogen sulfide produced if grown in
Rubus spp. ZoBell and Feltham's medium (ZoBell and
Habitat: Pathogenic on black and purple Feltham, Jour. Bact., 28, 1934, 169).
cane raspberries, on blackberries and, to a Distinctive characters: Browning of man-
lesser extent, on red raspberries. nitol-calcium-glycerophosphate agar; in-
ability to cause plant disease or to produce
6. Agrobacleriuni radiobacter (Bei- nodules on roots of legumes; complete uti-
jerinck and van Delden, 1902) Conn, 1942. lization of nitrate (the nitrate disappears)
{Bacillus radiobacter Beijerinck and van in the peptone-salt medium of Riker et al.
Delden, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 9, 1902, 3; (Riker et al., Jour. Agr. Res., 4I, 1930, 529)
Conn. Jour. Bact., 44, 1942, 359.) and failure to absorb congo red (Riker et
ra.di.o.bac'ter. L. noun radius a ray, al., ibid., 528).
beam; M.L. bacter masculine equivalent of This species bears at least superficial
Gr. neut.n. bactrum a rod or staff; M.L. resemblances to certain Rhizobium spp.
mas.n. radiobacter ray rod. but may be distinguished from them by
Small rods, 0.15 to 0.75 by 0.3 to 2.3 mi- the first two characters listed above and
crons, occurring singly, in pairs and, under by the following in addition: Growth at a
certain conditions, in star-shaped clusters. reaction of pH 11 to 12; heavy ring or pel-
Motile with one to four flagella. Prevail- licle formation on veal infusion broth; hy-
ingly Gram-negative, but an occasional drogen sulfide production in the mannitol -
culture is variable. tryptone medium of ZoBell and Feltham
Nutrient gelatin stab: No liquefaction. (ZoBell and Feltham, op. cit., 1934, 169);
Agar slant: Flat, whitish slimy layer. production of milky white precipitate on
Mannitol - calcium - glycerophosphate agar nitrate-glycerol-soil-extract agar.
streak plates: Abundant, raised, slimy Source: Isolated from soil.
growth surrounded by a brown halo w'ith Habitat: Soil around the roots of plants,
an outer zone of white precipitate (Riker
et al.. Jour. Agr. Res., 41, 1930, 524). especially legumes.
Broth: Turbid; heavy ring or pellicle if
veal infusion is present. 7. Agrobacterium stellulatum Stapp
Litmus milk: Serum zone with pellicle and Knosel, 1954. (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
108, 1954, 244.)
in one week; usually turns a chocolate-
brown in 2 weeks; same in plain milk, but stel.lu.la'tum. L. noun stella star; M.L.
with less browning. adj. stellulatus resembling a small star.
Potato: Raised slimy mass becoming Rods, 0.2 to 0.8 by 0.3 to 2.1 microns, oc-
brownish; potato may be browned. curring singly or in pairs; in certain media,
Starch not hydrolj'zed. star-like clusters are found. Motile by means
292 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
of a single, polar flagellum. Not acid-fast. Litmus milk : Slight growth with a neutral
Gram-negative. to alkaline reaction; litmus slowly decolor-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. ized; no peptonization.
Peptone agar colonies: Small, round. Potato: No growth,
smooth, gray, glistening. Indole not produced.
Peptone agar slant: Growth is poor, Nitrites produced from nitrates,
widely spread, colorless to whitish, trans- Congo red is weakly absorbed,
lucent and resembles droplets of moisture. No growth at pH 4.5.
Mannitol- calcium- glycerophosphate agar Optimum temperature, between 15° and
slant: Weak growth resembling a film of 25° C.
droplets of moisture. Distinctive characters: May be distin-
Broth: Slightly turbid; no pellicle; very ^^j^j^^^
small sediment. j * ,^^^^^ j- Agrohacteri
■ ^ um ^ radiohacter
j^i
r, xi -x, T'Tv-/^ A •1 X 11 1 ^^^ ^- tumejaciens by weak growth on
Broth with KInOs: Acid toward phenol , -,1 i -n i r • x
, bouillon or bouillon agar, by forming star-
Q^o +^.. r.A- ^. 001A \KT 1 +1, like clusters on sea-water medium 2216,
Sea-water medium 221b: Weak growth; . '
good formation of star-shaped clusters. by weak growth on calcium-glycerophos-
Carrot agar: Very weak growth. P^^^^ ^^ar, by weak absorption of Congo
Iron-manganese-carrot juice: Very weak ^'^d, by failure to grow on potato, by very
development; no surface growth; no star- weak growth on carrot agar or Fe-Mn-carrot
shaped clusters. juice and by forming star-like clusters on
Iron -manganese -sea water-carrot juice: Fe-Mn-sea water-carrot juice.
Good growth; thin, easily destroyed, sur- Source: Isolated from marine mud.
face film; no star-shaped clusters. Habitat: Marine sources.
Chro.mo.bac.te'ri.um. Gr. noun chroma color; Gr. noun bacterium a small rod; M.L.
neut.n. Chromobacteriuni colored rod.
Rods which measure 0.4 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 5.0 microns. Motile by means of 1 to 4 or more
flagella. Gram-negative. A violet pigment (violacein) is produced which is soluble in alcohol
but not in water or chloroform. Grow on ordinary culture media, usuallj^ forming acid from
glucose, sometimes from maltose and sucrose, but not from lactose. Gelatin is liquefied,
sometimes slowly. Indole is not produced. Nitrites usually produced from nitrates; the
nitrites are frequently further reduced to nitrogen and possibly nitrous oxide. Some strains
grow well at 4° C. while others grow well at 37° C. with a maximum temperature of between
40° and 42° C. ; none grow at both 4° and 37° C. Usually saprophytic soil and water bacteria.
Occasionally pathogenic to animals and man.
The type species is Chromobacierium violaceum (Schroeter) Bergonzini.
Discussion: The most characteristic feature of this group is its production of a violet
pigment. The chemistry of this pigment has been well worked out by Tobie (Bull. Assoc.
Diplomes Microbiol., Fac. Pharm. de Nancy, No. 18, 1939, 7). Since violacein appears to be
chemically related to indigo, peritrichous organisms producing the latter pigment may
tentatively be placed in this genus pending further study (Tobie, Jour. Bact., 35, 1938, 11).
Cultures of violet bacteria are difficult to maintain in culture collections and are frequently
* Prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State Experiment Station, Cornell Uni-
versity, Geneva, New York, from Cruess-Callaghan and Gorman, Scientific Proc. Royal
Dublin Society, 21, 1935, 213, in January, 1938; further revision, July, 1955, with the as-
sistance ofDr. Ethel T. Eltinge, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts,
and Dr. W. C. Tobie, Old Greenwich, Connecticut.
FAMILY II. RHIZOBIACEAE 293
lost (Sneath, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 13, 1955, p. I, has recently reported that these organ-
isms are highly sensitive to traces of hydrogen peroxide in the medium). They have a ten-
dency to produce mucous, gummy, gelatinous or even leather^' growths (Corpe, Jour. Bact.,
65,1953,470).
The separation of the true violet chromogens into three species is in accord with the
recommendations of Cruess-Callaghan and Gorman (Sci. Proc. Royal Dublin Soc, 21,
1938, 213). Their conclusions were based on a study of 18 named cultures from culture col-
lections and 6 freshly isolated cultures. Others have studied this same problem. For ex-
ample, Hans and Bicknell (Bact. Proc. 53rd Gen. Meeting Soc. Amer. Bact., San Francisco,
1953, 33) agree that only a few species should be recognized. Eltinge (personal communica-
tion, Sept., 1955), after a study of a collection of 88 cultures, reports that the group may
readily be separated into cultures that will grow at 4° but not at 37° C. and cultures that
will not grow at 4° but do grow at 37° to 42° C. This seems to be one of the most constant
of the differences in characters, and it is used in the classification drawn up by Cruess-Cal-
laghan and Gorman.
There is a partial correlation between the growth-temperature relationships and the
ability to reduce nitrate (Eltinge, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, £2, 1956, 139). Some cultures
(Chromobacterium violaceum) that may give a negative test for nitrite production actually
reduce the nitrate so rapidly with the production of free gas that they have sometimes
been reported in the literature as failing to reduce nitrate. Other cultures merely reduce
the nitrate to nitrite (Chromobacterium janthinum) , while still other cultures do not attack
nitrate at all.
Corpe (Jour. Bact., 62, 1951, 515) found that he could readily isolate these organisms by
adding sterile rice grains to moistened soil. The latter observation confirms an earlier ob-
servation byBeijerinck (Folia Microbiologica, 4, 1916, 207) who added wheat bran or fibrin
to tap-water infusions in order to develop these violet bacteria. Starchy substances appear
to stimulate growth, as all grow abundantly on potato with a yellow growth that usually
turns to a dark violet or purple.
A number of organisms have been classed as species of Chromobacterium because they
develop a bluish chromogenesis without regard to the fact that their pigments are not chem-
ically the same as violacein. The majority of these cultures are polar flagellate and have
been shown to belong to the genus Pseudomonas. Frequently these blue pigments are water-
soluble and have a tendencj^ to become rose-colored.
The violet organisms differ in important respects from the organisms placed in Serratia.
The latter produce prodigiosin and belong with the coliform group. The violet organisms
show the same type of gummy colony growth that is characteristic of many of the species
found in Rhizobiaceae , their carbohydrate metabolism is like that of the species in this fam-
ily, and they possess the same unusual type of monotrichous to peritrichous flagellation.
The position of the violet bacteria in the family Rhizobiaceae appears to be a natural one.
In recent j^ears these violet bacteria have been found in fatal septicemias in man and
animals (see Sippel, Medina and Atwood, (good bibliography). Jour. Amer. Vet. Med.
Assoc, 124, 1954, 467; Audebaud, Ganzin, Ceccaldi and Merveille, Ann. Inst. Past., 87, 1954,
413; and Black and Shahan, Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 110, 1938, 1270). These pathogenic
organisms have frequently been identified as Chromobacterium violaceum Bergonzini be-
cause they produce a violet pigmentation. However, by definition, this species does not
grow at 37° C. In the early literature C. janthinum Zopf was sometimes regarded as a sepa-
rate species, while in other cases C. violaceum and C. janthinuvi were regarded as identical.
Inasmuch as both Schroeter and Bergonzini, the investigators who first described C. vio-
laceum, grew their organisms at room temperature, and inasmuch as descriptions list them
as growing at room temperature while C. janthinum is normally described as growing best at
room temperature, Cruess-Callaghan and Gorman emended the descriptions of these two
species in such a way as to make C. violaceum the organism which will not grow at 37° C.
while they describe C. janthinum as growing at 37° C. In view of these emended descrip-
294 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
tions, the violet organisms isolated from warm-blooded animals should be identified as
C. janthinum not as C. violaceum.
Potato: Yellow to deep violet, rugose, Agar slant: Yellowish, moist, gummy,
spreading growth. glistening growth becoming deep violet.
Indole not produced. Broth: Turbid, with light violet pellicle.
Usually no acid from glucose, maltose or Litmus milk: Violet cream layer. Litmus
sucrose. No acid from lactose. decolorized from below. Rapid digestion.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Potato: Violet to violet-black, spreading
Aerobic, facultative.
growth.
Indole not produced.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
Good growth in 7 days between 2° and 4° C. Acid from glucose. No acid from maltose,
lactose or sucrose.
No growth at 37° C.
Comment: The most characteristic fea- Nitrites generally produced from nitrates.
ture of the original culture of this species Aerobic, facultative.
was its ability to grow a heavy, folded, mem- Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
branous pellicle on gelatin stabs and other No growth between 2° and 4° C. Grows well
media. The original culture also sometimes at 37° C.
produced a metallic sheen. If the descrip- Source: Isolated from pieces of pig's blad-
tions of all of the cultures regarded by der floating on badly contaminated water.
Cruess-Callaghan and Gorman (Scientific Habitat: Water and soil. This appears
Proc. Royal Dublin Soc, 21, 1935, 219) as to be the species that causes a fatal septi-
C. amethystinum are taken into account, cemia in animals and man.
there really are no other important charac-
ters by which this species can be separated 4. Chromobacterium niarismortui
from C. violaceum. Moreover, those that Elazari-Volcani, 1940. (Studies on the Mi-
have studied many cultures of these violet croflora of the Dead Sea. Thesis, Hebrew
organisms over a long period of time, with Univ., Jerusalem, 1940, VII and 76.)
replatings to purify, report that this mem- ma.ris.mor'tu.i. L. noun mare the sea;
branous growth may develop on almost L. gen . noun maris of the sea; L. adj . mortuus
any subculture of typical C. violaceum. The dead; M.L. gen. noun marismortui of the
formation of this heavy, folded growth Dead Sea.
should therefore probably be regarded as a Rods, the length of which varies greatly
dissociation phenomenon. Further com- with the concentration of salt and media.
parative studies will presumably show that On agar media, in 3 to 24 per cent salt, the
C. amethystinum should be regarded as a cells are usually 0.5 by 1.3 to 3.0 microns;
variant form of C. violaceum. in liquid media, 4.5 to 13.0 microns. Occur
Source: Isolated once by Jolles from singly and in pairs. In 0.5 and 30 per cent
spring water from Spalato. salt and in Dead Sea water, the cells are
Habitat: Water. usually very long, twisted threads. Motile
by means of 4 to 6 peritrichous flagella.
3. Chroniobacterium janthinuni Gram-negative.
(Zopf , 1883) Holland, 1920. {Bacterium jan- Gelatin stab (12 per cent salt-1 per cent
thinum Zopf, Die Spaltpilze, 1 Aufl., 1883, proteose peptone-15 per cent gelatin) : Fili-
68; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 222.) form, blue-brown, nailhead surface growth.
jan'thi.num. Gr. adj. janthinus violet- Very slight infundibuliform liquefaction
colored. after six weeks.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.5 to 5.0 microns, Agar colonies (12 per cent salt-1 per cent
occurring singly. Motile with peritrichous proteose peptone-2 per cent KNO3) : Circu-
flagella. Gram-negative. lar, smooth, entire, slightly convex and
Gelatin colonies: Circular, yellow, be- concentrically ringed with dark brown cen-
coming violet. ters followed by blue-brown, gray-brown
Gelatin stab: White to violet surface and yellow rings and a colorless transparent
growth. Infundibuliform liquefaction. margin. On removing the colony, a print
Agar colonies: Creamy center, violet remains in the agar consisting of three
margin. zones : a blue center, a brownish gray inner
296 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ring and a blue outer ring. Colonies colored Acid without gas from glucose, galactose,
only when well separated and at an optimum maltose, lactose, arabinose and xjdose.
salt concentration of 12 per cent. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Agar slant (12 per cent salt-1 per cent Nitrites produced from nitrates; no gas
proteose peptone-2 per cent KNO3) : Moder- is produced,
ate, filiform, slightly raised, smooth, Aerobic.
slightly transparent growth with a blue- Optimum temperature, 30° C.
brown margin; leaves a colored print in Salt tolerance: Halotolerant, growing in
the agar. 0.5 to 30 per cent salt and in Dead Sea water.
Broth (12 per cent salt-1 per cent pep- Optimum growth at 12 per cent salt,
tone): Very turbid; w*hite pellicle; broth Source: Isolated from the water of the
turns brown, the color disappearing after Dead Sea.
several days. Habitat: Found in places where the salt
Indole not produced. content of water is high.
1. Alcaligenes faecalis Castellani and Rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, occurring
Chalmers, 1919. {Bacillus faecalis alcaligenes singly, in pairs and chains. Normally not
Petruschky, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., 19, 1896, encapsulated. Motile by means of peritri-
187; Bacterium alcaligenes Mez,t Mikro- chous flagella. Gram-negative.
skopische Wasseranalyse, Berlin, 1898, 63; Gelatin colonies: Circular, grayish, trans-
Castellani and Chalmers, Manual Trop. lucent.
Med., 1919, 936.)
Gelatin stab: Gray surface growth. No
fae.ca'lis. L. noun faex,faecis dregs; M.L.
adj. faecalis fecal. liquefaction.
Description from Petruschky (op. cit., Agar colonies: Opaque, entire, non-chro-
1896, 187) as supplemented by Dr. Einar mogenic.
Leifson and Dr. Rudolph Hugh, Loyola Agar slant: White, glistening, non-chro-
University, Chicago, Illinois. mogenic.
* Revised by Prof. H. J. Conn, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New York,
June, 1938; further revision by Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State Experiment Station,
Geneva, New York, October, 1954.
t While Mez (1898) proposed the binomial Bacterium alcaligenes earlier than Castellani
and Chalmers (1919) proposed the binomial Alcaligenes faecalis, the specific epithet al-
caligenes isunusable when the genus Alcaligenes is recognized. The use of the specific epi-
thet alcaligenes in the latter genus produces a tautonym, and tautonyms are illegitimate
under the Bacteriological Code of Nomenclature (Sect. 5, Rule 18).
298 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Broth: Turbid; thin pellicle; viscid sedi- in decomposing organic matter. Generally
ment. Gives off ammonia. considered to be non-pathogenic.
Litmus milk: Alkaline. No other detecta- 2. Alcaligenes viscolactis (Mez,
ble changes.
Potato: Scant to abundant, yellowish Breed, comb, nov.* {Bacillus lactis viscosus
Adametz, Milchztg., 18, 1889, 941; also see
to brownish growth. No detectable acid or Landwirtschl. Jahrb., £0, 1891, 185; and
gas produced from carbohydrates.
Cent. f. Bakt., 9, 1891, 698; Mez, Mikros-
Indole not produced. kopische Wasseranalyse, Berlin, 1898, 61;
Nitrites may or may not be produced Alcaligenes viscosiis Weldin, Iowa State
from nitrates. Coll. Jour. Sci., 1, 1927, 186.)
Urea not hydrolyzed.
The growth of this species has been tested vis.co.lac'tis. L. noun viscum glue, bird-
lime; L. gen. noun lactis of milk; M.L.
on 18 amino acids, 12 aliphatic amines, 4 viscolactis of slimy milk.
amides, 5 miscellaneous organic nitrogen
Description taken from Long and Ham-
compounds and 3 inorganic nitrogen com- mer (Iowa State Coll. Jour, of Sci., 10, 1936,
pounds. Only aspartic acid, asparagine, 262), supplemented by Dr. Rudolph Hugh,
histidine and glutathione supported suffi- Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois.
cient continued growth to give appreciable Rods, 0.6 to 1.0 by 0.8 to 2.6 microns,
turbidity in broth and a final pH close to occurring singly, in pairs or in short chains.
8.0. Almost all of the aliphatic amines were Frequently found as almost spherical cells.
toxic (Denault, Cleverdon and Kulp, Jour.
Non-motile. Capsules produced in milk
Bact., 66, 1953, 465).
No characteristic odor. cultures. Gram-negative.
Gelatin colonies: Small, gray becoming
Aerobic.
yellowish.
Optimum temperature, between 25° and Gelatin stab : White surface growth, some-
37° C. times with villous growth in stab. No lique-
Relationships to other species: This pe- faction.
ritrichous organism is very frequently con- Agar colonies: After 3 to 4 days, circular,
fused with a polar flagellate organism having
4 to 6 mm in diameter, white, viscid, shin-
almost identical characters. The polar
flagellate species has been placed in the ing, entire.
Agar slant: Abundant, white, spreading,
genus Vibrio. See discussions under Vibrio viscid, shining growth.
percolans Mudd and Warren and Vibrio Broth: Turbid with thin pellicle and
alcaligenes Lehmann and Neumann.
some sediment. Ropiness generally pro-
Source: Isolated from feces, abscesses duced.
related to the intestinal tract and occasion- Litmus milk: Ropiness produced. Pellicle
ally from the blood stream. Miles (Jour. formed. Alkaline. No coagulation.
Gen. Microbiol., 4, 1950, 434) reports that Potato: Moderatel}^ heavy, dirty white,
an organism having all the characteristics
spreading, shining growth.
of this species caused a fatal red leg in a Indole not produced.
batch of European tree-frogs (Hyla arborea Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
L.) received at the London Zoological Gar- Acid production from carbohydrates
dens.
slight, if at all.
Habitat: Less commonly found in the Lipolytic.
intestine than is Vibrio alcaligenes Leh- Methyl red test negative.
mann and Neumann. Widely distributed Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
* The discovery that Mez (1898) used a binomial for this species before Weldin did in
1927 has made it necessary to propose a new combination. The specific epithet viscolactis,
which is derived directly from the epithets in the original trinomial. Bacillus lactis viscosus
Adametz, 1889, is in reality to be preferred over the much-used epithet viscosus. In the genus
Bacterium, in which Alcaligenes viscolactis is frequently placed, the epithet viscosum has
been applied to at least five quite different species of bacteria.
299
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE
Nitrites ordinarily not produced or pro- Booker; named for W. D. Booker, the bac-
duced only in trace amounts from nitrates. teriologist who first isolated this species.
Growth occurs at 10° and at 20° C. Vari- Rods, 0.5 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns, occurring
al:)le growth at 37° and at 40° C. singly. Motile by means of peritrichous
Aerobic. flagella. Gram-negative.
Long and Hammer (ibid., 264) have de- Gelatin colonies: Circular, brown, vari-
scribed a variety of this species which does able in size.
not produce ropiness in milk. For a recent Gelatin stab: Slow, saccate liquefaction,
discussion of this species see Jones (Food becoming stratiform.
Research, 19, 1954, 246). Agar colonies: Thin, transparent, with
Source: Originally isolated from water. opaque center and indistinct margin.
Habitat : Found in water and around dairy Agar slant: Abundant, yellowish to yel-
barns and dairy utensils. Produces ropiness lowish brown growth.
in milk. Broth: Turbid, with viscid sediment. No
* Prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, October,
1954.
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE 301
it was one of the commonest species to be gelatin-liquefying species that would occur
found in polluted waters. The description on the gelatin plates used so commonly be-
given in the Manual (1st ed., 1923, 135) is fore 1900 in isolating water bacteria is Pseu-
taken directly from the Frankland's trans- domonas fluorescens Migula, it is noteworthy
lation of Eisenberg's original description that there is no mention of greenish fluo-
of this species. As Eisenberg's description rescence inany of the descriptions referred
makes no mention of certain characteristics, to above. Likewise, the chromogenesis of
e.g. Gram stain, type of flagellation and P. fluorescens on potato is described by
action on nitrates, now regarded as very earl}' students of this species as an unchar-
important for the identification of species acteristic brown (Fliigge, Die Mikroorgan-
of this t.ype, Bergey added these characters ismen, 2 Aufl., 1886, 289) or as a rather thick,
out of his own studies made on Schuylkill yellowish gray, spreading growth which
River water; these added characters are gradually becomes a light sepia-brown (Mi-
indicated above. gula, Syst. d. Bakt., S, 1900, 886). In search-
Related species : The Franklands (Micro- ing for cultures of a peritrichous, gelatin-
organisms in Water. London, 1894, 461) liquefying water organism, the organism
state that the Bacillus liquefaciens of Eisen- most likely to be mistaken for it would be a
berg resembles very closely the Bacillus non-fluorescent strain of P. fluorescens.
liquefaciens of Lustig {op. cit., 1890, 99). From the fact that several investigators
They then describe the similar organism have recently searched for an organism
that they isolated from unfiltered, Thames that has the characters of Achromobacter
River water under the name Bacillus li- liquefaciens Bergey et al. without finding a
quidus. This species differs from the Eisen- peritrichous species that conforms in all
berg organism in that it produces a thick, respects with the description of Bacillus
flesh-colored, moist expansion on potato. liquefaciens as given here, it appears that
It is also stated to reduce powerfully ni- early statements reporting this organism
trates to nitrites. Horrocks (Bact. Exam, as common in water are based on a failure
of Water. London, 1901, 54) discusses all to distinguish between polar flagellate and
of these common, gelatin-liquefying bac- peritrichous gelatin-liquefying water or-
teria found in water and adds a description
of Bacillus liquefaciens based on his own ganisms.
Source: Isolated from water.
studies of cultures. Additional characters Habitat: Found in water.
are given. He states that no gas is produced
in a glucose gelatin stab, that milk remains 2. Achromobacter iophagus (Gray
unchanged, that there is a diffuse growth and Thornton, 1928) Bergey et al., 1930.
in broth with an abundant deposit of sedi- {Bacterium iophagum Gray and Thornton,
ment, that nitrates are reduced to nitrites Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928, 89; Bergey
and ammonia, that no indole is produced et al.. Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 204.)
and that there is no chromogenesis on agar. i.o'pha.gus. Gr. noun ius poison; Gr. v.
He adds that it is a short, motile bacillus, phagein to devour; M.L. adj. iophagus poi-
often occurring in pairs, that neither forms son-devouring.
spores nor grows well at 37° C. His descrip- Rods 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 5.0 microns. Mo-
tion of the chromogenesis produced on po- tile by means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-
tato indicates that he regards the B. li- negative.
quidus of the Franklands as identical with Gelatin colonies: Quicklj^ liquefied.
the B. Uqxiefaciens of Eisenberg. Horrocks Gelatin stab: Liquefaction.
describes the growth on potato as variable: Agar colonies: Circular or amoeboid,
sometimes it has a light yellow color, at whitish, flat, raised, smooth, translucent,
other times it has a flesh-colored tint chang- entire.
ing to reddish brown. Agar slant: Filiform, white to buff, flat,
Because none of the early students of undulate.
this organism made flagella stains and be- Broth: Turbid.
cause one of the most conspicuous of the Litmus milk: Unchanged.
303
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE
Acid from glucose and sucrose. Occasion- utilized as carbon sources (Campbell and
ally from maltose and glycerol. Williams, loc. cit.).
Starch hydrolyzed. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Ammonia produced from peptone but not
Attacks phenol and naphthalene. from urea.
Aerobic, facultative. Trimethylamine not produced from tri-
Optimum temperature, between 30° and methylamine oxide, betaine, choline or
35° C. acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams,
Source: Fifteen cultures were isolated Jour. Bact., 62, 1951b, 250).
from soil . Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of
Habitat: Soil. sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit.,
1951a, 506).
3. Achroniobacter thalassius ZoBell Aerobic, facultative.
and Upham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps Inst, of
25°Optimum
C. temperature, between 20° and
Oceanography, Univ. of Calif., 5, 1944, 279.)
tha.las'si.us. Gr. adj. thalassius of the Source: Isolated from marine bottom
sea. deposits.
Rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 0.8 to 2.3 microns,
with some variation in shape, occurring 4. Achroniobacter delicatiilus (Jor-
singly, in pairs and in short chains; many dan, 1890) Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacillus
cells lie side by side. Motile by means of delicatiilus Jordan, Report Mass. State Bd.
peritrichous flagella. Gram-negative, but of Health, 1890, 837; Bergey et al., Manual,
cell walls tend to retain stain. 1st ed., 1923, 137.)
All media except the fresh-water broth,
litmus milk and potato were prepared with de.li.ca'tu.lus. L. adj. delicatus dainty,
sea water. delicate; M.L. dim. adj. delicatiilus some-
what delicate.
Gelatin colonies: 1 mm in diameter,
Original descriptions supplemented by
circular, white.
Gelatin stab: Napiform liquefaction. Bergey {loc. cit.) from his private notes.
Rods, 1.0 by 2.0 microns, occurring singly
Filiform growth along line of stab.
(Jordan). Motile by means of peritrichous
Agar colonies: Punctiform, rough, trans-
lucent, raised. flagella. Gram-negative (Bergey).
Gelatin colonies: Whitish, homogeneous;
Agar slant: Moderate, glistening, beaded,
radiate margin.
watery, butyrous growth with no pigment.
Sea-water broth: No pellicle; slight Gelatin stab: Infundibuliform liquefac-
tion.
turbidity; scant, powdery sediment.
Agar slant: Whitish, glistening.
Fresh-water broth: Fair growth.
Litmus milk: No visible change. Casein Broth: Turbid; gray pellicle; sediment.
Litmus milk: Acid.
not digested.
Potato: No visible growth. Potato: Thin, gray streak.
Indole not produced (Bergey).
Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re-
Glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, xylose, quired for growth; preformed growth factors
mannitol, glycerol and salicin not utilized. also were not required (Campbell and
Starch not hydrolyzed. Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, 506).
Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino
Non-lipolytic.
Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re- acids which were tested may serve as
quired for growth; preformed growth fac- sources of nitrogen; the amino acids may
tors also were not required (Campbell and also be utilized as carbon sources (Campbell
Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, 506). and Williams, loc. cit.).
Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino Nitrites produced from nitrates.
acids which were tested may serve as sources Trimethylamine produced from tri-
of nitrogen; the amino acids may also be methylamine oxide, choline and acetyl
304 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
choline but not from betaine (Campbell and Citrate utilized as the sole source of
Williams, Jour. Bact., 62, 1951b, 250). carbon.
Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source Nitrites produced from nitrates.
of sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit., Aerobic.
1951a, 506). Good growth at 28° and 37° C. No growth
Aerobic, facultative. at 45° C.
Optimum temperature, between 30° and Produces xerosin, a metabolic substance
35° C. that has a modifying effect on certain viral
Source: Isolated from the effluent of a lesions in mice.
septic tank (Jordan) . From water (Bergey) . Source: Isolated from soil.
Steinhaus (personal communication, 1951)
has now shown that the culture which he 6. Achromobacter aquamarinus Zo-
identified (No. 45, Jour. Bact., 4^, 1941, 771) Bell and Upham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps Inst,
as belonging to this species belongs in the 264.)
of Oceanography, Univ. of Calif., 5, 1944,
paracolon group.
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed a.qua.ma.ri'nus. L. noun aqua water;
in nature. L. adj. rnarinus of the sea; M.L. adj. agua-
marinus pertaining to sea water.
5. Achromobacter xerosis Groupd et al., Rods, 0.8 by 1.2 to 2.0 microns, with
1954. (Groupe, Pugh, Levine and Herrmann, rounded ends, occurring singly. Motile
Jour. Bact., 68, 1954, 10.) by means of a few peritrichous flagella.
xe.ro'sis. Or. adj. xerus dry; M.L. adj. Gram-negative.
xerosis dry. All media except the fresh-water broth,
Pleomorphic rods measuring 0.5 by 2.0 litmus milk and potato were prepared with
to 3.0 microns in young cultures; in older sea water.
cultures the cells may be as much as 10 to Gelatin colonies : 2 nam in diameter, con-
25 microns in length. Motile by means of vex, circular, entire, whitish.
peritrichous flagella. Not encapsulated. Gelatin stab: Poor growth, no liquefac-
Gram-negative. tion, no pigment.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Agar colonies: 2 mm in diameter, convex,
Agar colonies: White to grayish white, smooth, circular.
1.0 to 1.5 mm in diameter, dry, membranous, Agar slant: Moderate, beaded, glisten-
circular, low convex, adherent; tan, granu- ing, butyrous growth with no pigment.
lar and radially wrinkled with a lobate edge Sea-water broth: Surface ring; moderate
on prolonged incubation. turbidity; heavy, viscous sediment.
Broth containing peptone and other Fresh-water broth: Poor growth.
complex nitrogenous materials: Pellicle Litmus milk: No visible change. Casein
formed. No acid from broth containing not digested.
glucose, galactose or maltose. Potato: No visible growth.
Litmus milk: Alkaline; litmus reduced Indole not produced.
after 7 days. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Potato: Growth yellowish to brownish, Acid but no gas from glucose and maltose.
dry and wrinkled. Lactose, sucrose, xylose, salicin, glycerol
Acid produced on inorganic nitrogen base and mannitol not utilized.
agar containing glucose, galactose or malt- Starch not hydrolyzed.
ose as the sole carbon source. Growth, but Lipolytic.
no acid, on agar containing sucrose; no Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re-
growth on agar containing arabinose, quired for growth; preformed growth fac-
rhamnose, raffinose, xylose, lactose, salicin, tors also were not required (Campbell and
mannitol or sorbitol. Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, 506).
Starch is hydrolyzed. Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino
Indole not produced. acids which were tested may serve as
Hydrogen sulfide production slight. sources of nitrogen; the amino acids (except
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE
305
valine) may also be utilized as carbon Methyl red test negative.
sources (Campbell and Williams, loc. cil.). Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates. Citrate utilized.
Ammonia produced from peptone but not Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re-
from urea. quired for growth; preformed growth fac-
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- tors also were not required (Campbell and
methylamine oxide, betaine, choline or Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, 506).
acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams, Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino
Jour. Bact., 62, 1951b, 250). acids which were tested may serve as
Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of sources of nitrogen; the amino acids may
sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit., also be utilized as carbon sources (Campbell
1951a, 506). and Williams, loc. cit.).
Aerobic, facultative. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Optimum temperature, between 20° and Ammonia produced slowly from peptone.
25° C. Urease not produced.
Source: Isolated from sea water and from Trimethylamine not produced from tri-
submerged slides. methjiamine oxide, betaine, choline or
Habitat: Sea water. acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams,
Jour. Bact., 62, 1951b, 250).
7. Achromobacter guttatus (Zimmer- Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of
mann, 1890) Bergey et al., 1923. {Bacillus sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit.,
guttatus Zimmermann, Bakt. unserer Trink- 1951a, 506).
u. Nutzwasser, Chemnitz, 1, 1890, 56; Non-hemolj'tic.
Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 140.) Pathogenicity: Not lethal to white mice
gut.ta'tus. L. adj. guttatus drop-like. when injected in massive doses. Does not
Description prepared by Dr. J. M. Rush, produce soft rot on carrots, potatoes or
Clemson Agricultural College, Clemson turnips.
South Carolina, from the original descrip- Aerobic, facultative.
tion by Zimmermann, from the emended Optimum temperature, 25° C. Growth
description of Bergey et al. (loc. cit.), and
range, 15° to 30° C.
from a study of 74 freshly isolated cultures. Comments: Zimmermann emphasizes the
Rods, 0.9 to 1.0 micron, occurring singly resemblance of the gelatin colonies to drops
and in chains. Motile by means of peri- of liquid and reports that spherical spores
trichous flagella. Gram-negative. appear to be formed in chains of cells;
Gelatin colonies: Circular, gray, smooth, spores are not reported by subsequent
entire. investigators. Zimmermann also reports
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. that gelatin is liquefied slowly (after 4
weeks) .
Agar colonies: Small, gray, smooth, en-
tire, circular, convex. Source: Originally isolated from Chem-
Agar slant: Growth moderate, gra}^ nitz tap water; also isolated from meat,
filiform, butyrous. fish, soil and water.
Nutrient broth: Turbid. Habitat: Apparently widely distributed
Litmus milk: Unchanged. in water and foodstuffs.
Potato: Light tan, slimy growth.
Indole not produced. 8. Achromobacter cycloclastes (Gray
Hydrogen sulfide produced in small and Thornton, 1928) Bergey et al., 1930.
amounts on lead acetate agar. {Bacterium cycloclastes Gray and Thornton,
Acid from glucose. No acid or gas pro- Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928, 89; Bergey
duced from other carbohydrates. Sguros et al., Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 212.)
and Hartsell (Jour. Bact., 64, 1952, 811) cy.clo.clas'tes. Gr. noun cyclus a ring;
report that the dissimilation of glucose is Gr. adj. clastus broken; M.L. noun cyclo-
predominately aerobic in nature. clastes a ring breaker.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Rods, 1.0 to 1.5 by 1.5 to 8.0 microns.
306 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
and Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, convex with slightly raised margin, smooth;
506) . lobate edge.
Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino Agar slant: Moderate, beaded, glistening,
acids which were tested may serve as sources opalescent growth with no pigment.
of nitrogen; the amino acids (except alanine Sea-water broth: Moderate turbidity;
and aspartic acid) may also be utilized as viscid sediment; no pellicle or ring.
carbon sources (Campbell and Williams, Fresh-water broth: No visible growth.
loc. cit.). Litmus milk: No visible change. Casein
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. not digested.
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- Potato: No visible growth.
methylamine oxide, betaine, choline or Indole not produced.
acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams, Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Jour. Bact., 62, .1951b, 250). No acid or gas from glucose, lactose,
Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of maltose, sucrose, mannitol, glycerol, xylose
sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit., or salicin.
1951a, 506). Starch not hydrolyzed.
Aerobic, facultative. Non -lipolytic.
Optimum temperature, between 25° and Nitrites slowly produced from nitrates.
30° C. Ammonia produced from peptone but not
Source: Sewage. Gibbons (Contrib. to from urea.
Canadian Biol, and Fish., 8, 1934, 279) Aerobic, facultative (poor anaerobic
reports this species as occurring in the slime growth).
and feces of the cod {Gadus callarias) and
25°Optimum
C. temperature, between 20° and
dogfish (Sq^ialus acanthias). An organism
apparently identical with this species has Source: Isolated from sea water, marine
been found by Steinhaus (op. cit., 1941, mud and marine phytoplankton.
764) in the intestines of beetle larvae Habitat: Sea water.
{Urographus fasciata DeG.).
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed 12. Achromobacter butyri Bergey et
in nature. al., 1923. (Micrococcus butyri-aromafaciens
Keith, The Technology Quarterly, 10, 1897,
11. Achroinobacter stenohalis ZoBell 247; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923,
and Upham, 1944. (ZoBell and Upham, Bull. 148; Acinetobacter butyri Brisou and Prevot,
Scripps Inst, of Oceanography, Univ. of Ann. Inst. Past., 86, 1954, 727.)
Calif., 5, 1944, 257; Acinetobacter stenohalis bu'ty.ri. Gr. noun butyrum butter; M.L.
Brisou and Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 86, gen.noun butyri of butter.
1954, 727.) Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 micron, nearly spherical,
ste.no.ha'lis. Gr. adj. stenus narrow; occurring singly and in pairs. Non-motile.
hals, halis salt; M.L. gen.noun stenohalis of Gram-negative.
narrow salt (tolerance). Gelatin colonies: White, circular, smooth,
Rods, 0.8 to 0.9 by 0.8 to 1.6 microns, glistening.
occurring singly, in pairs and in short Gelatin stab: White surface growth;
chains. Non-motile. Encapsulated. Gram- liquefaction with white sediment.
negative. Agar slant: Abundant, white, glistening
All media except the fresh-water broth,
litmus milk and potato were prepared with growth.
Broth: Turbid, with ring and sediment.
sea water. Litmus milk: Reaction unchanged. Aro-
Gelatin colonies: 1 mm in diameter, matic odor.
whitish, circular, convex, entire. No pig- Potato: Slow and limited, white growth.
ment. Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re-
Gelatin stab: Very slow, crateriform quired for growth; preformed growth fac-
liquefaction. Napiform in 50 days. tors also were not required (Campbell and
Agar colonies: Small, circular, opalescent. Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951b, 506).
308 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of
acids which were tested may serve as sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit.,
sources of nitrogen; the amino acids may 1951a, 506).
also be utilized as carbon sources (Campbell Aerobic, facultative.
and Williams, op. cit., 1951a, 506). Innocuous when fed to bees. Not patho-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. genic when inoculated subcutaneously in
rabbits.
Trimethylamine not produced from tri-
methylamine oxide, betaine, choline or Source: Occurs as a secondary invader
acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams, in European foulbrood of bees.
Jour. Bact., 62, 1951a, 250). Habitat: Unknown.
Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of
sulfur (Campbell and Williams, loc. cit.). 14. Achromobacter delmarvae Smart,
Aerobic, facultative. 1932. (Jour. Bact., 23, 1932, 41; also see
Optimum temperature, 25° C. Jour. Agr. Research, 51, 1935, 363; Acineto-
Habitat: Milk. bacter delmarvae Brisou and Prdvot, Ann.
Inst. Past., 86, 1954, 727.)
13. Achromobacter eurydice (White, del.mar'vae. M.L. gen. noun delmarvae of
1912) Bergey et al., 1925. {Bacterium eury- Delmarva; named for Delmarva, the name
dice White, U. S. Dept. of Agr., Bur. of given to an area comprising portions of the
Entomol., Circ. 157, 1912, 3, and U. S. states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
Dept. of Agr. Bull. 810, 1920, 15; Bergey et Short rods which average 0.75 by 1.5
al., Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, 170; Acineto- microns; rounded ends; occur singly, in
bacter eurydice Brisou and Pr^vot, Ann. pairs and in short chains. Non-motile.
Inst. Past., 86, 1954, 727.) Gram-negative.
eu.ry'di.ce. Gr. fem.n. Eurydice the wife Gelatin colonies: Similar to agar colonies.
of Orpheus. Gelatin stab: Scant growth. No lique-
Small, slender rods with slightly rounded faction.
ends; occur singly and in pairs. Non-motile. Beef -infusion agar colonies: Small, cir-
Gram-negative. cular, raised, glistening, translucent, blu-
Gelatin stab : A bluish gray growth occurs ish white, amorphous; margin entire; edges
along the line of inoculation. No liquefac- smooth.
tion. Agar stab: Abundant growth. Surface
Glucose agar colonies: Bluish gray, cir- growth round, smooth, glistening, bluish
cular, smooth glistening, entire. white, raised. Filiform growth the whole
Broth: Uniform turbidity with viscid length of stab, but growth best at top.
sediment. Agar slant: Abundant, filiform, raised,
Potato: Slight, grayish growth. glistening, smooth, translucent, bluish
Litmus milk: Unchanged. white growth; no odor; old cultures slightly
Acid from glucose, but little or no action viscid. Medium unchanged.
on other carbohydrates. Nutrient broth: Turbid. Delicate, white
Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re- pellicle. Sediment abundant, white, slightly
quired for growth; preformed growth fac- stringy. No odor. Color of medium un-
tors also were not required (Campbell and changed.
Williams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, 506). Sterile milk: Slow growth. No peptoniza-
Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino tion. Coagulation in 12 to 14 days. Milk
acids which were tested may serve as sources turns chocolate-brown beginning at top.
of nitrogen; the amino acids may also be Litmus milk: Acid, with reduction of
utilized as carbon sources (Campbell and litmus in 5 days. Coagulation, with return
Williams, loc. cit.). of pink color in 12 to 14 days. Browning of
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- medium.
methylamine oxide, betaine, choline or Potato: Abundant, grayish white, glisten-
acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams, ing, smooth, raised growth. Medium changes
Jour. Bact., 6.?, 1951b, 250). from white to smoke-gray.
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE 309
bb. Nitrites produced from nitrates. Litmus milk rapidly peptonized. Growth
at 37° C.
2. Flavobacterium fucatum.*
aa. Litmus milk not peptonized. Yellow or orange pigmentation produced on
potato,
b. Orange pigmentation produced on potato. Soft curd develops in litmus
milk; no change in reaction,
c. Yellow-gray growth on nutrient agar.
3. Flavobacterium ferrugineum.
cc. Orange growth on nutrient agar.
4. Flavobacterium arbor escens.
bb. Yellow pigmentation on potato. Litmus milk becomes slightly acid.
5. Flavobacterium balustinum.*
2. Litmus milk not modified. Gelatin not liquefied.
6. Flavobacterium solar e.
B. Produce a yellow pigmentation which shows no pronounced change under various
cultural conditions.
L Fresh-water forms or marine forms described from growth in media prepared with
fresh water; do not require salt for growth.*
a. Litmus milk modified. Gelatin liquefied.
b. Litmus milk becomes alkaline. Abundant growth on potato.
7. Flavobacterium lutescens.
bb. Litmus milk becomes slightly acid. Scant growth on potato.
8. Flavobacterium dormitator.*
aa. Litmus milk not modified. Gelatin not liquefied.
b. Grows on potato.
9. Flavobacterium ■peregrinum.
bb. Does not grow on potato.
10. Flavobacteriiim breve.
2. Marine form which requires at least 3 per cent salt in media and which grows
abundantly in media containing as much as 24 per cent salt.
11. Flavobacterium hahnephilum.
II. Motile.
A. Produce a pigmentation which varies with the cultural conditions.
1. Fresh -water forms or marine forms described from growth in media prepared with
fresh water.*
a. Litmus milk modified.
b. Orange to rust-colored growth on potato.
12. Flavobacterium rhenanum.
bb. Yellow^ growth on potato.
13. Flavobacterium harrisonii.
aa. Litmus milk not modified.
b. White to red-yellow growth on nutrient agar. Scant growth on potato and
nutrient agar.
14. Flavobacterium diffusum*
bb. Light yellow to brown growth on nutrient agar. Abundant growth on
potato and nutrient agar.
15. Flavobacterium rig
* The marine bacteria studied by Harrison had their cultural properties established using
media prepared with fresh water. These forms have been arranged with the non-marine
species.
FAMILY III. ACHKOMOBACTERACEAE 311
2. Marine forms which have been described from growth in media prepared with
sea water.*
a. Acid from glucose in nutrient broth.
b. Yellow growth on nutrient agar; orange growth on gelatin.
16. Flavobacterium halohydrium.
bb. Buff to yellow growth on nutrient agar; faint yellow growth on gelatin.
17. Flavobacterium neptunium.
aa. No acid from glucose in nutrient broth.
b. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
18. Flavobacterium okeanokoites .
bb. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
19. Flavobacterium marinovirosum.
B. Produce a pigmentation which shows no pronounced change under various cultural
conditions.
1. Fresh-water forms or marine forms described from growth in media prepared with
fresh water.*
a. Litmus milk modified.
b. Litmus milk peptonized and becomes alkaline. Gelatin liquefied,
c. Indole produced. Pigmentation yellow.
20. Flavobacteriiim suaveolens.
cc. Indole not produced. Pigmentation amber-3-ellow.
21. Flavobacterium marinum*
bb. Litmus milk becomes slightly acid. Gelatin not liquefied.
22. Flavobacterium lactis.
aa. Litmus milk not modified.
b. Gelatin liquefied.
23. Flavobacterium devorans.
bb. Gelatin not liquefied.
24. Flavobacterium invisibile.
2. Marine forms which have been described from growth in media prepared with
sea water.
a. Grows in litmus milk. Pigmentation yellow.
25. Flavobacterium marinotypicum.
aa. Does not grow in litmus milk. Pigmentation bright orange.
26. Flavobacterium piscicida.
growth becomes more mucoid without an number of cultural properties which, when
increase in pigmentation. combined, serve to differentiate the species.
Agar slants: Growth moderate, mucoid, These properties are yellow pigmentation
glistening, transparent, filiform. An in- becoming yellow-brown or orange, slow
crease in organic nitrogen-containing com- growth and poor survival on meat-extract-
pounds causes growth to become non- peptone media, inability to reduce nitrates
mucoid, opaque, wrinkled and adherent. to nitrites and failure to grow at 37° C. and
Frequent transfers are necessary for under anaerobic conditions.
survival. Source: Isolated from the water of deep
Proteose peptone (2 per cent) agar: wells in the chalk region of Kent, England,
Gray-yellow growth. where it occurred as a practically pure cul-
Broth: Faintly turbid. ture. Found abundantly and reisolated by
Litmus milk: Litmus reduced; j'ellow Taylor, 1941, from the same source (personal
communication) .
surface ring; no acid in 7 days at 20° to
25° C.; casein slowly digested (14 to 20 Habitat: Found in water containing a
days) . high percentage of calcium carbonate.
Potato: Growth scant to moderate, white
to faint yellow at 20° to 25° C.; potato 2. Flavobacterium fucatutn Harrison,
darkens and pigment becomes bright orange 232.)
1929. (Canadian Jour, of Research, 1, 1929,
at 10° C.
Indole not produced. fu.ca'tum. L. adj. fucatus colored,
Hydrogen sulfide production slight.
Glycerol, xylose, arabinose, glucose, painted.
Rods, 0.8 to 1.0 by 2.5 to 3.5 microns,
fructose, galactose, mannose, cellobiose, slightly bent with rounded ends. Granular
sucrose, maltose, lactose and raffinose are
with diphtheroid forms at 37° C. Non-mo-
utilized as principal carbon sources under tile. Gram-negative.
aerobic conditions; ethanol, sodium citrate, Gelatin colonies: Circular, 3cllow, en-
dextrin, starch, dulcitol, mannitol and tire, paler at edges.
salicin are not utilized under these condi- Gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefaction.
tions. Agar colonies: Circular, buff -yellow,
Glucose and ammonium chloride usually smooth, shiny, convex to pulvinate, granu-
do not support growth when used as the lar, entire.
sources of carbon and nitrogen. Agar slant: Moderate, light buff -yellow,
Acid from glucose, galactose, mannose, spreading, shiny, smooth growth.
sucrose and maltose when included in semi- Ammonium phosphate agar: Good growth
synthetic media, agar slants or broths (acid in 6 days.
reactions not detectable with indicators in Broth: Turbid, becoming clear; pellicle
peptone-beef-extract-containing media) . and yellow sediment.
Optimum pH, between 7.2 and 7.4. Litmus milk: Alkaline. Peptonized.
Growth between pH 6.5 and 7.8. Final pH Clear serum. Yellow sediment.
of unbuffered 1 per cent glucose broth, 5.9;
Potato: Growth abundant, pale buff-
if peptone-beef-extract is also present in
the broth, the final pH is 6.5. yellow, smooth, spreading, becoming or-
Acetylmethj'lcarbinol not produced. ange-yellow.
Indole not produced.
Methyl red test negative.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Hj'drogen sulfide not produced.
No acid from glucose, lactose or sucrose.
Urease-negative.
Catalase-positive. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Aerobic. Traces of ammonia produced.
Temperature relations: Growth range, Loeffler's blood serum not liquefied.
10° to 30° C. No growth at 37° C. Light buff-yellow growth becoming ochra-
Distinctive characters: Differs from other ceus salmon.
non-motile species of Flavohacterium by a Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE 313
1895, 442; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed., Gelatin colonies: Circular, entire, j^ellow;
1923, 115.) radial grooves.
dor.mi.ta'tor. L. noun dunnitator a Gelatin stab: Yellow surface growth; no
sleeper, a sluggard. growth in the stab. No liquefaction.
Original description supplemented by Nutrient agar colonies: Mucoid, yellow,
material taken from Harrison (Canadian shiny; hyaline margins.
Jour, of Research, 1, 1929, 233), whose cul- Glucose agar: Slowly developing yellow
tures differed in some particulars from
growth.
Nutrient broth: Turbid with a white
Wright's.
Rods with conical ends, occurring singly, sediment.
in pairs and in chains. Non-motile. Gram- Litmus milk: Unchanged.
negative (Harrison). Potato: Yellow streak.
Gelatin colonies: Small, yellow, slightly Indole not produced.
granular. Liquefaction. No acid or gas from glucose, sucrose,
Gelatin stab: Infundibuliform liquefac- lactose, glycerol or mannitol in nutrient
tion; yellow sediment. broth.
Agar slant: Yellow, glistening, translu- Starch not hydrolj-zed.
cent growth. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Ammonium phosphate agar: Slight, yel- Slow development in a mineral, glucose
low growth.
Broth: Turbid with slight pellicle and Aerobic.
agar.
yellow sediment. Distinctive characters: Resembles Flavo-
Litmus milk: Slightly acid; litmus re- baclerium breve Bergey et al. culturally.
duced. Harrison reports no reduction. The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic
Potato: Slight, transparent, yellow acid is utilized as a sole source of carbon in
growth. an otherwise inorganic medium. Destroys
Indole not produced (Harrison) . 2,4-D in the soil, presumably by opening the
Acid from glucose, sucrose, glycerol and benzene ring.
mannitol. Xo acid from lactose, rafRnose or Source: Isolated in Germany from soil-
inulin (Harrison). enrichment cultures containing 2,4-D.
Nitrites produced from nitrates in trace Habitat: Found in soil.
amounts (Harrison).
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. 10. Flavobacteriuni breve (Lustig, 1890)
Optimum temperature, 30° C. Bergey et al., 1923. (Der kurze Canalbacil-
Source: Originally isolated from fresh lus, Mori, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 4, 1888, 53;
water at Philadelphia. Later isolated by Bacillus canalis parvus Eisenberg, Bakt.
Harrison {loc. cit.) from the skin of halibut Diag., 1891, 362; Bacillus brevis Lustig,
taken from the Pacific Ocean off Canada. Diagnostica dei batteri delle acque, Torino,
Gibbons (Contrib. to Canadian Biol, and 1890, 52; Bacterium canale Mez, Mikro-
Fish., 8, 1934, 279) reports this species as skopische Wasseranalyse, Berlin, 1898, 55;
occurring in the slime of a haddock {Mel- Flavobacteriuni brevis (sic) Bergey et al.,
anogrammus aeglefinus) . Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 116.)
Habitat: Found in fresh and salt water. bre've. L. adj. brevis short.
Rods, 0.8 to 1.0 by 2.5 microns, showing
9. Flavobacteriuin peregriniim Stapp polar staining. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
and Spicher, 1954. (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., Gelatin colonies: Minute, pale yellow,
108, 1954, 113.) compact growth in 2 to 3 weeks.
per.e.gri'num. L. adj. peregrimis strange, Gelatin stab: Thin, j-ellowish growth on
foreign. the surface in 3 weeks. Beaded growth in
Straight rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 2.4 microns, stab. No liquefaction.
occurring singly and in pairs. Non-motile. Agar slant: Yellowish growth in 2 to 3
Gram-negative. days.
316 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Broth: Turbid with white sediment. Source: Isolated from the water of the
Blood serum: Light graj^-colored growth Dead Sea.
in 2 to 3 days. Habitat: Found in places where the salt
Litmus milk: Action not recorded. content of water is high.
Potato: No growth.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. 12. Flavobacteriiuii rhenaniim (Mi-
Optimum temperature, 35° C. gula, 1900) Bergey et al., 1948. (Burri's
Pathogenic for laboratory animals. Rhine water bacillus, Frankland and Frank-
Source : Found constantly in Berlin drain land, Microorganisms in Water, 1894, 483;
water. Bacillus rhenanus Migula, Syst. d. Bakt.,
Habitat: Sewage. 2, 1900, 713; Flavobacterium rhenanus (sic)
Bergey et al.. Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 433.)
11. Flavobacterium halmephiluin Ela- rhe.na'num. L. adj. rhenanus pertaining
zari-Volcani, 1940. (Studies on the Micro- to the Rhine.
flora of the Dead Sea. Thesis. Hebrew Original description supplemented by
Univ., Jerusalem, 1940, VIII and 85.) Bergey {loc. cit.) from his private notes as
hal.me'phi.lum. Gr. noun halme brine, indicated; Steinhaus (Jour. Bact., ^2, 1941,
sea water; Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. 762 and 772) apparently found the same
halinephilus sea-water-loving. organism and has added other characters.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 0.7 to 2.0 microns, Rods, 0.7 by 2.5 to 3.5 microns, with
occurring singly and in pairs; morphology rounded ends, occurring singly and in chains
and size unchanged as salt concentrations (Burri). Motile, possessing peritrichous
vary. Non-motile. Gram-negative. flagella (Bergey). Gram-negative (Bergey).
Gelatin stab (12 per cent salt-1 per cent Gelatin colonies: Convex, colorless,
proteose peptone-15 per cent gelatin) : transparent, becoming yellowish.
Scant growth; no liquefaction after a Gelatin stab: Infundibuliform liquefac-
month. tion.
Agar colonies (12 per cent salt-1 per cent Agar colonies: Small, smooth, convex,
proteose peptone-2 per cent KNO3) : Circu- entire.
lar, smooth, entire, convex, glistening, Agarhaus). slant : Bright yellow growth (Stein-
opaque, yellowish.
Agar slant (12 per cent salt-1 per cent Glycerol agar slant: Thin, shining, honey-
proteose peptone-2 per cent KNO3) : Moder- colored. Growth dry and tough.
ate, hliform, raised, smooth or slightly Broth: Turbid, with orange-colored pel-
rugose, opaque, j^ellowish growth. licle and sediment.
Broth (12 per cent salt-1 per cent pep- Litmus milk: Soft coagulum, becoming
tone):Turbid; delicate pellicle or ring and slightly alkaline with yellow ring.
granular, flaky sediment; broth turns Potato: Moist, glistening, thin, flat,
yellowish. orange to rust-colored growth.
Indole not produced. Indole not produced (Bergey) .
No acid or gas from glucose, fructose,
Hydrogen sulfide not produced (Stein-
galactose, mannose, lactose, sucrose, mal- haus).
tose, arabinose, xylose, raffinose, inulin,
Acid from glucose, maltose and sucrose
dextrin, glycerol, mannitol or salicin.
but not from lactose (Steinhaus).
Starch not hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates in trace Starch not hydrolyzed (Steinhaus) .
amounts. Nitrites produced from nitrates (Bergey).
Aerobic. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Optimum temperature, 30° C. Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Salt tolerance: Halotolerant, not grow- Source : Isolated from Rhine River water
ing in 0.5 per cent salt, but growing strongly (Burri). From water (Bergey). From eggs
in 3 to 24 per cent and moderately in 30 per in the ovary of a walking stick {Diaphero-
cent salt and in Dead Sea water. mera femorata Say) (Steinhaus) .
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE 317
Source: Isolated from marine bottom de- Inst, of Oceanograph}', Univ. of Calif., 5,
posits. 1944, 271.)
Habitat: Sea water. ma. ri.no. vi.ro 'sum. L. adj. marinus of
the sea; L. adj. virosus slimy; M.L. adj.
18. Flavobacteriiim okeanokoites Zo- marinovirosus probably intended to mean a
Bell and Upham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps Inst, marine slimy organism.
of Oceanography, Univ. of Calif., 5, 1944, Rods, 0.7 to 0.8 by 0.8 to 2.8 microns, with
270.) rounded ends, occurring singly and in long
o.ke.a.no.ko.i'tes. Gr. mas.n. oceanus chains. Motile by means of peritrichous
the ocean; Gr. fem.n. coite, coites bed; M.L. fiagella. Gram-negative.
fem.gen.n. okeanokoites of the ocean bed. All media except the fresh-water broth,
Rods, 0.8 to 0.9 b}^ 1.2 to 1.6 microns, with litmus milk and potato were prepared with
rounded ends, occurring singly and in long sea water.
chains; many cells are coccoid. Motile by Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, raised,
means of peritrichous fiagella. Gram-nega- rust-colored; gelatin slowly digested.
tive. Gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefaction
All media except the fresh-water broth, becoming stratiform. Light orange pigment.
litmus milk and potato were prepared with Agar colonies: 1 to 2 mm, circular, convex,
sea water. entire, smooth.
Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, conve.x, Agar slant: Moderate, filiform, glistening,
entire, rust- or orange-colored; digest gela- mucoid growth with grayish yellow pigment.
tin. Sea-water broth: Heavy turbidity; no
Gelatin stab: Slow, napiform liquefaction; pellicle; abundant, viscid sediment.
j'ellow growth. Fresh-water broth: Good growth.
Agar colonies: 2 mm in diameter, circular, Litmus milk: No visible change.
entire, smooth, convex. Potato: No visible growth.
Agar slant: Moderate, filiform, glistening, Indole not produced.
butyrous growth with yellow pigment. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Sea-water broth: No pellicle; moderate Does not ferment ghxerol, glucose, lac-
turbidity; moderate, viscid sediment. tose, maltose, sucrose, mannitol, xylose or
Fresh-water broth: Good growth. salicin.
Litmus milk: No visible change. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Potato: No visible growth. Casein not hydrolyzed.
Indole not produced. Non-lipolytic.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
No acid or gas from glucose, lactose, Ammonia produced from peptone but not
from urea.
maltose, sucrose, glycerol, mannitol, xylose
or salicin. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Starch not hydrolyzed. 25°Optimum
C. temperature, between 20° and
Casein is hydrolyzed.
Source: Isolated from sea water and ma-
Non-lipolytic. rine mud.
Nitrites slowly produced from nitrates. Habitat: Sea water.
Ammonia produced from peptone but not
from urea.
20. Flavobaclerium suaveolens Soppe-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. land, 1924. (Jour. Agr. Res., 28, 1924, 275.)
Optimum temperature, between 20° and sua. ve'o. lens. L. adj. suaveolens having
25° C. a sweet odor.
Source: Isolated from marine mud. Rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 1.2 microns, with
Habitat: Sea water. rounded ends, occurring singly and in pairs.
Motile by means of peritrichous fiagella.
19. FJavobacterium marinovirosum Gram-negative on plain agar; Gram-posi-
ZoBell and Upham, 1944. (Bull. Scripps tive in young culture on milk powder agar.
320 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
A.gar.bac.te'ri.um. Malayan noun agar agar, a jelly from seaweed; Gr. neut.dim.n.
bacterium a small rod; M.L. neut.n. Agarhacterium agar (-digesting) rodlet.
Short to medium-sized rods which are either motile by means of peritrichous flagella or
non-motile; some species are included here in which the position of the flagella is unknown
but which possess other characters of this genus. f Gram-negative. May or may not possess
non-diffusible pigments. Carbohydrates are feebly attacked, if at all, some species produc-
ing acid but no gas. Agar is digested. Found primarily on decomposing seaweed and in sea
water; also found in fresh water and soil.
The type species is Agarhacterium aurantiacum Angst.
* Prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, October,
1955.
t The type of flagellation of the type species, Agarhacterium aurantiacum Angst, has not
been determined. In the event that this species is proved to be polar flagellate, the genus
Agarbacteriuni should be placed in the family Pseudomonadaceae. The peritrichous, Gram-
negative agar-digesting species should then remain in a separate genus in the family Achro-
mohacteraceae, where they are presently located.
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTERACEAE 323
2. Non-chromogenic.
a. Abundant growth on potato.
3. Agarbacterium mesentericum.
aa. No growth on potato.
4. Agarbacterium reducans.
B. Flagellation peritrichous.
1. Gelatin liquefied.
5. Agarbacterium amocontactum.
2. Gelatin not liquefied.
6. Agarbacterium pastinator.
II. Non-motile.
A. Acid from glucose or mannitol.
1. Acid from glucose but not from mannitol.
7. Agarbacterium uliginosum.
2. Acid from mannitol but not from glucose.
8. Agarbacterium bufo
B. No acid from glucose or mannitol.
1. Grow on fish agar slant.
a. Cells measure up to 4.0 microns in length.
9. Agarbacterium polysiphoniae.
aa. Cells do not measure up to 4.0 microns in length.
b. Pellicle produced in broth.
10. Agarbacterium ceramicola.
bb. Pellicle not produced in broth.
11. Agarbacterium boreale.
2. Does not grow on fish agar slant.
12. Agarbacterium delesseriae.
Broth: Light yellow pellicle and sediment. Minimum, between 5° and 10° C. Maximum,
Indole production not recorded. between 27° and 30° C.
Carbohydrates not attacked. Source : Isolated from water from the Nor-
Starch slightly hydrolyzed. wegian Coast.
Nitrite production not recorded. Habitat: Sea water.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 23° 12. Agarbacterium delesseriae (Lund-
C. Minimum, between 5° and 10° C. Maxi- estad, 1928) Breed, comb. nov. {Bacterium
mum, between 27° and 30° C. delesseriae Lundestad, Cent. f. Bakt., II
Source : Isolated from water from the Nor- Abt., 75, 1928, 332.)
wegian Coast. de.les.se'ri.ae. M.L. noun Delesseria a
Habitat: Sea water. genus of red algae; M.L. gen. noun delesseriae
of Delesseria.
11. Agarbacterium boreale (Lundes- Rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 1.6 to 2.6 microns, with
tad, 1928) Breed, comb. nov. (Bacterium rounded ends, occurring singly. Non-motile.
boreale Lundestad, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., Gram-negative.
75, 1928, 333.) Fish gelatin colonies: Circular, trans-
bo.re.a'le. L. adj. borealis northern. parent, glistening, concentrically ringed,
Rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 1.6 to 2.6 microns, with
rounded ends, occurring singly. Non-motile. yellow.
Fish gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefac-
Gram -negative. tion; yellow sediment.
Fish gelatin colonies: Circular, opaque, Seaweed agar colonies: Circular, flat,
glistening, concentrically ringed, yellow. concentrically ringed, light yellow. Agar ia
Fish gelatin stab : Yellow with crateriform disintegrated.
liquefaction. Fish agar slant : No growth.
Broth: Turbid with flocculent pellicle and
Sea-water agar colonies: Circular, flat,
sediment, light yellow.
opaque, glistening, light yellow; diffuse
Indole production not recorded.
margin. Agar is disintegrated.
Carbohydrates not attacked.
Fish agar slant: Yellow, flat, glistening, Starch slightly hydrolyzed.
opaque, entire growth. Nitrite production not recorded.
Broth: Finely flocculent, yellow sediment. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Indole production not recorded.
Carbohydrates not attacked. Temperature relations: Optimvmi, 23° C.
Minimum, between 5° and 10° C. Maximum,
Starch slightly hydrolyzed.
between 27° and 30° C.
Nitrite production not recorded. Source : Isolated from water from the Nor-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. wegian Coast.
Habitat: Sea water.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 23° C.
Genus V. Beneckea Campbell, gen. nov.*
Be.neck'e.a. M.L. fem.gen.n. Beneckea of Benecke; named for W. Benecke, the German
bacteriologist who was the first to isolate chitin-decomposing bacteria.
Small to medium-sized rods. Motile by means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-negative.
May or may not produce chromogenesis. Acid usually produced from carbohydrates. Chitin
is digested. Found in salt- and fresh-water and in soil.
The type species is Beneckea labra (Campbell and Williams) Campbell.
Key to the species of genus Beneckea.
Gelatin not liquefied.
A. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
1. Beneckea labra.
* Prepared by Dr. L. Leon Campbell, Jr., State College of Washington, Pullman, Wash-
ington, June, 1954.
FAMILY III. ACHROMOBACTEEACEAE
329
B. Nitrites not produced from nitra
2. Beneckea ureasophora.
II. Gelatin liquefied.
A. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
1. Acid from sucrose.
3. Beneckea chitinovora.
2. No acid from sucrose.
4. Beneckea hyper optica.
B. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
1. Acid from sucrose.
5. Beneckea indolthetica.
2. No acid from sucrose.
6. Beneckea lipophaga.
1. Beneckea labra (Campbell and Wil- lumichrome are not utilized as carbon
liams, 1951) Campbell, comb. nov. {Achro- sources.
niobacter labrum Campbell and Williams, Starch is hydrolyzed.
Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 894.) Chitin is hydrolyzed.
la'bra. Gr. adj. labrus greedy. Non -lipolytic.
Rods, 0.2 to 0.4 by 0.8 to 1.1 microns, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
occurring singly, in pairs and occasionally Ammonia produced from peptone.
in clumps. Motile by means of peritrichous Urease-negative.
flagella. Gram-negative. Casein not hydrolyzed.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Trimethylamine not produced from tri-
Agar colonies: Circular, smooth, entire, methylamine oxide, choline or betaine.
flat, glistening, opaque, non-pigmented to Aerobic, facultative.
pale cream. Optimum temperature, between 20° and
Agar slants: Abundant, filiform, smooth, 30° C. Grows at 4° C.
glistening, opaque, non-pigmented growth. Source: Isolated from marine mud.
Broth: Moderately turbid: surface growth Habitat: Found in sea water.
adherent to the walls of the tubes.
Litmus milk: Acid in 6 days. 2. Beneckea ureasophora (Campbell
Indole not produced. and Williams, 1951) Campbell, comb. nov.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. {Achromobacter ureasophorum Campbell and
Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose, Williams,
894.) Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951,
maltose, de.xtrin, mannose, trehalose and
cellobiose. No acid from lactose, sucrose, u.re.a.so'pho.ra. Gr. noun urum urine;
arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, raffinose, M.L. noun urea urea; M.L. noun ureasum
inulin, mannitol, salicin, dulcitol, inositol, urease; Gr. adj. phorus bearing; M.L. adj.
melezitose or adonitol. iireasophorus urease-bearing.
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lac- Small rods, 0.2 by 0.8 micron, occurring
tose, dextrin, mannose, arabinose, rham- singly. Motile by means of peritrichous
nose, xylose, raffinose, inulin, mannitol, flagella. Gram-negative.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
salicin, galactose, trehalose, inositol, cello-
biose, melezitose, adonitol, chitin, glycogen, Agar colonies: Circular, raised, glisten-
starch, butyrate, valerate, asparaginate, ing, entire, translucent, non-pigmented.
Agar slant: Abundant, filiform, glisten-
succinate, malate, fumarate (0.5 per cent),
ing, translucent, non-pigmented growth.
levulinate, /3-alanine, glucosamine, ethanol Broth: Slightly turbid with a stringy
and tertiary butanol are utilized as carbon sediment.
sources. Dulcitol, cellulose, malonate, sali- Litmus milk: Acid in 6 da3's.
cylate, oxalate, mandelate, benzoate (0.5 Indole not produced.
per cent), propionate, n-amyl alcohol, meth- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
anol, n-propanol, iso-amyl alcohol and Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
330 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ate, propionate, salic3'late, valerate, oxal- chitin, starch, glycogen and glucosamine
ate, butyrate, mandelate, benzoate (0.5 are utilized as carbon sources. Lactose,
I)er cent), ethanol, methanol, iso-amyl arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, inulin, man-
alcohol, n-amyl alcohol, tertiary bntanol, nitol, dulcitol, galactose, inositol, melezi-
n-propanol and luniichrome are not utilized tose, adonitol, succinate, malate, fumarate
as carbon sources. (0.5 per cent), lactate, malonate, tartrate,
Starch is hN'drolj^zed. citrate, levulinate, |3-alanine, asparaginate,
Chitin is hydrolyzed. propionate, salicylate, valerate, oxalate,
Lipolytic. butyrate, mandelate, benzoate (0.5 per
Nitrites produced from nitrates. cent), ethanol, methanol, n-amyl alcohol,
Ammonia produced from peptone. iso-amyl alcohol, tert.-butanol, n-propanol
Urease-negative. and lumichrome are not utilized as carbon
Casein is hj'drolj-zed. sources.
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- Starch is hydrolyzed.
methylamine oxide, choline or betaine. Chitin is hydrolyzed.
Growth not inhibited bj' 10 per cent NaCl. Non-lipolytic.
Aerobic, facultative. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Optimum temperature, between 20° and Ammonia produced from peptone.
30° C. Growth at 4° C. Urease-negative.
Source: Isolated from marine mud. Casein is hydrolyzed.
Habitat : Found in sea water. Trimethylamine not produced from
trimethylamine oxide, choline or betaine.
5. Beneckea indolthetica (Campbell Growth inhibited by 10 per cent NaCl.
and Williams, 1951) Campbell, comb. nov. Aerobic, facultative.
(Flavobacterium indoltheticum Campbell and
Optimum temperature, between 20° and
Williams, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 30° C. No growth at 4° C.
894.) Source: Isolated from marine mud.
in.dol.the'ti.ca. M.L. noun indolum in- Habitat: Found in sea water.
dole; Gr. adj. theticus positive; M.L. adj.
indoltheticus indole-positive. 6. Beneckea lipophaga (Campbell and
Rods, 0.4 to 0.9 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns, Williams, 1951) Campbell, comb. nov.
occurring singly, in pairs and in occasional {Achromobacter lipophagiim Campbell and
clumps. Motile by means of peritrichous Williams, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5,
894.) 1951,
flagella. Gram-negative.
Gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefaction. li.po'pha.ga. Gr. noun lipus fat; Gr. v.
Agar colonies: Circular, smooth, entire, phagein to devour; M.L. noun lipophaga fat-
opaque, yellow to yellow-orange. destroyer.
Agar slant: Yellow to yellow-orange, Small rods, 0.4 by 1.0 micron, occurring
smooth, opaque growth. singly, in pairs and in small clumps. Motile
Broth: Turbid; slight surface scum; by means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-
yellow to orange sediment. negative.
Litmus milk: Acid in 2 days. Gelatin stab: Saccate liquefaction.
Indole is produced. Agar colonies: Circular, smooth, entire,
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. glistening, opaque, non-pigmented.
Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose, Agar slant: Abundant, filiform, glisten-
sucrose, maltose, dextrin, mannose, raffi- ing, opaque, non-pigmented growth.
nose, trehalose and cellobiose. No acid from Broth: Uniformly turbid.
lactose, arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, inulin, Litmus milk: Acid in 4 days with slight
mannitol, salicin, dulcitol, inositol, melezi- peptonization.
tose or adonitol. Indole not produced.
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, dex- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
trin, mannose, raffinose, salicin, cellobiose, Acid but no gas from glucose, maltose
trehalose, pyruvate (0.3 per cent), acetate. and mannose. No acid from fructose, lac-
332 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
tose, sucrose, dextrin, arabinose, rhamnose, Addendum: Species incertae sedis. Ben-
xylose, raffinose, inulin, mannitol, sorbitol, ton (Jour. Bact., 29, 1935, 449) describes but
salicin, dulcitol, trehalose, inositol, cello- does not name 17 types of chitinovorous
biose, melezitose or adonitol. bacteria isolated from water, mud and
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lac- plankton of fresh-water lakes, from decay-
tose, dextrin, mannose, arabinose, rham- ing May flj' nj^mph shells, intestinal con-
nose, xylose, raffinose, inulin, mannitol, tents of fish, frogs, bats, snipe and craj'fish,
and from shore soil, composts, etc. Twelve
salicin, dulcitol, galactose, trehalose,
types are reported to be monotrichous, two
inositol, cellobiose, melezitose, adonitol,
to be peritrichous, and the position of the
glycogen, starch, chitin, asparaginate, flagella is not given in three types. Of two
succinate, malate, fumarate (0.5 per cent),
Gram-positive types, one may have been a
lactate, pyruvate (0.3 per cent), acetate, spore-former and the other an organism
/3-alanine, glucosamine, ethanol, methanol belonging in the family Corynebacteriaceae.
and tertiary' butanol are utilized as carbon Two of the 17 t3^pes digested cellulose.
sources. Malonate, tartrate, citrate, levuli- ZoBell and Rittenberg (Jour. Bact., 35,
nate, propionate, salicylate, valerate, oxa- 1938, 275) isolated and studied but did not
late, butyrate, mandelate, benzoate (0.5 name 31 cultures of chitinoclastic bacteria
per cent), n-amyl alcohol, n-propanol and from marine sources. Out of 16 cultures
lumichrome are not utilized as carbon studies intensively, all were Gram-nega-
sources. tive. All but 4 of the 31 cultures were motile.
Starch is hydrolyzed. One culture was a coccus and two species
Chitin is hydrolyzed. were vibrios. None of these cultures di-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. gested cellulose.
Hock (Jour. Marine Res., 4, 1941, 105)
Ammonia produced from peptone.
describes two species of motile rods that
Urease-negative.
attack chitin without, however, determin-
Casein is hj^drolyzed. ing the type of flagellation. If these species
Trimethj'lamine is produced from tri- are reisolated and found to be peritrichous,
methjdamine oxide but not from choline or they should be placed in the genus Beneckea
betaine.
Campbell.
Growth not inhibited by 10 per cent NaCl. In addition to the cultures described
Aerobic, facultative. above, Campbell and Williams (Jour. Gen.
Optimum temperature, between 20° and Microbiol., 5, 1951, 894) isolated and de-
30° C. Growth at 4° C. scribed three other chitinoclastic species
Source: Isolated from marine mud. which they identified as belonging to the
Habitat: Found in sea water. genera Pseudomonas or Micrococcus.
* The late Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, and Prof.
E. G. D. Murray, University of Western Ontario, Canada, have prepared the general sec-
tions for family Enterobacteriaceae, October, 1955. Other contributors, as noted, have pre-
pared the sections covering the various groups within this family.
FAMILY IV. EXTEROBACTERIACEAE 333
gas (H2 present); some species even attack alginates or pectins. Characteristically, nitrites
are produced from nitrates (exceptions in Erwinia) . Antigenic composition is best described
as a mosaic which results in serological interrelationships among the several genera, even
extending to other families. Many species live in the intestines of man and other ani-
mals, frequently causing intestinal disturbances, while others are parasitic on plants,
some causing blights and soft rots; still other species are saprophytic, causing decom-
position ofdead organic materials.
Note : Early attempts to develop a satisfactory basis for the recognition of species among
the coliform-dysentery-typhoid group of bacteria are reviewed by Winslow, Kligler and
Rothberg (Jour. Bact., 4, 1919, 429); these were based largely on differences in motility,
production of indole, ability to liquefy gelatin and, more particularly, differences in the
ability to ferment carbohydrates, especially such compounds as glucose, lactose, sucrose,
dulcitol and salicin. The more recent attempts to express differences in species of coliform
bacteria by means of the IMViC reactions are reviewed by Parr (Amer. Jour. Public Health,
26, 1936, 39; also see Bact. Rev., 8, 1939, 1), this cryptic symbol indicating the indole test,
methyl-red acid determination, acetj'lmethylcarbinol production (Voges-Proskauer reac-
tion) and the utilization of salts of citric acid. Stuart, Griffin and Baker (Jour. Bact., 36,
1938, 391) and Griffin and Stuart (Jour. Bact., 4O, 1940, 83) have applied these tests plus cel-
lobiose fermentation to a study of a long series of cultures.
Meanwhile, the Kauffmann and White Antigenic Schema has been successfully applied
to the recognition of serological groups and types among the organisms placed in the coli-
form-dysentery-tj'phoid group. Studies by Kauffmann {Enter ohacteriaceae. Munksgaard,
Copenhagen, 1954, 225-254) and Edwards and Ewing (Identification of Enter ohacteriaceae.
Burgess Pub. Co., Minneapolis, 1955, 164-176) and others have shown that many cultures
previously identified as Aerobacter aerogenes Beijerinck are, culturally and serologically,
Klebsiella pneumoniae Trevisan. For this reason it has been recommended by the above-
mentioned authors that these two species should be combined as Klebsiella pneumoniae
Trevisan, this name having priority over Aerobacter aerogenes Beijerinck. However, because
investigators (Kligler, Jour. Inf. Dis., 15, 1914, 187; Stuart, Griffin and Baker, Jour Bact.,
38, 1938, 391; Osterman and Rettger, Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 721; and others) have previously
shown that it is diflScult to draw a borderline between the usually non-motile, non-gelatin-
liquefjang Aerobacter aerogenes and the usually motile, gelatin-liquefying Aerobacter cloacae
Bergey et al., the union of the species Klebsiella pneumoniae and the species Aerobacter
aerogenes causes A. aerogenes and A. cloacae to be placed in separate genera. The placing of
the latter species in a genus {Cloaca Castellani and Chalmers) is an arrangement that is
equally as unsatisfactory as is the present arrangement. While awaiting a better solution
of this problem, it has been felt advisable to retain Aerobacter aerogenes as a species distinct
from Klebsiella pneumoniae and to retain the genera Aerobacter Beijerinck and Klebsiella
Trevisan.
From the standpoint of taxonomy, too little attention has been given by the majority of
the authors who have proposed adjustments in the classification of the species related to the
coliform organisms to the wide distribution and diversity of species that possess character-
istics that place them in this group. It has long been known that the coliform organisms
that occur in dairy products are frequently derived from grain, and that they occur on the
panicles of the grass family in open fields where there is no reason to think that they orig-
inated from fecal contamination (Rogers, Clark and Evans, Jour. Inf. Dis., 17, 1915, 137;
Rogers, Univ. of Wise. Studies in Science, No. 2, 1918, 104 pp.; Thomas and McQuillin, Proc.
Soc. Appl. Bact., 15, 1952, 41; Henriksen, Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 34, 1954, 249-
285 and others). Some of these non-encapsulated organisms, identified as Aerobacter
aerogenes Beijerinck, produce a yellow chromogenesis. Although saprophytic coliform or-
ganisms from cotton fiber, bagasse (sugar cane fiber), hemp, jute and grain have been
recognized as responsible for various types of respiratory diseases in man, it has not been
demonstrated how closely these saprophytes are related to Klebsiella pneumoniae. This
important problem needs careful review from a variety of viewpoints.
334 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Serological studies support the cultural studies that show that the species of Serratia
Bizio sensu stricto belong in the coliform group (Breed and Breed, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
71 , 1927, 435) . These widely distributed red organisms are found growing not only on starchy
foods but also on other foods and on such tropical products as dried coconut (copra), latex
and even in palm buds undergoing a soft rot. Likewise, Thj0tta and K&ss (Norske Viden-
skaps-Akad., Oslo, I Mat.-Naturv. Klasse, No. 5, 1945, 17) have shown that the bacteria
which decompose alginates sometimes have all the characteristics of coliform organisms
except that they possess the power to attack these substances that resist attack by the
common coliform bacteria. Too few students of the coliform group test their cultures to
see whether they will produce soft rots (Erwinia carotovora Holland). Still fewer students
of coliform bacteria determine the type of flagellation possessed b}' the organisms they
study, although it is well known to students of fish diseases (Schaperclaus, Fischkrank-
heiten, 2 Aufi., 1941, Braunschweig, 296 pp.) that several motile (polar flagellate) and non-
motile species of Pseudomonadaceae are easily mistaken for coliform or paracolon bacteria.
Some of these {Aero77ionas punctata Snieszko and other species in the genus Aeromonas
Kluyver and van Niel) are common in water as they cause diseases of carp, salmon and other
fish as well as diseases of frogs.
Borman, Stuart and Wheeler (Jour. Bact., 48, 1944, 351), Kauffmann (op. cit., 1954),
Edwards and Ewing (op. cit., 1955) and others have recently suggested rearrangements in
the classification of the species that belong in the family Enter obacieriaceae. Only the future
can determine which of the views of these authors best expresses the relationships of the
bacteria that belong in this family. — The Editors.
* Levine (Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 153) was the first to show the inverse correlation between
the methyl red and Voges-Proskauer tests and used these characters for the primary sep-
aration of the Escherichia coli section from the Aerobacter aerogenes section of the coliform
group (Amer. Jour. Public Health, 7, 1917, 784).
t Prepared by Prof. M. W. Yale, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New York,
July, 1943; revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, in
consultation with investigators that have made special studies of this genus, October, 1955.
336 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
1. Escherichia coli (Migula, 1895) sulfide (Hunter and Weiss, Jour. Bact., 35,
Castellani and Chalmers, 1919. {Bacterium 1938, 20).
coli commune Escherich, Fortschr. d. Med., Methjd red test positive (Clark and Lubs,
3, 1885, 518; Bacillus escherichii Trevisan, Jour. Inf. Dis., 17, 1915, 160); Voges-Pro-
I generi e le specie delle Batteriacee, 1889, skauer test negative (Durham, Jour. Exp.
15; Bacillus coli Migula, in Engler and Med., 5, 1901, 373); inverse correlation be-
Prantl, Naturlich. Pflanzenfam., 1, la, 1895, tween methyl red and Voges-Proskauer
27; Bacterium coli Lehmann and Neumann, tests (Levine, Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 153).
Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., ^, 1896, 224; Castellani Acid and gas from glucose, fructose,
and Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 3rd ed., galactose, lactose, maltose, arabinose,
1919, 941.) xylose, rhamnose and mannitol. Sucrose,
co'li. Gr. noun colum or colon the large raffinose, salicin, esculin, dulcitol and
intestine, colon; L. gen. noun coli of the glycerol may or may not be fermented.
colon. Variable fermentation of sucrose and salicin
Rods, usually 0.5 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, (Sherman and Wing, Jour. Bact., 33, 1937,
varjing from almost coccoid forms to long 315; Tregoning and Poe, Jour. Bact., 34,
rods, occurring singly, in pairs and in short 1937, 473). Inulin, pectin and adonitol rarely
chains. Motile or non-motile; motile strains fermented. Dextrin, starch, glycogen and
possess peritrichous flagella. Usually not inositol not fermented. Cellobiose (Jones
encapsulated. Non-spore-forming. Gram- and Wise, Jour. Bact., 11, 1926, 359) and
negative. a-methyl-glucoside (Koser and Saunders,
Gelatin colonies: Opaque, moist, grayish Jour. Bact., 24, 1932, 267) not fermented.
white, entire. See Twort (Proc. Royal Soc. London, 79,
Gelatin stab: Grayish white, spreading, 1907, 329) for utilization of unusual gluco-
undulate growth. No liquefaction. sides, Dozois et al. (Jour. Bact., 30, 1935,
Agar colonies: Usually white, sometimes 189; and 32, 1936, 499) for utilization of
yellowish white, entire to undulate, moist, certain sugar alcohols and their anhydrides,
homogeneous. Atypical forms occur fre- and Poe and Klemme (Jour. Biol. Chem.,
quently. 109, 1935, 43) for utilization of rare sugars.
Agar slant: Usually white, sometimes See Winslow, Kligler and Rothberg (Jour.
yellowish white, moist, glistening, spread- Bact., 4, 1919, 429) for review of literature
ing growth. relative to classification.
Broth: Turbid; heavy, grayish sediment; Gas ratio: Approximately equal volumes
no pellicle. of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, ratio
Litmus milk: Rapid acid production with 1:1, are produced from glucose (Harden and
development of gas; usually coagulated; Walpole, Proc. Roy. Soc, Ser. B, 77, 1905,
curd may or may not be broken up; no 399; Rogers, Clark and Davis, Jour. Inf.
peptonization of the curd. Litmus may or Dis., 14, 1914, 411).
may not be reduced. Trimethyleneglycol not produced from
Potato: Abundant, grayish to yellowish, glycerol by anaerobic fermentation (Braak,
spreading growth. Onderzoekingen over Vergisting van Glyc-
erine. Thesis, Delft, 1928, 166; Werkman
Blood agar plates: Different strains vary
and Gillen, Jour. Bact., 23, 1932, 167).
widely in their action, some being hemoly- Citric acid and salts of citric acid not
tic (Buchgraber and Hilko, Zent. f. Bakt., utilized as sole sources of carbon (Koser,
I Abt., Orig., 133, 1935, 449). Jour. Bact., 8, 1923, 493).
Indole usually produced. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
No hydrogen sulfide produced in peptone Uric acid not utilized as a sole source of
iron agar (Levine, Epstein and Vaughn, nitrogen (Koser, Jour. Inf. Dis., 23, 1918,
Amer. Jour. Public Health., 24, 1934, 505; 377) ; uracil utilized as a sole source of
Tittsler and Sandholzer, Amer. Jour. Public nitrogen (Mitchell and Levine, Jour. Bact.,
Health, 27, 1937, 1240). More sensitive 35, 1938, 19).
indicators give positive tests for hydrogen Fecal odor produced.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 337
tal tract and diarrhea in infants. Invades Includes strains of Escherichia coli which
the circulation in agonal stages of diseases. ferment sucrose but not salicin. Levine
(Iowa Eng. E.xp. Sta. Bull. 62, 1921, 38)
la. Escherichia coli var. communis recognizes a strain which ferments salicin.
(Escherich, 1885) Breed, comb. nov. (Bac- Source: Isolated from feces.
terium coli commune Escherich, Fortschr.
d. Med., 3, 1885, 518.) 2. Escherichia aurescens (Parr, 1937)
Includes strains of Escherichia coli which Malligo et al., 1955. (Bacterium aurescens
do not ferment sucrose or salicin. See Parr, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 85,
Topley and Wilson (Princ. of Bact. and 1937, 563; not Bacterium aurescens Migula,
Immun., /, 1931, 446). Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 466; Malligo, Parr
Source: Isolated from feces. and Robbins, Jour. Bact., 70, 1955, 498.)
au.res'cens. L. v. auresco to gild, to be-
lb. Escherichia coli var. acidilactici come golden; L. part. adj. aurescens becom-
(Topley and Wilson, 1931) Yale, 1939. ing golden.
(Milchsaurebacterium, Hueppe, Mit. d. Rods similar in shape, size and arrange-
kais. Gesund., 2, 1884, 340; Bacillus acidi ment with those of Escherichia coli. Motile.
lactici Zopf, Die Spaltpilze, 1885, 87; Esch- Not encapsulated. Gram-negative.
erichia acidilactici Bergey et al., Manual, Gelatin: No liquefaction.
1st ed., 1923, 199; Bacterium coli var. acidi Agar colonies: Golden brown to red,
lactici Topley and Wilson, Princ. of Bact. insoluble, carotenoid pigment produced.
and Immun., 1, 1931, 446; Yale, in Manual, Red develops best on a Bacto-peptone,
5th ed., 1939, 393.) Leibig's meat extract agar.
Includes strains of Escherichia coli which Broth: Pigmented sediment.
do not attack sucrose or salicin. It is gen- Litmus milk: Acidified and coagulated as
in Escherichia coli.
erally thought that Hueppe's cultures were
contaminated with a spore-former. Indole is produced.
Source: Isolated from milk. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Acid and gas from glucose, lactose,
Ic. Escherichia coli var. neapolitana salicin, galactose and mannitol. Sucrose,
(Topley and Wilson, 1931) Yale, 1939. dulcitol, cellobiose, alpha-methyl-d-gluco-
(Neapeler Bacterien, Emmerich, Deut. side, inositol, raffinose, inulin and adonitol
med. Wochnschr., 10, 1884, 299; Bacillus not attacked. Power to produce gas from
neapolitanus Fliigge, Die Mikroorganismen, sugars may be lost.
1886, 270; Escherichia neapolitana Castellani The products of the anaerobic dissimila-
and Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 3rd ed., tion of glucose are ethanol, formic, acetic,
1919, 942; Bacterium coli var. neapolitanum lactic and succinic acids, carbon dioxide
Topley and Wilson, Princ. of Bact. and and hydrogen (Neish, personal communica-
Immun., 1, 1931, 446; Yale, in Manual, 5th tion, 1954).
ed., 1939, 393.) Methyl red test is positive.
Includes strains of Escherichia coli which Voges-Proskauer test is negative.
ferment sucrose and salicin. Citrate not utilized as a sole source of
Source: Isolated from cholera patients carbon.
and cadavers; originally thought to be the Nitrites produced from nitrates.
cause of cholera. Aerobic.
Grows well at 22° and 37° C.
Id. Escherichia coli var. communior Distinctive characters: Golden brown,
(Topley and Wilson, 1931) Yale, 1939. reddish yellow or red pigment, depending
(Bacillus coli communior Durham, Jour. on the medium. Pigments are yellow-orange,
Exp. Med., 5, 1900, 353; Bacterium coli var. carotenoid pigments, not like the pro-
communior Topley and Wilson, Princ. of digiosin of Serratia. Power to produce pig-
Bact. and Immun., 1, 1931, 446; Yale, in ments may be lost.
Manual, 5th ed., 1939, 393.) Source: Isolated from human feces
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 339
(Parr) , from an infected eye (Kluy ver) and methyl-glucoside may or may not be fer-
from contaminated water supplies (Tittsler, mented (Tittsler and Sandholzer, op. cit.,
Jour. Bact., 33, 1937, 450). 1935, 353; Carpenter and Fulton, op. cit.,
Habitat: Found in fecal matter. 1937, 822). No acid or gas from amygdalin,
dextrin, erythritol, glycogen, inulin or
3. Escherichia freundii (Braak, 1928) melezitose.
Yale, 1939. {Bacterium freundii Braak, Trimethyleneglycol produced from glyc-
Onderzoekingen over Vergisting van Glyc- erol by anaerobic fermentation (Braak,
erine. Thesis, Delft, 1928, 140; Citrobacter op. cit., 1928, 146; Werkman and Gillen,
freundii Werkman and Gillen, Jour. Bact., op. cit., 1932, 167).
23, 1932, 176 (type species of genus Citro- Citric acid utilized as a sole source of
bacter Werkman and Gillen, ibid., 173); carbon.
Yale, in Manual, 5th ed., 1939, 394.) Nitrites produced from nitrates.
freun'di.i. M.L. gen. noun freundii of Uric acid not utilized as a sole source of
Freund; named for A. Freund, who first nitrogen (Koser, op. cit., 1924, 59; Werkman
observed that trimethyleneglycol was a and Gillen, op. cit., 1932, 167).
product of fermentation (1881). Catalase-positive.
Short rods, with rounded ends, occurring Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
singly, in pairs and in short chains. Motile Growth requirements: Good growth on
or non-motile. Gram-negative. ordinarj^ laboratory media. Optimum
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction by 4 out of 15 growth temperature, between 30° and 37° C.
cultures (Werkman and Gillen, op. cit., 1932, Gas not produced in Eijkman test when
177) . No liquefaction by any strains (Titts- carried out at 45° to 46° C. (Levine, Epstein
ler and Sandholzer, Jour. Bact., 29, 1935, and Vaughn, op. cit., 1934, 505). No gas at
353; Carpenter and Fulton, Amer. Jour. 44° C. (Wilson, Med. Res. Council, London,
Pub. Health, 27, 1937, 822). Special Rept., Ser. 206, 1935, 165).
Agar slant: Smooth, gray, shining, fili- Serology: This species, like Escherichia
form, butyrous growth. coli, is divisible into serological types. The
Litmus milk: Acid in 2 days; coagulation serology of E. freundii has not been studied
may or maj' not take place; no peptoniza- as extensively as that of E. coli. In fact
tion. study of these organisms has been confined
Potato: Abundant, 3'ellowish white almost exclusively to aberrant cultures of
growth. the group which ferment lactose slowly.
Indole may or may not be produced The cultures which ferment lactose slowly
(Werkman and Gillen, op. cit., 1932, 177; or not at all have long caused difficulty in
Tittsler and Sandholzer, o-p. cit., 1935, 353). the diagnosis of enteric infections since they
Hydrogen sulfide produced in proteose often are mistaken for members of the genus
peptone, ferric citrate agar (Levine, Epstein Salmonella. It is only within the past two
and Vaughn, Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 2^, 3'ears that reliable and rapid methods of
1934, 505; Tittsler and Sandholzer, Amer. differentiation of this species from sal-
Jour. Pub. Health, 27, 1937, 1240). monellas through KCN and decarboxylase
Methyl red test positive. Voges-Proskauer tests have become available (M0ller, Acta.
test negative (Koser, Jour. Bact., 9, 1924, Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 26, 1954, 115
and 158).
59). Some strains give a positive methj'l red
and a positive Voges-Proskauer test The slow lactose-fermenting organisms
(Parr, Jour. Bact., 36, 1938, 1). of the E. freundii group have been desig-
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, nated as the Bethesda-Ballerup group
galactose, arabinose, xylose, raffinose, (Edwards, West and Bruner, Jour. Bact.,
lactose, maltose, mannose, rhamnose, tre- 55, 1948, 711). Since these are often confused
halose, glycerol, mannitol and sorbitol. with salmonellas, H was natural that they
Sucrose, salicin, dulcitol, adonitol and should have attracted greater attention
inositol may or may not be fermented. among medical bacteriologists than typical
Cellobiose usually fermented while a- E. freundii cultures. Through the work of
340 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Edwards, West and Bruner (Jour. Bact., Gelatin stab: No liquefaction after 60
55, 1948, 711), Bruner, Edwards and Hopson
(Jour. Inf. Dis., 85, 1949, 290) and West and days
Agarat slant:
20° C. Smooth to wrinkled surface;
Edwards (U. S. Pub. Health Service Mono- grayish white, abundant, raised, butyrous
graph 22, 1954), 32 O groups and 87 H anti-
gens have been established. When the sera growth.
Levine's eosine-methylene blue agar:
used in the classification of Bethesda- Well isolated colonies vary from 1 to 4 mm
Bellerup cultures were used in the examina- in diameter. No confluence of neighboring
tion of normal strains of E. freundii, it was colonies. Colonies are slightly to moderately
found that either or both the O and H anti- raised with surfaces varying from flat to
gens of the majority of E. freundii cultures conve.x and usually smooth and glistening
could be recognized. Thus, in view of the but sometimes dull, rough and granular.
similarity of their biochemical reactions By transmitted light two types of colonies
and their close serological relationships, it have been observed: (1) colonies having
seems better to regard the Bethesda-Bal- almost the same appearance throughout
lerup group as a variety of the species E. but with a distinctly lighter center, the
freundii. Subsequent biochemical investiga- color being similar to the medium; (2)
tions have confirmed this view. colonies having a dark brownish central
Comments: In 1932, Werkman and Gillen area which diffuses out to a lighter margin.
(Jour. Bact., 23, 1932, 177), following the By reflected light three types of colonies
custom prevalent at that time, established have been observed: (1) dark, button-like,
the citrate-positive coliform organisms in a concentrically ringed colonies possessing a
separate genus, Citrobacter, and subdivided strong, greenish metallic sheen so char-
this genus into seven species on the basis of acteristic for Escherichia coli; (2) colonies
action on gelatin and on differences in their with dark, purplish, wine-colored centers
fermentation of sucrose, esculin, salicin, surrounded by a light pink zone; some
dulcitol and similar compounds. Five of the colonies are concentrically ringed; (3) pink
seven species described by Werkman and colonies with no suggestion of sheen but
Gillen produced H2S in proteose peptone- sometimes concentrically ringed.
ferric citrate agar and, following Vaughn Nutrient broth: Turbid; slight ring at
and Levine (Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 502), are surface.
all regarded here as belonging to Esch- Litmus milk : Acid ; sometimes coagulated
erichia freundii. and reduced; no proteolysis.
Source: Isolated from canal water in Potato: Abundant, white to ivory- col-
Holland. ored growth.
Habitat: Normally found in soil and Indole maj' or may not be produced.
water and, to a varying degree, in the intes- Hj'drogen sulfide not detected in proteose
tinal canals of man and other animals. peptone ferric citrate agar.
Widely distributed in nature. Acid or acid and gas produced from
xj'lose, arabinose, rhamnose, glucose, fruc-
4. Escherichia intermedia (Werkman tose, mannose, galactose, lactose, maltose,
and Gillen, 1932) Vaughn and Levine, 1942. trehalose and mannitol. No acid or gas from
(Citrobacter intermedium Werkman and melezitose, amygdalin or erj'thritol. Su-
Gillen, Jour. Bact., 23, 1932, 178; Vaughn crose, raffinose, cellobiose, a-methyl-gluco-
and Levine, Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 498.) side, adonitol, dulcitol, glycerol, inositol,
in.ter.me'di.a. L. adj. iniermedius inter- sorbitol, starch, aesculin, salicin and sodium
mediate. malonate may or may not be fermented.
Short rods, with rounded ends, occur- Fermentation of glucose: The end prod-
ring singly, in pairs and in short chains in ucts characteristic for the genus Escherichia
young nutrient agar or broth cultures. are produced. Carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Activel}^ motile by means of peritrichous gases are produced in approximately equi-
fiagella or non-motile. Gram-negative. molar proportions (gas ratio, 1:1) besides
FAMILY IV. EXTEROBACTERIACEAE
341
significant quantities of ethanol and acetic, differences between the citrate-positive
lactic and succinic acids with only traces cultures that produce hydrogen sulfide in
of formic acid. Acetylmethylcarbinol and proteose peptone, ferric citrate agar (E.
2,3-butylene glycol have not been found freundii as defined by Vaughn and Levine,
(Voges-Proskauer test negative). Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 502) and the citrate-
Salts of citric acid are utilized as sole positive cultures that do not produce
sources of carbon. hydrogen sulfide on the same medium {E.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. intermedia as defined by Vaughn and Levine,
loc. cit.).
Catalase-positive.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Comments: Vaughn and Levine {loc.
Temperature requirements: Growth at 10° cit.) have given reasons for combining two
and at 45° to 46° C. Optimum growth tem- of the seven species of Citrobacter described
perature, between 30° and 37° C. Gas not by Werkman and Gillen (Jour. Bact., 23,
produced in Eijkman tests, although some 1932, 177) that do not produce hydrogen
cultures show growth at 45° to 46° C. sulfide into a single species for which they
Salt tolerance: Most cultures ferment use the name Escherichia intermedia. It
glucose in the presence of sodium chloride should be noted that the description as
in a concentration of 6.0 to 7.0 per cent. A
given above is based on their definition.
few cultures tolerate 8.0 per cent sodium
chloride. The specific epithet intermedia is used here
in a more restricted sense than is the general
Optimum pH, about 7.0. Growth occurs
between pH 5.0 and pH 8.0. term "intermediates," which is frequently
Serology: As noted under Escherichia applied to all citrate-positive species of
freundii, the serology of the citrate-positive coliform organisms.
species placed in Escherichia has not been Habitat: Normally found, to a varying
studied extensively. So far as known, no degree, in soil, water and in the intestinal
studies have been made to determine canals of man and other animals. Widely
whether there are detectable serological distributed in nature.
* Prepared by Prof. M. W. Yale, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New
York, July, 1943; revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York,
in consultation withinvestigatorswhohave made special studies of this genus, October, 1955.
t Kligler (Jour. Inf. Dis., 16, 1914, 187) found the fermentation of glycerol to be inversely
correlated with gelatin liquefaction and considered the former the more reliable as a charac-
342 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
II. Glj^cerol fermented with the production of no visible gas. Gelatin liquefied.
2. Aerobacter cloacae.
1. Aerobacter aerogenes (Kruse, 1896) Health, 27, 1937, 1240). More sensitive
Beijerinck, 1900. (Bakterium lactis aerogenes indicators give positive tests for hydrogen
(sic) Escherich, Fortschr. d. Med., 3, 1885, sulfide (Hunter and Weiss, Jour. Bact., 35,
520; Bacillus aerogenes Kruse, in Fliigge, 1938,20).
Die Mikroorganismen, 2, 1896, 340; not Acid and gas from glucose, fructose,
Bacillus aerogenes Miller, Deutsche rriied. galactose, arabinose, lactose, maltose,
Wochnschr., 1£, 1886, 119; Bacterium rafiinose, cellobiose, salicin, esculin, starch,
aerogenes Chester, Ann. Rept. Del. Col. dextrin, glycerol, mannitol, sorbitol and
Agr. Exp. Sta., 9, 1897, 53; not Bacterium inositol; a-methyl-glucoside is usually
aerogenes Miller, op. cit., 1886, 119; Beije- fermented (Koser and Saunders, Jour. Bact.,
rinck, Arch, neerl. d. sci. exact, et nat., 4, 24, 1932, 267). Sucrose, inulin, dulcitol and
1900, 1.) adonitol may or may not be fermented.
a.e.ro'ge.nes. Or. mas.n. aer air, gas; Gr. Protopectin not fermented. Variable fer-
V. gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. aerogenes mentation of sucrose and mannitol (Sher-
gas-producing. man and Wing, Jour. Bact., 33, 1937, 315).
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, Gas ratio : Two or more volumes of carbon
occurring singly. Frequently encapsulated. dioxide to one of hydrogen are produced
Usually non-motile. Gram-negative. from glucose (Harden and Walpole, Proc.
Gelatin colonies: Thick, porcelain-white, Roy. Soc, Series B, 77, 1905, 399; Rogers,
opaque, moist, smooth, entire. Clark and Davis, Jour. Inf. Dis., 14, 1914,
411).
Gelatin stab: Thick, spreading, white,
opaque surface growth. No liquefaction. Trimethylenegh'col not produced from
Agar colonies: Thick, white, raised, moist, glycerol by anaerobic fermentation (Braak,
smooth, entire; more convex than those of Onderzoekingen over Vergisting van Glyc-
Escherichia coli and often mucoid. erine. Thesis, Delft, 1928, 212; Werkman and
Agar slant: Abundant, thick, white, Gillen, Jour. Bact., 23, 1932, 167).
moist, glistening, spreading growth. Methyl red test negative (Clark and
Broth: Turbid; pellicle; abundant sedi- Lubs, Jour. Inf. Dis., 17, 1915, 160); Voges-
ment. Proskauer test positive (Durham, Jour.
Litmus milk: Acid with coagulation; no Exp. Med., 5, 1901, 373); inverse correlation
peptonization. between methyl red and Voges-Proskauer
Potato: Thick, yellowish white to yel- tests (Levine, Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 153).
lowish brown, spreading growth with Citric acid and salts of citric acid may be
nodular outgrowths over the surface. utilized as sole sources of carbon (Koser,
Indole may or may not be produced (Ford, Jour. Bact., 8, 1923, 493).
Studies from the Royal Victoria Hospital, Uric acid may be utilized as a sole source
Montreal, 1, 1901-1903, 16; Bardsley, Jour, of nitrogen (Koser, Jour. Inf. Dis., 23, 1918,
377).
of Hyg. (Eng.), 34, 1934, 38; Wilson, IVIed.
Res. Council, London, Spec. Rept. Ser. 206, Sodium hippurate is hydrolyzed (Hajna
1935, 161). and Damon, Amer. Jour. Hyg., 19, 1934,
545) .
Hydrogen sulfide not produced in peptone
iron agar (Levine, Epstein and Vaughn, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 24, 1934, 505; - Catalase-positive.
Tittsler and Sandholzer, Amer. Jour. Pub. Aerobic, facultativelv anaerobic.
ter for differentiating species due to occasional loss of gelatin-liquefying ability. This was
confirmed by Levine (Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 7, 1917, 784), who reports that the two char-
acters do not correlate perfectly. Griffin and Stuart (Jour. Bact., 40, 1940, 93 ff.) find a
similar correlation of characters but feel that, because these characters do not correlate
perfectly, it would be better to combine the two species into a single species.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 343
Growth requirements: Good growth on ing power sometimes lost (Kligler, Jour.
ordinary laboratory media. Optimum tem- Inf. Dis., 15, 1914, 199).
Agar colonies: Circular, thick, opaque
perature, about 30° C. Grows better at
with white center, entire.
temperatures below 30° C. than does Esch-
erichia coli Castellani and Chalmers. Agar slant: Porcelain-white, smooth,
glistening, spreading growth.
Usually destroyed in 30 minutes at 60° C,
but certain heat-resistant strains may with- Broth: Turbid; thin pellicle.
stand this exposure (Avers and Johnson, Litmus milk: Acid; coagulation; gas;
Jour. Agr. Res., S, 1914, 401; Stark and slow peptonization.
Patterson, Jour. Dairy Sci., 19, 1936, 495). Potato: Yellowish, moist, glistening
Gas not produced in Eijkmann test when
growth.
Indole not produced (Levine, Epstein and
carried out at 45° to 46° C. (Eijkmann,
Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 37, 1904, 74; Vaughn, Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 24, 1934,
Levine, Epstein and Vaughn, Amer. Jour. 505; Wilson, Med. Res. Council, London,
Pub. Health, 24, 1934, 505). Spec. Rept. Ser. 206, 1935, 161).
Comments: Thompson (Jour. Bact., S8, Hydrogen sulfide not produced in pep-
1934, 41) has reported a variety of this tone iron agar (Levine, Epstein and
organism which shows a transverse arrange- Vaughn, op. cit., 1934, 505).
ment of the capsule. Acid and gas from glucose, fructose,
Relationships to other species: Regarded galactose, arabinose, xylose, lactose, mal-
by Escherich {op. cit., 1885, 520) as possibly tose, raffinose, dextrin, salicin, trehalose,
identical with Hueppe's Milchsiiurebac- mannitol, sorbitol, cellobiose anda-methyl-
terium (Mit. d. kais. Gesund., 2, 1884, 340; glucoside. Sucrose usually fermented.
Escherichia coli var. acidilactici) . However, Inulin, esculin, starch, dulcitol, rhamnose
because he did not have a culture of and protopectin not attacked. Glj'cerol
Hueppe's organism for comparison, Esch- fermented with no visible gas (Kligler,
erich gave the name Bakterium lactis aero- op. cit., 1914, 187; Levine, Amer. Jour. Pub.
genes to his own organism. Health, 7, 1917, 784). Starch rarely fer-
Source: Isolated from the feces of breast- mented (Levine, loc. cit.). See Winslow,
fed infants. Kligler and Rothberg (Jour. Bact., 4, 1919,
Habitat: Normally found on grains and 429) for a review of the literature.
plants and, to a varying degree, in water, Gas ratio: Glucose fermented with at
milk, dairy products and the intestinal least two volumes of carbon dioxide to one
canals of man and other animals. Widely of hydrogen (Rogers, Clark and Davis,
distributed in nature. Jour. Inf. Dis., 74, 1914,411).
Methyl red test negative; Voges-Pro-
2. Aerobacter cloacae (Jordon, 1890) skauer test positive.
Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacillus cloacae Jordan, Citric acid and salts of citric acid may be
Rept. Mass. State Bd. of Health, Part II, utilized as sole sources of carbon (Koser,
1890, 836; also see Jordan, Jour. Hyg., 3, Jour. Bact., 8, 1923, 493).
1903, 1; Bacterium cloacae Lehmann and Uric acid may be utilized as a sole source
Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, of nitrogen (Koser, Jour. Inf. Dis., 23, 1918,
239; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 377).
207.) Sodium hippurate not hj^drolj^zed (Hajna
clo.a'cae. L. noun cloaca a sewer; L. and Damon, Amer. Jour. Hyg., 19, 1934,
gen. noun cloacae of a sewer. 545) .
Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
occurring singly. Usually motile by means Fecal odor produced.
of peritrichous flagella. Not encapsulated. Catalase-positive.
Gram-negative. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Gelatin colonies: Thin, circular, bluish, Growth requirements: Good growth on
translucent. ordinary laboratory media. Optimum tem-
Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction. Liquefy- perature, between 30° and 37° C. Gas not
344 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
produced in Eijkmann test when carried and sucrose and less actively from lactose.
out at 45° to 46° C. (Levine, Epstein and The ratio of hydrogen to carbon dioxide, as
Vaughn, op. cit., 1934, 505). determined by Smith, was approximately
Comments: In the original description of 1:2.
this species, Jordan (op. cit., 1890, 836) Source: Isolated from sewage from the
makes no report of the action of this or- Lawrence Experiment Station, Massa-
ganism on sugars. The cultures used by Th. chusetts.
Smith (The Fermentation Tube, 1893, 215) Habitat: Found in human and other
produced acid and gas actively from glucose animal feces and in sewage, soil and water.
* Prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, in consulta-
tion with investigators who have made special studies of this genus, October, 1955.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 345
Pa.ra.co.lo.bac'trum. Gr. prep, para (in composition) alongside of, like; M.L. noun
Colobactrum a genus of bacteria; M.L. neut.n. Paracolobactrum that which resembles Colo-
bactrum.
Short rods. Gram-negative. Fermentation of lactose is consistently delaj'ed; occasionally
lactose is not fermented. Glucose is fermented with the production of visible gas. Certain
forms attack carbohydrates characteristically at 20° to 30° C. but not at 37° C; the produc-
tion of acet3dmethylcarbinol may likewise be influenced by incubation temperature. Anti-
genic relationships to other genera in the family are common, even with respect to major
antigens. Found in surface water, soil, grains and the intestinal tracts of animals, including
man.
Er.wi.ni'e.ae. M.L. fem.n. Erwinia type genus of the tribe; -eae ending to denote a
tribe; M.L. fem.pl.n. Erwinieae the Erwinia tribe.
Characters as for the genus.
There is a single genus.
Er.wi'ni.a. M.L. gen. noun Erwinia of Erwin; named for Erwin F. Smith, pioneer Ameri-
can plant pathologist.
Motile rods which normally do not require organic nitrogen compounds for growth. Pro-
duce acid with or without visible gas from a variety of sugars. In some species the number
of carbon compounds attacked is limited, and lactose may not be fermented. May or may
not liquefy gelatin. May or may not produce nitrites from nitrates. Invade the tissues of
living plants and produce dry necroses, galls, wilts and soft rots. In the latter case, a proto-
pectinase destroj-s the middle lamellar substance.
The type species is Erwinia amylovora (Burrill) Winslow et al.
A. Gelatin liquefied.
1. White colonies.
1. Erwinia amylovora.
2. Yellow colonies.
a. Coagulate milk.
b. H3'drol3'zes starch.
2. Erwinia vitivora.
bb. Does not hydrolyze starch.
3. Erwinia milletiae.
aa. Does not coagulate milk.
4. Erwinia cassavae.
B. Gelatin not liquefied.
1. Luxuriant growth.
5. Erwinia salicis.
2. Verj' slight growth.
6. Erwinia tracheiphila.
II.* Pathogens that normalh' cause soft rots in plants (belong in the genus Pectobacterium
Waldee) .
A. Gas produced in sugar media.
1. Gelatin liquefied,
a. Coagulates milk.
7. Erioinia chrysanthemi.
aa. Does not coagulate milk.
8. Erwinia carnegieana.
2. Gelatin not liquefied,
a. Hydrolyzes starch.
9. Erwinia dissolvens.
aa. Does not h.ydrolyze starch.
10. Erwinia nimipressuralis.
B. Gas usually produced in sugar media, but certain isolates are non-aerogenic.
1. Growth with ethanol, dulcitol, malonate or hippurate.
11. Erwinia carotovora.
2. No growth with ethanol, dulcitol, malonate or hippurate.
12. Erwinia atroseptica.
C. Gas not produced in sugar media.
1. Gelatin liquefied.
a. Hydrolyzes starch.
13. Erwinia ananas.
aa. Do not hydrolj^ze starch.
b. White colonies.
14. Erwinia aroideae.
bb. Yellow colonies.
c. Grows in Uschinsky's solution.
15. Erwinia citrimaculans .
* The second group of species usually causes soft rots but includes a few not very typical
species. Waldee {loc. cit.) has proposed that the species that cause t.ypical soft rot be placed
in a new genus, Pectobacterium, with Pectobacterium carotovorum as the type species. The
new genus is retained in the family Enierobacteriaceae. Waldee would place the atypical
species in other genera, Erwinia dissolvens for example being placed in the genus Aerobacter.
As further comparative studies are needed before such changes can be made with confi-
dence, the older arrangement is allowed to stand in this edition of the Manual.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 351
xylose, lactose, sucrose, mannitol and Handsford, Ann. Rept. Dept. Agr. Uganda
salicin. No acid from raffinose or inulin. for 1937, II, 1938, 48; Burkholder, in Manual,
Starch hydrolyzed. 6th ed., 1948, 466.)
Nitrites produced from nitrates. cas.sa'vae. M.L. cassava from the Haytian
Facultatively anaerobic. kasabi, the common name of species of
Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C. Manihot; M.L. gen. noun cassavae of Mani-
hot.
Minimum, between 5° and 10° C. Maximum,
between 35° and 40° C. Rods. Motile by means of a few peritri-
Optimum pH, 6.0. Minimum pH, 4.2. chous flagella. Not encapsulated. Gram-
Source: Isolated by du Plessis from negative.
various localities in South Africa. Gelatin is slowly liquefied.
Habitat: Causes a disease of grape vines Agar colonies: Smooth, lens-shaped,
in South Africa, Italy and France. entire, translucent and of uniform structure.
Yellow.
3. Erwinia niilletiae (Kawakami and Broth: Turbid with a ring; a yellow
Yoshida, 1920) Magrou, 1937. (Bacillus precipitate forms in old cultures.
niilletiae Kawakami and Yoshida, Bot. Milk becomes alkaline. Not cleared.
Mag., Tokyo, 34, 1920, 110; Magrou, in Acid but no gas from glucose, sucrose,
Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, maltose and glycerol but not from lactose.
213.) Methyl red test negative. Acetylmethyl-
mil.le'ti.ae. M.L. noun Millefia a genus carbinol produced (Dowson, Zent. f. Bakt.,
of flowering plants; M.L. gen. noun niilletiae II Abt., 100, 1939, 183).
of Milletia; named for A. J. Millett, a Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates.
botanist. Facultatively anaerobic.
Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 0.9 to 2.5 microns. Source: Isolated from necrotic lesions on
Motile by means of peritrichous flagella. cassava leaves in Uganda.
Encapsulated. Gram-negative. Habitat : Pathogenic on cassava, Manihot
Gelatin: Liquefaction begins after 8 days. sp.
Agar colonies: Circular, flat, smooth,
shiny, opaque, waxy yellow, entire. 5. Erwinia salicis (Day, 1924) Chester,
Broth: Turbid; heavy precipitate. 1939. {Bacterium salicis Day, Oxford For.
Milk: No coagulation. Clears with alka- Mem., 3, 1924, 14; Chester, in Bergey et al..
line reaction. Manual, 5th ed., 1939, 406.)
Conjac: No liquefaction. sa'li.cis. L. noun salix, salicis the willow;
Acid but no gas from galactose, fructose, M.L. noun Salix generic name of the willow.
lactose, maltose, sucrose and mannitol. No Description taken from Dowson (Ann.
acid from glycerol. Appl. Biol., £4, 1937, 542).
Starch not hydrolyzed. Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 0.8 to 2.2 microns,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. occurring singly or in pairs, rarely in
Growth in 0.2 per cent but not in 0.3 per chains, with rounded ends. Motile by means
cent of the following acids in sucrose pep- of 5 to 7 long peritrichous flagella. Gram-
tone broth: Acetic, citric, oxalic and tar- negative.
taric. Gelatin stab: Beaded growth. No lique-
Aerobic. faction.
Grows well at 32° C. Thermal death point, Infusion agar: Colonies appear slowly,
53° C for 10 min. circular, with slightly uneven margins,
Source: Isolated from galls on the Japa- pale brown by transmitted light, pale gray
nese wisteria in various localities in Japan. by reflected.
Habitat: Causes galls on the Japanese Infusion agar slants: Growth thin, nearly
wisteria, Milletia japonica. transparent.
Broth: Moderate, uniform turbidity; no
4. Erwinia cassavae (Handsford, 1938)
Burkholder, 1948. {Bacterium cassavae pellicle.
Litmus milk: No change.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 353
Potato: Bright yellow, later fading to Agar slant : Growth gray, smooth, filiform,
pale brown, spreading, abundant, glisten- moist, glistening.
ing, slimy growth. Broth: Slight turbidity; no ring or pel-
licle.
No growth in Cohn's solution.
Indole not produced. Potato: Growth white or color of sub-
Hj'drogen sulfide not produced. stratum, smooth, moist, glistening. No
Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose, action on the starch. Does not soften the
mannose, .xjdose, maltose, sucrose, raffinose, middle lamella of potato cells.
glycerol, mannitol and salicin. No growth Litmus milk: Not coagulated. Reaction
in arabinose, fructose, rhamnose, inulin or unchanged. Litmus not reduced. Not pep-
dextrin. tonized.
Starch not hjdrolyzed. Egg albumen: Not digested.
Acetylmethylcarbinol produced. Methyl Blood serum: No liquefaction.
red test negative (Dowson, Zent. f. Bakt., Cohn's solution: No growth.
II Abt., 100, 1939, 183). Uschinsky's solution: Weak growth.
Nitrites produced from nitrates (Dow- Fermi's solution: Weak growth.
son). Indole not produced in Dunham's solu-
Ammonia not produced. tion.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Hj^drogen sulfide production feeble.
tween 29° and 30° C. Minimum, between Acid without gas from glucose, sucrose
5° and 10° C. Maximum, between 33° and and fructose; growth in closed arm. Acid
37° C. Thermal death point, between 50° from glycerol. No growth in closed arm
and 52° C. with lactose, maltose, dextrin, glycerol or
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. mannitol. No acid from lactose.
Source: Isolated from the cricket-bat Starch not hydrolyzed.
willow (Salix caerulea) and from the white Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
willow {Salix alba). Ammonia production moderate.
Habitat: Causes a water-mark disease of Cannot utilize asparagine, ammonium
willow in England. lactate or tartrate as source of nitrogen.
Growth in broth with 1.0 per cent NaCl
6. Erwinia tracheiphila (Erwin Smith, retarded; inhibited with 2.0 per cent.
1895) Holland, 1920. {Bacillus tracheiphilus Very sensitive to acid (phenolphthalein) .
Erwin Smith, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 1, Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
1895, 364; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 215.) tween 25° and 30° C. Minimum, about 8° C.
tra.che.i'phi.la. Gr. adj. tracheia rough, Maximum, between 34° and 35° C. Thermal
the tracheia arteria, or rough artery, is the death point, 43° C. for one hour.
trachea; Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
tracheiphilus trachea-loving, i.e., growing Source: Isolated from various cucurbits.
in the tracheae or vessels of the fibro-vascu- Habitat: Causes the wilt of cucumber;
lar bundles. also affects cantaloupes, muskmelons,
Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.2 to 2.5 microns, with pumpkins and squashes.
rounded ends, occurring singly and in
pairs, more rarely in fours. Motile by means 7. Erwinia chrysanthemi Burkholder
of peritrichous flagella. Encapsulated. et al., 1953. (Burkholder, McFadden and
Gram-negative. Dimock, Phytopath., 43, 1953, 524.)
Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, grayish chrys.an'the.mi. M.L. neut.n. Chrysan-
white, smooth, glistening. Show internal themum a genus of flowering plants; M.L.
striae by transmitted light. gen. noun chrysanthemi of Chrysanthemum.
Gelatin stab : Surface growth thin, spread- Rods, 0.7 by 2.10 microns, occurring singly
ing, grayish white. Slight filiform growth and in pairs. Motile by means of a varying
in depth. No liquefaction. number of peritrichous flagella. Gram-
Agar colonies: Small, circular, grayish negative.
white, smooth, glistening. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
354 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Beef -extract peptone agar slants : Growth car.ne.gie.a'na. M.L. adj. carnegieanus
moderate, slightly iridescent and butyrous of Carnegiea the generic name of a cactus.
with wavy margins. Certain strains produce Rods, 1.12 to 1.79 by 1.56 to 2.90 microns.
a slate-gray pigment in old cultures. Motile by means of peritrichous flagella.
Broth: Lightly turbid; pellicle forms in Encapsulated. Gram-positive (Lightle et
18 hours and sinks to the bottom of the tube. al.). Gram-negative; old cultures show
Litmus milk: Becomes lavender in 2 to 3 Gram-positive granules in cells (Burk-
holder).
days. Soft curd within a week with one-half
the medium whey. Pink. Gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
Fermi's, Uschinsky's and Clara's solu- Agar colonies: Round, slightly raised,
tions: White, turbid growth. smooth, grayish white, wet-shining, entire.
Indole not produced. Broth: Abundant growth.
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Uschinsky's solution: Turbid; slight ring
and sediment.
Krumwiede's triple sugar agar: Agar
becomes yellow but turns entirely red at ling.
Milk: Litmus pink to reduced. No curd-
the end of 2 to 3 weeks.
Endo agar: Growth pink; no change in Hydrogen sulfide produced (Burkholder) .
the color of the medium. Acid and gas from glucose, galactose,
Desoxycholate agar: Colonies yellow. fructose, maltose, sucrose, raffinose, man-
Acid from a synthetic solution plus the nitol and salicin. Acid and gas from lactose
following: glucose, galactose, arabinose, and xylose and alkali from sodium tartrate
xylose, rhamnose, sucrose, dulcitol, glyc- (Burkholder).
erol, mannitol, ethanol (5 per cent) or Starch not hydrolyzed (Burkholder).
salicin. Gas produced from most of the Nitrites produced from nitrates.
above-mentioned compounds. Alkali pro- No odor.
duced from the sodium salts of citric, hip- Aerobic.
puric, malonic and uric acids. Delayed ac- Thermal death point, 59° C.
tion in lactose; maltose weak. Source : Isolated from rotting tissue of the
Gas in 3 days in formate ricinoleate broth giant cactus (Carnegiea gigantia).
and in Krumwiede's triple sugar agar. Oc- Habitat: Pathogenic on the giant cactus,
casional bubbles in pectate medium. In but not on carrots.
sugar broth, especially sucrose, brom-
thymol-blue is decolorized. 9. Erwinia dissolvens (Rosen, 1922)
Starch not hydrolyzed, but solidified am- Burkholder, 1948. (Pseudomonas dissolvens
monium pectate medium is liquefied. Rosen, Phytopath., 12, 1922, 497; Burk-
Methyl red test negative. holder, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 472.)
Acetylmethylcarbinol produced. dis.sol'vens. L. part. adj. dissoIve7is dis-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. solving.
Only occasional and very slight growth in Rods, 0.5 to 0.9 by 0.7 to 1.2 microns, oc-
5 per cent salt. curring in pairs, rarely in chains. First de-
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- scribed as motile by means of a single
tween 40° and 41° C. Growth at 6° C. Good flagellum, later as non-motile. Encapsu-
lated. Gram-negative.
growth at 37° C. Gelatin: Not liquefied.
Source: Isolated from blight of chrys-
anthemum, sedum and celery. Agar colonies: Round, entire, white,
Habitat: Pathogenic on chrysanthemum, opaque, glistening, butyrous, emitting a
strong odor of decaying vegetables.
sedum and celery. Causes a soft rot on many
Broth: Turbid; heavy surface growth con-
fleshy vegetables. sisting of a ring and floccules or compact
slimy masses and streamers; abundant sedi-
8. Erwinia carnegieana Lightle et al., ment.
1942. (Lightle, Standring and Brown, Phy- Uschinsky's solution: Good growth, but
topath., 32, 1942, 310.) not viscid.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE
355
Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Indole produced. Facultatively anaerobic.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Acid and gas from glucose, galactose, tween 24° and 30° C. Minimum, 5° C. or
mannitol, sucrose, maltose, lactose and lower. Maximum, 37° C. Thermal death
gl3'cerol. point, between 45° and 55° C.
Starch hydrolyzed. Optimum pH for growth, between 6.8
Nitrites produced from nitrates. and 7.5. Minimum, 4.6. Maximum, 10.0+ .
Good growth in 3 per cent salt. Growth Source: Isolated from five different trees
retarded at 4 per cent. affected with wet wood.
Habitat: Pathogenic in trunk wood of
Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Source: Isolated from rotting corn stalks. elms, Ulmus americana, U. pumila, U.fulva
Habitat: Pathogenic to maize. and U. procera.
carbinol not produced. Certain strains vary moderate, filiform, grayish white, iridescent
with respect to these two characters. and butyrous. Medium unchanged.
All strains produce acid and many pro- Broth: Moderately turbid with a slight
duce gas from glucose, galactose, fructose, ring, seldom a slight pellicle; later a white
arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, cellobiose, lac- sediment.
tose, maltose, raffinose, sucrose, glycerol, Litmus milk: Coagulation in 4 days. Lit-
mannitol and salicin. Ethanol (5 per cent), mus reduced; slight separation of whey but
dulcitol, erythritol and the sodium salts of little or no peptonization.
hippuric, malonic, tartaric and uric acids Potato plug: Slight growth.
are also utilized. Endo agar: Colonies circular, at first
Starch not hydrolyzed, and cellulose not pink, later deep red with a metallic luster.
attacked; pectates liquefied. Medium turns red.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Krumwiede's triple sugar agar: Yellow.
Ammonium salts, potassium nitrate, pep- Fermi's solution: Slight to no turbidity.
tone, gelatin and yeast extract utilized, but Desoxycholate agar: Good growth. Colo-
not aspartic acid. Asparagine may be uti- nies pink.
lized as both a carbon and a nitrogen source, Indole not produced.
but tyrosine can not be so utilized. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
5 per cent salt retards and 7 per cent in- All strains produce acid and many pro-
hibits growth. duce gas from glucose, galactose, fructose,
Aerobic. arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, cellobiose, lac-
Temperature relations: Optimum, ap- tose, maltose, raffinose, sucrose, glycerol,
mannitol and salicin.
proximately 27° C. ]\Iinimum, 6° C. Maxi-
mum, between 35° and 37° C. Ethanol, dulcitol, erythritol and the
Pathogenicity: Causes a rapid soft rot of sodium salts of hippuric, malonic, tartaric
roots, rhizomes, fruits and the fleshy stems and uric acids are not utilized. Differs from
of a variety of plants. Erwinia carotovora in this respect.
Source: Isolated from rotted carrots. Starch not hydrolyzed, and cellulose not
Habitat: Causes a soft rot in carrot, cab- attacked; pectates liquefied.
bage, celery, cucumber, egg-plant, iris, Methyl red positive; acetylmethylcar-
muskmelon, hyacinth, onion, parsnip, pep- binol not produced.
per, potato, radish, tomato, turnip and Nitrites produced from nitrates.
other plants. Ammonium salts, potassium nitrate, pep-
tone, gelatin and yeast extract utilized, but
12. Erwinia atroseptica (van Hall, 1902) not aspartic acid. Asparagine may be uti-
Jennison, 1923. {Bacillus atrosepticus van lized as both a carbon and a nitrogen source,
Hall, Inaug. Diss., Amsterdam, 1902, 134; but tyrosine can not be so utilized.
Jennison, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard., 10, 5 per cent salt retards and 7 per cent in-
1923, 43; Pectohacterium atrosepticum Patel hibits growth.
and Kulkarni, Indian Phytopath., 4, 1951, Aerobic.
80.) Temperature relations: Optimum, ap-
at.ro.sep'ti.ca. L. adj. afer black; Or. proximately 27° C. Minimum, 3° C. Maxi-
adj. seplicus producing a putrefaction;
M.L. a.d]. atrosepticus producing a black rot. mum, between 32° and 35° C.
Source: Isolated from the stems of pota-
Description taken from Burkholder and toes affected with black-leg.
Smith (Phytopath., 39, 1949, 892). Habitat : Causes a black rot on the stems
Rods, 0.7 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns. Motile and tubers of potatoes and other vegetables.
by means of 1 to 6 flagella; old cells are fre-
quently non-motile. No capsules observed. 13. Erwinia ananas Serrano, 1928. (Ser-
Gram-negative. rano, Philippine Jour. Sci., 36, 1928, 271;
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Pecfobacterium ananas Patel and Kulkarni,
Beef-extract peptone agar slants: Growth Indian Phytopath., 4, 1951, 80.)
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 357
a'na.nas. M.L. noun Ananas generic name 14. Erwinia aroideae (Townsend, 1904)
of the pineapple. Holland, 1920. (Bacillus aroideae Townsend,
Note: Not to be confused with Pseudo- U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Ind. Bull. 60,
7nonas (Phytomonas) ananas Serrano, loc. cit. 1904, 40; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 222;
Short rods, 0.6 bj' 0.9 micron, with Pectobacterinm aroideae Waldee, Iowa State
rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs and Coll. Jour. Sci., 19, 1945, 472.)
in short chains. Motile by means of peri- a.ro.i'de.ae. Gr. noun arum the plant
trichous flagella. Encapsulated. Gram-nega- wake robin; M.L. pi. noun Aroideae the name
tive. of the Arum subfamily; M.L. gen. noun
Gelatin stab: Stratiform liquefaction with aroideae of an aroid.
a deep, chrome-yellow sediment. Description taken from Townsend (op.
Potato glucose agar: After 24 hours, circu- cit., 1904, 40) and supplemented by studies
lar, 3 mm in diameter, convex, dense, ho- made by Burkholder.
mogeneous, entire, moist, straw-yellow, Rods, 0.5 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns; occasion-
mottled, becoming primulin-yellow. Plates ally afew very small rods occur. Motile by
have a molasses odor. Show two types of means of 2 to 8 peritrichous flagella. Gram-
colonies: rough and smooth. Rough colonies
negative.
have crenate margins. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
Potato glucose agar slant: Growth straw- Beef-peptone agar slants: Light to mod-
yellow, raised, becoming primulin-yellow, erate growth, filiform, white to cream.
moist, glistening. Broth: Turbid; no pellicle.
Broth: Turbid; straw-colored pellicle and Litmus milk: Coagulation in 3 days. Lit-
ring. mus reduced. One-fourth of tube whey.
Glucose broth: Growth sulfur-yellow. Potato plug: White with tinge of yellow.
Litmus milk: Coagulated, faintly acid, be- Endo agar slants: Streak deep red and
coming alkaline. medium deep red.
Potato: Copious growth, moist, glisten- Krumwiede's triple sugar agar: Turns yel-
ing, spreading, becoming primulin-yellow. low but later a red color appears at top of
Indole not produced. slant.
Slight amount of hydrogen sulfide pro- Fermi's solution: Flocculent and white.
duced.
Uschinsky's solution: Very turbid with
Blood serum: Moderate growth, slightly heavy sediment.
raised, mustard-yellow to primulin-yellow. Desoxycholate agar: Pink, later yellow-
No liquefaction after 3 months. ish.
Cohn's solution: No growth. Indole not produced.
Phenol-negative. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Diastase-positive. Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose,
No gas from carbohydrates. Acid from fructose, arabinose, xylose, lactose, sucrose,
glucose, lactose, sucrose, mannitol, raffi- glycerol, mannitol and salicin. Maltose
nose, glycerol, salicin, dextrin, maltose, doubtful. Alkaline reaction in sodium cit-
fructose and mannose. No acid from arabi- rate, and only slight growth in tartrate in
nose, xylose, amygdalin, rhamnose, inositol, 10 days.
inulin, dulcitol, adonitol, asparagine or
starch. Methyl red test weakly positive; acetj'l-
Small amount of alcohol and aldehyde methylcarbinol produced.
No growth in ethanol, dulcitol, sodium
produced.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. hippurate and malonate.
Slight amount of ammonia produced. Starch not hydrolyzed; ammonium pec-
Source: Isolated from the pineapple {Ana- tate medium liquefied.
nas sativus) and sugar cane (Saccharian offi- Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates.
cinarum). Good growth in 5 per cent salt, and a de-
Habitat : Causes a brown rot of the fruit- layed but good growth in 7 per cent salt.
lets of pineapple. Aerobic.
358 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Good growth at 37° C; light growth at chloroform, carbon bisulfide, dilute acid or
40° C, but none at 42° C. alkalis.
Distinctive characters: Differs from the A turbid growth is produced in 10 per cent
non-aerogenic strains of Erwinia atrosepfica salt.
and E. carotovora in the production of hj'dro- Facultatively anaerobic.
gen sulfide, in its high temperature range Temperature relations: Optimum, 35° C.
and in its great turbidity in Uschinsky's so- Maximum, 43° C. Thermal death point, 62°
lution. Acetylmethylcarbinol is also pro- C. for 10 minutes.
duced. Its fermentation is more like that of Source : Isolated from diseased lemons and
E. atrosepfica than that of E. carotovora. oranges.
Source: Isolated from rotted calla lily. Habitat: Causes a spot disease of citrus.
Habitat: Causes a soft rot of calla. Af- In nature attacks lemons, oranges, naartjes
fects raw potato, egg-plant, cauliflower, and has also been successfully inoculated
radish, cucumber, cabbage, parsnip, turnip, into limes, shaddock, grapefruit and citron.
salsify and tomato (ripe and green). Seville oranges are resistant.
the middle lamella but without action on smooth, glistening, translucent, with mar-
cellulose. gins entire, 2 to 3 mm in diameter in 48
Nitrites produced from nitrates. hours at 25° C.
No ammonia in broth. Rhubarb agar: Colonies slightly larger,
Pigment insoluble in water, alcohol, ether, often with a yellowish tinge.
chloroform or dilute acids. Tryptophane broth: Turbid with fragile
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C. pellicle, a slight rim and slight flocculent
Minimum, between 5° and 6° C. Maximum, deposit.
45° C. Thermal death point, 60° C. Alilk: Acid in 3 to 4 days with or without
Source: Isolated from the mango in slight curd separation. No clotting.
Africa. Indole not produced.
Habitat: Causes a disease of the mango Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
(Mangifera indica) . Cohn's solution: Moderate growth.
Acid but no gas from arabinose, xjdose,
17. Erwinia rhapontici (Millard, 1924) glucose, galactose, fructose, mannose, lac-
Burkholder, 1948. {Phyiomonas rhapontica tose, maltose, sucrose, mannitol, glycerol
(sic) Millard, Univ. Leeds and Yorkshire and salicin.
Council for Agr. Ed. Bui. 134, 1924, 111; Acetylmethylcarbinol produced .
Envinia rhapontici Burkholder, in Manual, Growth in citrate solution.
6th ed., 1948, 475; Pectobacterium rhapontici Starch not hydrolj^zed.
Patel and Kulkarni, Indian Phj'topath., 4, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
1951, 80.) Chromogenesis: Water-soluble, pinkish
rha.pon'ti.ci. Gr. neut.n. rhaponticum pigment in various media.
specific epithet of Rheum rhaponticum, rhu- Growth from 0° to 37° C. and possibly
barb; M.L. gen. noun, rhapontici of rhubarb. higher.
Description taken from Metcalfe (Ann. of Distinctive characters: Differs from Er-
Appl. Biol., 27, 1940, 502), where he suggests winia aroideae in that it does not liquefy
that this species belongs in Erwinia. gelatin nor clot milk and is chromogenic.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.2 to 1.5 microns. Mo- It also has a limited host range.
tile by means of 3 to 7 peritrichous flagella. Source: Isolated from rotting rhubarb
Gram-negative. crowns. Metcalfe used 6 strains from various
Gelatin stab: Beaded growth. No lique- sources in describing this pathogen.
faction. Habitat: Causes a crown-rot of rhubarb
Infusion agar: Colonies circular, convex, (Rheum rhaponticum) .
Genus VII. Serratia Bizio, 1823, emend. Breed and Breed, 1927*
(Bizio, Polenta porporina, Biblioteca italiana o sia Giornale de lettera, scienze e arti,
30, 1823, 288; Zoagalactina Sette, Memoria storico-naturale sull'arrossimento straordinario
di alcune sostanze alimentose osservato nella provincia di Padova I'anno 1819. Venezia,
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New
York, November, 1937; further revision by Prof. Robert S. Breed, July, 1955.
360 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
8°, 1824, 51; Coccobacterium Schmidt aud Weis, Die Bakterien, 1902, 10; Erythrobacillus
Fortineau, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 58, 1905, 104; Dicrohadrum Enderlein, Sitzber.
Gesell. Naturf. Freunde, Berlin, 1917, 309; Breed and Breed, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 71,
1927, 435.)
Ser.ra'ti.a. M.L. fem.n. Serratia named for Serafino Serrati, the Italian physicist who
invented a steam boat at Florence before 1787.
Small, peritrichous rods. Gram-negative. Produce characteristic red pigments; white to
rose-red strains that lack brilliant colors are common. Gelatin is rapidly liquefied. Milk
is coagulated and digested. Typical species produce CO2 and frequently H2 from glucose
and other sugars; acetic, formic, succinic and lactic acids, acetylmethylcarbinol and 2,3-
butylene glycol are also produced. Coagulated blood serum is liquefied. Nitrates are re-
duced. Aerobic. Saprophytic on decaying plant or even animal materials.
A characteristic feature of the species belonging to Serratia is the variability of their
pigmentation. Heavily pigmented to white cultures probably occur in all species. In some
cultures of Serratia marcescens Bizio, white strains arise so readily that growth on agar
slants may appear as a mosaic of white and orange-red. Colonies are frequently white as
they first appear, usually becoming orange-red later. In the work done by Breed and Breed
(loc. cit.) it was found that pigment developed better on the Bacto-Peptone, Liebig meat-
extract media then generally used than on new, improved media containing casein digest,
yeast extract and similar growth-promoting substances. Recently Earned (personal com-
munication, 1955) found mannitol- and sorbitol-peptone media to give profuse pigmentation
while no pigment is produced on improved peptone media containing glucose. Prodigiosin
dissolved in alcohol is red in acid and orange in alkaline solutions. Old cultures on agar
slants become a deep magenta-red.
The red pigment found in the various species of Serratia has been named prodigiosin. A
series of chemical studies (see Wrede and Rothhaas, Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., S15, 1933,
67; ibid., 222, 1934, 203; and ibii., 226, 1934, 95 for a bibliography) defined the structure of
this compound as a tripj^rrl methene. This pigment has been shown by a number of inves-
tigators tobe active in vitro against a number of pathogenic protozoa and fungi. It is even
indicated by clinical studies (Weir, Egeberg, Lack and Leiby, Amer. Jour. Med. Sci., 22^,
1952, 70) that this compound has some promise as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of
disseminated coccidioidomycosis, and methods have been devised for securing appreciable
quantities of this pigment by submerged culture (Harned, Applied Microbiol., 2, 1954,
365). There is, however, indication that prodigiosin is not a single pigment as there is much
variation in the amount and type of pigment produced in various cultures belonging to
the same species. Some cultures are heavily pigmented, and in these cases there is some
diffusion of pigment through the agar indicating some water solubility. Other heavily
pigmented strains quite regularly show a fuchsin-like sheen on the surface, a character
not found in the case of other cultures. Other cultures never produce the common orange-
red pigment that turns to a magenta-red in old cultures. These less heavily pigmented
strains maintain a constant rose-red color while still other strains produce no chromogene-
sis whatever. Some of the non-chromogenic strains that are known to have been derived
from chromogenic strains have failed to produce color on any medium or condition of growth
that has been tried. It has been noted that when the color of normally pigmented strains
is extracted in alcohol, the residual cells still show a rose-red color suggesting that there
is a rose-red pigment present that is not soluble in alcohol (Breed).
The type species is Serratia marcescens Bizio.
1. Serratia niarcescens Bizio, 1823. rapidly turns red. The growth is lu.xuriant
(Bizio, Polenta porporina, Biblioteca itali- and frequently shows a metallic luster.
ana o sia Giornale de lettera, scienze e arti, Indole not produced.
30, 1823, 288; Zoagalactina imetrofa Sette, Production of hj'drogen sulfide: Produced
Memoria storico-naturale sull'arrossimento from cysteine, cystine or organic sulfur com-
straordinario di alcune sostanze alimentose pounds containing either of these molecules.
osservato nella provincia di Padova I'anno Produced from sulfur but not from sulfites,
1819. Venezia, 8°, 1824, 51; Monas prodigiosa sulfates or thiosulfates (Tarr, Biochem.
Ehrenberg, Bericht ii. d. z. Bekannt-ma- Jour.,
192). 27, 1933, 1869; also see ibid., 28, 1934,
chung geeigneten Verhandlungen d. Kgl.
preuss. Acad. d. Wissenschaften, 1849, 354.) Produces acetic, formic, succinic andlevo-
mar.ces'cens. L. part. adj. marcescens lactic acids, ethanol, acetylmethylcarbinol,
pining away, decaying. 2,3-butylene glycol, CO2 and a trace of H2
Description taken largely from Breed and from glucose (Pederson and Breed, Jour.
Breed (Jour. Bact., 9, 1924, 545). Bact., 16, 1928, 183).
Short rods, sometimes almost spherical, Grows poorly or not at all in distilled
0.5 by 0.5 to 1.0 micron, occurring singly water containing urea, potassium chloride
and occasionally in chains of 5 or 6 elements. and glucose.
Motile by means of four peritrichous fla- Acetylmethylcarbinol is produced
gella. Eight to ten flagella occur on cells (Breed) .
grown at 20° to 25° C. (de Rossi, Rivista Nitrites produced from nitrates.
d'Igiene, I4, 1903, 000). Gram-negative. Pigment soluble in alcohol, ether, chlo-
Gelatin colonies: Thin, slightly granular, roform, benzol and carbon bisulfide
gray becoming red, circular, slightly undu- (Schneider, Arb. bakt. Hochsch. Karlsruhe,
late. Medium liquefied rather quickly. 1, 1894, 210). Pigment may diffuse through
Gelatin stab: Infundibuliform liquefac- the agar, i.e., shows solubility in water
tion. Sediment in liquefied medium usually where strains are very deeply pigmented
red on top, white in the depth. (Breed). Pigment not produced at 35° C.
Agar colonies: Circular, thin, granular, Sodium formate broth (Stark and Eng-
white becoming red. R and S colonies with land, Jour. Bact., 29, 1935, 26) : Cultures do
mucoid variants (Reed, Jour. Bact., 34, not produce visible gas (Breed).
1937, 255). Odor of trimethylamine is produced.
Agar slant: White, smooth, moist layer, Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
taking on an orange-red to fuchsin color in Optimum temperature, between 25° and
three or four days, sometimes with a metal- 30° C. No growth at 37° C.
lic luster. Source: Isolated by Bizio and Sette from
growth on corn meal mush (polenta).
Broth: Turbid; may form a red ring at Habitat: Found in water, soil, milk and
surface or slight pellicle; gray sediment. foods and in silk worms and other insects.
Litmus milk: Acid reaction with soft co-
agulum. A red surface growth develops. 2. Serratia indica (Eisenberg, 1886)
Little or no digestion takes place. Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacillus indicus Eisen-
Potato : At first a white line appears which berg, Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 188Q, 1; Micrococ-
362 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
cus indicus Koch, Berichte ueber die Reise discussion of dissociation phenomena in
zur Erforschung der Cholera, 1887; Bergey this genus.
et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 88; Breed and Source: Isolated from the alimentary
Breed, Jour. Bact., 11, 1926, 76.) tract of a Java ape in India; also from a
in'di.ca. L. adj. indicus pertaining to In- milk can from Ithaca, N. Y.
dia. Habitat: Presumably widely distributed.
Small rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns. Mo- Not common.
tile by means of four peritrichous flagella.
Gram-negative. 3. Serratia plymuthica (Lehmann and
Gelatin colonies: Resemble those of Ser- Neumann, 1896) Bergey et al., 1923. (Roter
ratia viarcescens Bizio. Bacillus aus Plymouth, Fischer, Ztschr. f.
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction occurs rather Hyg., 2, 1887, 74; Bacterium -plymuthicum
quickly. Brilliant orange-red pellicle on Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 1
plain gelatin. Aufl., 2, 1896, 264; Bergey et al., Manual,
Agar colonies: Pink, slightly serrate, 1st ed., 1923, 88.)
spreading, with green iridescence. ply.mu'thi.ca. M.L. adj. plymuihicus per-
Agar slant: Lu.xuriant, dirty white layer. taining to Plymouth.
Pigment produced best in alkaline media. Distinct rods, 0.6 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns,
Broth: Turbid, white sediment. with rounded ends, occurring singly and in
Litmus milk: Acid and coagulated. Diges- short chains. Motile by means of peritri-
tion complete in 10 days. chous flagella. Gram-negative.
Potato : Lu.xuriant growth with or without Gelatin colonies: Like those of Serratia
pigment production. marcescens Bizio. Original culture mucoid.
Indole not produced. Gelatin stab: Crateriform liquefaction.
Produces same products (except Ho) from Liquefaction as in Serratia marcescens.
glucose as does Serratia viarcescens (Peder- Agar colonies: Like mucoid variants of
son and Breed, Jour. Bact., 16, 1928, 183). Serratia marcescens.
Growth with pigment production in dis- Agar slant: Sometimes show metallic
tilled water containing urea, potassium luster. Pigment as in Serratia marcescens.
chloride and glucose. Broth: Growth like that of Serratia mar-
Acetylmethylcarbinol is produced cescens.
(Breed). Litmus milk: Acid and coagulated.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Potato: Growth violet-pink, with or with
Coagulated blood serum is liquefied. out metallic luster.
Odor of trimethylamine is produced. Strong fecal odor produced.
Sodium formate broth: Cultures do not Gas from glucose, lactose and sucrose, 70
produce visible gas (Breed). to 80 per cent of it being CO2 , the remainder
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. is H2 . Gas is also produced in asparagine
Optimum temperature, between 25° and solutions.
35° C. No growth at 37° C. Acetylmethylcarbinol is produced
Pathogenic for laboratory animals. (Breed).
Comment : A non-gelatin-liquefying strain Sodium formate broth: Cultures produce
of this species has been reported (see Breed, abundant gas (Breed).
in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 481). Coagulated blood serum is liquefied.
Relationship to other species : Cultures of Pigment is soluble in alcohol and ether
this organism lo.se their ability to produce and sometimes slightly so in water.
the orange-red pellicle on gelatin and then Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
become practically indistinguishable from
cultures of Serratia marcescens. This would Optimum temperature,
Source: Isolated from the30°water
C. supply of
indicate that this so-called species is a Plymouth, England.
rough strain of the former species (Breed). Habitat: Found in water and in various
See Reed (Jour. Bact., 34, 1937, 255) for a foods.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 363
Short rods, 0.5 by 0.6 micron, occurring of Serratia tnarcescens Bizio under similar
in pairs, sometimes in fours or, in broth, in conditions. The original cultures were slimy,
long filaments. Actively motile. Gram-nega- but slimy (mucoid) cultures also occur in
tive. S. marcescens.
Gelatin colonies: Small, j-ellowish gray Comments: In recent years cultures of
Serratia have been isolated from various
becoming pink, very slimy. Carmine-red
pellicle. Liquefaction. human infections (Gurevitch and Weber,
Gelatin stab: Rapid liquefaction. Grajdsh loc. cit.; Wheat, Zuckerman and Rantz,
pellicle which becomes red after 24 hours Arch. Internal Med., 88, 1951, 461; Vernon
and later precipitates. Slimy. and Hepler, Quart. Bull., Northwestern
Agar colonies: Dull, white to pinkish Univ. Med. School, 28, 1954, 366). In some
growth. of these cases, new names have been given
Broth: Rapid turbidity; thick, slimy, to the organisms isolated without adequate
white pellicle which later turns red; purplish justification, for these organisms seem to
sediment; liquid becomes pink and syrupy; possess the same characters as do those that
in old cultures the broth is brown. were originally isolated from felons on the
Potato: At 37° to 39° C., red pigment visi- hands of men handling fish.
ble after 8 hours. At room temperatures Source: Isolated in 1893 from a box of
growth is at first white and slimy, later red. oil-packed sardines at a canning factory in
Strong odor of trimethylamine. France. Also found in the red pus from fish-
Distinctive characters: Pigment soluble ermen and sardine-factory workers suffering
in alcohol. Good pigment production at from felons. In these lesions this organism
37° to 39° C. The original cultures were is associated with an anaerobe, but by itself
heavily pigmented, and thus the pigment it is not pathogenic.
showed some solubility in water as does that Habitat: Presumably widely distributed.
ing cultures. Glucose and usually various other carbohydrates, but not lactose, are fer-
mented with the production of acid and usually visible gas; one species usually produces
only acid. Phenylpyruvic acid is produced from phenylalanine bj^ an oxidative deamination,
and leucine is rendered alkaline by an oxidative decarboxylation. Urea may or may not be
decomposed. Trimethylamine oxide is reduced. Primarily from fecal matter and other
putrefj'ing materials.
The type species is Proteus vulgaris Hauser.
1. Proteus vulgaris Hauser, 1885. (Hau- Biochem. Jour., 27, 1933, 1869; 28, 1934, 192).
ser, Sitzungsber. d. phj^s.-mediz. Sozietat zu Lead acetate turned brown.
Erlangen, 1885, 156; Bacterium vulgare Leh- Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, ga-
mann and Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., lactose, maltose and sucrose. No acid or gas
2, 1896, 243.) from dextrin, lactose or mannitol. See
vul.ga'ris. L. adj. vulgaris common. Moltke (Contributions to the Characteriza-
Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, oc- tion and Systematic Classification of Bac.
curring singly, in pairs and frequently in proteus vulgaris (Hauser) . Levin and Munks-
long chains. Actively motile by means of gaard, Copenhagen, 1927, 156) for other
peritrichous flagella. Gram-negative. fermentation characters. The ratio of H2 to
Gelatin colonies: Irregular, swarming; CO2 is 1:1 (Speck and Stark, Jour. Bact.,
rapid liquefaction. U, 1942, 687).
Gelatin stab: Rapid, stratiform liquefac- Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
tion. Sodium citrate may be utilized as a sole
Agar colonies: Opaque, graj', swarming. source of carbon.
Agar slant: Thin, bluish gray growth, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
spreading over the entire surface. Phenylpyruvic acid is produced from
Broth: Markedly turbid, usually with a phenylalanine, and leucine is rendered alka-
thin pellicle. line.
Litmus milk: Rlightl}' acid, becoming Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
markedly alkaline; quick peptonization.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Potato: Abundant, creamy to yellowish Pathogenic for fish and other animals
gray growth, becoming brown. such as dogs, guinea pigs and mice (Wyss,
Putrefactive odor produced. Ztschr. f. Hyg., 27, 1898, 143).
Indole is produced. Distinctive characters : X-strains of Weil
Hydrogen sulfide produced from cysteine, and Felix. Lehmann-Neumann-Breed, De-
cystine or organic sulfur compounds con- terminative Bact., Eng. Trans., 7th Ed.,
taining either of these molecules; also pro- 2, 1931, 493: "The discovery of proteus
duced from sulfur and thiosulfates (Tarr, strains which may be agglutinated by ty-
366 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
phus serum is of very great importance. Short rods, 0.5 to 0.6 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns,
These are the so-called X-strains from ty- occurring singl}^, in pairs and frequently
phus patients found by Weil and Felix. They in long chains. Motile by means of perit-
first cultivated strains X and X2 from the richous flagella. Gram-negative.
urine of typhus patients and later the fa- Gelatin colonies: Irregular, swarming.
mous Xi9 . The two former were aggluti- Gelatin stab: Slow, stratiform liquefac-
nated weakly, the latter strongly (up to tion.
1 :50,000). The diagnosis of typhus by agglu- Agar colonies: Gray, irregular, swarming.
tination with strain X19 proved to be ex- Agar slant: Thin, bluish gray growth,
cellent and the reaction took place in the spreading over the surface.
serum of almost 100 per cent of those suffer- Broth: Turbid; thin, gray pellicle; sedi-
ing from the disease. . . . The typhus strains ment.
of proteus have recently been divided into Litmus milk: Slightly acid, becoming
the two types of Felix and Weil, the H forms alkaline; peptonized.
and the O forms. The former grows as a Potato: Dirtj^ gray, spreading growth.
thin opaque film, the latter lacks this char- Putrefactive odor produced.
acter and grows as non-spreading slimy Indole not produced.
colonies; frequently without distinct fia- Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
ella. . . " (For further description of H and Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, ga-
O forms, see Moltke, op. cit., 1927, 156.) lactose, xylose and trehalose. Acid and
The X2 and X19 strains mostly ferment gas usually produced slowly from sucrose.
maltose . A No acid or gas from lactose, maltose, dex-
trin or mannitol.
Relationship to "ther species : Hauser Most of the XK strains do not attack
described Proteus vulgaris as a rapid gela-
tin-liquefier and Proteus mirabilis as a slow maltose.
liquefier. Wenner and Rettger (Jour. Bact., Sodium citrate is usually utilized as a
4, 1919, 332) found the property of gelatin sole source of carbon.
liquefaction too variable to serve as a basis Acetylmethylcarbinol frequently pro-
for separation of species. They suggested duced weakly.
that this differentiating character be set Nitrites produced from nitrates.
aside and that the two species be differenti- Phenylpyruvic acid is produced from
ated on the basis of maltose fermentation, phenjdalanine, and leucine is rendered al-
the species fermenting the sugar receiving kaline.
the name Proteus vulgaris, and the species Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
failing to attack it, Proteus mirabilis. This Optimum temperature, 37° C.
suggestion was accepted by Bergey et al., Source: Isolated from putrid meat, in-
(Manual, 1st ed., 1923) and by Weldin (Iowa fusions and abscesses. Also reported as a
Jour. Sci., 1, 1927, 147) ; their work was con- cause of gastroenteritis (Cherry and Barnes,
firmed by Rustigian and Stuart (Jour. Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 36, 1946, 484).
Bact., 45, 1943, 198) and by Thornton (Jour. Habitat: Found on putrefying materials.
Bact., 48, 1944, 123). Also see Moltke (op.
cit., 1927, 156). 3. Proteus morganii (Winslow et al.,
Source: Isolated from putrid meat, in- 1919) Rauss, 1936. (Organism No. 1, Mor-
fusions and abscesses.
gan, Brit. Med. Jour., 1, 1906, 908; Bacillus
Habitat: Found on putrefying materials.
morgani Winslow, Kligler and Rothberg,
2. Proteus mirabilis Hauser, 1885. Jour. Bact., 4, 1919, 4&\; Salmonella morgani
Castellani and Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med.,
(Hauser, Sitzungsber. d. phys.-med. So-
zietat zu Erlangen, 1885, 156; Bacterium 3rd ed., 1919, 939; Bacterium morgani Hol-
mirabilis (sic) Chester, Ann. Rept. Del. land, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 215; Rauss, Jour.
Col. Agr. Exp. Sta., 9, 1897, 101.) Path, and Bact., 42, 1936, 183.)
mi.ra'bi.lis. L. adj. mira6z7is wonderful, mor.ga'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun morganii of
surprising. Morgan; named for H. de R. Morgan, the
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 367
bacteriologist who first studied this organ- ican bacteriologist who, in 1904, isolated
ism. this species.
Common name: Morgan's bacillus, type 1. Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 micron long, occurring
Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, oc- singly, in pairs and occasionally in chains.
curring singlj'. Motile by means of peri- Usually non-motile at 37° C, but actively
trichous flagella. See Rauss (loc. cit.) for a motile variants possessing peritrichous
discussion of flagellation and its relation to flagella can be obtained at 25° C. Gram-
the swarming characteristic. Gram-nega- negative.
tive. Gelatin colonies: Small, grayish, trans-
Gelatin colonies: Bluish gray, homogene- lucent, entire.
ous, smooth, entire. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Agar colonies: Small, grayish, trans-
Agar colonies: Grayish white, smooth, lucent, entire. May show a tendency to
glistening growth. May show a tendency to spread on moist agar.
spread somewhat on moist agar. Agar slant: Filiform to echinulate, gray-
Broth: Turbid. ish, thin, moist, translucent growth.
Litmus milk: Neutral or becoming alka- Broth: Turbid; flocculent to viscid sedi-
line. ment.
Potato: Dirty white, limited growth. Litmus milk: Alkaline in eight days, be-
Indole is produced. coming tran.slucent.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Potato: Luxuriant, grayish growth.
Acid and a small amount of gas from Indole is produced.
glucose, fructose, galactose and mannose; Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
rarely from xylose. Does not attack lactose, Acid and occasionally slight gas from
sucrose, maltose, arabinose, raffinose, dex- glucose, fructose, galactose, adonitol and
trin, salicin, mannitol, dulcitol, sorbitol, mannitol. Salicin, inositol and rhamnose
adonitol or inositol. may or may not be fermented. Slow and
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. sometimes weak acid from sucrose. Lactose
Sodium citrate not utilized as a sole source and maltose are not fermented.
of carbon. Acetylmethylcarbinol is not produced.
Nitrites are produced from nitrates. Sodium citrate is utilized as a sole source
Phenylpyruvic acid is produced from of carbon.
phenylalanine, and leucine is rendered alka- Nitrites are produced from nitrates.
line. Phenylpyruvic acid is produced from
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. phenylalanine, and leucine is rendered alka-
line.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Source: Isolated from the feces of infants Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
with summer diarrhoea.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Habitat: Found in the intestinal canal Source : Originally isolated from a cholera-
and in normal or diarrhoeal stools. like epidemic among chickens; recently
isolated from sporadic and epidemic gastro-
4. Proteus rettgeri (Hadley et al., 1918) enteritis patients.
Rustigian and Stuart, 1943. {Bacterium Habitat: Found in fecal matter.
rettgeri Hadley, Elkins and Caldwell, Rhode
5. Proteus inconstans (Ornstein, 1921)
Island Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 174, 1918, 169; Shaw and Clarke, 1955. (Bacillus inconstans
Shigella rettgeri Weldin, Iowa State Coll.
Ornstein, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 91, 1921, 152;
Jour. Sci., 1, 1927, 181; Proteus entericus
Anaerogenic paracolon, type 29911, Stuart,
Rustigian and Stuart, Jour. Bact., 45, 1943, Wheeler, Rustigian and Zimmerman, Jour.
198; Rustigian and Stuart, Proc. Soc. Exp. Bact., 45, 1943, 111; also see Stuart, Wheeler
Biol, and Med., 53, 1943, 241.) and McGann, Jour. Bact., 53, 1946, 431;
rett'ge.ri. M.L. gen. noun rettgeri of Providence Group, Kauffmann, Entero-
Rettger; named for L. F. Rettger, the Amer- bacteriaceae. Munksgaard, Copenhagen,
368 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
1st ed., 1951, 249; Shaw and Clarke, Jour. phenylalanine, and leucine is rendered alka-
Gen. Microbiol., 13, 1955, 155.) line (see Proom, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., IS,
in.con'stans. L. adj. inconstans incon- 1955, 173 and 174).
stant, changeable. Urea not hydrolyzed, except rarely (Shaw
Rods. Motile by means of peritrichous and Clarke, op. cit., 1955, 158).
flagella. Gram-negative. Serology: One hundred and fifty-six sero-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. types have been recognized (Edwards and
Indole produced. Ewing, Identification of Enterobacteriaceae.
Hydrogen sulfide produced from an ade- Burgess Pub. Co., Minneapolis, 1955, 162).
quate sulfur base. Pathogenicity: Some cultures have been
Acid and usually slight gas from glucose. established as etiological agents of gastro-
Sucrose and adonitol are frequently utilized enteritis.
although the former may require prolonged Comment: Kauffmann (Enterobacteria-
incubation. Glycerol may or may not be ceae. Munksgaard, Copenhagen, 2nd ed.,
attacked. Other carbohydrates usually not 1954, 317) proposed the generic name Provi-
attacked. dencia for the organisms in the Providence
Methyl red test is positive. Group but did not name a type species.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. Source: Isolated from gastroenteritis
Ammonium citrate usually utilized as a
sole source of carbon. patients.
Habitat: Found in urinary tract infec-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. tions and in outbreaks and sporadic cases
Phenylpyruvic acid is produced from of diarrhoea in man.
Sal.mo.nel'la. M.L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.n. Salmonella named for D. E. Salmon,
an American bacteriologist.
* Prepared by Dr. Gertrude Kalz, McGill University, Montreal, P.Q., Canada, July,
1955.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 369
Rods which are usually motile by means of peritrichous flagella, although non-motile
forms may occur. Gram-negative. Gelatin not liquefied. Indole not produced. Hydrogen
sulfide production is variable. Acid is produced from glucose, mannitol, maltose and sorbi-
tol. Gas production is usually observed (exceptions are Salmonella typhosa and Salmonella
gallinarum, but gas production maj^ also be absent in other species or serotypes). Lactose,
sucrose, salicin and adonitol are not attacked. The fermentation of other carbohydrates is
variable. Acetylmethylcarbinol is not produced. Methyl red test is positive. Nitrites are
produced from nitrates. Ammonium citrate is usually utilized. Urea not hydrolyzed. KCN-
sensitivity is negative (Moller, VI Internat. Cong. Microbiol., Rome, ;?, 1953, 316). All
known forms are pathogenic for man and/or other animals.
The type species is Salmonella choleraesids (Smith) Weldin.
Any organism showing the above-mentioned characters should be verified as a member
of the genus Salmonella by antigenic analysis. For most practical purposes the use of poly-
valent or group antisera will suflJice. Exact antigenic characterization and bacteriophage
typing for epidemiological purposes is the task oi Salmonella centers. Although manj^ strains
of Salmonella are at.ypical, these may be looked upon as exceptions which do not invalidate
the definition of the genus.
Attempts to subdivide the genus Salmonella into valid species from the taxonomic point
of view have met with great difficulties. The Kauffman-White Schema (1955) (Edwards and
Ewing, Identification of Enterohacteriaceae, Burgess Publishing Co., Minneapolis, 1955,
52-60) lists 343 names. It is generally agreed that the vast majority of the organisms named
do not deserve species rank but should be considered as serological types. This fact has
been officially recognized by the Enterohacteriaceae Subcommittee in the addendum to the
report presented at the 6th International Congress for Microbiology, September 8, 1953, in
Rome. "It is the recommendation of the Subcommittee that from the date of publication
of this report all new serological types of Salmonella should be described by formula only
and not by name." The adoption of this proposal would lead to the undesirable situation
that 343 or more Salmonella types would be given names similar to those given to species, if
not by meaning, certainly by implication, and that others would be known by antigenic
formula only. The suggestion by Kauffmann and Edwards (Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen.
and Taxon., 2, 1952, 5) to divide the genus into three species, namely, Salmonella cholerae-
sids as type species. Salmonella typhosa on the basis of well recognized differences from
other members and Salmonella enterica to serve as species for all serological types, appears
too narrow and also somewhat contradictory as it practically means that two type species
are chosen.
Recent observations by various workers on the transduction of antigenic characters raises
the question whether such changes also occur under natural conditions and should be taken
into consideration in epidemiological conclusions. It is as yet uncertain whether these
changes are permanent or whether reversion to the original characters occurs. Until more
exact knowledge on these factors is available, the possibility must be appreciated and
taken into account in epidemiological tracings.
It is hardly possible to propose a classification for the salmonellas which can include all
the factors established for the large number of types. However, the genus is composed of
disease-producing organisms, and the first and foremost duty of any classification scheme
is to make it workable under practical routine conditions. "Systems of nomenclature are
for man's convenience and cannot hope to be wholly logical as to represent faithfully the
evolution of all living things" (Andrewes, Acta Path, et Microb. Scand., 28, 1951, 211).
From this point of view it seems justified to accord species rank to those organisms which
are easily identified because they are commonly encountered and/or cause rather well es-
tablished syndromes.
Key to the species of genus Salmonella.
I. Affect both man and other animals.
A. Occur singly but not in pairs or chains.
370 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
alkaline, opalescent, translucent to yellow- used in the sense of typhoid; M.L. adj.
ish gray. typhosris pertaining to typhoid.
Potato: Abundant, moist, yellowish Rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns,
brown to brown growth. occurring singly, in pairs and occasionally
Indole not produced. in short chains. Motile by means of peri-
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. trichous flagella; sometimes non-motile.
Acid and gas from glucose, mannitol, Gram-negative.
maltose, sorbitol, xylose, rhamnose and Gelatin colonies: Grayish, transparent to
trehalose. Fermentation of arabinose, dulci- opaque, with leaf -like surface markings.
citol, 1-tartrate, d-tartrate, dl-tartrate Gelatin stab: Thin, white, opalescent
and mucate is variable. No action on lac- growth. No liquefaction.
tose, sucrose, salicin, adonitol or inositol. Agar colonies: Grayish, transparent to
Sodium citrate may or may not be uti- opaque.
lized. Agar slant: Whitish gray, glistening,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. echinulate, entire to undulate growth.
Trimethylamine produced from trimethj-l- Broth: Turbid; moderate sediment; deli-
amine o.xide (Wood and Baird, Jour. Fish. cate pellicle in old cultures.
Res. Board Canada, 6, 1943, 198). Litmus milk: Slight, transient acidity,
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. followed by a return to neutral or to slight
alkalinit3^
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Antigenic structure: 1, 9, 12: g, m: — . Potato: Delicate, moist, slightly spread-
Comment: Varieties of this species have ing, barely visible growth.
been recognized on the basis of differences Indole not produced.
in biochemical behavior. Hydrogen sulfide usually produced.
Source : Isolated from feces in an epidemic Acid but no gas from glucose, mannitol,
of meat poisoning at Frankenhausen, Ger- maltose, sorbitol and trehalose. Fermenta-
many. tion of arabinose, dulcitol, xylose, inositol
Habitat: Widely distributed, occurring and d-tartrate is variable. No action on
in man. Also found in domestic and wild lactose, sucrose, salicin, adonitol, rham-
animals, particularly rodents. nose, 1-tartrate or dl-tartrate. Mucate
may or may not show late fermentation.
4. Salmonella typhosa (Zopf, 1884) Sodium citrate may or may not be uti-
White, 1930. (Bacillus des Abdominal-Ty- lized.
phus, Eberth, Arch. f. path. Anat., 81, 1880, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
58; also see ihid., 83, 1881 , 486 ; Typhus Bacil- Trimethylamine produced from trimethyl-
len, Gaffky, Mitteil. a. d. kaiserl. Gesund- amine oxide (Wood and Baird, Jour. Fish.
heitsamte, £, 1884, 372; Bacterium typhosum Res. Board Canada, 6, 1943, 198).
Zopf, Die Spaltpilze, 2 Aufl., 1884, 90; Bacil- Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
lus typhosus Zopf, Die Spaltpilze, 3 Aufl., Optimum temperature, 37° C.
1885, 126; not Bacillus typhosus Klebs, Hand, Antigenic structure: 9, 12, (Vi) : di : d2 .
d. path. Anat., 1880; also see Arch. f. exp. By means of Vi phages, distinct types can
Path. u. Pharmac, 13, 1881, 392; Bacillus be recognized which are of epidemiological
typhi Schroeter, in Cohn, Kryptogamen- importance.
Flora V. Schlesien, 3, 1886, 165; Bacillus Pathogenic for laboratory animals on
typhi abdominalis Fliigge, Die Mikroorga- parenteral inoculation.
Source: Isolated from human cases of
nismen, 2 Aufl., 1886, 198; Bacterium {Eber-
typhoid fever, from contaminated water
thella) typhi Buchanan, Jour. Bact., 3, 1918, and from foods. Isolated once from a chicken
53 (type species of genus Eherthella Bu- by Henning, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
chanan, loc. cit.); Salmonella typhi Warren Habitat: The cause of typhoid fever.
and Scott, Jour, of Hyg., 29, 1930, 416;
White, Jour, of Hyg., 29, 1930, 443.) 5. Salmonella hirschfeldii Weldin, 1927.
ty.pho'sa. Gr. noun typhus a stupor, here {Bacillus paratyphosus (85, Weil, Wien. klin.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 373
Wochnschr., 30, 1917, 1001; Paratyphoid C paratyphoid; M.L. gen. noun paratyphi of
bacillus, Hirschfeld, Lancet, 1, 1919, 296; paratyphoid.
Weldin, Iowa State Coll. Jour. Sci., 1, 1927, Rods, 0.6 by 3.0 to 4.0 microns, occurring
161.) singly. Usually motile by means of peri-
hirsch.fel'di.i. M.L. gen. noun hirsch- trichous flagella. Gram-negative.
feldii of Hirschfeld; named for L. Hirsch- Gelatin colonies: Bluish gray, homogene-
feld, who worked with this organism. ous, smooth, glistening, entire to slightly
Rods, 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.5 microns, oc- undulate.
curring singly. Motile by means of peri- Gelatin stab: Fair surface growth. No
trichous flagella. Gram-negative. liquefaction.
Gelatin colonies: Grayish, smooth, flat, Agar colonies: Grayish, homogeneous,
glistening, irregular. smooth, glistening, entire to slightly un-
Gelatin stab: Flat, grayish surface dulate.
growth. No liquefaction. Agar slant: Filiform, grayish, smooth,
Agar colonies: Grayish, moist, smooth, glistening growth.
translucent. Broth: Turbid; slight, grayish sediment.
Broth: Turbid. Litmus milk: Slightly acid.
Litmus milk: Slightly acid, becoming Potato: Limited, dirty white streak.
alkaline. Indole not produced.
Indole not produced. Hydrogen sulfide not produced by most
Hydrogen sulfide produced. strains.
Acid and gas from glucose, mannitol, Acid and gas from glucose, mannitol,
maltose, sorbitol, dulcitol and xylose. d-Tar- maltose, sorbitol, arabinose and trehalose.
trate and 1-tartrate are attacked. Fer- Fermentation of dulcitol and rhamnose is
mentation ofarabinose, rhamnose and tre- variable. No action on lactose, sucrose,
halose is variable. No action on lactose, salicin, adonitol, xylose, inositol, 1-tartrate,
sucrose, salicin, adonitol, inositol, dl-tar- d-tartrate, dl-tartrate or mucate.
trate or mucate. Sodium citrate not utilized.
Sodium citrate is utilized. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Trimethylamine produced from trimethyl-
Trimethylamine produced from trimethyl- amine oxide (Wood and Baird, Jour. Fish.
amine oxide (Wood and Baird, Jour. Fish. Res. Board Canada, 6, 1943, 198).
Res. Board Canada, 6, 1943, 198). Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Antigenic structure: 1, 2, 12: a: — .
Antigenic structure: 6, 7, Vi: c, 1, 5. Source: Isolated from cases of enteric
Source: Isolated from cases of enteric fever in man.
fever in man. Habitat: A natural pathogen of man caus-
Habitat: A natural pathogen of man ing enteric fever. Not known to be a natural
causing enteric fever. pathogen of other animals.
muelleri of Schottmuller; named for Prof. ual, 1st ed., 1923, 217; Salmonella abortus=
H. Schottmiiller, who isolated this organism 236.)
equi Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925,
in 1899.
Rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns, a.bor.ti.vo.e.qui'na. L. adj. abortivus
occurring singly and in pairs. Usually motile pertaining to abortion; L. adj. equinus per-
by means of peritrichous flagella. Gram- taining to horses; M.L. adj. abortivoequinus
negative. pertaining to aborting horses.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Rods, 0.2 to 0.5 by 1.5 microns, occurring
Agar colonies: Small, circular, bluish singly, occasionally in pairs. Motile by
gray, transparent, homogeneous, entire to means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-nega-
undulate. tive.
Broth: Turbid; thin, gray pellicle and Gelatin: No liquefaction.
sediment. Fecal odor. Indole not produced.
Litmus milk: Slightly acid, becoming Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
alkaline. Acid and gas from glucose, mannitol,
Potato: Grayish white, viscous growth. maltose, sorbitol, xylose, arabinose and
Indole not produced. rhamnose. 1-Tartrate and dl-tartrate are
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. attacked. Fermentation of dulcitol and
Acid and gas from glucose, mannitol, trehalose is variable. 1-Tartrate may or may
maltose, sorbitol, arabinose, xylose and not show late fermentation. No action on
trehalose. Mucate and 1-tartrate are at- lactose, sucrose, salicin, adonitol, inositol
tacked. Fermentation of dulcitol, inositol, or mucate.
rhamnose and dl-tartrate is variable. No Sodium citrate is utilized.
action on lactose, sucrose, salicin, adonitol Nitrites produced from nitrates.
or d-tartrate. Trimethylamine produced from trimethyl-
Sodium citrate may or may not be uti- amine oxide (Wood and Baird, Jour. Fish.
lized. Res. Board Canada, 6, 1943, 198).
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Antigenic structure: 4, 12: — , e, n, x.
Trimethylamine produced fromtrimethyl- Isolated from the afterbirth of mares that
amine oxide (Wood and Baird, Jour. Fish. had aborted.
Res. Board Canada, 6, 1943, 198). Habitat: A natural pathogen of mares,
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. causing abortion; also infectious for guinea
Optimum temperature, 37° C. pigs, rabbits, goats and cows, producing
Antigenic structure: 1, 4, 5, 12: b: 1, 2. abortion.
Source: Isolated from cases of enteric
fever in man. Not a natural pathogen of 9. Salmonella abortusovis (Lovell,
other animals. 1931) Schiitze et al., 1934. {Bacillus para-
Habitat: A natural pathogen of man typhi abortus ovis Schermer and Ehrlich,
causing enteric fever. Also found rarely Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Ref., 73, 1922, 252;
in cattle, sheep, swine, lower primates and Bacterium abortus ovis Lovell, Jour. Path,
chickens. and Bact., 34, 1931, 13; Schutze, Jordan,
Kauffmann, Scott, White and St. John-
8. Salmonella abortivoequina (Good Brooks, Jour, of Hyg., 34, 1934, 340.)
and Corbett, 1916) Bergey et al., 1923. (Ba- a.bor.tus.o'vis. L. noun abortus abortion;
cillus abortivus equinus Good and Corbett, L. gen. noun abortus of abortion; L. noun
Jour. Inf. Dis., 13, 1913, 53; Bacillus abortus ovis a sheep; L. gen. noun ovis of a sheep;
equi Meyer and Boerner, Jour. Med. Res., M.L.
sheep. gen. noun abortusovis of abortion of a
29, 1913, 330; Bacillus aborfivo-equimcs Good
and Corbett, Jour. Inf. Dis., 18, 1916, 586; Rods, 0.6 by 3.0 to 4.0 microns, occurring
Bacillus abortus equinus Weiss and Rice, singly. Usually motile by means of peri-
Jour. Med. Res., 35, 1917, 403; Bacillus trichous flagella. Gram-negative.
abortivus Winslow, Kligler and Rothberg, Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Jour. Bact., 4, 1919, 477; Bergey et al.. Man- Indole not produced.
FAMILY IV. ENTEEOBACTERIACEAE 375
A 1 Salmonella paratyphi a -
1, 2, 12
2 Salmonella kisangani a 1, 2
1, 4, 5, 12
3 Salmonella hessarek a
1, 5
4 Salmonella fulica 4, 12 a
5 Salmonella arechavaleta 4, 5, 12 a 1, 5
4, 5, 12 1,7
6 Salmonella bispebjerg a e, n, X
7 Salmonella abortivoeqiiina
1, 4, 12 —
e, n, X
8 Salmonella tinda 4, 12 a e, n, Zi5
1, 4, 12, 27
9 Salmonella schottmuelleri b
10 1, 4, 5, 12 1, 2
Salmonella limete b
11 Salmonella schleissheim
1, 4, 12, 27 b, Zi2 1, 5 —
4, 12, 27
12 Salmonella abony b Z6
13 1, 4, 5, 12 e, n, X
Salmonella abortusbovis b
1, 4, 12, 27 e, n,
n, Zi5
X
14 Salmonella wagenia b e,
15 1, 4, 12, 27
Salmonella wien b
16 Salmonella abortusovis 4, 12 c
17 4, 12 c 1, w
Salmonella altendorf 1,6
18 4, 12 c 1,7
Salmonella bury 4, 12, 27
19
Salmonella Stanley d
20 4, 5, 12 1, 2
Salmonella cairo 1, 4, 12, 27 d
21 d 1,
Salmonella schwarzengrund 1, 4, 12, 27 1, 72
B 22 Salmonella sarajane d
4, 12, 27 e, n, X
23 Salmonella duisburg d e, n, zis
24 Salmonella salinatis 4, 12 d, e, n, Zi8
25 d, e, h
Salmonella saintpaul 4, 12 5, 12
1, 4, 1, 2
26 Salmonella reading
27 e,
f, gh(h) 1,5
Salmonella kaposvar 4, 12 e, 1, 5
28 4, 5, 12 e, h 1, 7
Salmonella kaapstad
29 Salmonella Chester 4, 12
4, 5, 12 e, h e, n, X
30 Salmonella sandiego e, n, Zi5
Salmonella derby
4, 5, 12 e, h —
31
32 Salmonella essen
1, 4, 12 e, h —
33 Salmonella hato 4, 12 —
Salmonella California
4, 5, 12
g, m, s
—
34
35 Salmonella kingston 4, 12 —
36 Salmonella budapest
1, 4, 12, 27 g, m, t
g, m
—
1, 4, 12 g,
i s, t
37 Salmonella typhimurium 1, 4, 5, 12
38 Salmonella sp. i 1, 2
39 1, 4, 12, 27
Salmonella texas k e, n, Zi5
4, 5, 12 1, w
g, t
376
The Kauffmann-White Schema (1955)— Continued
Flagells r Antigens
Group No Serotype Somatic Antigens
Phase 1 Phase 2
40 Salmonella bredeney
41 1, 4, 12, 27 1, V 1, 7
Salmonella kimuenza 1, 4, 12, 27 e, n, X
42 Salmonella brandenburg 1, V e, n, zi5
43 Salmonella banana 4, 12 m,
1, V t —
44 Salmonella heidelberg 4, 5, 12 r
45 Salmonella coeln 4, 5, 12 y
4, 5, 12 1, 2
46 Salmonella ball yZlO 1, 2
B Salmonella kiambu 1, 4, 12 ZlO
z e, n, X
47
48 Salmonella indiana 4, 12 zZ29 1,5
49 Salmonella Stanleyville 4, 12 1,7
4, 5, 12 1, 2
50 Salmonella haifa Z4 , Zo3
1, 4, 5, 12 1, 2
51 Salmonella ituri
1, 4, 12 1,5 —
52 Salmonella brancaster
1, 4, 12
53 Salmonella sanjuan a Z6
87 1 Salmonella oranienburg 6, 7 m, t
1, 5 —
88 Salmonella virchow 6, 7 r
6,7 1, 2
377
ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
89 Salmonella infantis r
90 Salmonella colindale 6, 7 r 1, 5
6, 7 r 1,7n, zis
e,
91 Salmonella papuana
6,7
Salmonella richmond y 1, 2
92 6,7
93 Salmonella bareilly y
Ci 6,7
Salmonella hartford yZlO 1, 5
94 6,7 e, n, X
95 Salmonella mikawashima yzio e, n, Z]5
6,7 Z29
96
97
Salmonella
Salmonella
aequatoria
kralendyk 6,7
Z4 , Z23
Z3S , Z24
Z4
e, n, Zi5
—
98 Salmonella eschweiler 6, 7
99 Salmonella mbandaka 6, 7 1,6n, Zi6
100 Salmonella tennessee 6, 7
e,
—
101 Salmonella lille 6, 7 ze —
6,7
102 Salmonella curacao a
103 6,8 a
Salmonella narashino 1, 6
b e, n, X
104 Salmonella nagoya 6,8
105 Salmonella gatuni 6,8 b
6,8 1, 5
106 Salmonella shipley b e, n, X
e, n, zi5
107 Salmonella banalia 6, 8 b
108 Salmonella uiah 6, 8 c
109 Salmonella bronx 6, 8 c 1,5
110 Salmonella belem 6,8 c 1,6
6,8 c e, n, X
111 Salmonella quiniela e, n, zis
6,8 d
112 Salmonella muenchen
113 d 1, 2
Salmonella manhaitan 6,8
114 Sahnonella newport 6,8
115 Salmonella kottbus 6,8 1, 52
1,
116 6,8 e,
i h
Salmonella lindenburg e, h 1, 5
117 6,8 i
Salmonella takoradi
c. 118 Salmonella bonariensis 6, 8 i
1, 2
1,5
119 Salmonella litchfield 6, 8 e, n, X
120 6,8 1, V 1, 2
Salmonella manchester
6,8 1, V 1,7
121 Salmonella fayed
6, 8 r 1, 2
122 Salmonella bovismorbificans
6,8 1, w
123 Salmonella hidalgo r 1, 5n, Zi6
e,
6,8
124 Salmonella tananarive y
125 6,8
Salmonella praha yZlO 1, 5n, Zi5
126 Salmonella sp. 6, 8
e,
Z6 —
—
Z4 , Z23
ZiO
127 Salmonella duesseldorf 6, 8
—
Z4 , Z24
128 Salmonella tallahassee 6,
6,88 Z4 , Z32
129 Salmonella hadar
130 6,8 e, n, X
Salmonella glostrup e, n, zis
6,8
(8) b
131 Salmonella sanga
132 Salmonella Virginia (8) d —
133 Salmonella emek
1,7 —
134 Salmonella kentucky (8), 20 i
g, m, s
(8), 20
379
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE
180 a 1, 7
Salmonella oxford
181 Salmonella hutantan 3, 10 b
182 3, 10 d 1,5
Salmonella shangani
183 Salmonella vejle 3, 10 1, 5
184 Salmonella muenster 3, 10 1, 2
3, 10 e, h 1, 5
185 Salmonella anatum e, h
186 3, 10 1,6
Salmonella nyborg e, h 1,7
187 Salmonella newlands 3, 10
188 3, 10 e, h e, n, X
Salmonella meleagridis
189 Salmonella westhampton 3, 10 e,
e,
h
h 1, w —
190 Salmonella Zanzibar 3, 10 k Z6
g, s, t
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 381
Z6
295 1,
d V e, n, X
Salmonella usumbura
18 k 1, 7
296 Salmonella memphis
297 Salmonella cerro 18 1, 5 —
—
Z4 , Z23
298 Salmonella blukwa 18
28 Z4 , Z24
Further 299 Salmonella minnesota 21 b
groups e, n, X
300 Salmonella Seattle 28 a
301 b e, n,
e, n, Zi5
X
Salmonella langford
302 Salmonella kaltenhausen 28 b
303 Salmonella mundonobo d
k 1, 7
304 Salmonella taunton 28
305 e, n,
e, n, XZi5
Salmonella sp. 1, V
306 Salmonella Chicago 28 r
1,5
307 Salmonella kibusi r
e, n, X
308 Salmonella pomona 28 y 1, 7
309 Salmonella telaviv y e, n, zi5
310 Salmonella ezra 28 z
Salmonella urbana b 1, 7
311
312 Salmonella godesburg 30 e, n, X —
g, m
The Kauffmann-White Schema (1955) — Concluded
Flagellar Antigens
Group Serotype
No. Somatic Antigens
Phase 1 Phase 2
30
313 Salmonella landau 30 i
Salmonella morehead f.i g 1, 2
314
315 Salmonella donna 30
1, V 1, 5
316 Salmonella matopeni 30 y
317 Salmonella bodjonegoro 30 Z4 , Z24
1,
1, 52 —
318 Salmonella adelaide 35 —
319 Salmonella gamhia 35 i e, n, zi6
320 Salmonella monschaui 35 m, t
—
321 Salmonella alachua 35 Z4 , Z23 —
322 Salmonella kasenyi 38
323 Salmonella korovi 38
1,5 —
324 Salmonella mgulani ie, h
325 Salmonella Inverness 38 kg, m, a 1, 2
1,6
326 Salmonella lindi 38 r
Further 327 Salmonella emmastad 38 r
1, 5
1,6
groups 328 Salmonella freelown 38 y
329 Salmonella Colombo 38
39 y 1, 5
330 Salmonella champaign 40 k
1,5
1, 6
331 Salmonella riogrande b
1,5
332 Salmonella Johannesburg b
Z36 e, n,
n, zi5
X
333 Salmonella duval 1, 40 b e,
Salmonella allandale 1,40 k
334 41
335 Salmonella waycross
1,40 Z4
f,g
, Z23 —
1, 6
336 Salmonella uphill b
337 42 e, n, X
Salmonella weslaco 43
338 Salmonella berkeley 42
43 a
339 Salmonella milwaukee 43 —
1, 5
340 Salmonella ahuza 43 k
341 Salmonella kingabwa y 1,5
1,5
342 Salmonella niarembe 44
45 a
343 Salmonella deversoir c 1, w
e, n, X
In accordance with the opinion of the majority of the Subcommittee members, the sym-
bols used to express the O antigens of Salmonella have been changed from Roman to Ara-
bic numerals.
It was shown by Edwards and Moran (Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 66, 1947, 230) that
Salmonella sp. (Type Senftenberg) and Salmonella sp. (Type Simsbury) each could be
transformed into the other. Bruner and Edwards (Jour. Bact., 55, 1948, 449) found that in
certain instances antigen 3, 10 could be changed to antigen 3, 15 and again reversed to 3,
10. Bruner (Jour. Bact., 57, 1949, 387) obtained typical cultures of Salmonella sp. (Type
(Oranienburg) from certain strains of Salmonella sp. (Type Montevideo). These antigenic
changes, all of which were produced by induced variation, are of great interest and un-
doubtedly throw light on phylogeny and evolution within the group. Further, it is highly
probable that such changes occur in nature. However, the epidemiological significance of
the various Salmonella types is well established, and observations such as those cited above
in no way detract from the value of antigenic typing in the study of the epidemiology of
Salmonella infections. For this reason the types are listed in the schema as they are found
in nature.
No antigenic relationship exists between the H antigens Zi , z-i , z^ , etc. The symbol
z affixed by the numeral was chosen to denote these antigens, as no other letters of the al-
phabet were available.
383
384 ■ ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Genus X. Shigella Castellani and Chalmers, 1919*
(Man. Trop. Med., 3rd ed., 1919, 936.)
Shi.gel'la. M.L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.n. Shigella named for Prof. Kiyoshi Shiga,
the Japanese bacteriologist who first discovered the dysentery bacillus in 1898.
Rods that are non-motile. Gram-negative. Gelatin not liquefied. Indole may or may not
be produced. Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Numerous carbohj^drates are attacked with
the production of acid but no visible gas (some cultures of serotype Shigella flexneri 6 pro-
duce visible gas from glucose and from other fermentable substrates) . Lactose is ordinarily
not attacked, but some species attack this sugar very slowly. Salicin, inositol and adonitol
are not attacked. Acetylmethylcarbinol is not produced. Methyl red test is usually positive.
Ammonium citrate is not utilized. Nitrites are produced from nitrates. May or may not
produce trimethylamine from trimethylamine oxide (Wood, Baird and Keeping, Jour.
Bact., ^6, 1943, 106). Urea is not hydrolyzed. Aerobic. Possess distinctive antigenic struc-
tures. Pathogenic, causing dysenteries, or non-pathogenic species, all living in the bodies
of warm-blooded animals. Found in polluted water supplies and in flies.
See Bensted (Dysentery Bacilli — Shigella. A brief historical review. Canad. Jour. Micro-
biol., 2,1956, 163-174) for a helpful review.
Key to the species of genus Shigella.
I. No acid from mannitol.
A. No acid from arabinose or rhamnose. Indole not produced.
1. Shigella dysenteriae.
B. Acid from arabinose; acid may or maj^ not be produced from rhamnose. Indole may
or may not be produced.
1. Acid from rhamnose; late and irregular acid from arabinose. Indole produced.
2. Shigella schmitzii.
2. No acid from rhamnose; acid from arabinose slow. Indole not produced (except
Type 7).
3. Shigella arabinotarda (Large-Sachs Group).
II. Acid from mannitol.
A. No acid from lactose.
1. No acid from rhamnose; acid usually produced from xylose. Agglutination with
polyvalent specific serum (Types 1 to 11).
4. Shigella boydii.
2. Variable acid production from rhamnose; no acid from xylose or dulcitol. No tri-
methylamine from trimethylamine oxide. Agglutination with polyvalent specific
serum (Types 1 to 6).
5. Shigella flexneri.
3. Acid from dulcitol. Trimethylamine from trimethylamine oxide.
6. Shigella alkalescens.
B. Acid from lactose late.
1. Indole not produced. Agglutination with specific serum.
7. Shigella sonnet.
2. Indole produced.
8. Shigella dispar.
1. Shigella dysenteriae (Shiga, 1898) dysentery, Ogata, Cent. f. Bakt., 11, 1892,
Castellani and Chalmers, 1919. (Bacillus of 264 {Bacillus dysenteriae Migula); Bacillus
Japanese dysentery, Shiga, Cent. f. Bakt., dysenteriae Shiga, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., S4,
IAbt.,:?5, 1898, 599; not Bacillus of Japanese 1898, 817; Bacillus shigae Chester, Man.
* Prepared by Dr. Julien Dumas, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France, August, 1955.
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 385
Determ. Bact., 1901, 228; Castellani and action of formalin and heat (Ramon, Dumas
Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 3rd ed., 1919, and Said Bilal, 1926).
935.) Pathogenicity: Avirulent but toxic for
dy.sen.te'ri.ae. Gr. noun dysenteria man causing epidemic bacillary dysentery.
d^'senter}-; ^NI.L. gen. noun dysenteriae of This is the only dysentery bacillus patho-
dysentery. genic for laboratory animals (rabbits, mice,
Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, oc- monkeys and dogs), producing lesions simi-
curring singly. Non-motile. Gram-negative. lar to those found in man.
Gelatin: Surface growth. No liquefaction. Dissociation: Dissociates spontaneously
Agar colonies: Circular, 1.0 to 1.5 mm in into S and R variants. The latter, which lack
diameter, raised, gray, opaque, shiny, en- the 0 antigen, can produce an active exo-
tire. After 48 hours there is spreading, and toxin.
the centers of the colonies become thick- Source: Isolated from widespread epi-
ened. demics of dysentery.
Broth : Slightly turbid in several hours, in- Habitat : A cause of dysentery in man and
creasing after 18 hours to a homogeneous monkeys. Found only in feces of the sick.
turbidity.
Litmus milk: Slightly acid, slowly becom- 2. Shigella schinitzii (Weldin and
ing slightlj^ alkaline. Levine, 1923) Hauduroy et al., 1937. {Shi-
Potato: Growth shinj^ slowly turning gella parashigae Remlinger and Dumas, Ann.
brown. Inst. Past., 29, 1915, 493; Bazillus Schmitz,
Indole not produced. Schmitz, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 84, 1917, 449;
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Bacillus dysenteriae "Schmitz", Murray,
Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose, Jour. Roy. Army Med. Corps, 31, 1918, 257;
galactose, rafhnose and sometimes from Bacillus ambiguus Andrewes, Lancet, 194,
glycerol (positive reaction with Stern's 1918, 560; Bacterium schmitzii Weldin and
medium). Xylose, maltose, sucrose, manni- Levine, Abst. Bact., 7, 1923, 13; Shigella
tol, dulcitol, arabinose, rhamnose, salicin ambigua Weldin, Iowa State College Jour.
and adonitol not attacked. Sci., 1, 1927, 177; Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d.
Kligler's medium: Red slope; yellow butt; Bact. Path., 1937, 496.)
no gas. schmit'zi.i. M.L. gen. noun schmitzii of
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Schmitz; named for Dr. K. E. F. Schmitz of
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- Roumania.
methylamine oxide. Morphology and cultural characters on
Catalase not produced. agar, gelatin, broth, milk and potato are
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. identical with those of Shigella dysenteriae.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. No growth Indole always produced.
at 45° C. Hj^drogen sulfide not produced.
Antigenic structure: The 0 antigen of Acid from glucose, galactose, fructose,
Shigella dysenteriae consists of a non-anti- maltose and rhamnose; irregular acid pro-
genic phospholipid and an antigenic toxic duction within 4 days from arabinose. No
protein together with a polj'saccharide re- acid from lactose, sucrose, mannitol, dul-
sponsible for the serological reactions citol, sorbitol, salicin, xylose or glycerol
(Boivin and Mesrobeanu, 1937; Morgan and (negative reaction with Stern's medium).
Patridge, 1940) . All strains have an identical Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
antigenic structure; they also have a minor Trimethylamine not produced from tri-
antigen, identical with that of Shigella methylamine oxide.
ambigua Weldin, which does not interfere Catalase not produced.
with slide agglutination. Aerobic, facultativeh^ anaerobic.
Toxin production: Among the dysentery Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C.
bacilli only Shigella dysenteriae produces an
active exotoxin in liquid media which can No Antigenic
growth at character:
45° C. Possesses a major
be changed into an anatoxin (toxoid) by the antigen specific to this species only and a
386 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
minor antigen (reacting feebly) in common Source: Found only in the stools from
with Shigella dysenterine. cases of dysentery.
Source: Isolated from the stools of dysen- Habitat: Relatively" imcommon in out-
tery patients. breaks of dysentery due to Shigella flexneri.
Habitat: Found in cases of human dysen-
tery, especiall}' in Europe; relatively un- 4. Shigella boydii Ewing, 1949. (Jour.
common. Bact., 57, 1949, 634 and 635.)
boyd'i.i. M.L. gen. noun boydii of Boyd;
3. Shigella arabinotarda Christensen named for Col. J. S. K. Boyd, the English
and Gowen, 1944. (See Large and Sankaran, bacteriologist who has made a special study
Jour. Roy. Army Med. Corps, 63, 1934, 231; of dysentery organisms.
and Sachs, Jour. Roy. Army Med. Corps, Rods. Non-motile. Some strains of sero-
80, 1943, 92; Christensen and Gowen, Jour. type 2may be encapsulated (Ewing). Gram-
Bact., 47, 1944, 171.) negative.
a.rab.i.no.tar'da. M.L. arabinosuni arab- Gelatin: No liquefaction.
inose; L. adj. tardus late; M.L. adj. ara- Indole produced by serotypes 5, 7 and 11.
binotardus (probably intended to mean) Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
producing a late or slow fermentation of Acid but no gas from mannitol (except for
arabinose. certain strains of serotypes 3, 6 and 10),
These organisms, frequently referred to glucose, arabinose and occasionally from
as the Large-Sachs Q-group, comprise six sucrose and maltose.
recognized serotj^pes, which are known as Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Q 771, Q 1167, Q 1030, Q 454, Q 902 and Antigenic structure: Shigella boydii is dis-
599-52; there is little doubt that Dudgeon tinguished from Shigella flexneri by possess-
and Urquhart's para-shiga is included ing a type-specific major O antigen and by
(Med. Res. Council Special Report Series lacking a group antigen. Some have minor
No. 40, 1919). antigens, which fact explains their serologi-
The morphology and cultural characters cal relationships.
on agar, gelatin, broth, potato and milk are Certain strains of Shigella boydii 2, 3, 5
identical with those of Shigella dysenteriae. and 7 may have K antigens, particularly
Ladole not produced (except by serotype antigen L, which masks the O agglutination.
Q902). In this case the agglutination should be
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. made in tubes with boiled cultures (Mad-
Acid from glucose, galactose, fructose, sen).
sorbitol and arabinose (slowlj^- No acid To determine the serological type, un-
from lactose, mannitol, dulcitol (except absorbed anti-boydii 1, 2, 3 and 5 sera are
serotype Q 1030) or rhamnose (except sero- used, but anti-boydii 4 serum should be
type Q902). absorbed with Shigella alkalescens and serum
Nitrites produced from nitrates. 6 with Shigella sonnei in phase II. With
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- encapsulated Shigella boydii 2, a serum
methylamine oxide. may be prepared which causes swelling of
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. the capsule of an organism of type 2 when a
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C. capsule is present.
No growth at 45° C. There are eleven serotypes, which are
Antigenic structure: Each type possesses represented by the following recognized
a type-specific particular O antigen and strains: 170, P288, 5DI, P274, P143, D19,
lacks a group antigen; therefore there is no Lavington, 112, 1296/7, 430 and 34.
cross reaction with other species. There is a Relationships to other species: Shigella
thermolabile capsular L antigen which can boydii 1 has antigenic relationships with
mask the O agglutination; thus diagnostic serotype 4, and Shigella boydii 3 with sero-
tests are best with broth cultures with type 6. However by far the most important
destruction of L antigen. serological relationships are those of Shigella
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 387
boydii 6 with Shigella sonnei in phase II, Optimum temperature, 37° C. No growth
Shigella dispar and with fraction A of at 45.5° C.
Shigella alkalescens (Wheeler and Ewing, Antigenic structure: The somatic antigen,
1946). In addition, Shigella boydii 6 has an extracted by diethyleneglycol, consists of a
antigen identical with that of Shigella protein together with a polyoside and a
sonnei in phase II and less important rela- phospholipid. The protein, dissociated with
tionships with Shigella flexneri 1 and 4. difficulty from the polyosides, is obtained in
Several types of Shigella boydii have anti- a pure state by a pancreatic digestion. In an
genic fractions identical with those of acid medium, the toxicity of the antigen
Escherichia coli 053, and Shigella boydii 5 has is related to the protein fraction and in an
fractions identical with those of Escherichia alkaline medium to the polyoside. The
coli 079 (Ewing, Hucks and Taylor, Jour. polyoside heptene is responsible for the
Bad., 63, 1952, 319). serological
1950). characters (Tal and Goebel,
Source: Isolated from feces in cases of
dysentery. The structure of the O antigen of Shigella
Habitat: Found only in the feces of the flexneri is much more complex than those of
sick; occurs only in a low proportion of cases the other shigellas. These organisms have a
of bacillary dysentery. major type antigen and several minor group
antigens (Murray, Jour. Roy. Army Med.
5. Shigella flexneri Castellani and Corps, SI, 1918, 257; Andrewes and Inman,
Chalmers, 1919. (Bacillus dysenteriae Flex- Med. Res. Council, Special Rept. Ser. No.
ner, Phil. Med. Jour., 6, 1900, 414; not 42, London, 1919). Andrewes has identified
Bacillus dysenteriae Shiga, Cent. f. Bakt., five groups of major antigens: V, W, X, Y
I Abt., ^4, 1898, 817; Bacillus paradysenteriae and Z; type Y is composed of variable pro-
Collins, Jour. Inf. Dis., 2, 1905, 620; Castel- portions of the other four antigens. The
lani and Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 3rd mosaic of minor antigens determines con-
ed., 1919, 937; Shigella paradysenteriae stant cross agglutinations among the
Weldin, Iowa State Coll. Jour. Sci.,1, 1927, various types of Shigella flexneri, although
178.) there is not any serological relationship
flex'ne.ri. M.L. gen. noun flexneri of Fle.x- with the other groups of shigellas. Boyd has
ner; named for Simon Flexner, the bacteriol- ascertained that the instability of the O
ogist who first isolated this species. antigen is due to a modification of the anti-
Rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns, occurring genic structure of the mutants which are
singly, often filamentous and irregularly developed in artificial media. In each cell
shaped in old cultures. Non-motile. Gram- the specific type antigen diminishes or dis-
negative. appears, and thus the organism retrogresses
Culturally identical with the other mem- toward a type common to every strain.
bers of the genus except that growth in The group diagnosis of Shigella flexneri is
broth is more abundant.
determined by agglutination with poly-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. valent serum; the diagnosis of the type is
Indole is produced (except by serotype 6) . then determined by a monospecific serum
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. obtained after absorption of the group
Acid but no gas from glucose and ara-
binose; irregularly from rhamnose, sucrose agglutinins. Certain varieties of Shigella
and maltose. Mannitol is fermented (except flexneri 6 are 0-inagglutinable because they
by certain strains of serotypes 4 and 6). have a K antigen which is similar to the
Lactose, dulcitol, xylose, sorbitol, salicin surface antigen B of Escherichia coli (Mad-
and adonitol are not attacked. sen). On boiling the emulsion for an hour to
Nitrites produced from nitrates. inhibit the B antigen, the organism becomes
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- agglutinable. Shigella flexneri has no impor-
methylamine oxide. tant serological relationships with the other
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. shigellas but has antigenic fractions identi-
388 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
cal with those of Salmonella poona and Sal- sick and in the feces of convalescents or of
monella worthington. carriers of dysentery bacilli.
There is no correhition between the sero-
tj^pes and the biochemical characters except 6. Shigella alkalescens (Andrewes, 1918)
for Shigella flexneri 3, which acidifies rham- Weldin, 1927. (Bacillus alkalescens An-
nose, and Shigella flexneri 6, which has par- drewes, Lancet, 194, 1918, 560; Weldin, Iowa
ticular biochemical characters. State Coll. Jour. Sci., 1, 1927, 179; Proshi-
Serotype Shigella flexneri 6 contains gella alkalescens Borman, Stuart and
strains each of which possesses biochemical Wheeler, Jour. Bact., 48, 1944, 363.)
properties at variance with those of the al.ka.les'cens. Arabic al the; Arabic
other strains as well as with those of the noun gaily the ashes of saltwort, etc.; M.L.
other serotypes of this species : strain Boyd part. adj. alkalescens alkaline-making.
88 produces acid from mannitol and glucose Rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns, occurring
and sometimes late acid from dulcitol; singly and in pairs. Non-motile. Gram-nega-
strain Shigella (Type Manchester) produces tive.
acid and gas from mannitol and glucose and Cultures in gelatin, on agar, in broth and
late acid and gas from dulcitol; Shigella on potato are similar to those of Shigella
(Type Newcastle) does not ferment manni- flexneri Castellani and Chalmers.
tol but produces acid and gas from glucose Litmus milk: Turns blue in 4 to 10 days;
and late acid and gas from dulcitol. whey produced in 3 to 5 days.
Other varieties of Shigella flexneri have Indole is produced.
been reported as not fermenting mannitol: Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Nelson (1948) isolated non-mannitol-fer- Acid but no gas from glucose, mannitol,
menting strains whose type antigens were xylose, rhamnose, maltose, dulcitol, sorbitol
similar to those of Shigella flexneri 4 (Boyd and occasionally from sucrose. Lactose,
103) . Shigella rabaulensis Munford and Mohr dextrin and salicin are not attacked.
(1944) and Shigella rio de Assis and Stafkow- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
sky (1948) also belong to this group: S. Trimethylamine produced from tri-
rabaulensis has an R antigen which, al- methylamine oxide; trimethylamine also
though belonging to the group antigen, is produced from choline.
specific for S. rabaulensis; S. rio is a degen- Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
erate variant of S. rabaulensis. Denier and
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth at
Huet (Bull. Soc. Path. Exot., 5, 1912, 263) 45.5° C.
isolated a strain, which they called Saigon Not generally accepted as pathogenic.
Bacillus, in Indo China which does not Distinctive characters: Produces tri-
ferment mannitol; it produces acid without methylamine from choline. Certain strains
gas from glucose, maltose and occasionally (serotypes 1 and 2) have the property of
from rhamnose and xylose in 12 to 24 days; agglutinating the erythrocytes of man,
it does not ferment mannitol, lactose, su- monkeys, dogs or sheep (Griffith, 1948).
crose, dulcitol or sorbitol and it produces Source: Isolated from the feces of con-
indole; it has a type 4 major antigen and valescents from dysentery and from healthy
minor antigens similar to those of several individuals; also isolated from a blood cul-
other serotypes oi Shigella flexneri. Pacheco, ture by Starkey (Jour. Canad. Med. Assn.,
Rubinsten, Piechaud and Kirch suggest 31, 1934, 41) and from cases of bacilluria by
that the name Shigella saigonensis be used Snyder and Hanner (Jour. Inf. Dis., 60,
to include all strains of S. flexneri which do 1937, 51).
not ferment mannitol. Habitat: Found in the intestinal canal.
Source: Isolated from feces in cases of Suspected as a cause of diarrhoea.
dysentery.
Habitat: The most common cause of dys- 7. Shigella sonnei (Levine, 1920) Wel-
entery epidemics and sometimes of infantile din, 1927. (Group III of Sonne, Sonne, Cent,
gastroenteritis. Found in the feces of the f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 75, 1915, 408; Bacillvs
FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 389
2) ^
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1947
man
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392 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES riSo.
sell Stro
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Flexner
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FAMILY IV. ENTEROBACTERIACEAE 393
Sonn
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Serotype
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394 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Bru.cel.la'ce.ae. M.L. fem.n. Brucella type genus of the family; -aceae ending to denote
a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Brucellaceae the Brucella famil3^
Small, coccoid to rod-shaped cells which occur singly, in pairs, in short chains or in
groups; filamentous and pleomorphic forms are occasionally found. Motile and non-motile
species occur, the motile species possessing from one to eight peritrichous fiagella; with
certain of the motile species, motility can be demonstrated only at lower temperatures (18°
to 26° C). May or may not be encapsulated. May or may not show bipolar staining. Gram-
negative. V (phosphopyridene nucleotide) and/or X (hemin) factors are sometimes required
for growth; blood serum and similar enrichment materials maybe required or may enhance
growth. Increased CO2 tension may also favor growth, especially on primary isolation.
Gelatin usuallj' not liquefied. Carbohydrates may or may not be attacked with the produc-
tion of acid but no gas. Nitrites may or may not be produced from nitrates. Aerobic, facul-
tatively anaerobic. Some invade living tissues; infection in some cases may take place by
penetration of the organism through mucous membranes or through the unbroken skin.
Parasites and pathogens which affect warm-blooded animals, including man, rarely cold-
blooded animals.
* The manuscript covering this genus was prepared by Prof. Robert S. Breed with the
assistance of Mr. Erwin F. Lessel, Jr. and Mrs. Eleanore Heist Clise, Cornell University,
Geneva, New York, and was reviewed by Dr. I. A. Merchant, Division of Veterinary Medi-
cine, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, October, 1955.
396 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Med. Veter., N.S. 60, 1898, 836); Bacillus Aerobic to facultatively anaerobic.
septicaemiae haemorrhagicae Sternberg, Man. Four distinct serological types. A, B, C
of Bact., 1893, 408; Bacterium muUocidum and D, have been recognized (Carter,
Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt., Diag., 2 Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 16, 1955, 481).
Aufl., 2, 1899, 196; Rosenbusch and Mer- Virulent for laboratory animals, espe-
chant, Jour. Bact., 37, 1939, 85.) cially mice and rabbits.
mul.to'ci.da. L. adj. multus many;L. v. Distinctive characters : Grows on ordinary
L. adj .suffix -cidus from L. v. caedo to cut, media. Bile salts inhibit growth.
kill; M.L. adj. muUocidus many-killing, i.e., Relationships of this species: Few species
killing many kinds (of animals) . of bacteria have been given so many differ-
Description taken from Schiitze (Med. ent names as the organism causing the so-
Res. Council, Syst. of Bact., London, 4, called chicken cholera of birds and the
1929, 451) who prepared it from studies of hemorrhagic septicemia of mammals. Pas-
230 strains described by 17 authors during teur (Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 90,
the years 1908 to 1926. 1880, 230, 952 and 1030) was one of the first to
Short, ellipsoidal rods, 0.3 to 1.25 microns recognize this species in chickens, but the
in length, occurring singly, in pairs, rarely earliest scientific name given to the species
in chains. Non-motile. Show bipolar stain- appears to be the completely forgotten
ing. Gram-negative. Micrococcus gallicidus given by the early
Gelatin: No liquefaction. American bacteriologist, Burrill (Amer.
Agar: Fine, translucent growth; charac- Naturalist, 17, 1883, 320; also see Jour. Roy.
teristic odor. A complex dissociation pattern Micro. Soc, London, 3, 1883, 399). The spe-
is shown. Many strains recovered from nor- cific epithet given by Zopf (Die Spaltpilze,
mal respiratory passages and from some 3 Aufl., 1885, 57) in the binomial Micrococcus
chronic infections are in the mucoid phase choleraegallinarum has been much more
and generally show a relatively lower viru- widely used, especially for the organism iso-
lence. Strains from acute cases of fowl chol- lated from birds.
era and hemorrhagic septicemia are in the At about the same time, Bollinger (Micro-
fluorescent (iridescent) phase and are highly parasiten bei eine neue Wild- und Rinder-
virulent (Carter, Canadian Journal Comp. seuche, Miinchen, 1879) had found the
Med. and Vet. Sci., 16, 1952, 150). hemorrhagic septicemia organism in ani-
Blood agar: No hemolysis. mals, and apparently the first name given
Broth: Uniform turbidity; characteristic this organism was the trinomial Bacterium
odor. bipolare multocidum Kitt (Sitz. Gesell.
Milk: No change in reaction; no coagula- Morphol. u. Physiol., Miinchen, 1, 1885, 24).
tion. This trinomial was changed to a binomial,
Potato: No visible growth. Bacterium multocidum, by Lehmann and
Indole is produced. Neumann (Bakt. Diag., 2 Aufl., 2, 1899, 196).
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. Later, as indicated above, this was changed
Acid but no gas from glucose, mannitol to Pasteurella nmltocidum (Rosenbusch and
(usually), sucrose, fructose, sorbitol, galac- Merchant, Jour. Bact., 37, 1939, 85). Be-
tose, mannose, xylose (usually) and tre- cause of the early use of the epithet multo-
halose (usually). No acid from lactose, cidum and because of its appropriateness,
dulcitol, arabinose (usually), amygdalin, it was used in the 6th edition of the Manual
maltose (usually), raffinose, rhamnose, on the recommendation of many students
adonitol, dextrin, inulin, glycerol, salicin of animal diseases, and its use is continued
(usually) or erythritol. Groupings based on in this edition. Meanwhile, Topley and
differences in sugar fermentations using Wilson introduced the entirely new binomial
xylose, arabinose, dulcitol, etc. do not ap- Pasteurella septica (Princip. Bact. and
pear to be natural ones. Immunol., 1st ed., 1, 1931, 488), and this
Nitrites produced from nitrates. name is currently widely used in England
because of its appropriateness and because
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C.
Killed at temperatures above 45° C. of the widespread use of -septica as a com-
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE 397
bining form in such specific epithets as Broth: Slight, uniform turbidity; slight
aviseptica, boviseptica, suiseptica, etc. Names pellicle formation.
of this type were apparently introduced Litmus milk: Unchanged.
about 1896. Potato: No growth.
The confusion that exists in regard to the Blood serum: Yellowish white streak, the
scientific name of this species should be medium becoming brownish and slowly
clarified by appropriate action taken by the liquefied.
International Judicial Commission on Bac- Indole is produced after several days.
teriological Nomenclature. A strict applica- Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
tion of the Priority Rule in the Bacteriologi- SHght acid but no gas from glucose. No
cal Code would apparently result in the acid from lactose.
introduction of a specific epithet gallicidus Aerobic.
never used in the literature except by its Optimum temperature, 37° C.
author. A careful review of the early litera- Not pathogenic for white mice, guinea
ture might even reveal some other binomial pigs, chickens or pigeons. Mildly pathogenic
validly published before 1883. No attempt for ducks.
is made here to list the various names that Source: Isolated from blood, exudates and
have been used for this species as found in all of the internal organs of geese.
various animals such as man, children, Habitat: Cause of a fatal septicemia in
calves, buffaloes, goats, sheep, swine, young geese.
horses, cats, dogs, ferrets, rats, mice, rab-
bits, guinea pigs, fowls, ducks, swans, wild 3. Pasteurella haemolytica Newsom
pigeons, pheasants, canaries, etc. and Cross, 1932. (Jour. Amer. Vet. Med.
Source: Early isolations were from fowls, Assoc, 80 (N.S. S3), 1932, 715.)
cattle and rabbits. hae.mo.ly'ti.ca. Gr. noun haema blood;
Habitat: The cause of chicken cholera Gr. adj. lyticus dissolving; M.L. adj. haemo-
and hemorrhagic septicemia in warm- lyticus blood-dissolving.
blooded animals. Bipolar staining. Similar in its general
characteristics to Pasteurella multocida.
2. Pasteurella septicaemiae (Bergey Blood agar: Hemolysis.
et al., 1925) Breed, comb. nov. {Bacillus Indole not produced.
septicaemiae anserum exsudativae Riemer, Acid from glucose, dextrin, fructose,
Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 37, 1904, 648; galactose, glycerol (usually), inositol,
Eberthella septicaemiae Bergey et al., Man- lactose (usually), maltose, mannitol, raffi-
ual, 2nd ed., 1925, 250.) nose, sorbitol, sucrose and xylose. No acid
sep.ti.cae'mi.ae. Gr. adj. septicus putre- from arabinose, dulcitol, inulin, mannose,
factive, septic; Gr. noun haetna blood; M.L. rhamnose or salicin.
noun septicaemia septicemia; M.L. gen. No cross-agglutination between Pasteur-
noun septicaemiae of septicemia. ella multocida and this species.
Avirulent for rabbits.
Small rods, 0.1 by 0.3 to 1.0 micron,
occurring singly, frequently in pairs, the one Source : Twenty strains were isolated from
behind the other, and in threads. cases of pneumonia in sheep and cattle.
Habitat: Occurs in pneumonia of sheep
Non-motile. Gram-negative. and cattle.
Gelatin colonies: Small, white, circular.
Gelatin stab: Slight, infundibuliform
4. Pasteurella anatipestifer (Hendrick-
liquefaction, becoming complete in several son and Hilbert, 1932) Hauduroy et al.,
weeks.
1953. (Pfeifferella anatipestifer Hendrickson
Agar colonies: Circular, transparent, and Hilbert, The Cornell Veterinarian, 22,
smooth, homogeneous, entire. 1932, 239; Pasteurella (?) anapestifer (sic)
Agar slant: Soft, grayish white streak, Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 2''ed.,
slightly viscid, becoming transparent. 1953, 367.)
Does not grow on Endo agar. a.na.ti.pes'ti.fer. L. fem.n. anas, anatis
398 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
duck;L. fem.n. pestis plague; L. v. fero to by Bruner and Fabricant (Cornell Veteri-
carry; L. adj. pestifer pestilence-carrying; narian, U, 1954, 461).
M.L. adj. anatipestifer duck-plague-carry- Habitat: Associated with a disease of
ing. ducklings.
Description prepared by Prof. D. W.
Bruner, New York State Veterinary College, 5. Pasteurella pestis (Lehmann and
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Neumann, 1896) Holland, 1920. (Bacille de
Short rods, 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.5 microns, la peste, Yersin, Ann. Inst. Past., 8, 1894,
occurring singly, in pairs and in short 666; Pest Bacillus, Aoyama, Ztschr. f. Hyg.,
chains. Non-motile. Gram-negative. 21, 1895, 165; Bacterium pestis Lehmann and
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction. Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 194;
Blood agar colonies: Small, circular, Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 219.)
transparent, entire. No hemolysis. pes'tis. L. noun pestis plague, pestilence.
Plain broth (horse meat) : Slight, uniform Rods, 1.0 by 2.0 microns, occurring singly.
turbidity that becomes more dense at 48 Characteristic bladder, safety-pin and ring
hours of incubation at 37° C. After several involution forms. Non-motile. Polar stain-
days a bluish ring forms at the surface where ing. Gram-negative.
contact is made with the test tube. No pel- Gelatin colonies : Flat, gray, with granular
licle isformed. The organism remains viable margin.
in this medium for about two weeks. Gelatin stab: Flat surface growth. Ar-
Loffler's blood serum: Liquefaction. borescent growth in stab. No liquefaction.
Coagulated egg medium (Dorset) : Lique- Agar colonies: Grayish white, translu-
faction. cent, iridescent, undulate.
Huddleson's thionin medium: Growth. Agar slant: Growth grayish, viscid, thin,
Huddleson's basic fuchsin medium: moist, translucent. Growth slow, favored
Growth. by the addition of blood or sodium sulfite.
Glycerol phosphate agar: Xo growth. Broth: Turbid or clear with flocculi in
Bile (10 per cent) in serum agar: Growth. the fluid. Old cultures show a pellicle with
Bile (40 per cent) in serum agar: No streamers into the fluid (stalactites). Be-
growth. comes alkaline more slowly than Pasteurella
Litmus milk: No visible change. pseudotuberculosis. See Bessonowa and
Indole not produced. Lenskaja (Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 119,
Hydrogen sulfide produced in slight 1930, 430).
amounts. Litmus milk: Slightly acid or unchanged.
Potato: No growth. No coagulation.
Sodium thioglycollate medium: Growth Potato: Scant, grayish growth.
in a ring about 1 cm below the surface. Indole not produced.
No acid from glucose or other carbohy- Lactose and rhamnose not attacked.
drates. Variable action on glycerol.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
May require CO2 for isolation, but be- Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
comes aerobic after several transfers. tween 25° and 30° C. Minimum, 0° C. Maxi-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. mum, between 43° and 45° C.
Not pathogenic for laboratory animals; Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
however, with ducks it may produce death Comments: Pasteurella pestis and P.
following intravenous infection of a freshly pseudotuberculosis are not definitely dis-
isolated culture. Not established as the tinguishable b.y serological methods
causative agent in so-called new duck dis- (Schiitze, Med. Res. Council, Syst. of Bact.,
ease. London, 4, 1929, 478, and Wu Lien-teh, in
Source: Isolated from cases of septicemia Chun, PoUitzer and Wu, "Plague", National
in ducklings on Long Island, New York, Quarantine Service, Shanghai, 1936). How-
1932. Reisolated from Long Island ducklings ever Thai and Chen (Jour. Bact., 69, 1955,
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE 399
103) recently reported biochemical methods Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
by which P. pestis and P. pseudotuberculosis arabinose, xylose, maltose, dextrin, salicin
can readily be differentiated: on ordinary and mannitol. Lactose, sucrose, rafiinose,
urea (Difco) slants with phenol red as inulin, adonitol and dulcitol not attacked.
indicator, the former does not affect the Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
medium whereas the latter produces a red Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
coloration of the medium; with desoxj'cho- Optimum temperature, 37° C.
late citrate agar, the colonies of P. pestis Pathogenic for canaries, sparrows, pi-
are rather scant, reddish and pin-point in geons, white mice, guinea pigs and rabbits.
size after 48 hours at 37° C, while those of Not pathogenic for chickens (Pfaff, loc. cit.).
P. pseudotuberculosis are abundant, large, Source: First encountered in an epidemic
opaque and, like the medium in general, of septicemia in canaries. Caused a necrotic
become yellow. enteritis.
Source: Isolated from buboes, blood, Habitat: Not known from other sources.
pleural effusion, spleen and liver of infected
rodents and man; also from sputum in pneu- 7. Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis
monic plague and from infected fleas. (Pfeiffer, 1889) Topley and Wilson, 1931.
Habitat: The causative organism of (Bacillus pseudotuberkulosis (sic) Pfeiffer,
plague in man and in rats, ground squirrels Ueber die bacillare Pseudotuberculose bei
and other rodents. Infectious for mice, Nagethieren, Leipzig, 1889, 5; Streptohacillus
guinea pigs and rabbits. Transmitted from pseudotuberculosis rodentium Preisz, Ann.
rat to rat and from rat to man by the in- Inst. Past., 8, 1894, 231; Topley and Wilson,
fected rat flea. Princip. Bact. and Immun., 1st ed., 2, 1931,
825.)
6. Pasteurella pfaffii (Hadley et al., pseu.do.tu.ber.cu.lo'sis. Gr. adj. pseudes
1918) Hauduroy et al., 1953. (Bacillus der false; L. noun tubercnlum a small swelling;
Kanarienvogelseuche, Pfaff, Cent. f. Bakt., M.L. neut.n. tuberculosis tuberculosis; M.L.
I Abt., Orig., 38, 1905, 276; Bacterium pfaffi, noun pseudotuberculosis pseudotuberculosis.
(sic) Hadley, Elkins and Caldwell, Rhode The tabular description by Eisenberg
Island Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 174, 1918, 169; (Bakt. Diag., 3 Aufl., 1891, 294) is very in-
Pasteurella pfaffi (sic) Hauduroy et al.. complete. Description taken from Topley
Diet. d. Bact. Path., 2" ed., 1953, 377.) and Wilson (Princip. Bact. and Immun.,
pfaffi. i. M.L. gen. noun pfaffii of Pfaff; 2nd ed., 1936, 607) and from Bessonowa,
named for Dr. Franz Pfaff of Prague, who Lenskaja and Molodtzowa (Office Internat.
isolated this species. d'Hyg. Publ., 29, 1937, 2106).
Description taken largely from Hadley Small rods which vary in size and shape:
et al. {op. cit., 1918, 180). ellipsoidal or coccoid forms are 0.8 by 0.8
Rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.0 microns, occurring to 2.0 microns, with rounded ends, occurring
singly. Non-motile. Gram-negative. singly; rod-shaped forms are 0.6 by 1.5 to
Gelatin colonies: Small, grayish, translu- 5.0 microns, with rounded ends, occurring
cent. singly, in groups or in short chains; occa-
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. sionally long, curved, filamentous forms
Agar colonies: Small, yellowish gray, occur. Motile by means of one to six peri-
homogeneous, translucent, entire. No odor. trichous flagella. Not acid-fast. Gram-
Agar slant: Slight, yellowish gray, trans- negative.
lucent streak. Gelatin stab: After 7 days at 22° C, good
Broth: Turbid; flocculent sediment (Pfaff, filiform growth extending to bottom of tube.
op. cit., 1905, 280). No liquefaction.
Litmus milk: Unchanged. Agar colonies: After 24 hours at 37° C,
Potato: Moderate, whitish streak. circular, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diameter, um-
Indole not produced. bonate, granular, translucent, grayish yel-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. low, butyrous; edge entire; dull, finely
400 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
granular or beaten-copper surface; differ- Relation to Med., Med. Res. Counc, Lon-
entiated into a raised, more opaque center don, 4, 1929, 474) states that this species
and a flat, clearer periphery with radial appears to be widely distributed in nature,
striation. having been found in soil, dust, water, fodder
Agar slant: After 48 hours at 37° C, and milk. It causes pseudotuberculosis in
growth moderate, confluent, raised, grayish the following animals: horse, cow, goat,
yellow, translucent, with glistening, wavy rabbit, hare, guinea pig, mouse, wild rat,
or beaten-copper surface and an irregularly cat, dog, monkey, hen, turkey, pigeon and
lobate edge. canary. The organism has been isolated
Blood agar plate: Good growth. No he- from human blood, spleen, liver, gall blad-
molysis. der, appendix and cerebro-spinal fluid.
Broth: After 24 hours at 37° C, moderate
growth with moderate turbidity which 8. Pasteurella tularensis (McCoy and
later clears. Viscous sediment. Incomplete Chapin, 1912) Bergey et al., 1923. (Bac-
surface and ring growth. Becomes alkaline terium tularense McCoy and Chapin, Jour.
more rapidly than does Pasteur ella pestis. Inf. Dis., 10, 1912a, 61; McCoy and Chapin,
^ Litmus milk: Usually slightly alkaline. Public Health Bull. 53, U. S. Treas. Dept.,
Potato: After 7 days at 22° C, a thin, Public Health Service, 1912b, 17; Bergey
yellowish membrane appears which later et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 267.)
turns brown. tu.la.ren'sis. M.L. adj. tularensis per-
Indole not produced. taining to Tulare County; named for
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Tulare, the county in California in which
Acid but no gas from glucose, maltose, tularemia was first observed.
arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, salicin, glyc- Description taken from McCoy and
erol and mannitol. Sometimes acid from Chapin (op. cit., 1912a, 61, and op. cit.,
sucrose. 1912b, 17) and from Francis (U. S. Hygienic
Methyl red test positive. Lab. Bull. 130, 1922). Further revision by
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. Francis, 1947.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Equal numbers of cocci and rods; 0.2 by
Ammonia is produced. 0.2 to 0.7 micron, occurring singly. Ex-
Methylene blue is reduced. tremely pleomorphic (Hesselbrock and
Catalase-positive. Foshay, Jour. Bact., 49, 1945, 209). Capsules
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. rare or absent. Non-motile. May show bi-
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C. polar staining. Gram-negative.
Minimum, 5° C. Maximum, 43° C. Thermal No growth on plain agar or in liquid media
death point, 60° C. for 10 minutes. without special enrichment (Tamura and
Pathogenicity: Infectious for mice, rats, Gibby, Jour. Bact., 45, 1943, 361). Filtera-
dogs, cats and horses. ble through Berkefeld filters.
Distinctive characters: Motile with peri- Growth occurs on coagulated egg yolk
trichous flagella and H antigen at 22° C; (McCoy and Chapin), on blood glucose
non-motile, non-flagellated and no H cystine agar (Francis), on blood agar,
antigen at 37° C; this change occurs near glucose blood agar and glucose serum agar.
30° C; non-motile strains grown at 37° C. The addition of fresh, sterile rabbit spleen
to the surfaces of the last three media favors
develop flagella when grown at 22° C.
(Preston and Maitland, Jour. Gen. Micro- the growth of the organism.
biol., 7,1952, 117). Forms minute, viscous colonies after 2 to
Comments: See description of Pasturella 5 days which may attain a diameter of 4
pestis for comments regarding the difTer- mm if well separated. Growth readily
entiation of these two species. emulsifiable.
Source: Isolated from a guinea pig inocu- Growth on blood media is gray. May cause
lated with material from a horse suspected green discoloration of the blood.
of having glanders. Rough, smooth and mucoid variants have
Habitat: Schiitze (Syst. of Bact. in not been reported.
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE 401
Relationships to other species: This rensis and other species of Pasteur ella by-
organism is very similar to Pasteurella serological and fermentation tests.
tularcnsis in gross appearance of cultures, Source: Isolated from a water sample
in microscopic appearance and in patho- taken from Ogden Bay, Utah,
genicity. It is distinguished from P. tula- Habitat: Water.
Bor.de.tel'la. M.L. dim. ending -eZZa; M.L. fem.n. Sor(ie<eZZa named for Jules Bordet, who,
with O. Gengou, first isolated the organism causing pertussis.
Minute coccobacilli. Motile and non-motile species occur. Gram-negative. On primary
isolation, some species are dependent on complex media; all are hemolytic. Carbohydrates
are not fermented. Litmus milk becomes alkaline. A dermonecrotic toxin is produced.
Parasitic. Cause whooping cough or an infection clinicallj^ resembling it.
The type species is Bordetella pertussis (Holland) Moreno-Lopez.
1. Bordetella pertussis (Holland, 1920) used to replace blood in certain agar media
Moreno-Lopez, 1952. (Microbe de coque- (Pollock, Brit. Jour. Exp. Path., £8, 1947,
luche, Bordet and Gengou, Ann. Inst. 295).
Past., 20, 1906, 731; Hemophilus pertussis Bordet-Gengou agar colonies: Smooth,
Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 219; Moreno- raised, entire, pearly, glistening. Sur-
Lopez, Microbiol. Espanola, 5, 1952, 177.) rounded by a zone of hemolysis with indefi-
per.tus'sis. L. prep, per very, severe; nite periphery. Growth in 3 to 4 days.
L. noun tiissis cough; M.L. noun pertussis Special liquid medium: Turbid; sediment
whooping cough; M.L. gen. noun pertussis is ropy,
of whooping cough. Litmus milk: Alkaline in 12 to 14 days
Minute coccobacilli, 0.2 to 0.3 by 1.0 mi- (after adaptation),
cron, occurring singly, in pairs and occa- Indole not produced,
sionally in short chains. Capsules may be Carbohydrates not attacked,
demonstrated by a special technique (Law- Citrate not utilized as a sole source of
son. Jour. Lab. Clin. Med., 25, 1940, 435). carbon.
Non-motile. Show a tendency to bipolar Nitrites not produced from nitrates,
staining. Gram-negative. Urea not split.
No growth on the usual laboratory media. Catalase-positive.
Adapted by repeated transfer with heavy Aerobic.
inoculum; adaptation accompanied by a loss Optimum temperature, between 35° and
of original characteristics. 37° C.
Bordet-Gengou medium containing at Serologically homogeneous when first
least 15 per cent blood is e.xcellent for isola- isolated (Phase I of Leslie and Gardner,
tion and maintenance. Charcoal may be Jour. Yiyg., 31, 1931, 423). Shows cross
agglutination with Bordetella parapertussis bacillus, Ferry, Amer. Vet. Rev., 37, 1910,
and B. bronchiseptica. B. pertussis antitoxin 499; also see McGowan, Jour. Path, and
neutralizes toxin of B. parapertussis and of Bact., 15, 1911, 372; Bacillus bronchicanis
B. bronchiseptica. Ferry, Jour. Inf. Dis., 8, 1911, 402; Bacillus
Source: Isolated from the respiratory bronchisepticus Ferry, Amer. Vet. Rev.,
tract in cases of whooping cough. 41, 1912, 79; Bacterium bronchisepticus
Habitat: Etiologically associated with Evans, Jour. Inf. Dis., 22, 1918, 580; Alcali-
whooping cough. genes bronchisepticus Bergey et al., Manual,
1st ed., 1923, 234; Brucella bronchiseptica
2. Bordetella parapertussis (Eldering Topley and Wilson, Princip. Bact. and
and Kendrick, 1937) Moreno-L6pez, 1952. Immun., 1st ed., 1, 1931, 508; Haemophilus
(Eldering and Kendrick, Jour. Bact., 33, bronchisepticus Topley and Wilson, ibid.,
1937, 71; Bacillus para-pertussis Eldering 3rd ed., 1, 1946, 787; Moreno-Lopez, Micro-
and Kendrick, Jour. Bact., 35, 1938, 561; biol. Espanola, 5, 1952, 177.)
Haemophilus parapertussis Topley and
bron.chi.sep'ti.ca. Gr. noun bronchus
Wilson, Princip. Bact. and Immun., 3rd the trachea; Gr. adj. septicus putrefactive,
ed., ), 1946, 802; Moreno-Lopez, Microbiol. septic; M.L. adj. bronchisepticus apparently
Espanola, 5, 1952, 177.) intended to mean "with an infected bron-
pa.ra.per.tus'sis. Gr. prep, para along-
side of, resembling; M.L. noun pertussis a Morphologically similar to Bordetella
specific epithet; M.L. adj. parapertussis pertussis. Motile by means of peritrichous
chus."
(Bordetella) pertussis-like. fiagella. Gram-negative.
Morphologically similar to Bordetella Gelatin colonies: Similar to those on agar.
pertussis. Non-motile. Gram-negative. No liquefaction.
Bordet-Gengou agar colonies: Like those Nutrient agar colonies: Smooth, raised,
of B. pertussis; surrounding medium is entire, pearly, glistening. No brown dis-
darkened followed by hemolysis. Growth in coloration ofmedium.
1 to 2 days. Blood agar colonies: Similar to those on
Peptone agar colonies: Like those on Bor- agar; surrounded by a zone of hemolysis.
det-Gengou agar. Brown coloring of medium. Rapid growth.
Broth: Ropy sediment; brown coloring Broth: Turbid; thin, gray pellicle; ropy
of medium. sediment.
Litmus milk: Alkaline in 2 to 4 days. Litmus milk: Alkaline in 1 to 2 days.
Indole not produced. Indole not produced.
Carbohydrates not attacked. Carbohydrates not attacked.
Citrate utilized as a sole source of carbon. Citrate utilized as a sole source of carbon.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Nitrites often produced from nitrates
Urea usually split. (Topley and Wilson).
Catalase-positive. Urea and asparagin are split.
Aerobic.
Catalase-positive.
Optimum temperature, about 37° C. Aerobic.
Serologically homogeneous. Shows cross
agglutination with Bordetella pertussis Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Shows cross agglutination with Bordetella
and B. bronchiseptica. Toxin neutralized by
pertussis and B. parapertussis. Toxin
antitoxin of jB. pertussis and of B. bronchi-
septica. indistinguishable from that of B. pertussis
Source: Isolated from the respiratory and of B. parapertussis.
tract in cases of a whooping-cough-like Source: Isolated from dogs affected with
disease. distemper.
Habitat: Etiologically associated with a Habitat: Etiologically associated with
whooping-cough-like disease. bronchopneumonia in rodents, broncho-
pneumonia-complicating distemper in dogs
3. Bordetella bronchiseptica (Ferry, and occasionally with a whooping-cough-
1912) Moreno-Lopez, 1952. (Short, narrow like disease in man.
404 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Bru.cel'la. L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.n. Brucella named for Sir David Bruce, who
first recognized the organism causing undulant fever.
Short, rod-shaped to coccoid cells, 0.5 by 0.5 to 2.0 microns. Encapsulated. Non-motile.
Gram-negative. Gelatin is not liquefied. No gas produced from carbohydrates. Urea is hy-
drolyzed. Parasitic, invading all animal tissues and producing infection of the genital
organs, the mammary gland and the respiratory and intestinal tracts. Pathogenic for vari-
ous species of domestic animals and man.
It has been found that a measurement of urease activity of the cells cannot be used as a
means of differentiating the species in Brucella (Sanders and Warner, Jour. Bact., 62, 1951,
591).
The differentiation of the species of Brucella by the bacteriostatic action of dyes depends
upon the medium used. When tryptose agar (Difco) is used, basic fuchsin and thionin should
be used in a final dilution of 1:100,000.
There are several forms of the R and mucoid types of Brucella spp. (Huddleson, Mich.
Agr. Exp. Sta. Mem. 6, 1952). The true R type differs from the S type in its lack of patho-
genicity, its antigenic properties, its susceptibility to agglutination by exposure of suspen-
sions to heat and to acriflavine in concentration of 1:2000 and in its colonial appearance.
The mucoid types differ antigenically, morphologically and culturally. Colonies on agar
are spherical or flat, regular in contour, grayish to reddish yellow in appearance. Suspen-
sions are agglutinated by heat and acriflavine; they are not always agglutinated by special
agglutinating sera. There is no change in their growth characteristics on media containing
either basic fuchsin or thionin.
For recent literature concerning this group of organisms, see Hoyer (Brucellosis, Amer
Assoc. Adv. Sci., Washington, 1950, 9), Pacheco and Thiago de Mello (Jour. Bact., 59, 1950
689), Sanders and Huddleson (Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 11, 1950, 75), Polding (Indian Vet
Jour., 27, 1950, 170), Marr and Wilson (Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 75, 1950, 438), San
ders and Warner (Jour. Bact., 62, 1951, 591), White and Wilson (Jour. Bact., 61, 1951, 239)^
Huddleson (Mich. Agr. Exp. Sta. Mem. 5, 1952, 67 pp.), Renoux (Ann. Inst. Past., 82
1952, 1), Pickett, Nelson and Liberman (Jour. Bact., 66, 1953, 210), Cruickshank (Jour
Hyg., 52, 1954, 105) and Pickett and Nelson (Jour. Bact., 69, 1955, 333). For literature dis
cussing a wasting disease of chickens caused by these organisms, see Dubois (Rev. Vet., 67
1910, 490), Huddleson and Emmel (Mich. State Coll. Agr. Exp. Sta., Tech. Bull. 103, 1929)
Gillman and Brunett (Cornell Vet., 20, 1930, 371) and Wilson (Jour. Hyg., 4, 1933, 516).
The type species is Brucella melitensis (Hughes) Meyer and Shaw.
11 11
Isola-
Days
(a), 30
Per -, ± Acti- 30Min.
Acti- 8
Cent
++ -, 0
(a) TypeS, primary isolation; (b) Final cone, 10"'; (c) Pickett and Nelson (Jour. Bact., 69, 1955, 333).
Brucella melitensis. As indicated in the table, cultures of this species show some variation in characteristics. These
variations, in turn, show some relationship to geographical distribution and/or to the host animal. The cultures de-
scribed under I appear to be most typical of the species (Folding, Indian Jour. Vet. Res., 27, 1950, 170).
Brucella abortus. The cultures described in the table under I are regarded as possessing the characteristics that are
most typical for the species. The cultures described under II were first described by Wilson (Jour, of Hyg., 4, 1933,
516) from cattle in France. Cultures showing the characters under III appear to come mainly from Asian countries
(Indonesia, India, Iran, Turkey). Wilson and Miles (in Topley and Wilson, Princip. Bact. and Immun., 3rd ed., /,
1946, 820) record similar cultures from Southern Rhodesia.
Brucella suis. The cultures described in the table under I are regarded as typical of the species. Those described
under II are representative of the Thomson strain. Wilson and Miles {ibid., 821) state that Br. suis strains from Den-
mark are more susceptible to all dyes than strains from America, although their differential susceptibility is the
same. Those described under type III are representative of cultures isolated largely since 1949 from man and hogs
from the hog-raising areas of central United States.
Ammonia produced in slight amounts pH for isolation (in an agar medium with
from urea. an atmosphere of 5 per cent CO 2), between
Aerobic. 7.5 and 7.8. pH drops to 7.1 or 7.2.
Source: Isolated from the tissues and
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C.
milk of infected cattle and hogs and from
No growth at 6° or at 45° C. Killed at 59° C.
Optimum pH (in an agar medium), be- blood in human cases of undulant fever.
tween 7.0 and 7.2. Habitat: Chief host is the milch cow.
Comments: Strains of this species show Causes infectious abortion in cattle; the
wide differences in urease and catalase same effects are produced in mares, sheep,
activity in cells of smooth-intermediate rabbits, guinea pigs and all other domestic
colonial types (Sanders and Warner, Amer. animals. Causes undulant fever (brucel-
Jour. Vet. Res., lit, 1953, 388). losis) in man and a wasting disease in
Distinctive character: Requires no in- chickens.
creased CO2 tension.
Source: Isolated by Bruce (op. cit., 1887, 3. Brucella suis Huddleson, 1929. (Or-
161) from the spleen in fatal cases of Malta ganism resembling Bacillus abortus, Anony-
fever. mous, U.S.D.A. Ann. Rept. Secy. Dept.,
Habitat: Chief host is the milch goat. Rept. of Chief Bur. Animal Ind., 1914,
The cause of undulant fever (brucellosis) 86 (30) ; authorship established by Traum
in man, of abortion in goats and of a wasting in North Amer. Vet., 1, No. 2, 1920; de-
disease of chickens. May infect cows and scribed as Bacillus abortus by Good and
hogs and may be e.xcreted in their milk. Smith, Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 415; Huddleson,
Infectious for all domestic animals. Undulant Fever Symposium, Amer. Pub.
Health Assoc, (Oct., 1928) 1929, 24; also see
2. Brucella abortus (Schmidt and Michigan Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 100,
1929, 12.)
Weis, 1901) Meyer and Shaw, 1920. (Bacil-
lus of abortion, Bang, Ztschr. f. Thiermed., su'is. L. noun sus the hog, swine; L.
1, 1897, 241; Bacterium abortus Schmidt and gen. noun suis of the hog.
Weis, Bakterierne, 1901, 266; Meyer and The morphological and cultural charac-
Shaw, Jour. Inf. Dis., 27, 1920, 173.) ters are similar to those of Brucella meli-
ab.or'tus. L. noun abortus, abortus abor- tensis.
tion. S cultures of Brucella suis can be differ-
The morphological and cultural char- entiated from S cultures of Brucella meliten-
acters are similar to those of Brucella meli- sis, but not from S cultures of Brucella
tensis with the following exceptions: Re-
abortus, by the agglutinin absorption test.
quires 5per cent CO 2 for isolation; becomes
Source: Isolated from urogenital and
aerobic after several transfers; the brown-
ing of the medium in agar slant culture is many other organs of swine.
less marked; S cultures can be differentiated Habitat: Chief host is the hog. Causes
from those of B. melitensis, but not from abortion in swine, undulant fever (brucel-
those of B. suis, by the agglutinin absorp- losis) in man and a wasting disease in
tion test. chickens. Also infectious for horses, dogs,
Optimum pH for growth (in an agar cows, monkeys, goats and laboratory ani-
medium), between 7.0 and 7.2; optimum mals.
Minute, rod-shaped cells which are sometimes thread-forming and pleomorphic. Non-
motile. Gram-negative. Strict parasites, growing only in the presence of certain growth
accessor}^ substances. May or may not be pathogenic. Found in various lesions and secre-
tions, as well as in normal respiratory tracts, of vertebrates.
The type species is Haemophilus influenzae (Lehmann and Neumann) Winslow et al.
Blood broth: Slightly turbid. No hemoly- al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 270; Pittman
sis. and Davis, Jour. Bact., 59, 1950, 413.)
Litmus milk with blood: Rendered very ae.gyp'ti.us. L. adj. aegyptius Egyptian.
slightly alkaline by some strains. Common name: The Koch-Weeks Bacil-
Sterilized potato slant: No growth. lus.
Fresh, unheated, sterile potato added to Rods, 0.25 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.5 microns,
broth favors development. occurring singly, occasionally in short
Indole is produced by some strains. chains and at times in the form of threads.
Various carbohydrates are attacked by Show bipolar staining. Non-motile. Gram-
some strains, provided a suitable medium negative.
is used, while other strains do not attack Requires both the factors V and X for
any of the carbohydrates. Mannitol and
lactose are never fermented. growth.
Blood agar colonies: Very small, circular,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. transparent, homogeneous, entire. No
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic; CO2 hemolysis. Satellitism with Micrococcus.
may favor primary isolation. V and X transparent agar colonies: 1 to
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C. 2 mm in diameter, bluish sheen in trans-
mitted light.
Minimum, between 25° and 27° C. Maxi-
mum, 43° C. Killed in thirty minutes at V andX broth: Turbid.
55° C. Indole not produced.
Pathogenic; strains may or may not be Weak acidity but no gas from glucose,
encapsulated. fructose and galactose. No acid from xylose,
Six serological types (a-f) of Haemophilus maltose, sucrose, lactose or mannitol.
influenzae are recognized on the basis of Nitrites produced from nitrates.
precipitation of immune serum by capsular Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
substance. Strains from cerebrospinal fluid
Optimum temperature, between 34° and
are usually of type b. The majority of the 37° C. Growth range, 25° to 40° C.
strains from the respiratory tract are not Pathogenic for man.
type-specific, but they may cause infec- Serologically homogeneous or closely
tion. related to, and distinct from, Haemophilus
Source : Isolated by Pfeiffer from cases of influenzae. Agglutinates human red blood
influenza; also found in the nasopharynx, cells.
in sputum, sinuses, conjunctiva, cerebro- Source: Isolated from conjunctiva.
spinal fluid, blood and in pus from joints. Habitat: Causes acute or subacute infec-
Habitat: Found in the respiratory tract. tious conjunctivitis in warm climates.
A cause of acute respiratory infections, of
acute conjunctivitis and of purulent menin- 3. Haemophilus suis Hauduroy et al.,
gitis of children, rarely of adults. Regarded 1937. (Hemophilus influenzae suis Lewis and
by Pfeiffer and by others to be the cause of Shope, Jour. Exp. Med., 54, 1931, 361;
influenza.
Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path.,
1937, 258.)
2. Haemophilus aegyptius (Trevisan,
1889) Pittman and Davis, 1950. (Koch, su'is. L. noun sus a hog, swine; L.
Wiener med. Wochnschr., 33, 1883, 1550; gen. noun suis of swine.
Morphologically resembles Haemophilus
reprinted in Arb. a. d. kaiserl. Gesund-
heitsamte, 8, 1887, Anlage 2, 19; Weeks, influenzae.
Arch. Ophthalmol., 15 (old series), 1886, Requires both the factors V and X for
441; also see New York Med. Record, 31, growth (Lewis and Shope, op. cit., 1931,
1887, 571; Bacillus aegyptius Trevisan, I 361). Requires V but not X; serum added to
generi e le specie delle Batteriacee, 1889, Levinthal agar stimulates growth (Alexan-
13; Bacterium aegyptiacum Lehmann and der, in Dubos, Bacterial and Mycotic
Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 2 Aufl., 3, 1899, Infections of Man, 2nd ed., 1952, 528).
191; Hemophilus conjunctivitidis Bergey et Blood agar colonies: Very minute. No
409
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE
hemolj^sis. Satellitism with contaminating strains, while other strains do not attack
organism. carbohydrates.
Chocolate blood agar colonies : 1.0 to more Nitrites produced from nitrates.
than 2.0 mm in diameter, grayish, semi- Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
transparent, circular, flattened with a Optimum temperature, 37° C.
sharply contoured edge. Grows more feebly Usually non-pathogenic; on rare occasions
than does Hnemophihis influenzae. causes subacute endocarditis.
Litmus milk containing blood: No change. Habitat: Found in the upper respiratory
Indole not produced. tract of man.
Weak acidity from maltose and sucrose.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. 5. Haemophilus gallinarum (Dela-
Slightly pathogenic, if at all, for labora- plane et al., 1934) Eliot and Lewis, 1934.
tory animals. {Bacillus hemoglobinophilus coryzae galli-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. narum de Blieck, Tijdsch. v. Diergeneensk.,
Optimum temperature, 37° C. 58, 1931, 310; also see Vet.
Serologically heterogeneous. Some cross 9; Delaplane, Erwin and Jour.,
Stuart,88, R.1932,'
I.
aggutination occurs with Haemophilus State Coll. Sta. Bull. 244, May, 1934; Eliot
influenzae. There is one type-specific group and Lewis, Jour. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc,
based on capsular substance, but no rela- 84, 1934, 878.)
tionship to the 6 types of Haemophilus gal.li.na'rum. L. noun gallina a hen;
influenzae (Alexander, loc. cit.). L. fern. pi. gen. n. gallinarum of hens.
Source: Isolated from the respiratory Common name: The fowl coryza bacillus.
tract and heart blood of cases of swine Small coccobacilli occurring singly, in
influenza. pairs and in short chains. At times very
Habitat: With the swine influenza virus, pleomorphic with long filaments. Non-mo-
causes tj'pical swine influenza (Shope, tile. Show bipolar staining. Gram-negative.
Jour. Exp. Med., 5^, 1931, 373). Requires both the factors V and X for
growth (Schalm and Beach, Jour. Bact.,
4. Haemophilus haeinolyticus Bergey 31, 1936, 161; Delaplane and Stuart, Jour!
et al., 1923. (Bacillus X, Pritchett and Agr. Res., 63, 1941, 29). Fails to grow on
Stillman, Jour. Exp. Med., 29, 1919, 259; certain media which support the growth of
also see Stillman and Bourn, Jour. Exp. Haemophilus influenzae (Delaplane et al.,
Med., 32, 1920, 665; Bergey et al.. Manual, op. cit., 1934; Gregory, Am. Jour. Vet. Res.,
1st ed., 1923, 269.) 5, 1944, 72).
hae.mo.ly'ti.cus. Gr. noun haema blood; Requires approximately 1.0 per cent so-
Gr. adj. lyticus loosening, dissolving; M.L. dium chloride in media for growth.
adj. haemolyticus blood-dissolving. Blood agar colonies: 0.3 mm or less in
Morphologically similar to Haemophilus diameter, smooth, translucent, becoming
influenzae. Non-motile. Gram -negative. more opaque with age.
Requires both the factors V and X for Filtered chocolate agar colonies: 0.5 to
growth (Rivers, Johns Hopkins Hosp. Bull., 0.6 mm in diameter, convex, smooth, trans-
S3, 1922, 149). lucent to slightly opaque, glistening.
Blood agar colonies: Resemble those of Indole not produced.
Haemophilus influenzae, but these are Glucose fermented; final pH, 6.4.
surrounded by a zone of hemolysis. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Blood agar slant: Thin, filiform, trans- Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic; CO2
parent growth. favors growth.
Blood broth: Turbid, showing hemolysis. Optimum temperature, 37° C. Killed in
Blood milk mixture: Slightly alkaline. 4 to 6 minutes at 55° C.
Sterile, unheated potato favors develop- Pathogenic for fowls.
ment. Source: Isolated from the nasal exudates
Indole produced by some strains. of fowls.
Various carbohydrates fermented by some Habitat: Causes Type I fowl coryza
410 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
characterized by rapid onset and short Requires the V factor for growth in all
duration; in association with coccobacilli- media.
forra bodies of Nelson, causes Type III Blood agar colonies: 1 to 3 mm in di-
fowl corj^za characterized by rapid onset ameter, slightly opaque, homogeneous,
and long duration (Nelson, Jour. Exp. Med., entire, friable, surrounded by a large, clear
67, 1938, 847). zone of hemolysis.
Blood agar slant: Thin, filiform, slightly
6. Haemophilus parainfluenzae Riv- opaque growth. Death occurs in a few days.
ers, 1922. (Johns Hopkins Hosp. Bull., 32, Broth: Stringy, floccular sediment; clear
1922, 429.) supernatant.
pa.ra.in.flu.en'zae. Gr. prep, para along- Indole usually not produced.
side of, resembling; M.L. noun influenzae Weak acidity from glucose and usually
a specific epithet; M.L. adj. parainfluenzae from sucrose and maltose.
(Haemophilus) influenzae-like. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Morphologically similar to Haemophilus Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
influenzae. Non-motile. Gram-negative. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Requires the V factor for growth. Habitat: Found in the upper respiratory
Blood agar colonies: Resemble those of tract; frequently associated with acute
Haemophilus influenzae. No hemolysis. pharyngitis and occasionally causes sub-
Blood agar slant: Thin, filiform trans- acute endocarditis.
plant.
Broth containing yeast extract: Floccular 8. Haemophilus aphrophilus Khairat,
sediment. 1940. (Jour. Path, and Bact., 50, 1940, 497.)
Indole produced by some strains from the a.phro'phi.lus. Gr. noun aphrus foam;
cat. Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. aphrophilus
Various carbohydrates fermented by some foam-loving.
strains, while other strains do not attack Coccobacilli, 0.4 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns,
carbohydrates. occurring singly and in irregular clumps.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. After repeated culture long, curved and
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. occasionally filamentous forms occur. Non-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. motile. Gram-negative.
Usually non-pathogenic; occasionally Requires the X factor for growth in air
causes subacute endocarditis. containing CO 2 , but not in the absence of
Habitat: Found in the upper respiratory
tract of man and cat. air.
Gelatin stab: Slight growth at 37° C.
No liquefaction.
7. Haemophilus parahaemolyticus Blood agar colonies: After one day, 0.15
Pittman, 1953. (Haemolytic influenza ba- to 0.4 mm in diameter, circular, entire,
cillus, Fildes, Brit. Jour. Exp. Path., 5, convex, smooth, glistening, translucent,
1924, 69; Hemophilus parainfluenzae, hemo- butyrous. After three days, 0.5 to 0.7 mm
lytic, Valentine and Rivers, Jour. Exp. in diameter with olive-green discoloration
Med., 45, 1927, 993; Pittman, Jour. Bact., of agar.
65, 1953, 750.) Tryptic digest broth: Faint, uniform
pa.ra.hae.mo.ly'ti.cus. Gr. prep, para turbidity with discrete colonies adhering
alongside of, resembling; M.L. noun hae- to glass.
molyticus a specific epithet; M.L. adj. Litmus milk: Slightly acid after 14 days.
parahaemolyticus {Haemophihis) haemoly- Indole not produced.
ticus-\\kQ. Acid but no gas from glucose, maltose
Usually larger and stain more heavily and lactose in 2 to 4 days and from starch
and unevenly than the other influenza and glycogen in 9 to 10 daj's. No acid from
bacilli. Vary from coccoid to long, tangled galactose, fructose, raffinose, xylose, man-
thread forms with much pleomorphism. nitol, dulcitol, sorbitol, salicin or inulin.
Non-motile. Gram-negative. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE 411
generic name of ferret; M.L. gen. pi. noun rounded ends, occurring singly and in short
putoriorvm of ferrets. chains. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
Coccoid to bacillary rods with a strong Requires the X factor (Lwoff, Ann. Inst.
pleomorphic tendency. Non-motile. Show Past., 62, 1939, 168) and other enrichment
liipolar staining. Gram-negative. for growth.
Growth requirement for V and X un- Gelatin colonies: No growth.
known. Growth reliable only on media con- Gelatin stab: No growth.
taining blood. On ordinary media growth Blood agar colonies: Small, grayish, glis-
occurs only in the vicinity of other bacteria. tening. Slight zone of hemolysis around the
Less hemoglobinophilic than is Haemophilus colony in three or four days (Teague and
influenzae. Deibert, Jour. Med. Research, 43, 1922,
61).
Levinthal agar colonies: Young colonies
are small with elevated centers and trans- Best growth is obtained on clotted rabbit,
parent peripheries; older colonies are flat sheep or human blood heated to 55° C. for
with bluish, glassy appearance in trans- 15 minutes and in casein digest agar con-
mitted light and bluish gray with whitish taining blood (Teague and Deibert, Jour.
luster in reflected light. Urology, 4, 1920, 543).
Agar slant: Poor, thin growth when sub- Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
cultured from Levinthal agar. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Broth: Lightly turbid; fine granules. Habitat: The cause of soft chancre
Odor like that of Haemophilus influenzae. (chancroid) .
Non-pathogenic for laboratory animals
when inoculated in pure culture. Intra- 13. Haemophilus haemoglobinophilus
cutaneous inoculation produces a marked (Lehmann and Neumann, 1907) Murray,
hemorrhagic lesion. 1939. (Bacillus haemoglobinophilus canis
Serologically, different strains are re- Friedberger, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig.,
lated but not homogeneous. Distinct from 33, 1903, 401; Bacterium haemoglobinophilus
Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 4
suis. Aufl., 2, 1907, 270; Murray, in Manual,
Source: Isolated from the respiratory 5th ed., 1939, 309.)
tracts of ferrets. hae. mo. glo.bi.no 'phi. lus. Gr. noun
Habitat: Found in the respiratory tracts haema blood; L. noun globus a sphere; M.L.
of ferrets. noun haemoglobinum hemoglobin; Gr. adj.
philus loving; M.L. adj. haemoglobinophilus
12. Haemophilus ducreyi (Neveu-Le- hemoglobin-loving.
maire, 1921) Bergey et al., 1923. (Ducrey, Small rods, 0.2 to 0.3 by 0.5 to 2.0 microns,
Riforma Med., 5, 1889, 98; also see Cong, occurring singly, in pairs and in short
internat. de dermatol. et syph., Compt. chains. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
rend., Paris, 1890, 229; Monatsh. f. prakt. Requires the X factor for growth.
Dermatol., 9, 1889, 387; and ibid, 21, 1895, Blood agar colonies: Small, clear, trans-
57, abstract in Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., 18, parent, entire. Old colonies become opaque.
1895, 290; Streptobacillus of soft chancre, Blood broth: Turbid.
Unna, Monatsh. f. prakt. Dermatol., H, Blood milk mixture: Doubtful develop-
1892, 485; also see ibid, 21, 1895, Ql; Bacillus ment.
idceris cancrosi Kruse, in Fliigge, Die Indole is produced.
Mikroorganismen, 3 Aufi., 2, 1896, 456; Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
Coccobacillus ducreyi Neveu-Lemaire, Precis galactose, mannitol, sucrose and xylose.
Parasitol. Hum., 5th ed., 1921, 20; Bergey No acid from maltose, lactose, dextrin,
et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 271.) arabinose or glycerol (Rivers, Jour. Bact.,
du.crey'i. M.L. gen. noun ducreyi of 7, 1922, 579).
Ducrey; named for A. Ducrey, the bac- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
teriologist who first isolated this organism. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Small rods, 0.5 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns, with
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
413
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE
* Prepared by Prof. Dr. H. Haupt, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany, April, 1955.
415
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE
Litmus milk: Slowly acidified; slimy, nying; M.L. part. adj. actinomycetemcomi-
viscid. Sometimes coagulated and reduced. tans accompanying an actinomycete.
No caseolysis. Description taken from Topley and Wil-
Potato: No visible growth. son {loc. cit.), Colebrook (Brit. Jour. Exp.
Indole not produced. Path., 1, 1920, 197) and Bayne-Jones (Jour.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. Bact., 10, 1925, 572).
Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose, Cocco-bacilli, occurring as rods, 1.0 to
xylose, lactose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, 1.5 microns long, or as cocci, 0.6 to 0.8
mannitol and raffinose. Dextrin usually micron in diameter, in densely packed
fermented. No action on rhamnose, dulcitol, masses. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
sorbitol or inositol. Usually no action on Generally will grow on nutrient media
salicin, adonitol or arabinose. under aerobic as well as anaerobic condi-
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. tions; increased CO2 tension accelerates
Uric and citric acids not utilized. growth (Holm, Riassunti delle Comunica-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. zioni, VI Congresso Internaz. di Micro-
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- biologia, Roma, 1, 1953, 407; also see Acta
methylamine oxide (Wood et al., Jour. Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 34, 1954, 235;
Bact., 46, 1943, 100). abst. of the latter paper in Biol. Abst., 29,
1955, No. 6185).
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Does not
grow at 45.5° C. (Stuart et al., Jour. Bact., Gelatin: No liquefaction.
46, 1943, 105). Agar colonies: Small, transparent, hemi-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. spherical, tough, adherent.
Non-hemolytic. Glucose agar: Growth thin, dry, granular,
Not pathogenic for small experimental hard, slightly yellow, adherent.
animals. Produces abscesses and joint -ill Liquid gelatin or broth: At 37° C., numer-
when infected subcutaneously into horses. ous, isolated, translucent granules, 0.5 to
Serologically heterogeneous (Edwards) ; 1.0 nma in diameter; adherent granules are
related serologically to Actinobacillus formed along the walls of the tube. In a few
Ugnieresii Brumpt and to A. mallei Thomp- days they fuse into a grayish white mass,
son (Haupt, op. cit., 1934, 524). fornndng a ring around the tube and a pel-
Source: Isolated from cases of joint-ill licle over the surface. Later the granules
in foals. become opaque and grayish white.
Habitat : Generally a harmless inhabitant Glucose broth: Turbid. Yellowish flakes.
of the intestinal canal of solipeds; causes Milk: No growth.
joint-ill and nephritis purulenta chiefly Potato: No growth.
in foals 1 to 4 days old, sometimes in adoles- Acid but no gas from glucose and lactose.
cent solipeds. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
No growth at 22° C.
3. Actinobacillus actinomycetenico- Not pathogenic for laboratory animals.
mitans Topley and Wilson, 1936. {Bac- Toxic to rabbits on injection, but a true
terium actinomycetem comitans Klinger, infection is not set up.
Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 62, 1912, 198; Distinctive character: Manner of growth
Bacterium comitans Lieske, Morph. u. Biol, in liquid gelatin.
d. Strahlenpilze, 1921, 233; Actinobacillus Relationship to other species: Compara-
actinomycetem comitans Topley and Wilson, tive investigations may show this organism
Princip. of Bact. and Inmaun., 1st ed., 1, to be identical wuth Actinobacillus Ugniere-
1931, 253 and 256; Topley and Wilson, ibid., sii Brumpt.
2nd ed., 1936, 279.) Source: Originally isolated from lesions
ac . ti . no . my . ce . tem. co'mi . tans. Gr. noun of actinomycosis; also found in a jaw infec-
actis, actinis a ray; Gr. noun myces, myce- tion in a young woman (Thj0tta and Sydnes,
tis a fungus; M.L. noun actinomyces ray Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 28, 1951,
fungus; L. part. adj. comitans accompa- 27; abst. in Biol. Abst., 25, 1951, No. 28469)
417
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE
and in mice (Valine and Gaillard, Ann. N. Y., 36, 1937, 740); however, in view of
Inst. Past., 84, 1953,647). its inability to infect laboratory animals
Habitat: Found in human cases of actino- and because of its bacillary morphology in
mycosis either alone or in mixture with the calf lungs, Topley and Wilson (Princip. of
Gram-positive bacilli of Wolff and Israel Bact. and Immun., 3rd ed., 1946, 393) feel
(1891). that A. actinoides should be treated sepa-
rately from S. moniliformis.
4. Actinobacillus actinoides (Smith, Comments: Heilmann (Jour. Inf. Dis.,
1918) Topley and Wilson, 1931. (Bacillus 69, 1941, 32) discusses the question raised
actinoides Th. Smith, Jour. Exp. Med., ^8, by Klieneberger (Jour. Path, and Bact., 40,
1918, 342; Topley and Wilson, Princip. of 1935, 93; also see ibid., 4^, 1936, 587), Daw-
Bact. and Immun., 1st ed., 1, 1931, 253 and son and Hobby (Proc. 3rd Intern. Cong,
256.) of Microb., New York, 1939, 177) and others
ac.ti.no.i'des. Or. noun aciis, actinis a on Asterococcus-like forms originating from
ray; Gr. noun eidus shape, form; M.L. adj. cultures of Streptobacillus moniliformis
actinoides ray -like. Levaditi et al.
In tissues the organisms appear as delicate Source: Isolated by Th. Smith from an
rods, 0.4 to 0.5 micron in width, arranged enzootic of chronic pneumonia in calves;
in groups. In cultures, coccoid or bacillary in five cases the only cultivable organism,
forms occur. In the condensation water of in four cases associated with other patho-
coagulated blood serum, small, round, genic species and in three cases absent. Th.
mulberry-like flakes up to 1 mm in diameter Smith raises the question of some noncul-
may be seen which consist of sheathed fila- tivable, unrecognized microorganism. No
ments, each filament terminating in club- other authors have observed similar cases.
like expansions. The sheaths as well as the Jones has isolated an organism resembling
clubs are unstainable and enclose chains of Actinobacillus actinoides Topley and Wilson
minute bacilli. Cells from cultures on agar from a pneumonia in old white rats (Jour.
containing tissue, milk or blood appear in Exp. Med., 38, 1922, 441).
the form of rods without capsules or clubs. Habitat: Pathogenic, affecting calves
Non-motile. Gram-negative. and probably other domestic animals.
Nutrient agar with or without blood:
Uncertain growth. Serial transfers on this 5. Actinobacillus mallei (Zopf, 1885)
medium generally fail. Thompson, 1933. (Rotz-Bacillus, Loefl[ler and
Broth: No growth. Schiitz, in Struck, Deutsch. med.
Potato: No growth. Wochnschr., 8, 1882, 707; Bacillus mallei
Litmus milk: No growth. Zopf, Die Spaltpilze, 3 Aufl., 1885, 89;
An accumulation of fatty substances in Pfeifferella mallei Buchanan, Jour. Bact.,
the cultures has been reported. 3, 1918, 54 (type species of genus Pfeifferella
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Buchanan, loc. cit.) ; Thompson, Jour. Bact.,
Not pathogenic for laboratory animals. 26, 1933, 226; see ibid., 25, 1933, 44; Malleo-
Distinctive characters: For isolation bits rnyces mallei Pribram, Klassifikation der
of tissue are brought into the condensation Schizomyceten, Leipzig und Wien, 1933, 93
water of coagulated serum, the tubes being (type species of genus Malleomyces Pribram,
sealed with wax. Serial transfers may be loc. cit.).)
successful on the same medium held under mal'le.i. L. noun malleus the disease
increased CO2 tension (microaerophilic con- glanders; L. gen. noun mallei of glanders.
ditions). Appearance of mulberry-like Common name: Glanders bacillus.
granules. Description taken largely from Kelser
Relationship to other species: A resem- (Man. Vet. Bact., 4th ed., 1943, 325).
blance between Actinobacillus actinoides Slender rods, 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.5 to 4.0 mi-
Topley and Wilson and Streptobacillus crons, with rounded ends, usually occurring
moniliformis Levaditi et al. has been noted singly, in pairs and in groups; in culture
by Dienes and Edsall (Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol., preparations, sometimes occur as filaments.
418 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Mo.rax.el'la. M.L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.n. Moraxella named for V. Morax, the
bacteriologist who first isolated the type species of this genus.
Small, short, rod-shaped cells which occur as diplobacilli and which are sometimes de-
scribed as diplococci; occasionally occur singly. Non-motile. Gram-negative. Do not re-
quire V (phosphopyridine nucleotide) or X (hemin) factors for growth; growth is, however,
dependent upon or improved with the addition of serum or ascitic fluid. Litmus milk is
unchanged or becomes alkaline. Carbohydrates generally not attacked. Activelj^ proteo-
lytic, liquefying inspissated blood serum and even egg media. Oxidase-positive. Aerobic.
Found as parasites and pathogens in warm-blooded animals, being especially found in
association with diseases of the eye.
The type species is Moraxella lacunata (Eyre) Lwoff.
1. Moraxella lacunata (Eyre, 1899) Ann. Rept. Del. Col. Agr. Exp. Sta., 9, 1897,
Lwoff, 1939. (Diplobacille de la conjuncti- 66; not Bacterium conjunctivitis Chester,
vite subaigue, Morax, Ann. Inst. Past., 10, ibid., 67; Bacillus lacjinatus Eyre, Jour.
1896, 337; Diplobacillus of chronic conjunc- Path, and Bact., 6, 1899, 5; not Bacillus
tivitis, Axenfeld, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., 21, lacunatus Wright, Memoirs Nat. Acad. Sci.,
1897, 1; Bacterixnn conjunctivitis Chester, 7, 1895, 435; Bacterium duplex Lehmann and
Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 2 Aufl., 2, 1899 Monatsbl. f. Augenheilk., 42, 1904, 64;
(July), 193; Bacterium conjuncHvitidis Murray, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 591.)
Chester, Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, 120; li.que.fa'ci.ens. L. part. adj. liquefaciens
not Bacterium conjunctivitidis Migula, dissolving.
Syst. d. Bact., 2, 1900, 509; Diplobacillvs Rods, 1.0 to 1.5 by 2.0 microns, with
moraxaxenfeld McNab, Klinische Monatsbl. rounded ends, occurring in pairs and some-
f. Augenheilk., J^2, 1904, 64; Bacillus duplex times singly. Capsules not demonstrated.
Hewlett, Med. Res. Council Syst. of Bact., Non-motile. Stain uniformly with basic
2, 1929, 417; Lwoff, Ann. Inst. Past., 62, aniline dyes. Gram-negative.
1939, 173.) Will barely grow in bouillon or peptone
la.cu.na'ta. L. noun lacuna a hollow or water without the addition of blood serum.
cavity; M.L. adj. lacunatus pitted. Gelatin colonies: Round, 1.5 to 2.0 mm in
Short rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 2.0 microns, diameter, j-ellowish white.
occurring singly, in pairs and in short Gelatin stab: Rapid liquefaction.
chains, with ends rounded or square in the Blood agar: Ready growth in primarj- and
chains. Non-motile. Gram-negative. subculture.
Requires the addition of blood serum for Ascitic agar colonies: Grayish, thick,
growth in bouillon or peptone water. round, viscous.
Gelatin colonies: No growth. Peptone agar colonies: Same as above,
Gelatin stab: No growth. but less abundant growth.
Blood agar colonies: No growth on pri- Coagulated serum: Liquefaction in 3 to
mar}^ isolation. Growth on subculture is 4 days; eventually complete.
difficult. Certain strains are not surrounded Plain broth: Poor growth, if any. Slight,
by zones of hemolysis, while others are uniform turbidity.
(Oag, Jour. Path, and Bact., 54, 1942, 128). Ascitic broth: Abundant growth in 24
Serum agar colonies: No growth on pri- hours at 35° C. Uniform turbidity. Later
mary isolation. sediment and an opaque pellicle.
Loffler's blood serum: Slow but definite Milk: No growth. No coagulation.
liquefaction with deep pitting around the Potato: Slight, yellowish white, viscous
colonies.
Ascitic broth: Turbid with slight, grayish growth.
sediment. Optimum temperature, between 20° and
37° C. Killed at 55° C for 15 minutes.
Blood milk mixture: Doubtful develop- Aerobic.
ment. Not pathogenic for laboratory animals.
Litmus milk: No growth. Source: Isolated from cases of conjuncti-
Potato: No growth. vitis associated with corneal ulceration in
Various carbohydrates and mannitol are man.
attacked. Habitat: Conjunctivitis in man so far as
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. known.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Comments: Audureau (Ann. Inst. Past., 3. Moraxella bovis (Hauduroy et al.,
64, 1940, 128) reports a variety of this organ- 1937) Murray, 1948. (Diplobacillus, Allen,
ism which differs from the parent strain in Jour. Amer. Vet. Med. Assn., 54, 1918, 307;
that it does not liquefy serum. Diplobacillus, Jones and Little, Jour. Exp.
Source: Isolated from conjunctiva. Med., 38, 1923, 139; Hemophilus bovis Hau-
Habitat: Causes subacute infectious con- duroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, 247;
junctivitis, or angular conjunctivitis. Murray, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 591.)
bo'vis. L. noun bos cow, ox; L. gen. noun
2. Moraxella liquefaciens (McNab, bovis of an ox or cow.
1904) Murray, 1948. (Diplobacille liqu^fiant, Short, plump rods, 0.5 by 1.5 to 2.0 mi-
Pettit, Annales d'oculistique, March, 1899, crons, with rounded ends, usually occurring
166; also see Thesis, Paris, 1900, 223; Diplo- in pairs and in short chains. Encapsulated.
hacilbis liquefaciens McNab, Klinische Non-motile. Gram-negative.
FAMILY V. BRUCELLACEAE 421
Gelatin: Slow growth at 22° C. Ver}^ slow Broth: Slow growth; slight turbidity;
liquefaction. considerable sediment.
Blood agar colonies: After 24 hours, Litmus milk: Alkaline. Partial coagula-
tion.
round, translucent, grayish white, sur-
Potato: No growth.
rounded by a narrow, clear zone of hemoly-
Indole not produced.
sisdeep
; colonies tiny with a clear hemolytic
zone, usually 1.5 mm in diameter. After 48 No acid from glucose or other carbohy-
drates.
hours, surface colonies somewhat flattened, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
3.5 to 4.0 mm in diameter; deep colonies Aerobic.
ellipsoidal and biconvex with hemolytic
area 2.5 to 3.0 mm in diameter. Optimum temperature, 36° C. Killed at
58° to 59° C. in five minutes.
Blood agar slants : After 24 hours at 38° C. , Not pathogenic for laboratory animals.
heavy, viscid, grayish white growth. Source: Isolated from acute cases of
Coagulated serum: Liquefaction. ophthalmia (pink eye) of cattle.
1. Noguchia granulosis (Noguchi, 1928) arises from one of the poles but which occa-
Olitsky et al., 1934. {Bacterium granulosis sionally appears as if attached to one side.
Noguchi, Jour. Exp. Med., 48, 1928, Supple- Gram-negative.
ment 2, 21; Olitsky, Syverton and Tyler, No growth on plain agar or broth.
Jour. Exp. Med., 60, 1934, 382.) Blood agar colonies: Minute, round,
gra.nu.lo'sis. L. noun granulum a small shiny, somewhat raised, almost transparent
grain; Gr. suffix -osis; M.L. fem.n. granulosis or slightly grayish in 48 hours; later the
pathological condition characterized by col- colonies increase in size and are grayish,
lection ofgranules; M.L. gen. noun granulo- opalescent and somewhat sticky. Old col-
sis of granulosis. onies have a brownish or yellowish tint.
Rods measuring 0.25 to 0.3 by 0.8 to 1.2 Semi-solid Leptospira medium: Grayish
microns in young cultures; involution forms white, diffuse growth forming a delicate
occur in old cultures on blood agar. Motile zone 1 cm deep.
by means of a single flagellum which usually Liquid Leptospira medium: Diffuse,
Arranged by Prof. C. D. Kelly, McGill University, Montreal, P.Q., Canada, October,
1938.
422 OEDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
slightly cloudy growth; sticky, grayish Agar colonies: Small, circular, grajdsh,
sediment at the bottom of the tube in old translucent, smooth, convex, slightly raised
cultures. with a sticky or mucoid consistency.
Acid from glucose, fructose, mannose, Agar slants: Grayish white to white,
sucrose, galactose, maltose, salicin, xylose, moist, mucoid, raised, glistening growth.
mannitol, dextrin, arabinose, amygdalin Growth is more profuse when blood is added.
and lactose. Small amount of acid from Blood agar colonies : More highly translu-
raffinose, inulin, rhamnose and trehalose. cent and colorless during earlj- growth than
No acid from dulcitol, sorbitol or inositol. those on plain agar, becoming grayish after
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. two or three daj's.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Leptospira medium: Homogeneous, dense
tween 15° and 30° C. Grows at 37° C. growth in a 0.5 cm, sharply defined layer
Optimum pH, 7.8. with a slight, nebulous, uniform opacity
Non-pathogenic for rabbits, guinea pigs, about 1 cm below. In three or four days the
rats and mice. lower layer becomes more dense and in time
Distinctive characters: Non-motile when extends to the bottom of the tube.
cultured on Leptospira medium or on blood Broth: Uniformly turbid; slight, grayish
agar plates at 30° to 37° C; motile when sediment; no pellicle.
Litmus milk: Unchanged.
grown on horse blood agar slants at 30° C.
or on Leptospira medium or blood agar Potato: Light tan, spreading, abundant
plates at 15° C. Carbohydrates are attacked.
Agglutination reactions. growth.
Indole not produced.
Source : Isolated from cases of trachoma of Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
American Indians at Albuquerque, New mannose, galactose, xylose, arabinose and
Mexico. rhamnose. Small amount of acid from dex-
Habitat: Regarded by Noguchi and by trin. Some strains produce a small amount
others as a cause of trachoma in man. Pro- of acid from sucrose, lactose, inulin and
duces a granular conjunctivitis in monkej^s mannitol. Raffinose, salicin, dulcitol, amyg-
and apes. dalin, maltose, trehalose, sorbitol and inosi-
tol are not attacked.
2. Noguchiasimiae (Olitsky et al., 1933) Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Olitsky et al., 1934. (Bacterium simiae Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Olitsky, Syverton and Tyler, Jour. Exp. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Med., 57, 1933, 875; Olitsky, Syverton and tween 28° and 30° C. Thermal death point,
Tyler, ibid., 60, 1934, 382.) 56° C. for thirty minutes.
si'mi.ae. L. noun simia ape; L. gen. noun Serological reactions: Rabbit antiserum
simiae of an ape. is specific for all strains, and there is no
Slender rods, 0.2 to 0.3 by 0.8 to 1.2 mi- cross agglutination with Noguchia granulo-
crons, with pointed ends, occurring singly, sis.
in pairs, in short chains or in a parallel Distinctive characters: Attacks carbohy-
arrangement of two or three cells. Encapsu- drates. Agglutination reactions.
lated. Motile by means of flagella which Source: Isolated from inflammatory type,
are really of the peritrichous type, although Type II, of spontaneous conjunctival
normally not more than one flagellum is folliculosis in monkeys (Macacus rhesus).
found attached near the end but usually not Habitat: Causes conjunctival folliculosis
in the polar position; occasionally two in monkeys (Macacus rhesus).
separated flagella are observed in lateral
positions. Gram-negative. 3. Noguchia cuniculi Olitsky et al.,
Gelatin colonies: More mucoid and more 1934. (Olitsky, Syverton and Tyler, Jour.
raised than those on agar. Exp. Med., 60, 1934, 382.)
Gelatin stab: Arachnoid growth along line cu.ni'cu.li. L. noun cunioilns rabbit; L.
of inoculation. No liquefaction. gen. noun cuniculi of a rabbit.
423
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE
Small, slender rods, 0.2 to 0.3 by 0.5 to thick which progresses slowly until the
1.0 micron, with pointed ends. Capsules bottom of the tube is reached in about seven
formed are of much finer texture than those days.
surrounding Noguchia granulosis or No- Broth: Uniformly turbid; no pellicle.
guchia simiae. IMotile by means of six to Litmus milk: Unchanged.
eight peritrichous flagella. Not acid-fast. Potato: Faint, buff-colored (changing to
Gram-negative. brown after five days), non-spreading,
Gelatin agar colonies: Grayish, mucoid, sparse surface growth.
confluent. Indole not produced.
Gelatin stab: Tenuous, arborescent, non- No acid or gas from glucose, fructose,
spreading growth. No liquefaction. mannose, mannitol, sucrose, raffinose,
Agar colonies: Small, spherical, translu- inulin, galactose, maltose, salicin, xylose,
cent, slightly grayish, smooth, somewhat dextrin, arabinose, amygdalin, lactose,
convex, moist, mucoid, entire. dulcitol, rhamnose, trehalose, sorbitol or
Agar slants: Slightly grayish, translu- inositol.
cent, coalescent, glistening, mucoid, homo- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
geneous, non-spreading growth. The water of Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
sj'neresis appears uniformly cloudy or milky Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
depending on the amount of growth. tween 28° and 30° C. Thermal death point,
Blood agar colonies: More profuse, more 56° C. for 15 to 30 minutes.
grayish and less translucent than those on Serological reactions: Rabbit antiserum
plain agar. is specific for all strains, and there is no
Leptospira medium: After 24 hours there cross agglutination with Noguchia granulosis
is a faint, nebulous surface growth followed or Noguchia simiae.
by an ingrowing sac-like mass, with its base Distinctive characters : No action on car-
5 mm across, lying at the center of the bohydrates. Agglutination.
under surface and extending for 5 mm into Source: Isolated from spontaneous con-
the medium. The area spreads laterally junctival folliculosis, Type II, of rabbits.
until at about two or three days there is a Habitat: Causes conjunctival folliculosis
uniform, opaque, whitish layer about 1 cm in rabbits
Bac.te.ro.i.da'ce.ae. M.L. noun Bacteroides type genus of the family; -aceae ending to
denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Bacieroidaceae the Bacteroides family.
Rods, with rounded or pointed ends, w^hich vary in size from minute, filterable forms to
long, filamentous, branching forms; marked pleomorphism may occur. May be motile or
non-motile, the motile species possessing peritrichous flagella (rarely, motility has been
ob.served without demonstrable flagella). Gram-negative. Body fluids are frequentl}- re-
quired for growth and are always stimulative. Simple carbohydrates are usuall}' fermented
with the production of acid; gas may be produced in glucose or peptone media. Normally
these are strict anaerobes, but occasionally microaerophilic species occur. Found primarily
in the intestinal tracts and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. Sometimes patho-
genic.
* Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, Prof. E. G. D. Murraj^
University of Western Ontario, Canada, and Dr. Nathan R. Smith, Senior Bacteriologist,
Retired, Plant Industry Station, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland,
have prepared the general sections for Family Bacieroidaceae, June, 1955. Other contribu-
tors as noted have prepared the sections covering special groups within this family.
424 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
bb. Requires serum or ascitic fluid for growth. Produces a black pigment on
blood agar.
11. Bacteroides melaninogeniciis.
aa. Gelatin liquefied.
b. Attack carbohydrates.
12. Bacteroides ovatus.
13. Bacteroides convexus.
bb. Do not attack carbohydrates.
14. Bacteroides coagulans.
15. Bacteroides putredinis.
2. Gas not produced in culture media.
a. Gelatin is liquefied.
16. Bacteroides uncatus.
17. Bacteroides tumidus.
18. Bacteroides exiguus.
19. Bacteroides uniformis.
20. Bacteroides vulgatus.
21. Bacteroides distasonis.
aa. Gelatin not liquefied.
b. Action on cellulose not recorded.
22. Bacteroides capillostis.
23. Bacteroides cylindroides .
19. Bacteroides uniformis.
20. Bacteroides vulgatus.
21. Bacteroides distasonis.
bb. Attacks cellulose.
24. Bacteroides succinogenes.
aaa. Action on gelatin not recorded.
25. Bacteroides glutinosus.
26. Bacteroides destillationis .
B. Encapsulated. Sub-genus Capsularis Prevot {ibid., 290).
1. Requires serum or ascitic fluid for growth.
27. Bacteroides viscosus.
2. Does not require serum or ascitic fluid for growth.
28. Bacteroides variabilis.
II. Motile. Sub-genus Zuberella Prevot {loc. cit.).
A. Gas produced in culture media.
29. Bacteroides serpens.
B. No gas produced in culture media.
30. Bacteroides variegatus.
berg et al., Les Microbes Ana^robies, 1937, adj. foetens stinking; M.L. adj. perfoetens
720). very stinking.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Small, ellipsoidal rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 0.8
Anaerobic. to 1.0 micron, occurring singly, in pairs, in
Optimum temperature, 37° C. short chains or in irregular groups. Non-
Pathogenicity: Some strains produce sub- motile. Gram-negative.
cutaneous abscesses in rabbits, guinea pigs Gelatin: No growth.
or mice. Glucose agar: Deep colonies lenticular,
Source and habitat: From acute appen- with bubbles of fetid gas.
dicitis, pulmonary gangrene, abscesses of Glucose broth: Rapid growth, with pow-
the urinary tract and septicemias in man. dery precipitate and fetid gas.
Milk: Unchanged.
2. Bacteroides furcosus (Veillon and Indole not produced.
Zuber, 1898) Hauduroy et al., 1937. (Bacillus Acid from glucose and sucrose. Some
furcosus Veillon and Zuber, Arch. Med. strains produce acid from lactose.
Exp. et Anat. Path., 10, 1898, 517; Hauduroy Anaerobic.
et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, Ql;Ristella Optimum temperature, 37° C.
furcosa Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, Not pathogenic.
291.) Source: Isolated from the intestines of
fur.co'sus. L. adj. furcos^is forked. infants with diarrhoea.
Small rods with forked ends. Non-motile. Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract of
Gram-negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar: Deep colonies very small, trans- 4. Bacteroides incommunis Eggerth
parent, regular, yellowish. No gas. and Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon,
Blood agar: Small, moist colonies with Jour. Bact., 25, 1933, 402; Ristella incom-
irregular edges. 291.) munis Pr6vot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938,
Broth: Slow growth; fine precipitate;
little gas with sourish, fetid odor. in.com.mu'nis. L. adj. incommunis not
Milk: No coagulation. common .
Coagulated egg white not digested. Rods, 0.5 to 1.5 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns,
Coagulated serum not digested. occurring singly. Non-motile. Stain solidly.
Acid and gas from glucose, maltose, su- Gram-negative.
crose and mannitol. No action on lactose Gelatin: No liquefaction.
or inulin. Blood agar colonies: Elevated, slightly
Anaerobic. yellowish, 1 mm in diameter. One strain
formed soft colonies; the other was stringy
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Pathogenicity: Produces subcutaneous when emulsified.
abscesses in guinea pigs. Broth: Growth is diffuse.
Source: Isolated from cases of appendi- Milk: Acidified but not coagulated;
citis and from lung abscesses. coagulates promptly on boiling.
Habitat: Found in cases of appendicitis Indole not produced.
and similar infections in man. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Acid and a small amount of gas from
3. Bacteroides perfoetens (Tissier, amygdalin, arabinose, cellobiose, dextrin,
1905) Hauduroy et al., 1937. (Cocco-Bacillus fructose, galactose, glucose, inulin, lactose,
anaerohius perfoetens Tissier, These M6d., maltose, mannose, raffinose, rhamnose,
Paris, 1900, 70; Coccohacillus perfoelans sucrose and xylose. One strain fermented
(sic) Tissier, Ann. Inst. Past., 19, 1905, 110; glycogen and starch. No action on esculin,
Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, glycerol, mannitol, melezitose, salicin,
67; Risiella perfoetens Prdvot, Ann. Inst. sorbitol or trehalose.
Past., 60, 1938,291.) Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
per.foe'tens. L. pref. per very; L. part. Peptone: No gas.
427
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE
Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 87, 1922, Acid and gas from glucose, fructose,
339; Hauduroy et al., Diet. d. Bact. Path., maltose, lactose, sucrose and mannitol.
1937, 78; Ristella trichoides Pr4vot, Ann. Neutral red decolorized.
Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.) Anaerobic.
tri.cho.i'des. Gr. adj. trichoides hair-like. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Rods, 0.3 by 5.0 microns, with rounded Pathogenicity doubtful.
ends. Pleomorphic with long filaments in Source: Two strains were isolated from
cultures. Non-motile. Gram-negative. cases of gangrenous erysipelas associated
Gelatin: No liquefaction. with a streptococcus.
Glucose agar: Deep colonies lenticular, Habitat: Presumably found in various
tenacious, whitish. infections in man.
Martin broth: Uniform turbidity in 2 to
3 days followed by fiocculent precipitate 9. Bacteroides halosniophilus Baum-
and clearing. gartner, 1937. (Baumgartner, Food Re-
Milk: Acid and coagulation. search, 2, 1937, 321; Ristella halosmophila
Coagulated egg white: Not digested. Prevot, Man. de Class, et de Determ. des
Coagulated serum: Not digested. Bact. Ana^robies, 1940, 47.)
Hydrogen sulfide produced. ha.los.mo'phi.lus. Gr. noun hals salt;
Acid and gas from glucose, maltose, su- Gr. noun osnms a pushing, thrust; Gr.
crose, fructose, lactose and mannitol. Gas adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. halosniophilus
but no acid from glycerol. salt-pressure-loving.
Neutral red decolorized. Rods, with rounded ends and frequently
Anaerobic. curved, varying in size and shape, the aver-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. age size being 0.5 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns,
Pathogenicity: Produces subcutaneous occurring singly, in pairs and occasionally
abscesses in rabbits. in chains. Pleomorphic. Non-motile. Gram-
Source: One strain was isolated from a
negative.
case of cholecystitis. Gas is produced.
Habitat: Presumably found in various in- NaCl-nutrient gelatin: No liquefaction in
fections inman. 21 days.
NaCl-nutrient broth: Uniform turbidity;
8. Bacteroides terebrans (Brocard and
sparse, granular sediment.
Pham, 1934) Kelly, comb. nov. {Bacillus NaCl-agar colonies: After 4 to 6 days, 2
terebrans Brocard and Pham, Compt. rend. to 3 mm in diameter, finely granular,
Soc. Biol., Paris, 117, 1934, 997; Ristella smooth, moist, low convex, round, entire,
terebrans Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, translucent, buff-colored, readily emulsi-
291.) fied in 15 per cent NaCl solution.
te.re'brans. L. part. adj. terebrans per- NaCl-agar streak: Buff-colored, trans-
forating.
parent, beaded.
Rods, 2 to 3 microns long, with rounded NaCl cooked meat medium: Gas pro-
ends. Pleomorphic with swollen bodies and duced. Meat slightly reddened in 4 days.
chromatic granules. Non-motile. Gram- Slight fetid odor.
negative. Indole not produced.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Hydrogen sulfide produced in trace
Glucose agar: Deep colonies spherical
amounts.
with irregular edges. Some gas.
Glucose broth: Uniform turbidity; some Acid and gas from glucose, maltose and
gas with foul odor. glycerol. No acid from lactose, sucrose,
Milk: Acid but no coagulation. inulin, mannitol, dulcitol or salicin.
Coagulated egg white: Not digested. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Coagulated serum: Not digested. Nitrites not produced from nitrates in 21
Growth inhibited by bile. days.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Halophilic; more than 4 per cent NaCl is
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE 429
required in the medium for growth. Opti- tella melaninogenica Pr6vot, Ann. Inst.
mum, 12.5 to 15 per cent. Past., 60, 1938, 290; Roy and Kelly, in Man-
Optimum pH, between 7.4 and 7.6. Limits ual, 5th ed., 1939, 569.)
of pH, 5.5 to 8.5. me.la.ni.no.ge'ni.cus. Gr. adj. melas
Anaerobic. black; M.L. noun melaninum melanin; Gr.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 35° C. adj. genicus of the family; M.L. adj. mel-
Slight growth at 22° C. No growth at 56° C. aninogenicus melanin-producing.
Source: Isolated from salted Mediter- Description taken from Oliver and
ranean anchovies; frequently isolated from Wherry (op. cit., 1921, 341) and Burdon
the fish muscle and the solar salt (the prob- (Jour. Inf. Dis., 4^, 1928, 161).
able infecting agent) in which the fish is Rods, 0.8 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns. Non-
packed. motile. Gram-negative.
Habitat: Probably sea water. Serum gelatin stab: Dense, flocculent
growth at 37° C. No liquefaction.
10. Bacteroides putidus (Weinberg et Blood agar slant: Confluent, black, dry
al., 1937) Kelly, comb. nov. {Bacillus gracilis layer. The blood is disintegrated in one to
putidus Tissier and Martelly, Ann. Inst. two weeks, forming melanin. The medium
Past., 16, 1902, 865; Bacillus putidus Wein- becomes colorless.
berg et al., Les Microbes Ana^robies, 1937, Sodium phosphate broth: Turbid.
790; not Bacillus putidus Kern, Arb. bakt. Litmus milk: Slow acidification but no
Inst. Karlsruhe, 1, Heft 4, 1896, 400; Ristella coagulation.
putida Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, Blood serum slant: Fairly luxuriant,
291.) white, moist layer.
pu'ti.da. L. adj. putidus stinking, fetid. Acid from fructose, glucose, lactose,
Small, thin, straight rods, occurring maltose, sucrose and mannitol. No acid
singly or in short chains; longer forms occur from galactose.
in older cultures. Non-motile. Gram-nega- Growth is stimulated by the X factor, but
tive. there is very little growth stimulation by the
Gelatin: No liquefaction. V factor (Schwabacher, Lucas and Riming-
Glucose agar: Deep colonies lenticular in ton. Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 1, 1947, 109).
48 hours, later becoming irregular. No gas. Anaerobic.
Broth: Turbidity in 48 hours with a
powdery precipitate. No gas. Putrid odor. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Non-pathogenic for rabbits, guinea pigs
Milk: No action. or white mice (Burdon).
Albumin: Broken down to proteoses and Distinctive characters: Growth very poor
amines with the production of hydrogen sul- unless fresh body fluids are added to the
fide and acetic, butyric and valerianic acids. medium. Grows more readily in mixed cul-
Fibrin is digested with the production of ture. When grown on a medium containing
gas. haemoglobin, a black pigment is produced.
Urea is broken down. Comments: Schwabacher et al. {loc. cit.)
No action on carbohydrates. have shown that the black pigment pro-
Fats are saponified. duced by this species is, in reality, hematin,
Anaerobic.
not melanin; the specific epithet melanino-
Growth occurs at 37° C. or at room tem- genicus is, therefore, inappropriate, and
perature.
Source: Isolated from putrefying meat. they recommend renaming this species. Re-
Habitat: Found in decomposing organic naming, however, is contrary to inter-
matter. nationally accepted rules governing nomen-
clature.
11. Bacteroides melaninogenicus (Oli- Source: Isolated from the oral cavity, ex-
ver and Wherry, 1921) Roy and Kelly, ternal genitalia, an infected surgical wound,
1939. (Bacterium melaninogenicuvi Oliver and urine and feces (Oliver and Wherry) .
Wherry, Jour. Inf. Dis., 28, 1921, 341; Ris- Habitat: Inhabits healthy mucous mem-
430 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
branes of mammals but may take a part in Acid and a small amount of gas from
various pathological processes (Burdon). esculin, amygdalin, cellobiose, dextrin,
fructose, galactose, glucose, glycogen,
12. Bacteroides ovatus Eggerth and inulin, lactose, maltose, mannose, raffinose,
Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. starch, sucrose and xylose. No acid or gas
Bact., ^5, 1933, 405; Pasteurella ovata Prevot, from arabinose, glycerol, mannitol, melezi-
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.) tose, rhamnose, salicin, sorbitol or tre-
halose.
o.va'tus. L. adj. ovatus ovate, egg-shaped.
Small, ellipsoidal rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
to 2.0 microns, occurring singly. Non- Peptone: No gas.
motile. Stain solidly. Gram-negative. Anaerobic.
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 4 days. Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
Blood agar colonies: Soft, grayish ele- Source: Five strains were isolated from
vated colonies, 1.0 to 1.5 mm in diameter. human feces.
Broth: Diffuse, heavy growth. Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals
Milk: Acidified and coagulated in 4 days. of mammals.
Indole is produced.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. 14. Bacteroides coagiilans Eggerth and
Acid and a small amount of gas from Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour.
esculin, amygdalin, cellobiose, dextrin, Bact., £5, 1933, 409; Pasteurella coagulans
Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.)
fructose, galactose, glucose, glycogen, inu-
lin, lactose, maltose, mannose, raffinose, co.a'gu.lans. L. part. &&]. coagulans curd-
rhamnose, starch, sucrose and xylose. No ling, coagulating.
Rods, 0.5 to 2.0 microns long. Show bi-
acid or gas from arabinose, glycerol, manni-
polar staining. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
tol, melezitose, salicin, sorbitol or trehalose. Gelatin: Liquefied in 8 to 12 days.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Blood agar colonies: Soft, transparent,
Peptone: No gas. 0.5 mm in diameter.
Anaerobic. Broth: Diffuse growth.
Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. Milk: Coagulated in 8 days without acid
Source: One strain was isolated from production. The coagulum partly redis-
human feces. solves after 3 to 4 weeks.
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals Indole is produced.
of mammals. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
13. Bacteroides convexus Eggerth and Anaerobic.
Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
Bact., 25, 1933, 406; Pasteurella convexa Distinctive characters: No acid or gas
Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.) from carbohydrates. A small amount of
con. vex 'us. L. adj. convexus convex. gas is produced from peptone. Phenol red
Thick, ellipsoidal rods, 0.8 to 1.5 microns and brom cresol purple are decolorized in a
long, occurring singly or in pairs. In glucose meat infusion broth.
Source: One strain was isolated from
broth, the rods are usually 2.0 to 3.0 microns
human feces.
long. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals of
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 20 to 30 days.
mammals.
Blood agar colonies: Elevated, grayish,
somewhat opaque colonies, 1.0 to 1.5 mm in 15. Bacteroides putredinis (Weinberg
diameter.
et al., 1937) Kelly, couih. nov. (Bacillus A,
Broth: Heavy diffuse growth. Heyde, Beitr. z. klin. Chirurg., 76, 1911, 1;
Milk: Acidified and coagulated in 4 days. Bacillus 'putredinis Weinberg et al., Les
Indole not produced. Microbes Ana^robies, 1937, 755; not Bacillus
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. putredinis Trevisan, Add. ad Gen., p. 36;
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE 431
see DeToni and Trevisan, in Saccardo, biose, glycerol, glycogen, inulin, mannitol,
Sylloge Fungorum, 8, 1889, 1025; Ristella mannose, melezitose, sorbitol, trehalose or
putrcdinis Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, xylose.
291.) Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
put.re'di.nis. L. noun piitredo putridity; Peptone: No gas.
M.L. gen. noun putredinis of putridity. Anaerobic.
Straight rods, 0.8 by 3.0 to 4.0 microns, Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
with rounded ends, one of which may be Source: One strain was isolated from
swollen. Non-motile. Gram-negative. human feces.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Foul odor. Habitat: Probabl}' the intestinal canals
Agar: Deep colonies small, round to ar- of mammals.
borescent. No gas.
Broth: Rapid growth; uniform turbidity. 17. Bacteroides lumidus Eggerth and
No gas ; foul odor. Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour.
Milk: Rapid growth; casein precipitated Pact., 25, 1933, 405; Ristella tumida Prevot,
and peptonized. Small amount of gas; foul Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.)
odor.
tu'mi.dus. L. adj. tumidus swollen.
Coagulated serum: Digested. Small, thick, ellipsoidal rods, 1.0 to 1.5
Indole is produced. microns long, occurring singly. On glucose
Hydrogen sulfide produced in broth. broth there are many swollen forms, 1.0 to
No acid or gas from carbohydrates. 4.0 by 1.5 to 10.0 microns, which stain ir-
Anaerobic. regularly; the bodies of these swollen forms
Optimum temperature, 37° C. are usually very pale, with only the ends
Pathogenicity : Produces local abscesses in staining. Non-motile. Stain solidly. Gram-
animals when mixed with Escherichia coli.
Source: Fifteen strains were isolated from negative.
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 12 to 20 days.
cases of acute appendicitis. Blood agar colonies: Soft, grayish, ele-
Habitat: From cases of acute appendicitis vated colonies, 1 mm in diameter.
and presumably found in similar infections Broth: Heavy, diffuse growth.
in man. INIilk: Acidified but not coagulated.
Indole not produced.
16. Bacteroides uncatus Eggerth and Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. Acid but no gas from de.xtrin, fructose,
Pact., 25, 1933, 404; Ristella uncata Prevot, galactose, glucose, glycogen, inulin, lactose,
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 291.) maltose, mannose, rafRnose, sorbitol, starch
un.ca'tus. L. adj. uncatus hooked at the and sucrose. No acid or gas from esculin,
tip. amygdalin, arabinose, cellobiose, glycerol,
Rods, ordinarily 5 to 8 microns long, with mannitol, melezitose, rhamnose, salicin,
extreme variations in size and form; curved trehalose or xylose.
and hooked forms are common. Non-motile. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Gram-negative. Peptone: No gas.
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 16 daj's. Anaerobic.
Blood agar colonies: Very minute and
Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
transparent. Source: Four strains were isolated from
Broth: Turbid; growth is slow and light. human feces.
Milk: Not acidified or coagulated.
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals
Indole not produced.
of mammals.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Acid but no gas after 8 to 30 da3^s of incu-
bation from dextrin, fructose, galactose, 18. Bacteroides exiguus Eggerth and
glucose, lactose, maltose, raffinose, rham- Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour.
nose, salicin, starch and sucrose. No acid Bact., 25, 1933, 407; Ristella exigua Prevot,
from esculin, amygdalin, arabinose, cello- Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.)
432 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ex.i'gu.us. L. adj. exiguus small and galactose, glucose, glycogen, inulin, lactose,
narrow. maltose, mannose, melezitose, raffinose,
Very small, slender rods, 0.5 to 1.0 micron salicin, starch, sucrose, trehalose and
long, occurring singly and in pairs. Non- xylose. No acid or gas from glycerol, manni-
motile. Gram-negative. tol, rhamnose, sorbitol, dulcitol, erythritol
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 16 to 20 days. or inositol.
Blood agar colonies: These are of two Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
types: one is pin-point in size, the other is Peptone: No gas.
large, gray, moist and 1.0 to 1.5 mm in Anaerobic.
diameter. Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
Broth: Diffusely clouded. Distinctive characters: Produces indole.
Milk: Acidified and may or may not be Resembles Bacteroides vulgatus.
coagulated in 35 to 40 days. Source: Eight strains were isolated from
Indole not produced. human feces.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals
Acid but no gas from fructose, galactose, of mammals.
glucose, lactose, maltose, mannose, sucrose
and trehalose. One strain ferments raffinose. 20. Bacteroides vulgatus Eggerth and
No acid or gas from esculin, amygdalin, Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour.
arabinose, cellobiose, dextrin, glycerol, Bact., 25, 1933, 401; Pasteurella vulgata
glycogen, inulin, mannitol, melezitose, Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.)
rhamnose, salicin, sorbitol, starch or xylose. vul.ga'tus. L. adj. vulgatus common.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Ellipsoidal rods, 0.7 to 2.5 microns long,
Peptone: No gas. usually occurring singly, sometimes in pairs;
Anaerobic. one strain forms filaments 10.0 microns long.
Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. Morphology very variable in glucose broth.
Source: Two strains were isolated from Non-motile. Stain solidly, although some
human feces. strains show bipolar staining. Gram-nega-
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals tive.
of mammals. Gelatin: Liquefaction in 4 to 20 days by
all but one strain.
19. Bacteroides uniformis Eggerth and Blood agar colonies: Soft, translucent,
Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. grayish, elevated, 1.5 to 2.0 mm in diam-
Bact., 25, 1933, 400; Rislella uniformis eter. Half of the strains are hemolytic.
Pr^vot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 291.) Broth: Heavy and diffuse growth.
u.ni.for'mis. L. adj. uniformis of a single Milk: Acidified. Coagulated by some
form. strains in 5 to 25 days.
Small rods, 0.8 to 1.5 microns long, with Indole not produced.
rounded ends, occurring singly. Non-motile. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Stain heavier at poles and around periphery. Acid and a small amount of gas from
Gram-negative. arabinose, dextrin, fructose, galactose,
Gelatin: Liquefaction by two strains in glucose, glycogen, inulin, lactose, maltose,
15 to 40 days. No liquefaction by six strains. mannose, raffinose, rhamnose, starch, su-
Blood agar colonies: Transparent, soft, crose and xylose. Seven strains fermented
elevated, 0.5 to 0.75 mm in diameter. esculin. No acid or gas from amygdalin,
Broth: Diffuse growth. cellobiose, glycerol, mannitol, melezitose,
Milk: Acidified and coagulated in 8 to 12 salicin, sorbitol, trehalose, dulcitol, erythri-
days. tol or inositol.
Indole is produced. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Hydrogen sulfide produced slowly or not Anaerobic.
at all. Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
Acid but no gas from esculin, amygdalin, Distinctive characters: Does not form
arabinose, cellobiose, dextrin, fructose, indole; does not produce gas from peptone.
433
FAMILY VI. BACTEEOIDACEAE
This is the commonest Bacteroides species 1908) Kelly, comb. nov. (Bacillus capillosus
found in the feces of adults. Differs from Tissier, Ann. Inst. Past., 22, 1908, 189;
Bacteroides incommunis in that it does not Ristella capillosa Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past.,
ferment am3'gdalin and cellobiose but does 60, 1938, 292.)
ferment glj^cogen and starch. Liquefies ca.pil.lo'sus. L. adj. capi7Zosws very hairy.
gelatin. Long, thick rods, 1 by 4 to 5 microns,
Source: Thirty-eight strains were iso- occurring singly or in chains; curved and
lated from human feces. filamentous forms are present, and they may
Habitat: Probablj' the intestinal canals become tangled. Non-motile. Gram-nega-
of mammals. tive.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
21. Bacteroides distasonis Eggerth and Agar: Deep colonies fine, granular, ir-
Gagnon, 1933. (Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. regular, fimbriate. No gas produced.
Bact., 25, 1933, 403; Ristella distasonis Broth: Slight turbidity.
Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 291.) Milk: Growth but no change.
dis.ta.so'nis. M.L. gen.noun distasonis of Coagulated egg white not digested.
Distaso; named for A. Distaso, a Rouma- Indole not produced.
nian bacteriologist. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 b}^ 1.5 to 2.5 microns, with Slight acid from glucose. No acid from
rounded ends, occurring singly; some strains lactose or sucrose.
show a few bacilli 5.0 to 8.0 microns long. Anaerobic.
Non-motile. Stain solidly. Gram-negative. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Gelatin: No liquefaction by 16 strains; Not pathogenic.
liquefaction by the remaining four strains in Source: Isolated twice from the intestines
35 to 50 days. of infants.
Blood agar colonies: Soft, gra3-ish, ele- Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract of
vated, 1.0 to 1.5 mm in diameter. Two man.
strains are markedly hemolytic.
Broth: Growth is diffuse. 23. Bacteroides cylindroides (Rocchi,
Milk: Acidified. All but 4 strains coagu- 1908) Kelly, comb. nov. (Bacterium cylin-
late milk. droides Rocchi, Lo stato actuale delle nostre
Indole not produced. cognizioni sui germi anaerobi Gamberine e
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. Parmezziani, Bologna, 1908; Ristella cylin-
292.) droides Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938,
Acid but no gas from amygdalin, cello-
biose, dextrin, fructose, galactose, glucose,
inulin, lactose, maltose, mannose, melezi- cy.lin.dro.i'des. Gr. noun cylindrus a
tose, raffinose, rhamnose, salicin, sucrose, cjdinder; Gr. noun idus form, shape; M.L.
trehalose and xylose. Fifteen strains fer- adj. cylindroides cylinder-shaped.
ment esculin. Fifteen strains slowly ferment Large, filamentous rods, 6 to 8 microns
starch. No acid or gas from arabinose, glj'co- long, with granular, swollen areas. Non-
gen, glycerol, mannitol or sorbitol. motile. Gram-negative.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Peptone: No gas. Glucose agar: Deep colonies small, round.
Anaerobic.
Glucose broth: Turbid with light deposit.
Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. Milk: Unchanged.
Distinctive characters: Usually fails to
Albumin not digested.
liquefy gelatin. Fails to ferment arabinose.
Acid from glucose and sucrose. No acid
Source : Twenty strains were isolated from
human feces. from lactose, galactose, mannitol or dulci-
tol.
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals
of mammals. Anaerobic.
Grows only at 18° C.
22. Bacteroides capillosus (Tissier, Not pathogenic.
434 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Source: Isolated from the intestines of Produces mainly succinic and acetic acids
man. and shows a net carbon dioxide uptake in
Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract of cellulose or cellobiose fermentations.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Casein is digested.
24. Bacteroides succinogenes Hungate, Anaerobic.
1950. (Bact. Revs., U, 1950, 1.) Temperature relations: Optimum, about
suc.ci.no'ge.nes. L. noun succinum am- 40° C. No growth at 22° or 45° C.
ber; M.L. noun acidum succinicum succinic Final pH in liquid rumen fluid -glucose
acid (derived from amber) ; Gr. v. gennaio medium, about 5.5.
to produce; M.L. adj. succinogenes succinic Distinctive characters: Ferments cellu-
acid-producing. lose very rapidly. Certain volatile fatty
Original description supplemented by acids present in rumen fluid are required
material from Bryant and Doetsch (Jour. for growth (Bryant and Doetsch, Sci., 120,
DairySci.,37, 1954, 1176). 1954, 944; Jour. Dairy Sci., 38, 1955, 340).
Rods, 0.3 to 0.4 by 1.0 and 2.0 microns Source: Isolated from bovine rumen con-
when grown on cellulose agar, often appear- tents.
ing slightly curved and with pointed ends. Habitat: Probably the reticulo-rumen of
Occur singly and in pairs. In old cultures ruminants.
the rods are replaced by spherical and ellip-
soidal forms of variable size. In media con- 25. Bacteroides glutinosus (Guillemot
taining either glucose or cellobiose, the rods and Halle, 1904) Hauduroy et al., 1937.
are larger, usually quite pleomorphic and (Bacillus glutinosus Guillemot and Hall6,
occasionally show rosette arrangements of Arch. M6d. Exp. et Anat. Path., 16, 1904,
cells. Non-motile. Show bipolar staining. 599; Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path.,
Gram-negative. 1937, 61; Ristella glutinosa Pr^vot, Ann.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 292.)
Cellulose agar colonies: Definite clear glu.ti.no'sus. L. adj. glutinosus glutinous.
zone of cellulose digestion with no micro- Long rods, 0.8 by 6.0 to 8.0 microns, fila-
scopically visible colony, but rods may be mentous forms attaining a length of 32.0
observed microscopically at the periphery microns. Occur singly or in entangled
of the area cleared of cellulose. clumps in pus, mostly in clumps and rarely
Rumen fluid-glucose-cellobiose agar col- singly in cultures. Not encapsulated. Non-
onies: Deep colonies are lenticular, 1 to 3 motile. Gram-negative.
mm in diameter; surface colonies are entire, Gas not produced.
slightly convex, translucent to opaque, Agar stab: Growth slow; colonies lenticu-
often with "frosted glass" appearance. lar, whitish, very cohesive.
Non-pigmented or, occasionally, yellow. Anaerobic.
Liquid rumen fluid-glucose-cellobiose me-
dium: Evenly turbid growth which rapidly 55°Optimum
C. temperature, 37° C; killed at
clears with age. Pathogenicity: Pleural pus containing
Indole not produced. this organism did not prove fatal to guinea
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. pigs and rabbits when inoculated into the
Acid from glucose, cellobiose, cellulose
and pectin. Acid may or may not be pro- Distinctive characters: Feeble growth;
pleura.
duced from maltose, lactose, trehalose and very cohesive colonies.
dextrin. No acid from xylose, arabinose, Source: Isolated from cases of purulent
galactose, fructose, sucrose, mannitol, pleurisies.
glycerol, inositol, inulin, salicin, gum arable Habitat : Found in respiratory apparatus,
or xylan. especially the pleura; not common.
Starch may or may not be hydrolyzed.
Esculin not hydrolyzed. 26. Bacteroides destillationis (Wein-
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. berg et al., 1937) Kelly, comh. nov. (Anaero-
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE
435
esculin, amygdalin, arabinose, cellobiose, Coagulated egg white and serum not
dextrin, fructose, galactose, glycogen, liquefied.
inulin, lactose, glucose, maltose, mannose, Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
raffinose, rhamnose, salacin, starch, sucrose Acid from fructose, galactose, maltose
and xylose. No acid or gas from glycerol, and lactose.
mannitol, melezitose, sorbitol or trehalose Anaerobic.
(Eggerth and Gagnon). Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates Experimental pathogenicity: Some strains
(Eggerth and Gagnon) . produce abscesses in rabbits, guinea pigs
Peptone: No gas. and mice.
Anaerobic. Source and habitat: Acute appendicitis,
Optimum temperature, 37° C. mastoiditis, pulmonary gangrene, bile tract
Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. of dog and sea water.
Distinctive characters: Encapsulated.
Source: Isolated from human feces by 30. Bacteroides variegatus (Distaso,
Distaso and by Eggerth and Gagnon (8 1912) Castellani and Chalmers, 1919. {Bacil-
strains). lus variegatus Distaso, Cent. f. Bakt., I
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals Abt., Orig., 62, 1912, 445; Castellani and
of mammals. Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 3rd ed., 1919,
960; Zuherella variegata Prevot, Ann. Inst.
29. Bacteroides serpens (Veillon and Past., 60, 1938,293.)
Zuber, 1898) Hauduroy et al., 1937. {Bacillus va.rie.ga'tus. L. part. adj. variegatus
serpens Veillon and Zuber, Arch. Med. Exp. variegated.
et Anat. Path., 10, 1898, 870; Hauduroy et Rods occurring singly and in chains.
al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, 74; Zuherella Motile by means of peritrichous fiagella.
serpens Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, Gram-negative.
293 (type species of genus Zuherella Prevot, Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
i6zd.,290).) Glucose agar colonies: Small, translucent,
ser'pens. L. part. adj. serpens creeping. entire. No gas produced.
Thick rods, with rounded ends, occurring Broth: Turbid; no gas.
singly, in pairs or in short chains. Motile. Litmus milk: Acid, coagulated.
Gram-negative. Coagulated egg white: Not digested.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction, with gas. Indole is produced.
Agar colonies: Punctiform. Acid but no gas from glucose or lactose.
Deep agar colonies: Small colonies in 48 Anaerobic.
hours, ray -like growth later. Gas produced. Optimum temperature,
Broth: Turbid, then flocculent growth; Source: Isolated from 37°
the C.intestines of
some gas with foul odor. man.
Litmus milk: Acidified and coagulated in Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract of
six days with no digestion. man.
Fu.so.bac.te'ri.um. L. noun fusus a spindle; Gr. dim. noun hacterium a small rod; M.L.
noun Fusobacterium a spindle rodlet.
Straight or curved rods, usually with tapering ends, occurring singly, in pairs and some-
times in short chains; filaments are common. Motile {Fusocillus) and non-motile species
occur; the motile species may show oscillation of both ends of the rod or movements of
* Revised by Dr. Heiner Hoffman, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York
City, New York, May, 1955.
437
FAMILY VI. BACTEEOIDACEAE
translation. Gram-negative. Stain with more or less distinct granules which may become
Gram-positive. Surface colonies are butyrous, round, entire and, especially in early cultiva-
tion, may appear as clouded, white flecks in a water-clear medium. Glucose is usually fer-
mented. Possess fastidious nutrient requirements for growth. Anaerobic to microaero-
philic. Limited pathogenicity for man and laboratory animals. Found in the buccal cavity
and various infections of man.
Although it is now known that the genus Fusiformis Hoelling is based on a type species,
Fusiformis termitidis Hoelling, which presumably belongs in the genus Cytophaga Wino-
gradsky, some bacteriologists continue to use this generic name for the anaerobic, fusiform
bacteria found in the human mouth. The latter organisms are closelj^ related to the anaero-
bic. Gram-negative species found in the human intestine, and the generic name Fiisohade-
rium Knorr appears to be the legitimate name for this group.
The type species is Fusobaclerium fusiforme (Veillon and Zuber) Hoffman.
dium around colonies becomes turbid from mouths of three monkeys and two rabbits
the precipitation of protein. No surface (Hine and Berry).
growth. Habitat: Found in mouth cavities with
Ascitic fluid agar: Growth by most gangrenous lesions as well as in normal
strains. mouth cavities.
Serum broth: Milky turbidity.
Peptone broth: No growth. 2. Fusobacterium polyniorphuni
Liver broth: No turbidity; grayish white, Knorr, 1923. (Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig.,
flaky precipitate. 89, 1923, 19.)
Indole not produced. po.ly.mor'phum. Gr. adj. poly many;
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Gr. noun morphe form, shape; Gr. adj.
Acid from glucose, fructose, sucrose, polymorphns multiform, of many shapes.
maltose and sometimes from lactose. No Original description supplemented by
acid from inulin or mannitol (Hine and material taken from Hine and Berry (Jour.
Berry). Bact., 3J^, 1937, 522) and from Prevot and
Pathogenicity: Associated with Vincent's Peyre (Ann. Inst. Past., 7S, 1947, 1124).
angina. Non-pathogenic for white mice Rods, 0.2 to 0.5 by 8.0 to 16.0 microns,
(Hauduroy et al., Diet. d. Bact. Path., occurring in pairs with the pointed ends
Paris, 1953, 259). adjoining, often occurring in long threads
Anaerobic. (250 microns). Pronounced pleomorphism.
Temperature relations: Survives 60° C. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
for 2 but not for 5 minutes. Neither gas nor odor is produced.
Relationship to other species: There has Gelatin: No liquefaction.
been a continuous discussion in the litera- Plain agar: Slight growth.
Meat infusion agar: Good growth.
ture regarding the identity of Vincent's
organism (Vincent, op. cit., 1896, 495) with Serum agar plates (alkaline) : After 2 to 3
that reported by Plant (Deutsch. med. days, colonies 0.5 mm or larger in diameter,
Wochnschr., £0, 1894, 922). A review of lens-shaped with offshoots.
Plaut's work indicates that he dealt pri- Rabbit blood (5 per cent) agar colonies:
marily with a mixed culture, one of the Round, 1 to 2 mm in diameter, convex,
organisms present being the "Miller 'schen grayish white, smooth, glistening, entire.
Bacillus," which appears to have been Ascitic fluid agar: Good growth.
Selenomonas sputigena Dobell. Early Ger- Glucose bouillon: Uniformly turbid.
man workers (e.g. Knorr) have favored the Peptone broth: No growth.
idea that Plaut's organism is really identical Douglas' broth: Good growth at bottom
with Vincent's organism, but Vincent and of tube under anaerobic conditions; uniform
other French investigators have maintained turbidity on shaking.
that the two organisms are distinct. The Tenacious sediment in liquid media.
French viewpoint, which seems to be the Milk: Partially coagulated.
correct one, is well summarized by Weinberg Coagulated serum or egg white: Not di-
et al. (Les Microbes Anaerobies, 1937, 804)
and by Prevot (Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, Indole not produced (Knorr) ; indole is
produced (Hine and Berry, and Prevot and
285). Plaut's organism is so vaguely de- Peyre) .
scribed that it should be placed among the
Hydrogen sulfide not produced (Knorr) ;
species incertae sedis; it is doubtful whether
hydrogen sulfide produced in trace amounts
it can be definitely reidentified.
(Prevot and Peyre) .
Source: Isolated from cases of hospital
Acid usually produced from glucose, fruc-
gangrene (Vincent) ; also isolated from tose and sucrose. No acid from lactose, mal-
gingival crevices in normal mouths, from tose, inulin or mannitol (Hine and Berry).
cases with deep caries, inflamed areas Only glucose and fructose are fermented
around crowns and fillings, pyorrhetic (Prevot and Peyre) .
pockets, Vincent's infection and from the Neutral red is reduced.
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE 439
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract
Anaerobic. of man.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C;
growth range, 31° to 43° C. (Hoffman, Oral 4. Fusobacteriuni nucleatum Knorr,
Surg., 5, 1952, 1088). Survives 50° C. for 15 1923. (Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 89,
1923, 17.)
minutes, 52° C. for 10 minutes and 56° C.
for 5 minutes (Hine and Berry) . nu.cle.a'tum. L. adj. nucleatus having a
Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 8.2 (Hau- kernel, nucleated.
duroy et al., Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1953, Original description supplemented by
259); between 6.9 and 7.7 (Hoffman, op. material taken from Hine and Berry (Jour.
cit., 1952, 1088). Bact., 34, 1937, 520) and from Robin (Ann.
Non-pathogenic for guinea pigs and mice. Inst. Past., 74, 1948, 259).
Source : One strain was isolated from a de- Spindle-shaped rods, 1 by 4 microns,
posit on teeth in a case of gingivitis (Knorr) ; occurring singly and often in pairs. One or
also isolated from gingival crevices in nor- two granules are present. Non-motile.
mal mouths, from cases with deep caries, Gram-negative.
inflamed areas around crowns and fillings, Disagreeable odor produced on cultiva-
pyorrhetic pockets, Vincent's infection and tion; no gas is produced.
from the mouths of three monkeys and two Gelatin: No liquefaction.
rabbits (Hine and Berry) ; also found in a Plain agar: Scant growth.
case of acute appendicitis (Prevot and Meat infusion agar: Good growth.
Peyre). Serum agar plate: Deep colonies lens-
Habitat: Presumably the buccal cavity. shaped with offshoots.
Rabbit blood (5 per cent) agar colonies:
3. Fusobacteriuin praeacutum (Tis- Round, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diameter, convex,
sier, 1908) Hoffman, comh. nov. {Coccobacil- grayish white, smooth, glistening, entire.
lus praeacutus Tissier, Ann. Inst. Past., Ascitic fluid agar: No growth by most
22, 1908, 189; Zuberella praeacuta Prevot, strains.
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 293.) Peptone broth: No growth.
prae.a.cu'tum. L. pref. prae very, quite; Plain liver broth: No growth.
L. adj. acuiiis sharp; ]M.L. adj. praeacutus Liver broth with serum: After 1 to 3 days,
quite sharp. flocculent deposit on the pieces of liver.
Short rods, with pointed ends, occurring Douglas' broth: Good growth at bottom
singly and in chains. Sw^ollen forms present of tube under anaerobic conditions ; uniform
in old cultures. Motile by means of peri- turbidity on shaking.
trichous flagella. Gram-negative. Milk: No coagulation.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Indole not produced (Knorr) ; indole
Agar: Deep colonies lenticular. Abun- produced (Hine and Berry, and Robin).
dant gas production. Hydrogen sulfide not produced (Knorr);
Broth: Turbid with powdery precipitate. hydrogen sulfide is produced (Robin).
Milk: Unchanged. Acid from glucose, usually from fructose
Coagulated egg white: Not digested. and sometimes from sucrose and lactose.
Milk fats are saponified. No acid from maltose, inulin or mannitol
Indole not produced. (Hine and Berry). Glucose, fructose, galac-
tose and sucrose are fermented, lactose
Acid from glucose. No acid or gas from
lactose or sucrose. only feebly (Robin) .
Anaerobic. Neutral red reduced.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Optimum temperature, between 22° and Proteins not digested.
37° C. Pathogenic for mice.
Not pathogenic. Anaerobic.
Source: Isolated from the intestines of
Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
infants.
tween 35° and 37° C. (Hauduroy et al.,
440 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York; assisted
by Dr. Heiner Hoffman, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York City,
New York, June, 1955.
t The generic name Sphaerophorus Prevot, type species Sphaerophorus necrophorus Prevot,
was used in the 6th ed. of the Manual, 1948, 578, and is continued in use in this edition.
442 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Straight or curved rods, with rounded ends, which show a marked pleomorphism ; fila-
mentous and branching forms occur. Motile and non-motile species. Gram-negative. May-
or may not require enriched culture media. Usually ferment glucose, rarely lactose or su-
crose. Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Gas may or may not be produced in peptone
media. Anaerobic. Found in the alimentary and urogenital tracts of man and other animals;
also found in various gangrenous or purulent infections in man.
The type species is Sphaerophonis necrophorus (Fliigge) Prevot.
Keij to the species of genus Sphaerophorus.
I. Non-motile. Sub-genus Sphaerophorus Prevot (Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 297).
A. Gas produced in culture media.
1. Do not require serum or ascitic fluid for growth.
a. Gelatin not liquefied.
1. Sphaerophorus necrophorus.
2. Sphaerophorus inaequalis.
3. Sphaerophorus varius.
4. Sphaerophorus siccus.
5. Sphaerophorus necroticus.
6. Sphaerophorus necrogenes.
7. Sphaerophorus ridiculosus.
aa. Gelatin liquefied slowly.
8. Sphaerophorus gulosus.
2. Require serum or ascitic fluid for growth.
9. Sphaerophorus mortiferus.
10. Sphaerophorus gonidiaformans .
11. Sphaerophorus freundii .
12. Sphaerophorus pyogenes.
B. No gas produced in culture media.
1. Do not require serum or ascitic fluid for growth,
a. Slow coagulation of milk.
13. Sphaerophorus infiuenzaejormis.
aa. No coagulation of milk.
14. Sphaerophorus fioccosus.
After the manuscript was prepared in this way, it was discovered that Sphaerophorus Prevot
is an illegitimate homonym of Sphaerophorus Persoon (Einige Bemerkungen iiber der Flech-
ten. Neue Annalen d. Bot., edited by Dr. Paulus Usteri, 7, 1794, 1-32). Persoon included two
species of lichens in this genus, and the name continues in use among botanists (see for
example. Fink, Lichen Flora of the United States, 1935, 78). Dr. Prevot 's attention has
been called to this unfortunate situation in order that he may make such adjustments in
nomenclature as he feels are desirable. The problem of adjusting the nomenclature is com-
plicated bythe fact that Thj0tta, in Lahelle and Thj0tta (Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand.,
22, 1945, 310), without noting the previous proposal oi Sphaerophorus Prevot, 1938, has pro-
posed Necrohacterium as the name of the genus in which he would place the necrosis bacillus.
However, no use is made of a scientific name for the necrosis bacillus in the paper by Lahelle
and Thj0tta. Neither is the binomial Necrohacterium necrophorum used by Lahelle {Necro-
hacterium, Thesis, Univ. Oslo, 1947, 166), this binomial appearing first as Necrohacterium
necrophorus (sic) in Jonsen and Thj0tta, Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 25, 1948, 698. It
is unfortunate that so many authors fail to observe conventional requirements established
in order to produce stability in nomenclature. If the definition given above for Sphaero-
phorus isaccepted, then it would appear that the correct name for the necrosis bacillus is
Necrohacterium necrophorum. Some may feel that this name should be ascribed to Thj0tta
1945 by implication although this binomial was not actually published until 1948 by Jonsen
and Thj0tta. — Editors
443
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE
though strain variations in morphology were sucrose and xylose. No acid or gas from
noted, Dack et al. (ibid., 180) regarded cellobiose, dextrin, glycerol, glycogen, inu-
these variations as insufficient for the differ- lin, mannitol, melezitose, rhamnose, sor-
entiation of species. Likewise, differences bitol, starch or trehalose.
were observed with regard to pathogenicity. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
When injected subcutaneously into rabbits, Anaerobic.
various strains of these organisms produced Non -pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
a gradient of virulence which ranged from Distinctive characters: Produces a small
slightly virulent to lethal. As there is no amount (5 per cent in Smith tube) of gas
clear-cut method for separating Sphaero- from peptone water in the complete absence
phorus funduliformis and Sphaerophorvs of carbohydrates; none of this gas is ab-
necrophorus, Dack et al. (loc. cit.) consider sorbed by alkali. Rapidly decolorizes brom
these two organisms as constituting a single cresol purple and phenol red in meat infusion
species, Sphaerophorus necrophorus. broth; slowly or not at all in peptone water.
Source: Isolated from the female genital Source: One strain was isolated from hu-
man feces.
tract, urinary infections, puerperal infec-
tions, acute appendicitis, otitis, pulmonary Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals
of mammals.
gangrene, liver abscesses, septicaemias, in-
testinal tracts and chronic ulcerative colitis;
also isolated from cases of diphtheria in 3. Sphaerophorus varius (Eggerth and
cattle with multiple sclerotic abscesses, Gagnon, 1933) Prevot, 1938. {Bacteroides
from gangrenous dermatitis in horses and varius Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. Bact., 25,
mules and from multiple necrotic foci in the 1933, 409; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60,
livers of cattle and hogs. 1938, 299.)
Habitat : Presumably a normal inhabitant va'ri.us. L. adj. varius diverse, varied.
of the mucous membranes of man and other Slender rods, 1 to 2 microns long, on blood
animals. agar; on glucose agar the cells are longer
and thicker, measuring 2 to 3 microns in
2. Sphaerophorus inaequalis (Eggerth length; ellipsoidal or coccoid forms are
and Gagnon, 1933) Prevot, 1938. (Bactero- found in glucose broth. Non-motile. Shows
ides inaequalis Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. uneven staining. Gram-negative.
Bact., 25, 1933, 407; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Gelatin: No liquefaction in 45 days.
Past., 60, 1938, 298.) Blood agar colonies: Very flat cones, 2 to
in.ae.qua'lis. L. adj. inaequalis unequal. 3 mm in diameter.
Rods which show wide variation in size Broth: Diffusely clouded.
and form. Marked pleomorphism on blood Milk: Not acidified or coagulated.
agar: some forms are coccoid, 0.5 micron in Indole is produced.
diameter, while others are slender filaments, Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
3.0 to 12.0 microns long, which are often Acid and gas from fructose, galactose,
curved or hooked. On glucose agar and in glucose and mannose. No acid or gas from
glucose broth, the cells occur as small ellip- esculin, amygdalin, arabinose, cellobiose,
soids, 1.0 to 2.0 microns long, which may dextrin, glycerol, glycogen, inulin, lactose,
form short chains. Non-motile. Show bi- maltose, mannitol, melezitose, raffinose,
polar staining. Gram-negative. rhamnose, salicin, sorbitol, starch, sucrose,
Gelatin : No liquefaction in 45 days.
trehalose or xylose.
Blood agar colonies: Pin-point in size. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Broth: Diffusely clouded.
Milk: Acidified but not coagulated. Anaerobic.
Indole is produced. Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. Distinctive characters: Gas is produced
Acid but no gas from esculin, amygdalin, from peptone. Brom cresol purple and
arabinose, fructose, galactose, glucose, lac- phenol red are decolorized in a meat infu-
tose, maltose, mannose, raffinose, salicin, sion broth.
445
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE
Source: Two strains were isolated from amorphous elements remain. Non-motile.
human feces. Gram-negative.
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals of Gelatin: No liquefaction.
mammals. Agar: Deep colonies small, lenticular. Gas
is produced.
4. Sphaerophorus siccus (Eggerth and Glucose broth: Diffuse growth which
Gagnon, 1933) Prevot, 1938. [Bacteroides settles as a heavy, sticky deposit. Gas and
siccus Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. Bact., 25, fetid odor.
1933, 410; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, Milk: No acid, coagulation or peptoniza-
299.) tion.
sic'cus. L. adj. siccus dry. Coagulated egg white not liquefied.
Short, thick rods about 1.0 micron long; Indole is produced.
in glucose broth the cells are coccoid and Acid from glucose, fructose, lactose, su-
often grow in short chains. N on -motile. crose, galactose and maltose. No acid from
Gram-negative. mannitol, dextrin, inulin, amygdalin, sali-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. cin, arabinose or glycerol.
Blood agar colonies: Elevated, dry, diffi- Anaerobic.
cult to emulsify, 1.0 to 1.5 mm in diameter.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Broth: Growth occurs as a powdery sedi- Pathogenicity: Slightly pathogenic in
ment with a clear supernatant fluid. pure culture. Pathogenicity more marked if
Indole not produced. mixed with Escherichia coli.
Hj'drogen sulfide is produced. Source: One strain was isolated from a
Milk: Unchanged. case of gangrenous appendicitis.
Acid but no gas from fructose. No acid or Habitat: Presumably found in necrotic
gas from glucose, glycerol, mannitol, sor- tissues of man.
bitol, arabinose, salicin, trehalose, amygda-
lin, cellobiose, glycogen, rhamnose, xylose 6. Sphaerophorus necrogenes (Wein-
or lactose. berg et al., 1937) Prevot, 1938. (Bacillus,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Kawamura, Jour. Jap. Soc. Vet. Sci., 5,
Anaerobic. 1926, 22; Bacillus necrogenes Weinberg et al.,
Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. Les Microbes Ana^robies, 1937, 681; Prevot,
Distinctive characters: Gas is produced Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 298.)
in small amounts from peptone. Phenol red ne.cro'ge.nes. Gr. adj. necrus dead; Gr.
and brom cresol purple are decolorized in V. gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. necrogenes
meat infusion broth. necrosis-producing.
Source: Two strains were isolated from Rods and very long filaments (50 to 100
human feces. microns) with swellings. Non-motile. Gram-
Habitat : Probably the intestinal canals of negative.
mammals. Gas is produced.
Serum and ascitic fluid may or may not
5. Sphaerophorus necroticus (Nati- favor growth.
velle, 1936) Prevot, 1938. {Bacillus necroticus Gelatin: No liquefaction. Good growth;
Nativelle, 1936, see Weinberg et al., Les
Microbes Ana6robies, 1937, 693; Pr6vot,
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 298.) Serum agar colonies: Small, whitish, ap-
pearing in 2 or 3 days; slight gas.
ne.cro'ti.cus. Gr. noun necrus a dead gas.Glucose agar colonies: Small, whitish; less
body; M.L. adj. necroticus necrotic.
Short, thin, irregular rods, with a few growth than on serum agar.
long forms, some showing bipolar staining Agar stab: Small, punctiform colonies;
in young cultures. In 10 to 18 hours, central,
deep-staining, ovoid swellings appear in the Glucose bouillon: Turbid; gas; sediment
rods; these are not spores. After 24 hours to and then clarification.
several days, the rods disappear, and only gas.Liver broth: Abundant growth; gas; gray-
446 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ish white sediment in 3 to 5 days, the broth Ammonia (0.04 g) and a volatile acid
clearing. (0.096 g of acetic and butyric acids) are
Milk: Not coagulated; cheesy odor. produced (per 100 cc of culture).
Anaerobic. Lactic acid is produced.
Optimum temperature, 37° C; killed at Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
58° C. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Pathogenicity: Causes necrotic suppura- Neutral red is reduced.
tions in domestic fowls, especially hens. Anaerobic.
Pathogenic for mice, guinea pigs and rab- Optimum temperature, 37° C.
bits; subcutaneous injection of 0.1 to 1.0 cc Neither toxin nor hemolysin produced.
produces local edema and metastatic, ne- Pathogenicity: Lesions not produced in
crotic abscesses in the lungs and liver, mice or guinea pigs.
killing in 4 to 10 days. Intramuscular injec- Source : Isolated from a lesion in a j aw un-
tion of 0.1 cc produces purulent inflamma- successfully treated with penicillin.
tion and necrosis, followed by death, in Habitat: Found in human lesions; prob-
chickens and pigeons. ably more widely distributed than this.
Source : Isolated from an epidemic abscess
of chickens. 8. Sphaerophorus gulosus (Eggerth
Habitat: Found in domestic fowls; not andGagnon, 1933) Prevot, 1938. {Bacteroides
common. gulosus Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. Bact.,
£5, 1933, 398; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60,
7. Sphaerophoriis ridiculosus Prevot, 1938, 298.)
1948. (Ann. Inst. Past., 75, 1948, 387.) gu.lo'sus. L. adj. gulosus gluttonous.
ri.di.cu.lo'sus. L. adj. ridiculosus laugh- Small, elliptical rods, 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.0 to
able, droll. 2.0 microns, on blood agar plates; in addi-
Extremely pleomorphic rods, especially tion to these elliptical forms, small cocci,
on initial isolation and when subject to the rods with marked bipolar staining, swollen
action of penicillin; the most frequent form rods 2 to 3 by 3 to 4 microns, and longer rods
is a round mass, 3 to 4 microns in diameter, up to 6 microns occur in glucose broth. Non-
bearing two rod-shaped appendices which motile. Stain deeper around periphery.
are diametrically opposed or which form an Gram-negative.
obtuse angle with each other; in old cultures Gelatin: Liquefaction in 2 to 3 weeks.
the predominant forms are straight or Blood agar colonies: Soft, gray, entire,
curved rods, 0.8 by 2.5 to 10.0 microns, the elevated, 2 mm in diameter.
short forms often showing bipolar staining. Broth: Heavy and diffuse growth.
Non-motile. Robinow's procedures show Milk: Acidified and coagulated in 4 to 20
what appears to be a conjugation of cells days.
with a true nuclear cycle. Gram-negative. Indole is produced.
Much gas and slight odor are produced. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Gelatin : No liquefaction. Acid and a very small amount of gas from
Agar stab: Lenticular colonies; abundant esculin, amj-gdalin, arabinose, cellobiose,
gas. dextrin, fructose, galactose, glycogen, in-
Glucose bouillon: Rapid and abundant ulin, lactose, glucose, maltose, mannitol,
turbidity; abundant gas; fetid odor. mannose, melezitose, raffinose, rhamnose,
Peptone broth: Turbid; gas. salicin, sorbitol, starch, sucrose, trehalose
Milk: Coagulated in 5 days. and xylose. Sorbitol and mannitol require
Coagulated proteins: Not attacked. 2 to 3 weeks for fermentation. Neither acid
Indole and skatole not produced. nor gas from glycerol, dulcitol, erythritol
Hydrogen sulfide slightly produced. or inositol.
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, mal- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
tose and galactose are attacked. Glycerol is Peptone: No gas.
not utilized. Anaerobic.
Starch is feebly attacked. Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits.
447
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE
Source: Seven strains were isolated from Path., 1937, 62; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past.,
human feces. 60, 1938, 299.)
Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals go.ni.di.a.for'mans. Gr. noun gone off-
of mammals. spring, seed; M.L. noun gonidium gonidium;
L. part. adj. formans forming; M.L. adj.
9. Sphaerophorus niortiferus (Harris, gonidiaformans gonidia-forming.
1901) Prevot, 1938. {Bacillus mortiferus Rods, 0.5 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns, with
Harris, Jour. Exp. Med., 6, 1901, 519; rounded ends; gonidia form within the
Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 299.) rods, developing into short or long, wavy
mor.ti'fer.us. L. noun mors death; L. filaments. Non-motile. Show bipolar stain-
gen. noun mortis of death; L. v. fero to bear; ing; also show red granules with Giemsa
ALL. adj. mortiferus death-bearing. stain. Gram-negative.
Rods, 0.6 bj' 2.0 microns, with rounded Serum or ascitic fluid is required for
ends, occurring singly, in pairs or in short
chains, with filamentous and pleomorphic growth.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. No growth.
forms, some showing metachromatic gran- Blood agar colonies: Thick,whitish, moist,
ules. Non-motile. Gram-negative. entire.
Serum or ascitic fluid is required for Glucose media: Slight gas produced.
growth. Broth: Slight development; flocculent
Hydrocele gelatin: No liquefaction. No sediment.
gas. Litmus milk: No growth.
Hydrocele agar: Deep colonies small, ir- Potato: No growth.
regular, translucent, granular, light brown. No acid or gas from glucose, salicin, man-
Surface colonies small, regular or fringed, 1 nitol or inulin.
to 2 mm in diameter, yellowish brown; fecal Anaerobic.
odor.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Glucose-human blood agar: Gas with a Pathogenic for rabbits and guinea pigs.
disagreeable odor; browning of the hemo- Source : Isolated from tonsils.
globin. Habitat: Presumably the pharynx.
Hydrocele broth: Growth with heavy,
viscous, whitish deposit and foul-smelling 11. Sphaerophorus freundii (Haudu-
gas. roy et al., 1937) Prevot, 1938. (Freund, Cent,
Hj^drocele milk: Acid but no coagulation. f. Bakt., I Abt., Ong., 88, 1922, 9; Bacterium
In 6 days the milk is peptonized. of Freund, Weinberg et al., Les Microbes
Indole produced in hydrocele broth. Anaerobies, 1937, 706; Bacteroides freundii
Hydrogen sulfide produced in hydrocele Hauduroy et al., Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937,
broth. bl ; Sphaerophorus freundi (sic) Prevot, Ann.
Anaerobic. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 299.)
Optimum temperature, 37° C. freun'di.i. M.L. gen. noun freundii of
Pathogenic for guinea pigs, rabbits and Freund; named for F. Freund, the bacteri-
mice.
ologist who first described this species.
Source: Isolated from a liver abscess of
Short, ellipsoidal rods, 0.3 to 0..35 by 0.8
man.
to 1.0 micron, occurring singly, in pairs and
Habitat : Presumabl}^ found in various in- in chains. Pleomorphic in cultures with ir-
fections inman.
regular filaments and swollen forms. Non-
10. Sphaerophorus gonidiaformans motile. Show bipolar staining. Gram-
(Tunnicliff and Jackson, 1925) Prevot, 1938. negative.
(Bacillus gonidiaformans Tunnicliff and Serum or ascitic fluid is required for
Jackson, Jour. Inf. Dis., 36, 1925, 430;
Actinomyces gonadiformis (sic) Bergey et al., growth.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 469; Bacteroides goni- Ascitic agar: Deep colonies lenticular in 1
diaformans Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. to 3 days, small, yellowish.
448 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Serum glucose agar: Deep colonies len- Tarozzi broth with liver: Rapid growth
ticular. Gas produced. with turbidity and later a fiocculent deposit.
Glucose agar: Surface colonies pinhead, Foamy layer on the surface.
dew-drop, opaque, yellowish. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Glucose serum broth: Turbidity; thin Anaerobic.
fiocculent growth. Gas produced with fetid
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
odor. Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for rabbits
Serum milk: Coagulated in 3 daj-s. Not and guinea pigs when pus from a lesion is in-
peptonized. jected. Cultures other than those in ascitic
Indole is produced in glucose broth. broth show no pathogenicity.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced in glucose Source: Isolated from abscesses of the
broth. liver and lungs following septic war wounds;
Coagulated hydrocele fluid not liquefied. also isolated from the blood stream follow-
Acid and gas from glucose, maltose, su- ing tonsillectomies.
crose and inannitol. I']thanol and butyric Habitat: Found in various infections in
and lactic acids are produced from carbohy- man.
drates.
Anaerobic. 13. Sphaerophorus influenzaeforniis
Optimum temperature, 37° C. (Russ, 1905) Prevot, 1938. (Bacillus influen-
Pathogenic for rabbits and guinea pigs. zaeformis Russ, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt.,
Source: One strain was isolated from a Orig., 39, 1905, 357; Bacteroides russii Hau-
purulent meningitis following otitis in man. duroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, 73;
Habitat: Found in various infections in Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 299.)
man. in.flu.en.zae.for'mis. M.L. noun iyiflu-
enza influenza; L. noun forma shape; M.L.
12. Sphaerophorus pyogenes (Haudu- adj. influenzaeformis influenza-like.
roy et al., 1937) Prevot, 1938. (Buday, Cent, Short rods, 0.5 by 1.5 microns, with
f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 77, 1916, 453; Bacillus rounded ends ; some strains are pleomorphic
pyogenes anaerobins Bela-Johan, Cent. f. with involution forms and swollen fila-
Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 87, 1922, 290; not ments. Non-motile. Show bipolar staining.
Bacillus pyogenes anaerobius Kruse, in Gram-negative.
Fliigge, Die Mikroorganismen, 3 Aufl., 2, Gelatin: No liquefaction.
1896, 244; Bacteroides pyogenes Hauduroy Agar: Deep colonies lenticular, sometimes
et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, 69; Prevot, surrounded by a number of smaller colonies.
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 299.) No gas.
py.o'ge.nes. Gr. noun pyum pus; Gr. v. Glucose agar: Surface colonies semi-
gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. pyogenes pus- transparent, dew-drop, grayish.
producing. Peptone broth: No growth.
Short, ellipsoidal rods, occurring singly, Glucose broth: Uniform turbidity which
in short chains and as pleomorphic, filamen- deposits as a granular mass. No gas pro-
tous forms. Non-motile. Show bipolar stain- duced.
ing. Gram-negative. Milk: Slow growth with coagulation in
Serum or ascitic fluid is required for
several weeks. No gas or digestion of coagu-
growth; isolation in culture media is easier lum.
after animal passage.
Indole produced in glucose broth.
Serum agar: Deep colonies small, puncti-
form. Some gas produced. Surface colonies Hydrogen sulfide produced in glucose
fine, transparent, with flat borders, 0.5 mm broth.
in diameter. Anaerobic.
Ascitic broth: The optimum concentra- Optimum temperature, 37° C.
tion of ascitic fluid is from 30 to 50 per cent. Pathogenicity: One strain was patho-
Fiocculent growth with a foamy layer on the genic for rabbits, mice and guinea pigs.
surface. Gas produced. Source: One strain was isolated from a
FAMILY VI. BACTEROIDACEAE 449
perianal abscess and two strains from puru- quent transfers, the short forms predomi-
lent meningitis in man. nate, especially in liquid media, and pleo-
Habitat: Found in various infections in morphism is retained in agar stabs. The
man. ellipsoidal forms show bipolar staining.
Non-motile. Gram-negative.
14. Sphaerophorus floccosus (Wein- Serum or ascitic fluid is required for
berg et al., 1937) Prevot, 1938. (Strepfobadl-
hts pyogenes floccosus Courmont and Cade, growth.
Neither gas nor odor produced.
Arch. Med. Exp., 12, 1900, 393; Bacillus Gelatin: No liquefaction.
floccosus Weinberg et al., Les Microbes Serum agar stab: Colonies punctiform,
Ana6robies, 1937, 698; not Bacillus floccosus becoming lenticular.
Kern, Arb. bakt. Inst. Karlsruhe, 1, Heft 4, Glucose serum broth: Homogeneous tur-
bidity.
1896, 424; Bacteroides floccosus Hauduroy
et al., Diet. d. Bact. Path., 1937, 55; Prevot, In glucose broth, the end-products of fer-
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 299.) mentation are acetic, butyric and lactic
floc.co'sus. L. adj. floccosus full of flocks acids, ammonia, a slight amount of hydro-
of wool . gen sulfide, indole and sometimes cresol and
Small, ellipsoidal rods, 1 micron long, oc- acetylmethylcarbinol. Amines, alcohols and
curring singly, in pairs and in chains. Non- ketones are not produced.
motile. Show bipolar staining. Gram-nega- Peptone broth: Eventually becomes tur-
tive. bid; indole is produced.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Milk: Unchanged.
Deep agar: Growth slow, appearing as a Coagulated proteins not attacked.
light haze. No gas produced. Glucose and galactose are attacked.
Blood agar: Translucent colonies sur- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
rounded by a zone of alpha hemolysis. Anaerobic.
Broth: Rapid, flocculent growth on sides Neither toxin nor hemolysin produced.
of tube; no turbidity; no gas; slight fetid Non-pathogenic for rabbits, guinea pigs
odor. or mice.
Milk: Poor growth; no coagulation. Source: One strain was isolated from the
Coagulated serum: Small, whitish colo- pus of an abscess on a cow; a second strain
nies. No liquefaction. was isolated from the pus of an abscess
Potato: No growth. which developed on the heel of a man bitten
Anaerobic. by a dog.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Habitat : Found in warm-blooded animals
Non-pathogenic for mice. Produces le- so far as known.
sions in rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs.
Source: Isolated from blood in pyemia of 16. Sphaerophorus caviae (Vinzent,
man . 1928) Prevot, 1938. iStreptobacillus caviae
Habitat: Presumabh' found in various in- Vinzent, Ann. Inst. Past., 42, 1928, 533;
fections in man. Bacteroides caviae Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d.
Bact. Path., 1937, 53; Prevot, Ann. Inst.
15. Sphaerophoru.s abscedens Tardieu.x Past., 60, 1938,299.)
and Monteverde, 1951. (Tardieux and ca'vi.ae. M.L. gen. noun caviae of Cavia;
Monteverde, in Tardieux, Ann. Inst. Past., M.L. noun Cavia generic name of the cavy,
80, 1951,276.) or guinea pig.
ab.sce'dens. L. part. adj. abscedens going Small rods, usually 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 1.5
away, disappearing. microns, sometimes curved, occurring singly
Pleomorphic rods which, on initial cultur- and in chains. Pleomorphic in old cultures
ing, occur as ellipsoidal forms, 2 to 3 microns with long, filamentous forms. Non-motile.
in diameter, and as elongated forms with Gram-negative.
lateral or terminal, spheroidal swellings Serum or ascitic fluid is required for
and metachromatic granules. With subse-
growth.
450 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
1. Streptobacillus moniliformis Leva- Jour. Inf. Dis., 69, 1941, 32; Proactinomyces
diti et al., 1925. (Streptothrix muris ratti muris Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actino-
Schottmiiller, Dermat. Wochnschr., 58, mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Mos-
1914, Supplement, 77; Nocardia muris de kau, 1941, 76; Haverhillia moniliformis
Mello and Pais, Arq. Hig. Pat. Exot., 6, Prevot, in Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact.
1918, 183; Actinomyces muris ratti Lieske, Path., 2« ed., 1953, 266.)
Morph. u. Biol. d. Strahlenpilze, Leipzig, mo.ni.li.for'mis. L. noun monile a neck-
1921, 31; Levaditi, Nicolau and Poincloux, lace; L. noun forma shape; M.L. adj. moni-
Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 180, 1925, liformis necklace-like.
1188; Haverhillia multiformis Parker and Highly pleomorphic rods, 0.1 to 0.5 by
Hudson, Amer. Jour. Path., 2, 1926, 357; 2.0 or 5.0 to 10.0 or 15.0 microns, with
Actinomyces muris Topley and Wilson, rounded or occasionally pointed ends, form-
Princip. of Bact. and Immun., 2nd ed., ing long, wavy, curved or looped filaments
1936, 274; Asterococcus nmris Heilman, up to 100 to 150 microns in length. In young
Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 8.0. Via- that Li was a symbiont of S. moniliformis,
bility rapidly lost with decrease in pH was oppo.sed by Dienes (Jour. Inf. Dis., 65,
Pathogenicity: Usually highly virulent 1939, 24; Jour. Bact., 44, 1942, 37), Dawson
for mice, although certain strains of mice and Hobby (Proc. 3rd Internat. Congr. for
may be rather resistant. Intravenous or Microbiol., New York, (1939) 1940, Sect. I,
intraperitoneal inoculation with 0.1 to 0.5 177), Heilman (op. cit., 1941, 32), Brown and
ml of broth culture causes a fatal sepsis, Nunemaker (op. cit., 1942, 201) and 0rskov
death occurring in 24 to 48 hours, or a {op. cit., 1942, 575), among others; it is now
chronic disease characterized by purulent generally accepted, also by Klieneberger-
polyarthritis, anemia, emaciation, diar- Nobel herself (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 3,
rhea, conjunctivitis and transient or per- 1949, 434), that Li is a variant form of S.
manent paralysis involving the hindpart moniliformis.
of the body. At necropsy nothing distinctive L-phase colony: The Li colony is defi-
is found in acute cases; the spleen and lymph nitely smaller than that of the bacillary
nodes are considerably enlarged in subacute form, measuring about 0.1 to 0.2 mm in
and chronic infections, and focal or con- diameter. It contains a round, dark brown
fluent necroses are frequently found in the center embedded in the agar and consists of
spleen and liver. Intracutaneous and sub- tiny, coccoid or coccobacillary elements.
cutaneous injections cause local abscesses The central spot is surrounded by a delicate,
and arthritis and occasionally generalized translucent, peripheral zone made up of
infection. Bronchopneumonia and sepsis swollen bodies, extracellular fatty droplets
are frequently produced by intranasal in- and an amorphous substance. Li is ex-
stillation. Generalized infection has been tremely resistant to penicillin, while the
produced by feeding experiments; the portal streptobacilli are very sensitive to this
of entry in such cases appears to be the sub- antibiotic. Cross absorption tests between
ma.xillary and cervical lymph nodes Li and the bacillary phase have shown that
(Freundt, Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., although they share a common antigen, the
38, 1956, 231.) Passage in 9- to 10-day-old L phase is deficient in another antigen that
chick embryos causes thickening, edema and is found in the bacillary form (Klieneberger,
hemorrhagic lesions of the chorio-allantoic Jour. Hyg., 42, 1942, 485). Reversion of Li
membrane and invasion of the embryo. to the streptobacillus form is extremely
Rats, rabbits and guinea pigs are generally difficult to obtain on solid media, whereas
resistant, although rabbits have been re- this reversion generally occurs in fluid or
ported to be susceptible to certain strains. semi-solid media. The stability of Li , even
Antigenic structure : Mice and rat strains in fluid media, increases with the number of
from three different sources (Levaditi et al., subcultures on solid media. Li cultures are
op. cit., 1925, 1188; Mackie, van Rooyen and non-pathogenic when reversion to the
Gilroy, Brit. Jour. Exp. Path., I4, 1933, 132; bacillary form in the inoculated animal is
Strangeways, Jour. Path, and Bact., 37, prevented. Vaccines prepared from Li do not
1933, 45) were found to be identical by protect against infections by streptobacilli
agglutinin absorption tests (van Rooj^en, (Freundt, op. cit, 1956, 246).
Jour. Path, and Bact., 43, 1936, 460). Relationships and nomenclature of this
L-phase variation: In most bacteria in species : Streptothrix muris ratti Schottmiiller
which the L-phase variation is known, ab- and Haverhillia multiformis Parker and Hud-
normal culture conditions are generally son are included here as synonyms of Strep-
necessary to induce the development of tobacillus moniliformis Levaditi et al. How-
L-type colonies on solid media. All strains ever, because no comparative studies have
oi Streptobacillus moniliformis, on the other been made with authentic cultures of these
hand, develop L colonies spontaneously, three organisms, the change in nomencla-
though in a variable number. The L-phase ture that would be indicated if it were
variant of S. moniliformis is known as Li established that these organisms are iden-
(Klieneberger, Jour. Path, and Bact., 40, tical has not been made at this time.
1935, 93). Klieneberger's original theory. Source: Isolated from cases of sponta-
454 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
neous polyarthritis in mice, from the naso- doubtedly caused by ingestion of infected
pharynx and infected middle-ears of milk, and the portal of entry was thought
laboratory and wild rats, from cervical ab- to be intestinal.
scesses in guinea pigs and from the blood Comment: Another type of rat-bite fever
and joint fluids of humans suffering from rat (Soduku) is caused by Spirillum minus
bite fever. Similar organisms, which many Carter. Clinically the two etiologically dis-
regard as identical with Streptobacillus tinct diseases may be indistinguishable.
moniliformis Levaditi et al., have been Mixed infections may occur,
reported as the cause of Haverhill fever Habitat: Commonly found as an inhabi-
(Erythema arthriticum epidemicum); the tant of the naso-pharynx of rats. Occurs as
Haverhill epidemic in the United States the etiological agent of an epizootic septic
(1926), which has given name to the disease polyarthritis in mice and of one type of rat-
when not contracted by rat bite, was un- bite fever.
* Arranged by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, October,
1955.
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE 455
2. Cells occur in packets. White, jellow, orange and red chromogenesis. Usuall}^
non-motile.
Genus IV. Sarcina, p. 467.
II. Obligate anaerobes occurring singly or in pairs, chains or masses but never in packets;
tetrads are rarely formed.
A. Methane produced from various organic compounds.
Genus V. Methanococcus, p. 473.
B. Methane not produced.
Genus VI. Pepfococcus, p. 474.
Mi.cro.coc'cus. Gr. adj. micrus small; Gr. noun coccus a grain, berry; M.L. mas.n. Micro-
coccus small coccus.
Cells in irregular masses (never in packets). The group is regarded as Gram-positive al-
though some species lose their power to retain the Gram stain so quickly that they are fre-
quently reported as Gram-negative. Some species are motile or show motile varieties.
Growth on agar usually abundant; some species form no pigment but others form yellow,
orange or red pigment. Catalase-positive so far as known. Glucose broth slightly acid, lac-
tose broth generally neutral. Gelatin frequently liquefied, but never rapidlj'. Saprophytic,
facultatively parasitic or parasitic. Never truly pathogenic.
The type species \s Micrococcus luteus (Schroeter) Cohn.
I. May or may not reduce nitrates to nitrites. No free nitrogen or nitrous oxide gas pro-
duced from nitrates.
A. No pink or red pigment produced on agar media in young cultures.
1. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
a. Utilize NH4H2PO4 as a sole source of nitrogen. {
b. Yellow pigment produced on agar media. Not acido-proteolytic.
1. Micrococcus luteus.
* Revised by Prof. G. J. Hucker and Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State Experiment
Station, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, April, 1954.
t In revising the material covering the micrococci for the 7th edition of the Manual, it
has become evident that there is a very real difference between the fundamental physiolo-
gies of such free-living species as those found in soil, sea water and brines, and those that
are familiar as pus-forming, enterotoxin-producing staphylococci. The former are able to
satisfy their needs for nitrogen and carbon from such simple compounds as ammonium phos-
phate and glucose, ammonium tartrate or asparagine and glucose. On the other hand, the
staphylococci require more complex nitrogenous compounds in order to grow. It is believed
that when suitable investigations can be completed, it will prove desirable to separate the
mass-forming cocci into the two genera Micrococcus Cohn, 1872, and Staphylococcus Rosen-
bach, 1884. In the present edition both of these genera are recognized. However, only two
species have been placed in the genus Staphylococcus; further investigations may show that
other parasitic or pathogenic species should be included therein.
J That is, will grow and produce acid (sometimes slowly) on slants containing 1.5 per cent
washed agar, 0.1 per cent ammonium phosphate, 1 .0 per cent glucose, 0.02 per cent potassium
chloride and 0.02 per cent magnesium sulfate. Add brom-cresol-purple as an indicator
(Hucker, N. Y. State Exp. Sta. Tech. Bui. 100, 1924, 25; also Tech. Bui. 101, 1924, 36-40).
45G ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
1. Micrococcus luteus (Schroeter, 1872) Beitr. z. Biol. d. Pflan., 1, Heft 2, 1872, 119;
Cohn, 1872. (Bacleridium hileum Schroeter, Cohn, z6zd., 153; not Micrococcus Zwfews Leh-
457
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE
Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. cryophilus Optimum pH, between 6.8 and 7.2. Growth
frost-loving. occurs between pH 5.5 and 9.5.
Spherical cells, the average diameter be- Source: Isolated by McLean (Food Tech-
ing 1.6 microns, occasional large cells nology, 6,1951, 7) from a finished package of
measuring 3.6 and small cells measuring pork sausage prepared from frozen meat.
1.0 micron in diameter, occurring singly, in Habitat: Found in frozen meat products
pairs, in chains and in clusters. Nuclear so far as known.
bodies which vary in size and position have
been observed in the cell. There is evidence 7. Micrococcus conglomeratus Migula,
that these bodies represent various stages 1900. (Citronengelber Diplococcus, Bumm,
of a mitotic and a meiotic process (DeLa- Der Mikroorganismus der gonorrhoischen
mater and Woodburn, Jour. Bact., 64, 1952, Schleimhauterkrankungen, 1 Aufl., 1885, 17;
793; Hunter, E.xp. Cell Res., 9, 1955, 231). Micrococcus citreus conglomeratus Fliigge,
However, compare Bisset (Jour. Bact., 67, Die Mikroorganismen, 2 Aufl., 1886, 182;
1954, 41). Non-motile; occasional cells are Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 146.)
motile by means of peritrichous flagella. con.glo.me.ra'tus. L. part. adj. conglo-
Gram-stains of veal infusion agar smears meratus rolled together.
show Gram-positive cells with a predomi- Spheres, 0.8 to 1.2 microns in diameter,
nant number of Gram-negative cells irrespec- occurring singly, in pairs, in fours and in
tive of the age of the culture. large clumps. Non-motile. Gram-variable.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, yellow
Agar slant: Creamy white, glistening, fili- with radiate margin.
form, moderately heavy growth. Gelatin stab: Slow crateriform liquefac-
Yeast extract agar: Growth same as tion.
above but heavier; old cultures become faint Agar colonies: Luxuriant, moist, sulfur-
pink in color.
Veal infusion agar: Growth same as yellow.
Agar slant: Growth light yellow, plumose,
above; old cultures become brownish slightly rugose, somewhat dull with raised
yellow. center and transparent margin.
Yeast e.xtract and nutrient broths : A ring Broth: Turbid, with light orange ring
is formed. and sediment.
Ulrich milk (Science, 99, 1941, 352) : Alka- Milk: Generally acid but not sufficient
line in 2 days; slight reduction of methylene to curdle.
blue indicator in 4 days. Potato: No growth.
Indole not produced. Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Acid from glucose and lactose generally,
No acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose, sometimes from sucrose. Mannitol and
maltose, xylose, cellobiose, mannitol, dul- glycerol generally not fermented.
citol or salicin. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Sodium citrate does not serve as a sole Nitrites produced from nitrates.
source of carbon. Ammonia produced from peptone.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Utilizes NH4H2PO4 as a source of nitro-
Ammonium phosphate does not serve as a
sole source of nitrogen. Blood not hemolyzed.
Urease is produced. Non-pathogenic.
gen.
Oxidase not produced. Aerobic.
Blood agar: No hemolysis.
Optimum temperature, 25° C.
Catalase-positive. Resistant to drying and heat.
Aerobic. Source: Found in gonorrhoea! pus and in
Temperature relations: Optimum, 9.8° C. dust.
Minimum, —4.0° C. Maximum, between 23° Habitat: Infections, milk, dairy products,
and 24° C. dairy utensils, water. Common.
460 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
8. Micrococcus varians Migula, 1900. Agar stroke: Yellow to orange (Evans, op.
(Merismopedia flava varians Dyar, Ann. N. cit., 18, 1916, 455); pearly white (Hucker,
Y. Acad. Sci., 8, 1895, 346; Migula, Syst. d. op. cit., 1924, 17); luxuriant growth.
Bakt., 2, 1900, 135.) Broth: Generally grows with smooth tur-
va'ri.ans. L. part. adj. varians varying. bidity although certain strains give heavy
Spheres, 0.8 to 1.0 micron in diameter, oc- precipitate with clear supernatant fluid.
curring singly, in pairs and in fours. Occa- Litmus milk: Acid, peptonized. Whey
sionally cultures are found that are motile generally clear.
with a single flagellum, otherwise they are Potato: Scant, white growth. Certain
non-motile. Gram-variable. strains may show yellow pigment.
Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, whitish Indole not produced.
to yellow, capitate, moruloid. Acid from glucose, lactose, maltose, man-
Gelatin stab: Scant growth. No liquefac- nitol and glj^cerol. No action on rafiinose.
tion. Forms dextrorotatory lactic acid (Orla-
Agar colonies: Small, yellow, raised, Jensen, The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 80).
glistening. Nitrites usually produced from nitrates.
Agar slant: Plumose, yellow, variegated Asparagin and urea decomposed bj^ some
growth. strains.
Broth: Turbid, with yellow, granular Utilizes NH4H2PO4 as a source of nitro-
sediment.
Litmus milk: Acid; coagulated on boiling. Aerobic.
Potato: Raised, dry, bright yellow, glis- gen.
Optimum temperature, 22° C.
tening growth. Saprophytic.
Indole not produced. Source: Eight cultures from a bovine
Acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose, raffi- udder.
nose and frequently from glycerol and Habitat: Milk, dairy utensils and dairy
mannitol. No acid from salicin or inulin. products, especially cheese.
Starch not hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. 10. Micrococcus colpogenes Campbell
Ammonia produced from peptone. and Williams, 1951. (Jour. Gen. Microbiol.,
Utilizes NH4H2PO4 as a source of nitro- 5, 1951, 897 and 904).
gen. col.po'ge.nes. Gr. noun colpus bosom,
Saprophytic. fold; Gr. v. gennaio to bear; M.L. adj.
Aerobic. colpogenes fold-producing.
Optimum temperature, 25° C. Cocci occurring in clumps and occasion-
Source: Original strains found in a con- ally in pairs. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
taminated jarof sterilized milk. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Habitat: Has been found in body secre- Agar colonies: Circular, smooth, entire,
tions, dairy products, dairy utensils, dust raised, glistening, yellow.
and water, including sea water. Agar slant: Filiform, glistening, j^ellow
streak.
9. Micrococcus caseolyticus Evans, Broth: Moderatelj^ turbid; slight, granu-
1916. (Jour. Inf. Dis., 18, 1916, 455.) lar sediment.
ca.se. o.ly'ti.cus. L. noun caseiis cheese; Litmus milk: Unchanged.
Gr. adj. lyticus able to loose; M.L. adj. Indole not produced.
caseolyticus casein-dissolving. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Spheres, variable in size, occurring in No acid or gas from glucose, lactose, su-
clumps. Non-motile. Gram-positive. crose, maltose, fructose, dextrin, mannose,
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction generally be- arabinose, rhamnose, xylose, raffinose, in-
gins after first day and continues rapidly. ulin, mannitol, salicin, dulcitol, galactose,
Agar colonies: Yellow to orange (Evans, trehalose, inositol, cellobiose, melezitose or
loc. cit.); pearly white (Hucker, N. Y. Agr. adonitol. Fumarate (0.5 per cent), lactate,
Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 102, 1924, 17). malonate, tartrate, citrate, levulinate,
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE 461
Source: Original culture isolated by Buj- on the Microflora of the Dead Sea. Thesis,
wid in Bern, Switzerland, and sent to Mi- Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, 1940, V and 65).
gula at Karlsruhe, Germany. Spheres, 1.0 to 1.5 microns in diameter,
Habitat: Unknown. occurring singly, in pairs, in short chains
and in tetrads. In 30 per cent salt + 1 per
13. Micrococcus agilis Ali-Cohen, 1889. cent peptone ("Poulenc"), the spheres are
(Cent. f. Bakt., 6, 1889, 36.) 0.9 to 2.7 microns in diameter and occur
a'gi.lis. L. adj. agilis agile. singly or in pairs or tetrads; in the same
Spheres, 1.0 micron in diameter, occurring agar medium, they appear mostly as cocci,
singly, in pairs and in fours. Motile by diplococci, streptococci and staphylococci,
means of one or two flagella. Gram- variable. tetrads being poorly developed. Non-mo-
Gelatin colonies: Small, gray, becoming tile. Gram-negative.
distinctly rose-colored. Gelatin stab (15 per cent salt) : Surface
Gelatin stab: Thin, whitish growth in growth and liquefaction.
stab. On surface thick, rose-red, glistening Agar colonies (24 per cent salt + 1 per
growth. Generally no liquefaction. cent proteose peptone -f 2 per cent KNO3) :
Agar slant: Growth glistening, dark rose- Circular, smooth, entire, raised to conve.x,
red, lobed with much variation in color. amorphous, opaque, orange-red.
Broth: Slightly turbid, with slight, rose- Agar slant: Growth filiform, raised,
colored ring and pink sediment. slightly glistening, smooth, Inityrous,
Litmus milk : Slightly acid, pink sediment. opaque, orange-red.
Potato: Slow growth as small, rose- Broth (24 per cent salt + 1 per cent pro-
colored colonies. teose peptone): Slightly turbid; orange-red
sediment.
Loeffler's blood serum: Pink, spreading,
shiny, abundant. Slow liquefaction. Indole not produced.
Indole not produced. No acid or gas from arabinose, xylose,
Acid from glucose, sucrose, inulin, gly- glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, lac-
cerol and mannitol. No acid from raffinose. tose, sucrose, maltose, raffinose, inulin, dex-
Nitrites produced (trace). trin, glj'cerol, mannitol or salicin (all tests
Ammonia formed (trace) . were made in 24 per cent salt + 1 per cent
Does not utilize NH4H2PO4 as source peptone + 1 per cent carbohydrate during
3 weeks).
of nitrogen.
Aerobic. Starch not hj^drolj^zed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates; no gas
Optimum temperature, 25° C. is produced (tests made in 24 per cent salt
Saprophytic.
Source: Isolated from water. -f 1 per cent peptone + 2 per cent KNO3) .
Habitat : Water, sea water and on sea fish. Catalase-positive.
Aerobic.
14. Micrococcus morrhuae Klebahn, Salt tolerance : Halophilic, obligate; grows
with no morphological changes in 9 to 30
1919. {Micrococcus (DipJococcus) morrhuae
Klebahn, Mitteil. a. d. Inst. f. allg. Bot. i. per cent salt. When the organism is trans-
ferred to water, its morphology does not
Hamburg, 4, 1919, 47; abst. in Cent. f. Bakt.,
change, and it grows when reinoculated into
II Abt., 52, 1921, 123.)
salt-containing media.
mor'rhu.ae. M.L. gen. noun morrhuae of
Morrhua; M.L. fem.n. Morrhua a genus of Optimum temperature, between 30° and
37° C.
codfish.
Distinctive character: The pigment pro-
Original description supplemented bj' duced by this organism gives a blue color
material taken from Better (Proc. Kon. with concentrated sulfuric acid, thus sug-
Acad. V. Wetensch. Amsterdam, 34, 1931, gesting a carotenoid; it is not soluble in
1417; also see Petter, Over roode en andere methanol, ethanol, acetone, ether, chloro-
bacterien van gezouten visch. Thesis, form, dioxam, ethylacetate, benzol, pe-
Utrecht, 1932) and Elazari-Volcani (Studies troleum ether, xjdene or pyridine.
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE 463
Comment : Also see description of Sarcina valerionate or asparagine are suitable hy-
littoralis Poulsen. drogen donators.
Source: Isolated from reddened, salted Grows under autotrophic conditions on
codfish and herring and from Dead Sea thiosulfates as oxidation substrates with
water. the formation of sulfates and sulfuric acid.
Habitat: Found in sea-water brine, sea Sijderius (op. cit., 1946) suggests that
salt and salt lakes; also found to be asso- Thiobacillus novellvs Starkey is the same
ciated with a red discoloration of salted fish. as Micrococcus denitrificans Beijerinck.
Grows readily under autotrophic condi-
15. Micrococcus denitrificans Beije- tions in a hydrogen atmosphere. Also pro-
rinck, 1910, emend. Sijderius, 1946. (Beije- duces good growth on a mineral medium
rinck, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 25, 1910, 53; with nitrate in a hydrogen atmosphere, if
also see Elema, De bepaling van de oxydatie certain growth factors are added to the
reductie potentiaal in bacterien cultures en medium.
hare betekenis voor de stofwisseling. Thesis, The relationship of Micrococcus denitrifi-
Delft, 1932; Sijderius, Heterotrophe bac- cans to Micrococcus halodenitrificans Robin-
terien die thiosulfaat oxyderon. Thesis, son and Gibbons (Can. Jour. Botany, 30,
Amsterdam, 1946.) 1952, 147) has not been determined. Pre-
de.ui.tri'fi.cans. L. prep, de away from; sumably the latter organism is an obligate,
L. noun nitrum soda; M.L. noun nitriim halophilic adaptate of Micrococc^is denitri-
nitrate, niter; M.L. v. denitrifico to denitriiy ; ficans (Verhoeven, Koster and van Nievelt,
M.L. part. adj. denitrificans denitrifying. Jour. Microbiol, and Serology, 20, 1954,
279).
Description prepared by Dr. W. Ver-
hoeven, Delft, Holland. Source: Isolated from nitrate media ino-
Non-motile coccus, 1 micron in diameter. culated with soil.
Some spindle-shaped, even rod-like forms Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
may be observed in young cultures. In old in soil.
cultures the typical coccus form is pre-
dominant. Sometimes aggregates are ob- 16. Micrococcus halodenitrificans Rob-
served. Gram-negative. inson and Gibbons, 1952. (Robinson and
Grows readilj' on peptone media. Rather Gibbons, Can. Jour. Botany, SO, 1952, 147;
salt resistant; develops in media containing also see Robinson, ibid., 30, 1952, 155, and
no salt to 6 per cent salt. Robinson, Gibbons and Thatcher, Jour.
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Bact., 64, 1952, 69.)
Agar colonies: Circular, entire, smooth, ha.lo.de.ni.tri'fi.cans. Gr. noun hals,
glistening, white, opaque. halis salt; L. prep de away from; L. noun
Broth: Turbid, no pellicle. nitrum soda; M.L. noun nitrum nitrate,
Milk: Unchanged. niter; M.L. v. denitrifico to denitrify; M.L.
Indole not produced. part. adj. halodenitrificans salt denitrifying.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Description prepared by Dr. N. E. Gib-
No acid or gas produced from glucose. bons, Ottawa, Canada.
Nitrates and nitrites are hydrogen ac- Spherical cells 0.5 micron in diameter.
ceptors in dissimilation, being reduced to Occur singly or in pairs. Salt concentration
nitrous oxide and nitrogen. Ammonia is not has little effect on morphology. Gram-nega-
produced. tive.
Urease activity negative. Does not grow on media containing less
Catalase-positive. than four per cent salt. Grows readily in
Aerobic.
peptone media.
Temperature range, 5° to 37° C. Opti- Gelatin stab: Liquefied.
mum, between 25° and 30° C. Agar colonies: Circular, entire, convex,
In denitrification, ethanol, propanol, l)utyrous, glistening, opaque, cream-
glycerol, mannitol, glucose, formate, ace- colored.
tate, lactate, succinate, fumarate, citrate, Broth: Turbid, no pellicle.
464 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Staph. y.lo.coc'cus. Gr. noun staphyle bunch of grapes; Gr. noun coccus a grain, berry;
M.L. mas.n. Staphjlococciis the grape-like coccus.
Spherical cells occurring singly, in pairs, in tetrads and in irregular clusters, especially
when growing in broth. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Many strains produce an orange or
yellow pigment, particularly on media containing high levels of NaCl. Most strains produce
acetoin from glucose, ammonia from arginine, reduce nitrates and ferment a variety of car-
bohydrates. Require an organic source of nitrogen (amino acids) and two or more vitamins
for growth in a sjmthetic medium. Growth in a nutritionally adequate broth is abundant,
usually with a heavy, uniform turbidity and a slight ring pellicle. Growth on agar media is
usually abundant. Strongly catalase-positive. Facultative with respect to oxygen require-
ment, growing very well anaerobically in the presence of a fermentable carbohydrate but
growing even better aerobically. Coagulase-positive strains produce a variety of to.xins
and are thus potentially pathogenic and may cause food poisoning. Frequently found on
the skin, in skin glands, on the nasal and other mucous membranes of warm-blooded ani-
mals and in a variety of food products.
The type species is Staphylococcus aureus Rosenbach.
Key to the species of genus Staphylococcus.
I. Ferments mannitol. Coagulase-positive.
1. Staphylococcus aureus.
II. Does not ferment mannitol. Coagulase-negative.
2. Staphylococcus epidermidis.
rounding four of the elements, thus forming ho.ma'ri. M.L. noun Homarus generic
typical tetrads. Gram-positive. name of the lobster; M.L. gen. noun homari
Gelatin colonies: Small, 1 to 2 mm in di- of the lobster.
ameter, white convex. Spheres, 0.8 to 1.1 microns in diameter, oc-
Gelatin stab: Thick, white surface curring in tetrads. Encapsulated in lobster
growth. No liquefaction. blood but not in artificial media. Non-mo-
Agar colonies: Circular, white, smooth, tile. Gram-positive.
glistening, entire. Reimann (Jour. Bact., Gelatin: No liquefaction.
31 , 1936, 385) has described eleven colony- Agar colonies: Circular, 1 to 2 mm in di-
form variants for this species. ameter, grayish white, raised.
Agar slant: White, moist, glistening Agar slants: Scant, beaded growth.
growth. Broth: Scant growth with granular sedi-
Broth: Clear, with gray viscous sediment. ment.
Litmus milk: Slightly acid. Litmus milk: Slightly acid.
Potato: White, viscid growth. Potato: No growth.
Indole not produced. Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Acid from glucose, lactose and glycerol. Acid but no gas from glucose, lactose,
Starch not hydrolyzed. sucrose, maltose, raffinose, mannitol, glyc-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. erol and salicin. Dulcitol not attacked.
Ammonium salts not utilized. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Biotin, L-tyrosine and L-glutamate are Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
required for growth (Aaronson, Bact. Proc, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
51st Gen. Meeting Soc. Amer. Bact., Chi- Urease not produced.
cago, 1951, 58). Ammonium salts do not serve as a sole
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. source of nitrogen.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Biotin, calcium pantothenate, thiamin,
Pathogenic for mice and guinea pigs; rab- nicotinic acid and a number of amino
bits are less susceptible.
acids are required for growth (Aaronson,
Source : Isolated from sputum in tubercu-
losis; also from air and skin. Bact. Proc, 51st Gen. Meeting, Soc. Amer.
Bact., Chicago, 1951, 58).
Habitat: Mucous membrane of the respir-
atory tract. Optimum temperature, between 30° and
35° C. Growth range, 6° to 44° C.
2. GafFkya homari Hitchner and Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Snieszko, 1947. (Micrococci of the Gaffkya Human blood agar: Beta-hemolytic.
type, Snieszko and Taylor, Science, 105, Pathogenic for lobsters.
1947, 500; Hitchner and Snieszko, Jour. Source: Isolated from diseased lobsters
Bact., 54, 1947, 48.) {Homarus americanus) from Maine.
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New-
York, March, 1943; further revision by Prof. Jan Smit, Landbouwhoogeschool, Wageningen,
The Netherlands, February, 1949.
468 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
is less abundant and non-pigmented even when the conditions for growth are favorable.
Glucose broth generally slightly acid, lactose broth generally neutral. Gelatin frequently
liquefied. Nitrites may or maj^ not be produced from nitrates. Saprophytic and facultatively
parasitic species occur.
The type species is Sarcina ventriculi Goodsir.
1. Sarcina ventriculi Goodsir, 1842, Large spheres, 3.5 to 4.0 microns in di-
emend. Beijerinck, 1905. (Goodsir, Edin- ameter, occurring in packets of 8, 16, 32 or
borough Med. and Surg. Jour., 57 , 1842, 430; more elements. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
Beijerinck, Proc. Sect. Sci., Kon Akad. v. Growth occurs only in sugar media con-
Wetensch., Amsterdam, 7, 1905, 580; also taining peptones,
see Beijerinck, ibid., 8, 1911, 1237; Zymo- Gelatin: No liquefaction.
sarcina ventriculi Smit, Die Garungssarci- Deep glucose agar colonies: Multilen-
nen. Pflanzenforschung, Jena, Heft 14, 1930, ticular, surrounded by a cloudy zone.
26.) Abundant gas.
ven.tri'cu.li. L. noun ventricxihis the Glucose agar slant : Round, whitish colo-
stomach; L. gen. noun ventriculi of the nies, several millimeters in diameter,
stomach. Glucose broth: Abundant, flaky growth.
Description taken in part from Smit {loc. Abundant gas. Acid. No turbidity.
cit.). Plain peptone water: No growth.
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE 469
Sugar peptone water: Abundant growth. velle and Prevot (Les Microbes Anaerobies,
Gas. 1937, 1030) and from Smit (op. cit., 1930, 22).
Milk: Slow growth. Acid and coagulation. Large spheres, 4.0 to 4.5 microns in di-
Indole not produced. ameter, occurring in regular packets of 8, 16,
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, 32 or more elements. Non-motile. Gram-
sucrose, maltose, lactose and galactose. No
positive.
acid from .xylose, arabinose, raffinose, man- Growth occurs only in sugar media con-
nitol, dulcitol, salicin, starch, glycerol or taining peptones.
inulin. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Cellulose reaction positive. Deep glucose agar colonies: Multilenticu-
Neutral red broth changed to fluorescent lar. Abundant gas produced.
yellow. Glucose agar slant: Round, whitish colo-
Utilizes peptones, wort and yeast water nies.
as sources of nitrogen. Cannot utilize Glucose broth: Abundant growth, flakj^,
amino acids or inorganic nitrogen. gaseous, marked acidification. Disagree-
Coagulated proteins not attacked. able butyric odor. No turbidity.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Sugar peptone water: Abundant growth,
Principal products of metabolism are flaky, gaseous, followed by acidification.
carbon dioxide and ethanol. Milk: Not coagulated.
Microaerophilic to anaerobic. Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac-
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C. tose, maltose, sucrose and lactose.
Minimum, 10° C. Maximum, 45° C. Killed Cellulose reaction negative.
in ten minutes at 65° C. Neutral red broth changed to fluores-
Optimum pH, between 1.5 and 5.0; pH cent yellow.
limits for growth, 0.9 to 9.8. Utilizes peptones, yeast water or broth
Non-pathogenic. as source of nitrogen. Cannot utilize amino
Comments: Sarcina ventriculi Goodsir is acids or inorganic nitrogen.
often described as small, aerobic cocci, Coagulated proteins not attacked.
isolated from the stomach, which grow on Principal products of metabolism are car-
sugar-free media and which do not attack bon dioxide, butyric and acetic acids.
sugars (see Bergeyet al., Manual, 1st to 5th Microaerophilic to anaerobic.
eds., 1923 to 1939). This mistake originated Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
with Falkenheim (Arch. f. exp. Path u. Minimum, 15° C. Maximum, 40° C. Killed
Pharmak., 19, 1885, 339). Beijerinck {op. in twenty minutes at 55° C.
cit., 1905, 580) was the first to grow pure cul- pH limits of growth, 1.0 to 9.5.
tures of Sarcina ventriculi and to recognize Non-pathogenic.
its anaerobic nature. Source: Isolated from fermenting malt
Source: Originally found by making a mash .
microscopic examination of vomit. Found in Habitat: Acidified flour pastes, wheat
cases of duodenal ulcer, never in cases of
stomach cancer (Smit). bran; seldom in soils. Also intestinal con-
tents of guinea pigs (Crecelius and Rettger,
Habitat: Found in the stomach, garden
Jour. Bact., 4^, 1943, 10).
soil, dust, sand and mud.
3. Sarcina methanica (Smit, 1930)
2. Sarcina maxima Lindner, 1888. (Lind-
ner, Die Sarcina- Organismen der Garungs- Weinberg et al., 1937. (Methaansarcine,
gewerbe. Inaug. Diss., Berlin, 1888, 54; Sohngen, Inaug. Diss., Delft, 1906, 104;
Zymosarcina maxijna Smit, Die Garungs- Zymosarcina methanica Smit, Die Garungs-
sarcinen. Pflanzenforschung, Jena, Heft 14, sarcinen. Pflanzenforschung, Jena, Heft 14,
1930, 22.) 1930, 25; Weinberg, Nativelle and Prevot,
max'i.ma. L. sup. adj. maximus greatest. Les Microbes Anaerobies, 1937, 1032.)
Description taken from Weinberg, Nati- me.tha'ni.ca. Gr. noun methy wine; M.L.
470 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
noun methanum methane; M.L. adj . methani- Methanol agar (with inorganic salts and
cus pertaining to methane. some NaaS) colonies: 0.5 to 1.0 mm in di-
Description taken from Weinberg at al. ameter, whitish.
(loc. cii.) and from Smit {op. cit., 1930, 25). Carbohydrates not fermented.
Spheres, 2.0 to 2.5 microns in diameter, Cellulose-negative .
occurring in packets of 8 or more cocci. Methane is produced from carbonic acid
Non-motile. Gram-variable. and bicarbonates. Sodium acetate is more
Growth in solutions of calcium acetate slowly attacked with the production of car-
and possibly of butyrate and inorganic am- bon dioxide, part of which is reduced to
monium salts. Carbon dioxide is needed for methane. Other alcohols and salts are not
methane production. utilized.
In acetate-agar (with addition of some Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
HoS and NaHCOs) : Colonies of 50 to 100 Peptones and other sources of organic
microns are formed, showing gas produc- nitrogen are not utilized.
tion. Catalase-negati ve .
Cultural characters as yet unknown. Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Carbohydrates and ethanol not fer- Optimum pH, 7.0.
mented. Non-pathogenic.
Cellulose reaction negative. Distinctive characters: Methanol is uti-
Principal products from the metabolism lized with the production of methane, car-
of calcium acetate and butyrate are meth- bon dioxide and water. From mixtures of
ane, carbon dioxide and calcium carbonate. carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and
Peptones not attacked. hydrogen, methane is produced. Pure car-
Utilizes ammonium salts as source of bon monoxide is utilized with the produc-
nitrogen. No organic nitrogen compounds tion of carbon dioxide and methane.
utilized. Source: Isolated from mud.
Strict anaerobe. Killed by a short contact Habitat: Found in mud and sewage
with the air. sludge.
Optimum temperature, between 35° and
37° C. 5. Sarcina lutea Schroeter, 1886. (In
Non-pathogenic. Cohn, Kryptogamen-Flora v. Schlesien, 3,
Distinctive characters: Utilizes am- 1, 1886, 154.)
monium salts and acyclic acids producing lu'te.a. L. adj. luteus yellow.
methane and carbonic acid. Spheres, 1.0 to 1.5 microns in diameter,
Source: Isolated from sediment in meth- occurring in packets in all media. Gram-
ane fermentation (Weinberg et al.). Iso-
lated from mud (Smit). positive.
Gelatin colonies: Circular, up to 5 mm in
Habitat: Swamp waters and mud; fer- diameter, sulfur-yellow, sinking into the
menting sewage sludge. medium.
Gelatin stab: Slow, infundibuliform li-
4. Sarcina barkeri Schnellen, 1947.
quefaction.
Agar colonies: Yellow, coarsely granular,
(Sarcina harkerii (sic) Schnellen, Inaug.
Diss., Delft, 1947, 63; also see Kluyver and circular, raised, moist, glistening, entire.
Schnellen, Arch, of Biochem., IJ,., 1947, 57.) Agar slant: Sulfur- to chrome-yellow,
bar'ke.ri. M.L. gen. noun barkeri of smooth, soft growth.
Barker; named for H. A. Barker, who has Broth: Clear with abundant, j'ellow sedi-
made studies of organisms of this type. ment.
Spheres, 1.5 to 2.0 microns in diameter, Litmus milk: Coagulated, becoming alka-
occurring mostlj' in packets of 8 or less. line.
Non-motile. Gram-positive. Potato: Sulfur- to chrome-yellow, raised,
Growth occurs in solutions of methanol sometimes limited growth.
and inorganic ammonium salts. Slight indole production.
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE 471
9. Sarcina hansenii (Miquel, 1893) diameter and are centrally located. Motile,
Breed, comb, nov* {Urosarcina hansenii each sphere possessing a single, long flagel-
Miquel, Annales de Micrographie, 5, 1893, lum. Gram-positive.
225 (type species (monotypy) of genus Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, flat,
Urosarcina Miquel, ibid., 1, 1888, 517); also microscopically coarsely granular, gray,
see Miquel and Cambier, Trait6 de Bac- becoming opaque; old colonies generally
teriologie, 1903, 628.) become slightly yellowish or brownish.
han.se'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun hansenii of Gelatin stab: Thread-like or beaded, gray
Hansen; named for Emil Christian Hansen, to j^ellowish gray, glistening or dull growth.
a Danish scientist who worked on fermen- No liquefaction (Beijerinck); may or may
tation problems. not produce slow liquefaction (several weeks
Spheres, variable in size, ordinarily oc- or months) (Gibson).
curring in tetrads or packets, sometimes in Agar colonies: Same as those on gelatin.
irregular forms. Agar slant: Growth gray, opaque and
Growth occurs in various media. glistening, becoming slightly yellowish in
Gelatin colonies: White, becoming yellow old cultures.
after 48 hours. Growth may occur in streaks. Glucose agar stab: Gray, glistening sur-
No liquefaction. face growth becoming whitish or yellowish
Broth: No turbidity; yellow deposit on in the center and slightly irregular.
walls of tube. Broth: Turbid; later, an easily dispersed
Urea is converted into ammonium car- sediment is produced ; a granular precipitate
bonate. may be formed on the walls of the tube.
Optimum temperature, 30° C. Growth Milk: No change, but alkaline after several
occurs at room temperature. weeks if a heavy inoculum is used.
Comment : The original description makes Potato: No growth on acid potato; brown-
no mention of motility, of spore formation ish growth on potato rendered alkaline with
or of the Gram stain. NaoCOs .
Relationships to other species: Hauduroy Indole not produced.
et al. (Diet. d. Bact. Path., 2<= ed., 1953, 542) Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
regard this species as probably identical No acid from glucose.
with the following species. If the two species Starch not hydrolyzed.
are identical, Miquel's description ante- Nitrites produced from nitrates (Gibson) ;
dates that of Beijerinck. sea-water forms do not reduce nitrates
Source: Isolated from water and dust. (Wood, Jour. Bact., 51, 1946, 287).
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed. Urea is converted into ammonium car-
bonate.
10. Sarcina ureae (Beijerinck, 1901) Aerobic.
Lohnis, 1911. {Planosarcina iireae Beije-
rinck, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 7, 1901, 52; Temperature relations: Optimum, 20° C.
Lohnis, Landwirtsch. bakteriol. Prakti- Maximum, under 37° C. Spore-containing
kum, 1911, 138.) cells resist heating to 80° C. for 10 minutes
u're.ae. Gr. noun urum urine; M.L. noun (Beijerinck) and 100° C. for 5 minutes
(Gibson). The majority of vegetative cells
urea urea; M.L. gen. noun ureae of urea.
Original description supplemented by are destroyed at 65° C. for 15 minutes; in
material taken from Gibson (Arch, f . Mikro- dense suspensions, some survive 70° C. for
biol.,6, 1935,73). 15 minutes (Gibson).
Spheres, 1.0 to 2.5 microns in diameter, Optimum pH, about 8.8. Limits of pH,
occurring singly, in pairs and in packets. 6.4 and 9.4.
Endospores of an unusual type are pro- Spore formation: For abundant spore
duced; they measure 0.8 to 1.0 micron in formation, solid media containing am-
* Description prepared by Prof. Robert S, Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York,
October, 1955.
473
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE
monium salts and sub-optimal concentra- tures on agar, in peptone water and in
tions of other nutrients should be used; also, broth are non-motile whereas those on urea
the reactions of the media should approach agar are actively motile.
the limiting acidity for growth, and the in- Source: Isolated from urine and from
cubation temperature should not exceed garden soil. Also found in sea water (Wood,
22° C. loc. cit.).
Motility: After 24 hours, jirimary cul- Habitat: Presumably widely distributed.
Genus V. Methanococcu.s Kluyver and van Niel, 1936, emend. Barker, 1936*
(Kluyver and van Niel, Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 9J^, 1936, 400; Barker,
Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 7, 1936, 430.)
Me.tha.no.coc'cus. Gr. noun methy wine; M.L. noun methanum methane; Gr. noun
coccus a berry; M.L. noun coccus a spherical cell; M.L. mas.n. Methanococcus methane
coccus.
Spherical cells, occurring singly, in pairs, or in masses. Motile or non-motile. Gram-
variable. Chemo-heterotrophic, fermenting various organic compounds with the production
of methane. Anaerobic. Saprophytes.
The type species is Methanococcus mazei Barker.
methane, carbon dioxide and, under some Source: Isolated by enrichment proce-
conditions, hydrogen. dures from black mud from the east shore
Chemical tolerance: pH range for growth, of San Francisco Bay.
7.4 to 9.2. Optimum pH, about 8.0. Habitat: Presumably found in similar
Anaerobic. materials elsewhere.
Pep.to.coc'cus. Gr. v. pepto to cook, digest; Gr. noun coccus a grain, berry; M.L. mas.n.
Peptococcus the digesting-coccus.
Spherical bacteria occurring singly, in pairs, tetrads or masses. Non-motile. Gram-posi-
tive. Anaerobic. Chemoheterotrophic, fermenting a variety of organic compounds. With one
exception, the species here described are all from human sources.
Cardon and Barker (Jour. Bact., 52, 1946, 633) have proposed the generic name Anaero-
coccus as a provisional name to include the Gram-positive, anaerobic occci which occur in
a more or less irregular and variable arrangement.
The present classification of the species in this genus is based on morphological and
various physiological characters. However, recent work has shown that the presence of
fatty acids and sulfur compounds exerts a marked influence on the morphology and/or
biochemical behavior of these organisms; consequently, in choosing criteria for the classifi-
cation of the species in this genus, it seems exigent to use those obtained with standardized
media. With the use of rather ill-defined media, at least thirty anaerobic cocci have been
recognized and described; however, with standardized media, Hare and his associates have
divided the anaerobic cocci into only nine groups. Thus, future work may show that some
or even many of the species here regarded as distinct are, in reality, identical with each
other. (See Hare, Wildy, Billett and Twort, Jour. Hyg., 50, 1952, 295; Hare, Atti del VI
Congresso Internaz. di Microbiologia, Roma, 1, 1953, 55; and Thomas and Hare, Jour. Clin.
Path., 7, 1954, 300; also see Foubert and Douglas, Jour. Bact., 56, 1948, 25.)
The type species is Peptococcus niger (Hall) Kluyver and van Niel.
Source: Isolated from the blood of a pa- Nat., Ser. Bot. et Zool., 15, 1933, 212), Fou-
tient suffering from puerperal septicemia. bert and Douglas (Jour. Bact., 56, 1948, 25)
Habitat: Human sources so far as known. and Whiteley (Jour. Bact., 63, 1952, 163, and
Thesis, Univ. of Washington, 1951).
3. Peptococcus asaccharolyticus (Dis- Spheres, 0.75 to 1.0 micron in diameter,
taso, 1912) Douglas, comb. nov. {Staphylo- occurring singly, in pairs, tetrads and ir-
coccus asaccharolyticus Distaso, Cent. f. regular masses. Non-motile. Not encapsu-
Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 62, 1912, 445; Micro- lated. Gram-positive.
coccus asaccharolyticus Hall, in Manual, 6th Gelatin: No liquefaction.
ed., 1948, 246.) Agar colonies: Circular, 0.5 to 2.0 mm in
a.sac.cha.ro.ly'ti.cus. Gr. pref. a not; diameter, smooth, entire, low convex,
Gr. noun sacchar sugar; Gr. adj. lyticus opaque, grayish white, butyrous.
able to loose; M.L. adj. asaccharolyticus not Growth in fluid medium : In peptone yeast
digesting sugar. extract broth, growth is moderate, coarsely
Description taken from Prevot (Ann. granular; slight to moderate gas produc-
Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot. et Zool., 15, 1933, 211). tion. Growth and gas production not en-
Large spheres, 1.0 to 1.2 microns in di- hanced by glucose but markedly stimulated
ameter, occurring in very large clusters and by 0.5 per cent glutamate.
in pairs and short chains. Gram-positive. Litmus milk: Reduced.
Gelatin: At 37° C. growth resembles tufts Indole is produced.
of cotton which precipitate. No liquefac- Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
tion. Cell suspensions decompose glutamate,
Deep agar colonies: Very delicate, pin- serine, threonine, histidines and purines to
point, transparent. A few bubbles of gas are CO 2 , Ho , NHs and acids. The acids pro-
produced. duced are butyric and acetic from glu-
Broth: Turbid. Growth settles at the bot- tamate, acetic from serine, propionic from
tom of the tube as a sort of viscous zoogloea. threonine, and acetic and lactic from
Unpleasant odor produced. purines and histidines. Chemical analyses
Peptone water: Turbid. show that only traces of glucose are utilized
Milk: Feebly acidified but not coagulated. (Foubert and Douglas). Prevot states that
Indole is produced. some strains produce small amounts of acid
Carbohydrates not attacked. from glucose and fructose.
Egg albumen not attacked. Nitrites produced from nitrates; nitrites
Anaerobic. are reduced.
Distinctive characters: Large size; un- Egg albumen, beef serum and casein not
pleasant odor; production of indole; pro- attacked.
duction of gas. Coagulase-negative.
Source: Isolated from the large intestine Catalase-positive.
of a man with intestinal intoxication. Anaerobic.
Habitat: Intestine. Not common.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth be-
tween 25° and 37° C.
4. Peptococcus aerogenes (Schottmiil- Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 8.0; pH
ler, 1912) Douglas, comb. nov. (Staphylococ- range, 5.5 to 8.5.
cus aerogenes Schottmiiller, Cent. f. Bakt., Non-hemolytic.
I Abt., Orig., 64, 1912, 270; Micrococcus Distinctive characters: Gas production;
aerogenes Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., sugars utilized slowly if at all; fermenta-
1923, 70; not Micrococcus aerogenes Miller, tion of amino acids and purines. Foubert
Deutsch. med. Woehnschr., 12, 1886, 119.) and Douglas (op. cit., 1948, 29) found no es-
a.e.ro'ge.nes. Gr. noun aer air; Gr. v. sential differences between cultures of this
gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. aerogenes gas- species and those of Peptococcus asaccharoly-
producing. ticus. Future work will probably show the
Description taken from Prevot (Ann. Sci. two species to be identical.
477
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE
Source: Isolated from twenty cases of from Peptococcus aerogenes by its failure
puerperal fever (Schottmiiller), from in- to produce indole, to reduce nitrates and to
fected tonsils (Prevot) and from the female ferment glutamate and histidine.
genital tract (Foubert and Douglas). Source: Isolated from the female genital
Habitat: Female genital tract and tonsils tract; also from tonsils, from a bottle of
so far as known. plasma and from skin.
Habitat: From human sources so far as
5. Peptococcus prevotii (Foubert and known.
Douglas, 1948) Douglas, comb. nov. {Micro-
coccus prevotii Foubert and Douglas, Jour. 6. Peptococcus grigoroffii (Prevot,
Bact., 56, 1948,25.) 1933) Douglas, comb. nov. (Micrococcus A,
pre.vo'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun prevotii of Grigoroff, These de Geneve, 1905; Micro-
Prevot; named for A. Prevot, a French bac- coccus grigoroffi, (sic) Prevot, Ann. Sci. Nat.,
teriologist. Ser. Bot. et Zool., 15, 1933, 219.)
Spherical cells, 0.6 to 1.5 microns in di- gri.go.rof'li.i. M.L. gen. noun grigoroffii
ameter, occurring singly, in pairs, tetrads of Grigoroff; named for S. Grigoroff, the
and irregular groups. Non-motile. Not en- bacteriologist who first isolated this or-
capsulated. Gram-positive.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. ganism.
Small spheres, averaging 0.7 micron in
Agar colonies: Circular, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diameter, occurring singly or in irregular
diameter, smooth, entire, low convex, trans- masses. Gram-positive.
lucent or opaque, gray to grayish white, Gelatin: Colonies appear in four days. No
butyrous. liquefaction.
Growth in fluid medium: In peptone yeast Deep agar colonies: After three days,
extract broth, moderately heavy growth in round, lenticular, yellowish.
72 hours, coarsely granular; no odor; gas is Glucose broth: Turbid after two days
produced. Growth of some strains enhanced with whitish sediment. Neither gas nor
slightly by glucose. fetid odor produced. The medium is acidi-
Litmus milk: Litmus reduced. fied.
Indole not produced. Milk: Good growth; acid; coagulation.
Hydrogen sulfide production slight, if at Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose, lac-
all. tose and sorbitol.
All strains utilize small amounts of glu- Anaerobic.
cose. Some strains produce slight acidity in
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, mal- One strain is slightly pathogenic.
tose and raffinose. Cell suspensions decom- Distinctive characters: This is the onl}-
pose serine, threonine and purines with the anaerobic coccus growing in irregular
formation of CO2 , NH3 , H2 and unidenti- masses that coagulates milk. Lactose is fer-
fied products. Glutamate, histidine and mented.
other amino acids not decomposed. Source: Five strains were isolated from
Nitrites not produced from nitrates; ni- the appendix by Grigoroff; one strain was
trites not reduced. isolated from an appendix by Prevot.
Egg albumen, beef serum and casein not Habitat: Human digestive tract. Not
attacked. common.
Coagulase-negative.
Catalase-positive. 7. Peptococcus constellatus (Prevot,
Anaerobic. 1924) Douglas, comb. nov. {Diplococcus con-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth be- stellatus Prevot, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol.,
tween 25° and 37° C. Paris, 5/, 1924,426.)
Optimum pH, between 6.5 and 8.5. con.stel.la'tus. L. adj. constellatus stud-
Non-hemolytic. ded with stars.
Distinctive characters : Distinguished Description taken in part from Prevot
478 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
(Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot. et Zool., 15, 1933, Agar colonies: Circular, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in
158). diameter, smooth, entire, low convex,
Spheres, 0.5 to 0.6 micron in diameter, opaque, grayish white, butyrous.
occurring in pairs and tetrads, rarely in very Growth in fluid medium: In peptone yeast
short chains, never in clu.sters. Gram-posi- extract broth, growth is moderate and
tive. stimulated by glucose. Cultures are turbid
Gehitin: Good growth. No liquefaction. with a white, powdery sediment. No visible
Deep agar colonies: At first very small, gas production. Faint, fruity odor.
lenticular, biconvex, thick, opaque, yel- Litmus milk: Slight reduction of litmus.
lowish, 0.5 to 1.5 mm in diameter. Each Indole not produced.
colony is surrounded by many small satel- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
lite colonies visible microscopically. Acid but no visible gas from glucose,
Broth: Growth slow, poor. After 48 hours fructose, mannose and glycerol. Arabinose,
a slight, homogeneous turbidity is formed; galactose, maltose, lactose, raffinose, starch,
it quickly clears leaving a slight, powdery inulin, salicin, mannitol, lactate and malate
sediment. Neither gas nor odor is produced. not utilized. Glucose fermented to CO2 ,
Glucose broth: Growth rapid, abundant. ethanol, acetic acid, formic acid and traces
Proteins not attacked. of lactic acid.
Blood broth: Good growth; no hemolysis. Nitrites produced from nitrates; nitrites
Milk: Poor growth; no change. are reduced.
Peptone water: Good growth; not acidi- Egg albumen, beef serum and casein not
fied; indole not produced. attacked.
Acid but no gas from glucose and arabi- Coagulase-negative.
nose. Slight acid from glycerol. No acid from Catalase-positive.
lactose, inulin, mannitol or dulcitol. Anaerobic.
Neutral red broth: Unchanged. Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth
Anaerobic. between 25° and 37° C.
Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 7.5; pH
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Feeble
growth at 22° C. Not thermo-resistant. range, 5.5 to 8.5.
Optimum pH, between 6.0 and 8.0. Non-hemolytic.
Distinctive character: The microscopic Distinctive characters: Saccharolytic; no
appearance of agar colonies, each of which visible gas produced; characteristic fer-
is surrounded by a constellation of satel- mentation products from glucose.
lites. Comments: There seems to be little dif-
Source: Isolated from a case of chronic, ference between this and the preceding
cryptic tonsillitis; later isolated from pus
in acute appendicitis. species.
Source: Isolated from bottles of plasma;
Habitat: Found in the digestive tract, es- also from the human skin.
pecially the lymphoid tissues, such as ton- Habitat: Probably the skin of man.
sils, etc.
9. Peptococcus glycinophilus (Cardon
8. Peptococcus saccharolyticus (Fou- and Barker, 1946) Douglas, comb. nov.
bert and Douglas, 1948) Douglas, comb. nov. {Diplococcus glycinophilus Cardon and
{Micrococcus saccharolyticus Poubert and Barker, Jour. Bact., 52, 1946, 629.)
Douglas, Jour. Bact., 56, 1948, 30 and 31.) gly.ci.no'phi.lus. M.L. noun glycinum
sac.cha.ro.ly'ti.cus. Gr. noun sacchar glycine; Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj.
sugar; Gr. adj. lyticus able to loose; M.L. glycinophilus glycine-loving.
adj . saccharolyticus sugar-digesting. Original description supplemented by
Spheres, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter, material from Foubert (Thesis, University
occurring singly, in pairs, tetrads and ir- of Washington, 1947).
regular groups. Non-motile. Not encapsu- Spheres, 0.7 to 2.5 microns in diameter,
lated. Gram-positive. the average being about 1.2 microns, occa-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. sionally rod-shaped, occurring in pairs,
FAMILY VII. MICROCOCCACEAE 479
short chains, tetrads and irregular groups. terial from Douglas (Jour. Bact., 62, 1951,
517).
Non-motile. Not encapsulated. Gram-posi-
tive. Spheres, 0.5 to 1.5 microns in diameter,
Growth does not occur on complex ni- occurring singly, in pairs, tetrads and ir-
trogenous or sugar-containing media to any regular groups. Non-motile. Not encapsu-
observable extent in the absence of added lated. Gram-positive.
glycine; furthermore, ordinary distilled Gelatin: Liquefaction.
water is frequently toxic to this organism, Agar colonies: Circular, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in
and glass-distilled water or a 1 :1 mixture of diameter, smooth, entire, low convex,
glass-distilled and tap water is recom- opaque, grayish white, butyrous.
mended in the preparation of media. Growth in fluid medium: In peptone yeast
Gelatin: Liquefaction. extract broth, growth moderately heavy,
Agar plate colonies: Circular, up to 0.5 cloudy; no odor; no visible gas. Growth not
mm in diameter, smooth, entire, convex, enhanced by glucose.
opaque, grayish white, butyrous. Litmus milk: Slight reduction.
Growth in fluid medium: Slow but abun- Indole not produced.
dant growth in peptone yeast extract Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
medium containing 0.3 per cent added Cell organisms and growing cultures de-
glycine; coarsely granular; no odor; no gas. compose glycine to CO2 , NH3 and acetic
Litmus milk: Partial reduction. acid. Other amino acids, purines, lactate
Indole not produced. and malate not decomposed. No acid pro-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. duction or growth enhancement by sugars
Glycine or glycine-containing peptides although chemical analyses show that small
are fermented. Other amino acids, organic amounts of glucose are utilized by all
acids and carbohydrates are not utilized. strains.
Glycine is decomposed to CO 2 , NH3 and Nitrites not produced from nitrates; ni-
acetic acid; under certain conditions H2 trites not reduced.
may also be formed in addition to the above Coagulase-negative.
products. Catalase-positive.
Nitrites produced from nitrates; nitrites Anaerobic.
are reduced.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth
Coagulase-negative. between 25° and 37° C.
Catalase-positive. Optimum pH, 7.0; pH range, 6.5 to 8.5.
Anaerobic. Non-hemolytic.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Distinctive characters: No visible gas
Optimum pH, 7.2; pH range, 6.0 to 8.5. production; glycine fermented to CO2 ,
Non-hemolytic. NH3 and acetic acid; liquefaction of gelatin
Distinctive characters: Large cell size; and variable cell size distinguish this
distinctive catabolism. The predominant species from Peptococcus anaerohius.
organism in anaerobic enrichment cultures Source: Isolated from the female genital
prepared by inoculating mud into 1 per cent tract; also from a normal tonsil and a drain-
glycine in tap water. ing sinus.
Source: Isolated from mud in the tidal Habitat: Human sources so far as known.
areas of San Francisco Bay.
Habitat: Mud and soil. 11. Peptococcus anaerobius (Hamm,
1912) Douglas, comb. nov. (Anaerobic
staphylococcus, Jungano, Compt. rend.
10. Peptococcus variabilis (Foubert
Soc. Biol., Paris, 59, 1907, 707; Staphylococ-
and Douglas, 1948) Douglas, coinb. nov. cus anaerobius Hamm, Die puerperale Wun-
{Micrococcus variabilis Foubert and dinfektion, Berlin, 1912; not Staphylococcus
Douglas, Jour. Bact., 56, 1948, 25.) anaerobius Heurlin, Bakt. Unters. d. Keim-
va.ri.a'bi.lis. L. adj. variabilis variable. gehaltes im Genitalkanale d. fiebernden
Original description supplemented by ma- Wochnerinnen, Helsingfors, 1910, 120;
480 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Micrococcus anaerobius Hall, in Manual, decompose glycine to CO2 , NH3 and acetic
6th ed., 1948, 247). acid. Other amino acids are not fermented.
an.a.e.ro'bi.us. Gr. pref. an not; Gr. Purines, lactate and malate not attacked.
noun aer air; Gr. noun bius life; M.L. adj. Sugars attacked slowly or not at all.
anaerobius not living in air. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
De.scription taken from Prevot (Ann. Egg albumen, beef serum and casein not
Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot. et ZooL, 15, 1933, 209), attacked.
Foubert (Thesis, Univ. of Washington, Coagulase-negative.
1947) and Douglas (Jour. Bact., 62, 1951, Catalase-positive.
517). Anaerobic.
Spheres, 0.5 to 0.6 micron in diameter, Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth
occurring singly, in pairs, tetrads and between 25° and 37° C.
masses. Non-motile. Not encapsulated. Optimum pH, 7.0; pH range, between 6.0
Gram-positive. and 8.0.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Non-hemolytic.
Agar colonies: 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diameter, Distinctive characters: No visible gas
circular, smooth, entire, low convex, produced; sugars utilized slowly or not at
opaque, grayish, opalescent, butyrous. all; glycine fermented to CO 2 , NH3 and
Growth in fluid medium: In peptone yeast acetic acid; failure to liquefy gelatin and
extract broth, growth moderate, cloudy to uniform cell size distinguish this species
granular; no visible gas production. Growth from Pepiococcus variabilis.
not enhanced by glucose. Source: Isolated by Jungano from in-
Litmus milk: Reduced. flamed appendices and from a case of cysti-
Indole not produced. tis; also from an infected tonsil (Prevot).
Hj^drogen sulfide is produced. Habitat: From human sources so far as
Cell suspensions and growing cultures known.
Neis.se'ri.a. M.L. fem.n. Neisseria named for Dr. Albert Neisser, who discovered the
organism causing gonorrhoea in 1879.
Cocci occurring in pairs with the adjacent sides flattened. Gram-negative. Five species
produce a yellow, a greenish yellow or a tan pigment. Growth on non-enriched media may
be poor. Biochemical activities are limited. Few carbohydrates are utilized. Indole not
produced. Nitrates not reduced. Catalase is abundantlj^ produced. Aerobic or facultatively
anaerobic. Some species are hemolytic. Parasites of animals so far as known.
The type species is Neisseria gonorrhoeae Trevisan.
tened where they are in contact. Gram-nega- Gram-negative coccus as the cause of epi-
tive. demic meningitis.
Grows best on media with the addition of Spheres, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter,
body fluids (blood, ascites, etc.) or other occasionally larger; occur singly, in pairs
specially prepared media. with adjacent sides flattened or occa-
Colonies are small and transparent, even- sionally in tetrads. Gram-negative.
tually (2 to 4 days) developing a lobate Good growth is obtained on media con-
margin, grayish white with a pearly opal- taining blood, blood serum and other en-
escence by transmitted light. Larger colo- richment fluids with added glucose. Best
nies form on special media. growth on special media.
Acid from glucose. No acid from fructose, Blood agar plates are generally employed
maltose, sucrose, mannitol or other sugars. to isolate the organism. The colonies are
Optimum temperature, 37° C. No growth small, slightly conve.x, transparent, glis-
below 25° C. tening. Colonies are larger on special media.
Aerobic to facultatively anaerobic. Many Older cultures may show growth on nu-
strains develop more readily with increased trient agar or glucose agar properly pre-
CO2 tension. pared. Semi-solid media are especially
Source: Originally found in purulent favorable for growth and are often used for
venereal discharges. Also found in blood, isolation. With recently isolated strains
conjunctiva, joints and cerebrospinal fluid. frequent transplantation is necessary to
Habitat: The cause of gonorrhea and keep the organism alive; older strains sur-
other infections of man. Not found in other vive longer. Cultures should be kept at
animals. 35° to 37° C.
Acid from glucose and maltose. No acid
2. Neisseria ineningitidis* (Albrecht from other carbohydrates.
and Ghon, 1903) Holland, 1920. (Diplococcus Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
intracellular is meningitidis Weichsel- Optimum temperature, between 36° and
baum, Fortschr. d. Med., 5, 1887, 583; 37° C. No growth at 22° C.
Neisseria weichselbaumii Trevisan, I Aerobic.
generi e le specie delle Batteriacee, 1889, Source: Originally found in the cerebro-
32; Micrococcus intracelhilaris Migula, Syst. spinal fluid. Also found in the nasopharj'n.x,
d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 189; Micrococcus menin- in the blood, in the conjunctiva, in pus
gitidis Albrecht and Ghon, Cent. f. Bakt., I from joints and in petechiae in the skin.
Abt., Orig., 33, 1903, 498; Holland, Jour. Habitat: Nasopharynx of man; not found
Bact., 5, 1920, 224.) in other animals. Cause of epidemic cerebro-
me.nin.gi'ti.dis. Gr. fem.n. meninx, spinal fever (meningitis).
meningis the membrane enclosing the brain;
M.L. fem.n. meningitis, meningitidis in- Four main groups of Neisseria meningiti-
flam ation ofthe meninges. dis have been differentiated on the basis of
Common name: Meningococcus. agglutination reactions with immune serum.
In 1898, Councilman, Mallory and Wright The Subcommittee on Neisseria of the In-
(Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis and ternational Committee on Bacteriological
its Relation to other Forms of Meningitis, Nomenclature of the International Asso-
Boston, 1898) definitely established the ciation of Microbiologists has suggested
* The binomial Neisseria intracelhilaris , used in the first five editions of the Manual,
proved confusing because the names Micrococcus intracellularis, Diplococcus intracelhilaris
and Streptococcus intracellularis have been used loosely for unrelated organisms. Neisseria
weichselbaumii has also been so rarely used and at the same time is so loosely used that any
attempt to introduce it now is inadvisable despite rights or priority. The equally available
name Neisseria meningitidis was therefore adopted for the 6th edition of the Manual and is
hereby continued. It has the obvious advantage of association with the common name,
meningococcus, which has been repeatedly used in the literature.
FAMILY VIII, NEISSERIACEAE
Meningococcus I I A R I A
III
Para-meningo- II II B S II B
coccus
IV
IV z D
C II alpha C
*Dopter and Pauron, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, Tt , 1914, 231; Gordon and Murraj',
Jour. Roy. Army Med. Corps, 25, 1915, 411; Griffith, Local Govt. Bd. Rept., New Series,
No. 110, 1916, 41; Scott, ihid., 56; Nicolle, Debains and Jouan, Ann. Inst. Past., ^2, 1918,
150; Evans, U. S. Pub. Health Ser., Hyg. Lab. Bull. D**124, 1920, 43; Sub-Committee on A^ets-
sena of the Internat. Comm. on Bact. Nomenclature, Proceedings, 5° Congresso Inter-
nacional de Microbiologia, Rio de Janeiro, 1950 (in press) .
** Relation of this D to other groups is unknown.
3. Neisseria catarrhalis (Frosch and 4. Neisseria sicca (von Lingelsheim,
Kolle, 1896) Holland, 1920. {Micrococcus 1908) Bergey et al., 1923. (Diplococcus
catarrhalis Frosch and Kolle, in Fliigge, Die pharyngis siccus von Lingelsheim, Klin.
Mikroorganismen, 3 Aufl., 2, 1896, 154; Jahrb., 15, 1906, 409; Diplococcus siccus von
Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 224.) Lingelsheim, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 59, 1908, 476;
ca.tar.rhal'is. Gr. adj. catarrhus down- Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 43.)
flowing, catarrh; M.L. adj. catarrhalis of sic'ca. L. adj. siccus dry.
catarrh. Spheres, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter,
Spheres 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter as occurring singly and in pairs with adjacent
a rule. Occur singly, in pairs with adjacent sides flattened. Gram-negative.
sides flattened and sometimes in fours. Blood agar colonies: Grayish, somewhat
Gram-negative. dry, crumbling when an effort is made to
Blood agar colonies: Small, circular, remove them. Often the whole colony can
rather convex, grayish white to dirty white, be pushed about over the medium. Some-
sometimes erose. times corrugated on the surface and firmly
Broth : Turbid, often with a slight pellicle. adherent to the medium. Sometimes hemo-
No acid from any of the carbohydrates.
lytic.
Often difficult to emulsify; precipitates
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Grows
well at 22° C. spontaneously in normal salt solution.
484 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose and Optimum temperature, 37° C; grows well
sucrose. at 22° C.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Grows at Serologically, a homogeneous group.
22° C.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Source: Cerebrospinal fluid in cases of
Source: Nasopharynx, saliva and sputum. meningitis.
Habitat: Mucous membrane of the respi- Habitat: Probably mucous membrane of
ratory tract of man. respiratory tract of man.
nized and described; however, with standardized media, Hare and his associates have di-
vided the anaerobic cocci into only nine groups. Thus, future work may show that some or
even many of the species here regarded as distinct are, in reality, identical with each other.
(See Hare, Wildy, Billett and Twort, Jour. Hyg., 50, 1952, 295; Hare, Atti del VI Congresso
Internaz. di Microbiologia, Roma, 1, 1953, 55; and Thomas and Hare, Jour. Clin. Path., 7,
1954, 300.)
The type species is Veillonella parvula (Veillon and Zuber) Prevot.
Key to the species of genus Veillonella.
I. Gas produced in culture media.
A. Acid from glucose.
1. Veillonella parvula.
B. Carbohydrates not attacked.
1. Rancid odor not produced in broth.
2. Veillonella alcalescens.
2. Slight rancid odor produced in broth.
3. Veillonella discoides.
II. Gas not produced in culture media.
A. Gelatin not liquefied.
1. Indole produced in trace amounts. Cells measure 0.8 to 1.0 micron in diameter.
4. Veillonella reniformis.
2. Indole not produced. Cells measure 1.5 to 2.0 microns in diameter.
5. Veillonella orbiculus.
B. Gelatin is liquefied.
6. Veillonella vulvovaginitidis .
Occasionally pathogenic, invading the tis- thorn. so'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun thomsonii
sues, causing suppurations either alone or in of Thomson; named for Dr. David Thomson
association with other pyogenic organisms. of London, England, the first to isolate this
variety.
Habitat: Found normally as a harmless
parasite in the natural cavities, especially Differs but slightly from Veillonella par-
the mouths and digestive tracts, of man and vula in that it requires some accessory
other animals. growth factor found in serum or other
body fluids or tissues.
la. Veillonella parvida var. minima Pr6- Source: Isolated from the throats of per-
vot, 1933. {Staphylococcus minimus Gioelli, sons with measles or scarlet fever.
Boll. R. Accad. Med. di Genova, 1907; abst.
in Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Ref., 4^, 1908-09,
595; Prevot, Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 2. Veillonella alcalescens* Prevot,
1933. {Micrococcus gazogenes alcalescens
1933, 125.)
anaerohius Lewkowicz, Arch. M^d. Expt.,
mi'ni.ma. L. sup. adj. minimus smallest. 13, 1901, 633; Micrococcus gazogenes Hall and
Differs from Veillonella parvula only in
Howitt, Jour. Inf. Dis., 37, 1925, 112; not
that it is slightly smaller in size (0.2 to 0.3
Micrococcus gazogenes Choukevitch, Ann.
micron). Growth only at 37° C. No growth Inst. Past., 25, 1911, 350; Prevot, Ann. Sci.
on gelatin. Growth on the wall of the cul- Nat., S^r. Bot., 15, 1933, 127; Veillonella
ture tube in fine flakes, not clouding the 287.)
gazogenes Murray in. Manual, 5th ed., 1939,
medium. No plasmolysis in a 5 per cent salt
solution.
al.ca.les'cens. M.L. v. alcalesco to make
Source: Isolated from a periuterine ab- alkaline; M.L. part. adj. alcalescens alkaline-
scess. making.
lb. Veillonella parvula var. hranhamii Spheres, 0.3 to 0.7, averaging 0.4, micron
Prevot, 1933. (Anaerobic micrococcus, Bran- in diameter, occurring in irregular masses,
ham, Jour. Inf. Dis., U, 1927, 203; also see in pairs, in short chains or singly. Gram-
ibid., 4^, 1928, 230; Micrococcus hranhamii negative.
Bergey et al., Manual, 3rd ed., 1930, 92; Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Prevot, Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, Agar deep colonies: At first punctiform,
126.) becoming lenticular. Gas bubbles appear
after 16 to 18 hours.
bran.ham'i.i. M.L. gen. noun hranhamii
of Branham; named for Dr. Sara E. Bran- Blood agar colonies: Minute. Several
ham, an American bacteriologist who has strains produce a greenish pigment. No
made a special study of these organisms. hemolysis.
Serologically distinct from Veillonella Peptone broth: Gas produced. Broth be-
parvula. Gelatin slowly liquefied by one comes slightly alkaline.
strain. Milk: Gas but no acid. No coagulation.
Source: Isolated from nasal washings in Indole not produced.
two cases of influenza. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Egg white and coagulated seriim not at-
Ic. Veillonella parvula var. thomsonii tacked.
Prevot, 1933. (Anaerobic diplococcus, Thom- Carbohj^drates not attacked.
son, Jour. Trop. Med. and Hyg., 26, 1923, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
227; also see Ann. Pickett-Thomson Res. Ammonia and hj-drogen produced in
Lab., /, 1924-25, 105 and 164; Prevot, Ann. small amounts.
Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, 126.) Strictly anaerobic.
Agar deep colonies: Small. No gas bubbles Indole and skatole not produced.
produced. Cultures have a slightly disagree- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
able, rancid odor. Survive over two months. Neutral red and phenosafranin are not re-
Peptone water: Very meager growth duced.
which precipitates. Non-hemolytic.
Glucose broth: Uniformly turbid; slight, Strictly anaerobic.
white sediment. No acidification detectable Temperature relations: Grows well at
by chemical titration. Ammonia produced 35° C. but not at 25° C.
with a mixture of propionic and acetic acids. Not pathogenic for mice or guinea pigs.
No lactic or succinic acid. Volatile amines, Distinctive characters: Digestion of milk
aldehydes and acetone are present, but no and liquefaction of gelatin. Survival for two
alcohol, acetylmethylcarbinol, phenol or months.
cresol. Source: Isolated from pus from a case of
Milk: Digested. vulvovaginitis in a child.
Coagulated serum and fibrin : Partially Habitat : Found in the urogenital tract of
attacked. man. Distribution in nature unknown.
Aerobic and facultatively anaerobic. Rarely niicroaerophilic. Found in dairy products, soil,
salt- and fresh-water and decomposing substances of a great variety of types.
The type species is Brevibacierium linens (Weigniann) Breed.
ether, chloroform and benzol; soluble (Hef- Nitrites not produced from nitrates
feran, op. cit., 1903, 529). Yellow pigment (Bergey) .
insoluble. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Distinctive character: Milk becomes
Optimum temperature, 30° C.
blood-red in 12 to 20 days. Source: Isolated from Chemnitz and
Non-pathogenic for mice (Fuller and D5beln tap water (Zimmermann). From
Johnson, op. cit., 1899, 609). dust and water (Dyar).
Habitat: Water.
Optimum temperature, between 28° and
35° C.
Aerobic (Fuller and Johnson, loc. cit.). 4. Brevibacteriuin insectiphiliiim
Facultatively anaerobic (Hefferan, op. cit., (Steinhaus, 1941) Breed, 1953. (Bacterium
1903,530). insectiphilium Steinhaus, Jour. Bact., 4^,
Source : Isolated from red milk by Hueppe 1941, 777; Breed, Riassunti delle Comunica-
in Wiesbaden in 1886. Isolated from feces of zioni, VI Congresso Internaz. di Microbiol.,
a child by Baginsky (Cent. f. Bakt., 6, 1889, Roma, 1, 1953, 13; also see Atti del VI
137). Isolated from Ohio River water by Congresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1,
1955, 13.)
Fuller and Johnson (op. cit., 1899, 609). Iso-
lated from Mississippi River water by Hef- in.sec.ti.phi'li.um. L. noun insectum an
feran {op. cit., 1903, 456). Burri and Staub insect; Gr. adj. philius friendly; M.L. in-
(Landwirtsch. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, 40, 1926, sectiphilium friendly to insects.
1006) isolated an organism of this type from Rods, 0.8 to 1.2 by 1.0 to 2.8 microns,
Emmenthal cheese; they regarded it as occurring singly. At times appearing almost
closely related to or possibly identical with as cocci or coccobacilli. Non-motile. Gram-
this species.
Habitat: Probably widely distributed in positive.
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction.
nature. Agar colonies: Light greenish 5^ellow, cir-
cular, entire, raised, glistening, smooth,
3. Brevibacteriiim fulvum (Zimmer-
mann, 1890) Breed, 1953. (Bacillus fvlvus opaque.
Agar slant: Filiform, raised, smooth,
Zimmermann, Bakt. unserer Trink- u. glistening, opaque growth.
Nutzwasser, Chemnitz, 1, 1890, 44; Breed, Broth: Moderate turbidity; slight, viscid
Riassunti delle Comunicazioni, VI Con- sediment.
gresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, Litmus milk: Alkaline, peptonization and
1953, 14; also see Atti del VI Congresso slow reduction.
Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1955, 14.) Potato: Greenish yellow, thick, moist
ful'vum. L. adj. ftdvus deep yellow.
Rods, 0.8 by 0.9 to 1.3 microns, occurring growth.
Indole not produced.
singly and in pairs. Non-motile. Gram-posi- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
tive. No acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose,
Gelatin colonies: Circular, convex, red- maltose, fructose, mannitol, galactose,
dish yellow. arabinose, xylose, dextrin, salicin, rham-
Gelatin stab: Convex, reddish yellow sur- nose, raffinose, trehalose, sorbitol, inulin,
face growth. Good growth in stab. Slow dulcitol, gljj^cerol, adonitol or mannose.
liquefaction. Starch slightly hydrolyzed.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Agar slant: Orange-red, glistening streak. Aerobic.
Broth: Turbid with yellow sediment.
Source : Isolated from the body wall of the
Litmus lactose broth: Acid, or acid then
bagworm, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis
alkaline (Dyar, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 8, Haw.
1895,368). Habitat: Unknown.
Potato: Slowly spreading, yellowish, glis-
tening growth. 5. Brevibacteriuin brunneuni (Cope-
Indole produced (Dyar, loc. cit.). land, 1899) Breed, comb. nov. (Bacillus
FAMILY IX. BREVIBACTERIACEAE 495
brunneus Copeland, Rept. Filtration Comm. Agar slant: Growth filiform and pale
Pittsburgh, 1899, 348.) lemon-yellow.
brun'ne.um. M.L. adj. brunneus dark Lead acetate agar: No growth.
brown. Endo medium: No growth.
Cells rod-shaped, 0.5 micron in width. Broth: Turbid, becoming clear; sediment;
Non-motile. Gram stain not recorded. no pellicle.
Gelatin colonies: Surface colonies are Litmus milk: Turns acid; slight reduction
flesh-colored; deep colonies are brownish. of litmus; no curd.
Liquefaction. Indole and skatole are not produced.
Gelatin stab: Beaded growth along the Acid from glucose, sucrose and maltose.
stab; gelatin turns deep brown; sunken, No acid from xylose, lactose, mannitol,
flesh-colored surface growth. inositol, sorbitol or dulcitol.
Agar slant: Growth slight, very thin, Starch not hydrolyzed.
glistening, spreading. Cellulose not attacked.
Broth: Not turbid; no pellicle. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Potato: Red to reddish brown streak. Distinctive characters: Produces vitamin
Plain milk: Coagulated; casein digested; B complex in the rumina of cows. Because
brownish whey. of this, cattle, unlike any other species of
Litmus milk: Reaction unchanged. animal yet studied, have the ability to grow
Indole not produced. to maturity, to produce normal offspring
No acid from glucose, lactose or sucrose. and to produce milk of normal dietary com-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. position on a ration that carries an insuffi-
Coagulated blood serum: No visible cient amount of vitamin B complex to
growth. support growth and well being in rats.
Growth at 18° and 37° C. Thermal death Comments: Dutcher (personal communi-
point, about 50° C. cation, January, 1955) states that it is now
Relationships to other species: This or- evident that the chief substance synthesized
ganism seems to be the same as Corynebac- by this species was riboflavin and that
terium bruneum as described by Lehmann many other species of bacteria are now
and Neumann (Bakt. Diag., 7 Aufl., 2, 1927, known that are more efficient as synthesizers
708); this species is reported to be Gram- of riboflavin than is this species.
positive. Source: Isolated from the fermented ru-
Source: Isolated from Pittsburgh tap men contents of a Holstein cow.
water. Habitat: Found in the rumina of cows
and, presumably, other ruminants where it
6. Brevibacterium vitarumen (Knutsen, constitutes about 90 per cent of the micro-
1928) Breed, comb. nov. (Flavobacterium vi- flora as manifested on plain nutrient agar.
tarumen Knutsen, in Bechdel, Honeywell,
Dutcher and Knutsen, Jour. Biol. Chem., 7. Brevibacterium maris (Harrison,
80, 1928, 234.) 1929) Breed, 1953. {Flavobacterium maris
vi.ta.ru'men L. noun vita life; L. noun Harrison, Canadian Jour. Research, 1 , 1929,
rumen throat, gullet, rumen; M.L. noun vi- 232; Breed, Riassunti delle Comunicazioni,
tarumen rumen-life. VI Congresso Internaz. di Microbiol.,
Rod -shaped cells, 0.5 to 1.5 by 0.5 to 3.0 Roma, 1, 1953, 14; also see Atti del VI
microns, with rounded ends, occuring singly Congresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1,
and occasionally in pairs. Non-motile. 1955, 14.)
Gram-positive. mar'is. L. noun mare the sea; L. gen. noun
Gelatin: No liquefaction. maris of the sea.
Gelatin colonies: Similar to those on agar. Rods, 0.7 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 1.2 microns,
.\gar colonies: Those on the surface are occurring singly and in pairs. At 37° C,
1 to 4 mm in diameter, while the embedded coccoid. Encapsulated. Non-motile. Gram-
colonies are somewhat smaller.
positive.
496 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Gelatin colonies: Punctiforni, red-orange, Agar slant: Growth greenish yellow, plu-
granular, entire. mose, smooth, raised, undulate.
Gelatin stab: Red-orange surface growth; Broth: Turbid, with pellicle and heavy
filiform growth in stab. No liquefaction. chrome-yellow sediment.
Agar colonies: Circular, orange-yellow, Litmus milk: Slightly acid, becoming
smooth, glistening, convex. alkaline, with yellow ring.
Agar slant: Growth moderate, orange- Potato: Thick, moist, dark chrome-yellow
yellow, becoming cadmium-orange to red- streak. Eventually spreads over entire sur-
orange, spreading, glistening. face.
Broth : Clear with orange pellicle and sedi- Indole not produced.
ment. Nitrites produced from nitrates (Dyar,
Litmus milk: At first faintly alkaline, be- Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 8, 1895, 361 and 373).
coming faintly acid with orange sediment. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Potato: Scant growth.
Optimum temperature, 20° C.
Indole not produced. Comment: Dyar (ibid., 375) has described
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. a variety of this species which liquefies gela-
Faint acidity from glucose. No action on tin more slowly and more completely than
lactose or sucrose. does the parent strain.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Source: Isolated from Zwonitz River
Traces of ammonia produced. water.
For the action of this species on choles- Habitat: Water.
terol, see Arnaudi (Rendiconti 1st. Lom-
bardo Sci. e Lett., 83, 1950, 1). 9. Brevibacterium iiiinutiferula (Stein-
Loeffler's blood serum not liquefied. haus, 1941) Breed, 1953. (Bacterium minuti-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. ferula Steinhaus, Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 778
Optimum temperature, between 20° and Breed, Riassunti delle Comunicazioni, VI
25° C. Congresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1
Source: Isolated from the skin of fishes. 1953, 13 and 14; also see Atti del VI Con
Steinhaus (Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 771) found gresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1
a similar organism in the intestine of a 1955, 13.)
caterpillar. mi.nu.ti.fe'ru.la. L. part. adj. minutus
Habitat: Unknown. small (literally, diminished); L. noxxn ferula
a rod; M.L. noun minutiferula a small rod.
8. Brevibacterium fuscum (Zimmer- Very small rods, 0.4 to 0.9 by 0.7 to 1.0
mann, 1890) Breed, 1953. {Bacillus fuscus micron, occurring singly. Non-motile.
Zimmermann, Bakt. unserer Trink- u. Nutz- Gram-positive.
wasser, Chemnitz, 1, 1890, 70; Breed, Rias- Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
sunti delle Comunicazioni, VI Congresso Agar colonies: Colorless to faint gray,
Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1953, 14; circular, smooth, entire, glistening.
also see Atti del VI Congresso Internaz. di Agar slant: Very thin, transparent, glis-
Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1955, 14.) tening growth.
fus'cum. L. adj. fuscus dark, tawny. Broth: Slight turbidity and sediment.
Rods, 0.6 by 1.5 microns, occurring singly. Litmus milk: No change at first; slightly
Non-motile. Gram-positive. acid after one week.
Gelatin colonies: Small, with brownish Indole not produced.
center and yellowish border. Heavj^ un- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
dulate growth. Acid from glucose after 4 days. Slight acid
Gelatin stab: Gray, filiform growth in from sucrose. Lacto.se and maltose not fer-
stab. Slow crateriform liquefaction. mented.
Agar colonies: Circular, brownish jellow Starch not hydrolyzed.
to brownish orange, smooth, slightly con- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
vex, entire. Aerobic.
497
FAMILY IX. BREVIBACTERIACEAE
which is fixed in position, a station; L. gen. Source: Isolated from a film of marine
noun slationis of a fixed position. fouling organisms.
Ovoid rods, 0.4 by 0.5 to 0.6 micron, Habitat: Sea water.
occurring singly or in chains of two to three.
Non-motile. Gram-positive, but easily de- 15. Brevibacterium quale (Steinhaus,
stained. 1941) Breed, 1953. (Bacterium qualis (sic)
All media except the fresh-water broth, Steinhaus, Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 774; Breed,
litmus milk and potato were prepared with Riassunti delle Comunicazioni, VI Con-
sea water. gresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1,
Gelatin colonies: 0.5 to 1.0 mm in diame- 1953, 13; also see Atti del VI Congresso
ter, circular, convex, grayish white. Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1955, 13.)
Gelatin stab: Very slow, napiform lique- qua'le. L. proun.adj. qualis of what sort?
faction. Short rods, very short on solid media,
Agar colonies: 1 to 2 mm in diameter, frequently ellipsoidal in shape. In fluid
convex, smooth, colorless; lobate edge. media, 0.5 to 0.7 by 1.4 to 2.2 microns,
Agar slant: Moderate, glistening, filiform, occurring singly. Non-motile. Gram-posi-
butyrous growth with no pigment. tive.
Sea-water broth: Heavy pellicle; no tur- Gelatin stab: Liquefaction.
bidity; granular growth along walls; scant Agar colonies: Small (1 mm), white, glis-
sediment. tening, transparent, circular, entire.
Fresh-water broth: Good growth. Agar slant: Filiform, smooth, glistening.
Litmus milk: Becomes alkaline. Casein Broth: Almost clear; slight turbidity in
not digested. serum and glucose broth.
Potato: No visible growth. Litmus milk: No change.
Indole not produced. Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Acid but no gas from glucose. Lactose, Acid from glucose, sucrose and maltose.
maltose, sucrose, mannitol, glycerol, xylose Lactose not fermented.
and salicin not utilized. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Slight production of nitrites from ni-
Non-lipolytic. trates.
Of 19 amino acids tested, none was re- Source: Isolated from the alimentary
quired for growth; preformed growth factors tract of the tarnished plant bug, Lygus
also were not required (Campbell and Wil- pratensis L.
liams, Food Research, 16, 1951a, 506). Habitat: Unknown.
Ammonium chloride and the 19 amino
acids which were tested may serve as sources 16. Brevibacterium animoniagenes
of nitrogen; the amino acids may also be (Cooke and Keith, 1927) Breed, 1953. (Bac-
utilized as carbon sources (Campbell and terium ammoniagenes Cooke and Keith,
Williams, loc. cit.). Jour. Bact., 13, 1927, 315; Breed, Riassunti
Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates. delle Comunicazioni, VI Congresso Inter-
Ammonia produced from peptone but not naz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1953, 14; also
from urea. see Atti del VI Congresso Internaz. di
Trimethylamine not produced from tri- Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1955, 14.)
methjiamine oxide, betaine, choline or am.mo.ni.a'gen.es. M.L. noun ammonia
acetyl choline (Campbell and Williams, ammonia, from Gr. noun Amnion (Jupiter),
Jour. Bact., 62, 1951b, 250). worshipped in Egypt in the form of a ram;
Inorganic sulfur may serve as a source of Gr. V. gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. am-
sulfur (Campbell and Williams, op. cit., moniagenes ammonia producing.
1951a, 506). Rods with rounded ends, 0.8 by 1.4 to 1.7
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. microns, occurring singly. Not encapsu-
Optimum temperature, between 20° and lated. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
25° C. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
500 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Agar colonies: Circular, flat, smooth, en- Agar streak: White, hard, arborescent
tire, gray. Occasionally a faint yellow growth; no tendency to stringiness.
chromogenesis is produced. Agar colonies: Large, white, rhizoid.
Agar slant: Growth moderate, smooth, Broth: No turbidity; forms a pellicle
flat, opaque, glistening, butyrous, amor- which sinks either entirely or in part.
phous. No odor. Litmus milk: Slightly acid, becoming
Agar stab: Filiform growth more abun- slimy, coagulated and peptonized.
dant near the surface. Potato: Heavy white, shiny, non-viscous
Broth: Moderate turbidity near the sur-
face; flocculent sediment. growth.
Indole not produced.
Litmus milk: Slightly alkaline. Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose,
Indole not produced. maltose, sucrose, salicin and starch. No acid
No action on carbohydrates. from mannitol, lactose, raffinose or inulin.
Nitrites produced from nitrates (personal Grows well at room temperature. Does
communication, test of A.T.C.C. cultures, not survive 80° C. for 5 minutes.
numbers 6871 and 6872, by W. A. Clark, Distinctive character: Morphologically
1954). this species resembles the species in Kurthia;
Urea is fermented forming ammonia. further study may show that it should be
Blood serum not liquefied. transferred from Brevibacterium to Kurthia.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Source: Isolated from bitter and slimj^
Optimum temperature, 30° C. Killed at milk by Dr. Healj^ of Kentucky; also from
55° C. in ten minutes. dairy products by Esten.
Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 8.5; does Habitat : Dairy products, and presumably
not grow readily in media with more acid or widely distributed in decomposing organic
more alkaline reaction than this. materials.
Not pathogenic for rabbits or guinea pigs.
Source: Isolated from the feces of infants. 18. Brevibacteriiim incertum (Stein-
Cause of a diaper rash of infants. haus, 1941) Breed, 1953. (Bacterium incertum
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed Steinhaus, Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 776; Breed,
in putrefjdng materials. Riassunti delle Comunicazioni, VI Con-
gresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1,
17. Brevibacterium healii (Buchanan 1953, 14; also see Atti del VI Congresso
and Hammer, 1915) Breed, 1953. (Bacterium Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1955, 13.)
healii Buchanan and Hammer, Iowa Agr. in.cer'tum. L. adj. incertus uncertain.
E.xp. Sta. Research Bull. 22, 1915, 249; Short rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns,
Breed, Riassunti delle Comunicazioni, VI occurring singly and occasionally in pairs.
Congresso Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, Young cultures motile. Monotrichous
1953, 14; also see Atti del VI Congresso (Steinhaus, personal communication, 1955).
Internaz. di Microbiol., Roma, 1, 1955, 14.) After 48 hours generally non-motile. Gram-
hea'li.i. M.L. gen. noun healii of Healy; positive; after 48 hours many cells become
named for Dr. Healy. Gram-negative.
Rods 0.5 to 0.7 by 2.2 to 12.9 microns; Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
chains and filaments common. Not encap- Agar colonies: Tiny, grayish white,
sulated. Non-motile. Gram-positive. smooth, almost transparent. Does not grow
Produces a slight flocculent growth in well on nutrient agar.
Uschinsky's solution. North's gelatin chocolate agar slant: Fili-
Gelatin stab: Heavy growth with strati- form, thin, transparent growth. Brown color
form liquefaction beginning at surface. of chocolate medium changes to yellowish
Villous to arborescent growth along the
stab. Blood agar: Alpha hemolysis at first; after
green.
Agar stab: Heavy white, brittle surface three days, beta hemolysis.
growth. Villous to arborescent growth Broth: Almost clear; very slight growth.
along line of inoculation. Litmus milk: No change.
FAMILY IX. BREVIBACTERIACEAE 501
Short rods which at first hang very closely Hydrogen sulfide is actively produced
together usually in pairs, also in fours or (Lehmann and Neumann).
longer chains. Later, however, longer chains No gas produced from glucose (Lehmann
are regularly formed. The diameter of the and Neumann).
cells is about 0.5, the length 1.5 to 2.5, Milk is coagulated (Lehmann and Neu-
mann).
microns, at times as long as 4.5 microns. The
rods rotate on their long axis (Lehmann Optimum
and Neumann state that their culture was Aerobic. temperature, about 25° C.
non-motile). Gram-positive. The specific epithet helvolits is suggested
Gelatin plates: The colonies within the because of its pale yellow chromogenesis on
gelatin are small, spherical bodies that are agar plates.
bright yellow in color. The colonies on the Comments: It will be seen that the de-
surface are highly convex, bright yellow, scription byZimmermann differs in several
tin}' drops which lie in a shallow depression. important respects from that given in the
When examined under low magnification, 6th edition of the Manual, 1948, 395; the
the colonies beneath the surface appear as latter was taken largely from Jensen (Proc.
pale yellowish to brownish, granular, cir- Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 59, 1934, 37). The
cular, sharply contoured discs. The colonies morphology of the Zimmermann organism
on the surface also show a sharp contour for both as described by him and also by Leh-
some time; however, they later become mann and Neumann is that of a simple,
somewhat irregular in contour and appear unbranching rod. There is no suggestion of
much darker brown by transmitted light. a pleomorphic morphology, snapping divi-
Gelatin stab : An elevated growth is formed sion or branching. The description given by
at first on the surface. This is a definite Jensen is indicative of a different species,
Naples-yellow in color. This growth gradu- and when Lochhead compared a culture of
ally spreads until it almost reaches the glass Jensen's organism with cultures of related
wall of the test tube. By this time the gela- organisms, he found it (personal communi-
tin is liquefied in a shallow layer. There is cation, 1954) to be identical with cultures of
little development along the stab. The lique- Bacterium globiforme Conn, the organism
faction proceeds slowly. selected as the type species of the genus
Agar slant: There is an abundant, rather Arthrobacter Conn and Dimmick. Zimmer-
rapid growth that is of a definite light yellow mann's organism clearly was a Brevihac-
color as on gelatin. (Lemon-yellow, Leh- terium as defined here, not a Corynebacter-
mann and Neumann.) ium as defined by Lehmann and Neumann
Bouillon broth: The broth becomes some- (Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 380). Brevi-
what lighter in color with little turbidity at hacterium represents a segregation of species
first; then flecks form and settle, appearing placed by Lehmann and Neumann in Bac-
as a j'ellowish white sediment. terium.
Potato: The yellow growth is abundant, Source : Isolated from Chemnitz tap water
becoming thickened and glistening. The (Zimmermann) ; also found as a dust con-
color becomes somewhat greenish but not taminant inWiirzburg (Lehmann and Neu-
mann).
enough to call it sulfur-yellow.
Indole is not produced (Lehmann and Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
Neumann) . in nature.
curved chains; in gelatin media filaments form which may subdivide into coccoid elements.
Not encapsulated. Motile with peritrichous flagella. Gram-positive. Carbohydrates not
attacked. Facultatively anaerobic. Found in decomposing materials.
The type species is Kurthia zopfii (Kurth) Trevisan.
1. Kurthia zopfii (Kurth, 1883) Trevi- Comments: Some workers make a dis-
san, 1885. (Bacterium zopfii Kurth, Bericht. tinction between Kurthia zopfii Trevisan and
d. deutsch. Bot. Gesellschaft, 1, 1883, 97; Kurthia zenkeri Bergey et al., mainly on
Trevisan, Atti della Accad. Fisio-Medico- their ability or inability to form an arbores-
Statistica in Milano, Ser. 4, 3, 1885, 92.) cent growth in a gelatin stab. However,
zop'fi.i. M.L. gen. noun zopfii of Zopf; according to Chester (Man. Determ. Bact.,
named for W. Zopf, a German botanist. 1901, 249), division of these organisms into
Description based on original descriptions two species does not seem advisable: the
and that of Wenner and Rettger (Jour. formation of an arborescent growth is too
Bact., 4, 1919, 350). variable a character on which to base species
Rods, 0.8 by 3.5 microns, with rounded differentiation. This view is also shared by
3nds. In liquid media, long, evenly curved Wenner and Rettger (op. cit., 1919, 351).
chains are formed; in gelatin media the Source: Isolated from hen manure.
chains are twisted, braided and clumped Habitat: Foimd in decomposing mate-
into knots. From these knots filaments push rials.
out, laterally then anteriorly, which may
subdivide into coccoid elements. Not en- 2. Kurthia variabilis Severi, 1946.
capsulated. Motile by means of peritrichous 107.)
(Giorn. di Batteriol. e Immunol., 46, 1946,
flagella. Gram-positive.
Gelatin colonies: Radiate, filamentous, va.ri.a'bi.lis. L. adj. variabilis variable.
gray. Rods, 0.7 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns, frequently
Gelatin stab: Arborescent growth in stab. curved, growing out into filaments 10 to 30
No liquefaction. microns long; these filaments later divide
Agar colonies: Fimbriate. in two or form short chains. Motile by means
Agar slant: Spreading, gray, fimbriate of peritrichous flagella. Gram-positive.
growth. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. Grayish
Broth: Slow, moderate growth; putrid, growth along the stab.
ammoniacal odor produced. Agar colonies: 1 to 2 mm in diameter,
Litmus milk: No change. grayish white, glossy, smooth; regular mar-
Potato: Moderate, gray growth; medium
becoming dark. Agar slant: Slender, grayish white, trans-
Carbohydrates not attacked. gins.
lucent, slightly viscid.
Indole not produced. Broth: Moderate, uniform turbidity; thin
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. membrane. Sediment at first slight, later
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. abundant.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Litmus milk unchanged.
Optimum temperature, between 25° and Methylene blue not reduced.
30° C. Neutral red reduced.
FAMILY IX. BREVIBACTERIACEAE 505
Potato: Growth slender, moist and white. bes.son'i.i. M.L. gen. noun bessonii of
Coagulated blood serum: Growth viscous, Besson; named for A. Besson, the bacteri-
mucoid, white. ologist who first described this organism.
Indole not produced. Description taken from Hauduroy et al.
Hj-drogen sulfide produced. (op. cit., 1937, 271).
No action on carbohydrates or alcohols, Rods, 0.7 by 1.0 to 8.0 or even 12.0 mi-
of which the following were tested: glucose, crons, which form filaments. Actively motile
fructose, galactose, lactose, maltose, su- by means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-
crose, starch, dextrin, salicin, glycerol, sor-
bitol, dulcitol and mannitol. positive.
Gelatin colonies: Thin and spreading;
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. fimbriate margins.
Ammonia produced in peptone solutions. Gelatin stab: Rapid liquefaction.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Agar colonies: Thinner in center than at
tween 37° and 39° C. Minimum, 17° C. Maxi- margins; lacerate edges.
mum, 45° C. Broth: Slightly turbid; thin, fragile pel-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. licle; slight precipitate. Odor ammoniacal
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs. and putrid.
Source: Isolated from feces in a case of Litmus milk: Alkaline and digested.
food poisoning. Indole not produced.
Habitat: Found in decomposing mate- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
rials.
Little or no action on carbohydrates.
3. Kurthia bessonii (Hauduroy et al., Slight action on glycerol.
1937) Severi, 1946. (Bacille isole des selles, Coagulated blood serum: Liquefied.
Besson, Tech. microbiol. et s^rotherap., Neutral red partially and slowly reduced.
Paris, 1" ed., 1924, 920; Listerella bessoni Source: Isolated from normal and diar-
(sic) Hauduroy et al.. Diet. d. Bact. Path., rheal human feces.
Paris, l" ed., 1937, 271; Severi, Giorn. di Habitat: Believed to be widely distrib-
Batteriol. e Immunol., 34, 1946, 107.) uted in putrid organic matter.
* The following have been consulted in regard to the general arrangement of the genera
recognized in this family: Prof. E. G. D. Murray, McGill University, Montreal, P.Q.,
Canada; Prof. J. M. Sherman, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; Dr. C. F. Niven, Jr.,
American Meat Institute Foundation, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Dr.
L. DS. Smith, ^Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, Bozeman, ^Montana; and Prof.
C. S. Pederson, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New York, March, 1955.
The descriptions of the anaerobic species are taken largely from Dr. A.-R. Prevot, Pasteur
Institute, Paris, France.
506 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Long or short rods or cocci which divide like rods in one plane only, producing chains,
occasionally tetrads; filamentous as well as so-called false branching forms sometimes
occur. Usually non-motile but may be motile, the motile species possessing peritrichous
flagella. Gram-positive. Pigment production is rare; a few species produce a yellow, orange,
red or rusty brown pigment. Gelatin liquefaction is rare among the microaerophilic species
but is more common among the strict anaerobes. Surface growth on all media is poor or
absent. Carbohydrates are essential for good development; they are fermented to lactic
acid, sometimes with volatile acids, alcohol and carbon dioxide as by-products. Nitrites not
produced from nitrates, but among the strict anaerobes there are a few species that are
known to reduce nitrates and some that have not been tested for nitrate reduction. Micro-
aerophilic toanaerobic. Found regularly in the mouth and intestinal tract of man and other
animals, in food and dairy products and in fermenting vegetable juices; a few species are
highly pathogenic.
Key to the tribes of family Lactobacillaceae.
I. Cocci occurring singly, in pairs and in chains (rarely tetrads).
Tribe I. Streptococceae, p. 506.
II. Rods, occurring singly, in pairs and in chains. Individual cells may be very long or even
filamentous.
Tribe II. Lactobacilleae, p. 541.
* Revised by Dr. C. F. Niven, Jr., American Meat Institute Foundation, The University
of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, in consultation with Professors J. M. Sherman and Harry W.
Seeley, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, November, 1953.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 509
than 1 millimeter in diameter. Colony variants within one species may range from rough
to smooth (matt to glossy) to mucoid. Subsurface colonies are usually lenticular. Carbohy-
drate fermentation is homofermentative with dextro rotatory lactic acid as the dominant
end-product. Carbon dioxide is produced in very small quantities or not at all from sugar
fermentation. Ethanol, acetic acid and formic acid may be produced in appreciable quanti-
ties from glucose if allowed to ferment in alkaline media (Gunsalus and Niven, Jour. Biol.
Chem., 1I^5, 1942, 131). Many of the streptococci oxidize a number of the alcohols, glycols
and short-chain fatty acids (Gunsalus and Wood, Jour. Bact., 44, 1942, 523; Gunsalus and
Umbreit, Jour. Bact., 49, 1945, 347; Niven, Evans and White, Jour. Bact., ^9, 1945, 105;
Wolin, Evans and Niven, Jour. Bact., 6^, 1952, 531), but the energy derived from these
respiratory mechanisms is not utilized directly for growth. However, some enterococcus
cultures may show moderately superior growth under aerobic conditions (Seeley and Van-
Demark, Jour. Bact., 61, 1951, 27). The cytochrome systems are absent; catalase-negative.
Do not reduce nitrate to nitrite. Facultative with respect to oxygen. Not soluble in ten per
cent bile. Proteolytic strains found only in the enterococcus group. All streptococci are
fastidious with respect to their nutritional requirements, thereby requiring a number of
the B vitamins and amino acids for growth. The nutritional requirements are, in general,
species specific, but some variations may be noted within one species. Some strains require
an unsaturated fatty acid or increased carbon dioxide tension for growth. In some in-
stances, the nutritional requirements may be of aid in the identification of a species. The
reader is referred to Dubos (Bacterial and Mycotic Infections of Man. Lippincott, 1948,
240) for a general summary of the nutritional requirements for most of the species. Sero-
logical tests, specifically the Lancefield precipitin technique, have proved to be of distinct
value in classifjang the streptococci. In general, all streptococci except those in the viridans
group possess a serologically active, group specific "C" substance (polysaccharide), thus
allowing them to be placed into serological groups by the precipitin technique. One sero-
logical group may comprise more than one species. Also, one serological group may possess
a number of established serological types based upon the presence of capsular type-specific
antigens and detected by the agglutinin or precipitin technique. Thus far, little relationship
has been noted between serological type specificity and species specificity as established by
their respective physiological characteristics. Several instances are known in which certain
strains of streptococci possess common type antigens but belong to different serological
groups. Members of the viridans group possess demonstrable type antigens but, for the
most part, they have been of little taxonomic value. The streptococci are commonly found
wherever organic matter containing sugars is accumulated. They occur regularly in the
mouth and intestine of man and other animals, in dairy and other food products and in
fermenting plant juices. Some species are pathogenic.
The arrangement of the species presented is in harmony with the suggestions of Sherman
(Bact. Rev., 1, 1937, 3) in which the facultative streptococci are separated into four general
groups: the pyogenic, the viridans, the enterococcus and the lactic groups. The arrange-
ment of the species into these four categories was based upon a series of common physio-
logical characteristics possessed by the respective groups, the most important of which was
their temperature limits for growth. However, as new species are recognized, the indi-
viduality ofeach group naturally becomes less distinct, and the difficulties of placing the
new species, which may possess characteristics of more than one group, are increased. For
example. Streptococcus tiberis Diernhofer, a member of the viridans group, possesses certain
characteristics that would tempt one to place it in the enterococcus group, while Strepto-
coccus acidominimus Ayers and Mudge, also a member of the viridans group, might be
considered a member of the pyogenic group.
The type species is Streptococcus pyogenes Rosenbach.
from arginine (exceptions in Streptococcus mitis). Not beta hemolytic. No growth in 6.5
per cent NaCl broth, at pH 9.6 or in 0.1 per cent methylene blue milk. No reduction of
litmus before curdling milk. Tyrosine not decarbo.xylated.
A. No growth at 50° C. Growth in 2 per cent NaCl broth.
1. Starch not hydrolyzed. No growth on 40 per cent bile blood agar.
a. Indifferent (gamma hemolytic) on blood agar. Raffinose and inulin fer-
mented. Large, mucoid colonies produced on 5 per cent sucrose and raffinose
agar.
10. Streptococcus salivarius
aa. Greening (alpha hemolytic) on blood agar. Inulin not fermented. Raffinose
may or may not be fermented. Mucoid colonies not produced on 5 per cent
sucrose agar.
11. Streptococcus mitis.
2. Starch hydrolyzed. Growth on 40 per cent bile blood agar.
a. Lactose fermented.
12. Streptococcus hovis.
aa. Lactose not fermented.
13. Streptococcus equinus.
B. Growth at 50° C. No growth in 2 per cent NaCl broth.
14. Streptococcus thermophilus.
III. Growth at 10° and 45° C. Ammonia produced from arginine.
A. No growth in 6.5 per cent NaCl broth, at pH 9.6 or in 0.1 per cent methylene blue
milk. Tyrosine not decarboxylated. Not hemolytic. Litmus milk not reduced be-
fore curdling.
15. Streptococcus iiheris.
The Enterococcus Group
B. Growth in 6.5 per cent NaCl broth, at pH 9.6 and in 0.1 per cent methylene blue
milk. Tyrosine decarboxylated. Lancefield group D.
1. Not beta hemolytic.
a. Gelatin not liquefied,
16. Streptococcus faecalis.
aa. Gelatin liquefied.
16a. Streptococcus faecalis var. liquefaciens.
2. Beta hemolytic.
a. Mannitol and sorbitol fermented. Litmus reduced before curdling milk.
May or may not liquefy gelatin.
16b. Streptococcus faecalis var. zymogenes.
aa. Mannitol and sorbitol not fermented. Litmus not reduced before curdling
milk. Gelatin not liquefied.
17. Streptococcus durans.
The Lactic Group
IV. Growth at 10° but not at 45° C. No growth in 6.5 per cent NaCI broth or at pH 9.6.
Tjnosine not decarboxylated. Growth in 0.1 per cent methylene blue milk; reduces
litmus before curdling milk. Not hemolytic. Lancefield group N.
A. Growth at 40° C, in 4 per cent NaCl broth, at pH 9.2 and in 0.3 per cent methylene
blue milk. Produces ammonia from arginine. Maltose fermented.
18. Streptococcus lactis.
B. No growth at 40° C, in 4 per cent NaCl broth, at pH 9!2 or in 0.3 per cent methylene
blue milk. Ammonia not produced from arginine. Maltose usually not fermented.
19. Streptococcus cremoris.
.12 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Erythrogenic toxin associated with scarlet genes. Occasionally grows on 40 per cent bile
fever rash produced by most strains. blood agar.
Source: Originally isolated from infected Litmus milk: Lactose-fermenting strains
wounds by Rosenbach (op. cit., 1884, 22). produce an acid reaction. Milk may be
Also found in the human mouth, throat and curdled; litmus not reduced before curdling.
respiratory tract and in inflammatory P^inal pH in glucose broth, between 4.6 and
exudates, blood stream and lesions in human 5.4.
disease of varied character. Occasionally Acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose and
encountered in the udder of the cow and in trehalose. Glycerol fermented when incu-
laboratory animals. May be found in dust bated aerobically. May or may not ferment
from sick rooms, hospital wards, schools, lactose and salicin. No acid from arabinose,
theaters and other public places. raffinose, inulin, mannitol or sorbitol.
Habitat: Primarily the human body, Starch and esculin may or maj- not be
where it causes the formation of pus or even hydrolyzed. Gelatin not liquefied. Sodium
fatal septicemias. hippurate not hydrolyzed.
Ammonia produced from arginine.
2. Streptococcus equisiniilis Frost and Distinctive characters: Members of this
Engelbrecht, 1936. (Type B, Ogura, Jour. species may be confused with Streptococcus
Jap. Soc. Vet. Sci., 8, 1929, 174; Frost and pyogenes but may be differentiated from the
Engelbrecht, A Revision of the Genus Strep- latter by their ability to ferment glycerol
tococcus, privately published, 1936, 3 pp.; aerobically and to hydrolyze starch and by
also see The Streptococci, 1940, 45; Human their generally greater tolerance to methyl-
C, Sherman, Bact. Reviews, 1, 1937, 35.) ene blue and bile. For positive identifica-
e.qui.si'mi.lis. L. noun equvs horse; L. tion, the Lancefield precipitin technique
adj. similis resembling; M.L. adj. equisi- must be relied upon.
inilis literally horse-like, but intended to Source: Occasionally associated with
mean "resembling Streptococcus equi". erysipelas and puerperal fever. The normal
Morphology and general cultural charac- human nose and throat, vagina and skin.
teristics resemble those of Streptococcus Sometimes found in respiratory tract of
pyogenes. Matt colonies are characteris- domestic animals.
tically produced. Gram-positive. Habitat: Human upper respiratory tract
Serology: Belongs to Lancefield's group and vagina.
C. Several types have been established.
Griffith's agglutinative types 7, 20 and 21 3. Streptococcus zooepidcniicus Frost
belong to this species. The type-specific and Engelbrecht, 1936. (Animal pj-ogenes,
antigens are proteins digestible with tryp- Type A of Edwards, Jour. Bact., 27, 1934,
sin. 527; Frost and Engelbrecht, A Revision of
Action on blood: Beta hemolytic. Soluble the Genus Streptococcus, privately pub-
hemolysins produced, one of which is iden- lished, 1936, 3 pp. ; also see The Streptococci,
tical with streptolysin O. 1940, 25; Streptococcus pyogenes animalis
Fibrinolytic. Seelemann, Deutsche tierarzt. Wchnschr.,
Temperature relations: No growth at 10° 50, 1942, 8 and 48.)
or 45° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 30 zo.o.e.pi.de'mi.cus. Gr. noun zoum an
minutes. animal; Gr. adj. epidemius among people,
Tolerance tests : Fails to grow in presence prevalent, epidemic; M.L. adj. zooepidemi-
of 6.5 per cent NaCl or at pH 9.6. Does not cus prevalent among animals.
grow in skim milk containing 0.1 per cent Morphology and general cultural charac-
methylene blue, but Edwards (Kentucky teristics resemble those of Streptococcus
Agr. Exp. Station Bull. 356, 1935) reported pyogenes. Mucoid colonies are common. May
growth in an infusion-casein digest broth produce capsular hyaluronic acid.
containing 0.000025 molar methylene blue, Serology: Belongs to Lancefield's group
thus indicating a tolerance to methylene
C. Action on blood: Beta hemolvtic. The
blue higher than that of Streptococcus pyo-
514 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
soluble hemolysin produced is distinct from are not rare; occur in pairs, short or long
streptolysins O and S. chains; very long chains common in broth
Not fibrinolytic. cultures. Capsules often pronounced in
Temperature relations: No growth at 10° blood of infected mice and when grown in
or 45° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 30 serum. Gram-positive.
minutes. Generally poor growth in broth culture;
Tolerance tests: Same as for Streptococcus growth increased by serum.
pyogenes. Serology: Belongs to Lancefield's group
Litmus milk: Acid, usually does not C. Cultures are generally poor antigens for
curdle. Does not reduce litmus before production of agglutinating serum.
curdling. Action on blood: Beta hemolytic. The
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.6 blood agar colonies are small and watery
and 5.0. and dry out rapidly leaving flat, glistening
Acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose, sor- colonies.
bitol and salicin. May ferment maltose. No Growth in serum broth yields a soluble
acid from the pentoses, trehalose, rafiinose, hemolysin that is distinct from streptolysins
inulin, glycerol or mannitol. O and S.
Starch usually hydrolyzed. Sodium hip- Not fibrinolytic.
purate not hydrolyzed. Gelatin not lique- Temperature relations: Optimum tem-
fied; esculin split. perature, 37° C. Growth slow at 20° C. No
Ammonia produced from arginine. growth at 10° or 45° C. Does not survive 60°
Distinctive characters: This species may C. for 30 minutes.
be distinguished from closely allied species Tolerance tests : Fails to grow in presence
by its ability to ferment sorbitol but not of 6.5 per cent NaCl or in skim milk con-
trehalose and by its inability to lyse human taining 0.1 per cent methylene blue. No
fibrin. growth in media adjusted to pH 9.6 or on
Source: Blood stream, inflammatory exu- blood agar containing 40 per cent bile.
dates and lesions of diseased animals. Not Litmus milk: No change.
known from man. Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.8
Habitat: Disease process of domestic and and 5.5.
laboratory animals. (Horse: endometritis, Acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose and
fetus. Hog: Septicemia. Cow: septicemia, salicin. No acid from arabinose, lactose,
metritis, fetus. Fowls: slipped tendon. trehalose, rafiinose, inulin, glycerol, man-
Guinea pig: lymphadenitis. Rabbit: sep- nitol or sorbitol.
ticemia. Fox: pneumonia.) Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. Gela-
tin not liquefied; esculin not split.
4. Streptococcus equi Sand and Jensen, Ammonia produced from arginine.
1888. {Bacillus adenitis equi Baruchello, High virulence for mice, but low or no
Soc. veter. de Venetie, Undine, 1886; also virulence for rabbits and guinea pigs.
see Baruchello, Giornale di anatomia, Distinctive characters: This species is
fisiologica et patologia degli animali domes- distinctive by its inability to ferment tre-
tici, Pisa, Sept., 1887; Sand and Jensen, halose, sorbitol, glycerol or lactose.
Deutsche Ztschr. f. Tiermed., IS, 1888, 436, Source: Pus from lesions and mucous
dated December 27, 1887, Veterinary Con- membrane of upper respiratory tract of
gress, Copenhagen, 1887.) horses.
e'qui. L. noun equus horse; L. gen. noun. Habitat: Found only in strangles in
equi of a horse. horses.
Ovoid or spherical cells 0.6 to 1 micron
in diameter; sometimes in pus the long axes 5. Streptococcus dysgalactiae Diern-
of the cells are transverse to the long axis hofer, 1932. (Diernhofer, Milchw. Forsch.,
of the chain and at other times parallel with 13, 1932, 368; Group II, Minett, Proc. 12th
the long axis of the chain, in the latter case Internat. Vet. Cong., 2, 1934, 511; Strep-
resembling streptobacilli; bacillary forms tococcus pseudoagalactiae Plastridge and
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
515
Hartsell, Jour. Inf. Dis., 61, 1937, 110; see from various tissues and organs of lambs
Little, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 41, 1939, suffering from suppurative polyarthritis.
254.) Habitat: Probablj- of bovine and ovine
dys.ga.lac'ti.ae. Gr. prefix dys ill, hard; origin.
Gr. noun galacfia pertaining to milk; M.L.
noun dysgalactia loss or impairment of milk 6. Streptococcus sanguis White, 1946.
secretion, dysgalactia; M.L. gen. noun dys- (Serological group H, Hare, Jour. Path.
galacHae of dysgalactia. Bact., 41, 1935, 499; Streptococcus s.b.e.,
Spherical or ovoid cells occurring in Loewe, Plummer, Niven and Sherman, Jour.
chains of medium length. Gram-positive. Am. Med. Assoc, 130, 1946, 257; White, in
717.)
White and Niven, Jour. Bact., 51, 1946,
Serology: Belongs to Lancefield's group
C. Those cultures associated with suppura-
tive polyarthritis(joint-ill) in lambs appear san'guis. L. noun sanguis blood.
to belong to a distinct serological type of Spherical or ovoid cells 0.8 to 1.2 microns
which the type antigen is a capsular protein in diameter, occurring in medium or long
(Blakemore, Elliott and Hart-Mercer, Jour. chains. Cultures grown aerobically may
Path. Bad., 52, 1941, 57). show occasional rod-shaped cells. Gram-
Action on blood: Greening (alpha hemo-
lytic). Soluble hemolysin not produced. positive.
Serology: Two serological types (I and II)
Colony form: Matt colonies may be pro- have been established among the non-he-
duced similar to those of Streptococcus molytic strains. Some cultures possess both
pyogenes. type antigens (Washburn, White and Niven,
Not fibrinolytic. Jour. Bact., 51, 1946, 723). Dodd (Proc.
Temperature relations: No growth at 10° Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 70, 1949, 598) placed
or 45° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 30 both types within serological group H as
minutes. established by Hare and indicated that this
Tolerance tests : Fails to grow in presence group contained at least 5 serological types.
of 6.5 per cent NaCl or at pH 9.6. Does not Porterfield (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 4, 1950,
grow in skim milk containing 0.1 per cent 92) reported that types I and I/II belonged
methylene blue. Does not grow on 40 per to group H but that type II was serolog-
cent bile blood agar. ically distinct.
Litmus milk: Lactose-fermenting strains Action on blood: The original group H
produce acid reaction with occasional cur- streptococci as established by Hare were de-
dling. Litmus not reduced before curdling. scribed as narrow-zoned beta hemolytic
Final pH in glucose broth: bovine strains, colonies on blood agar which had a tendencj^
between 5.0 and 5.2; ovine strains, between to throw off non-hemolytic variants. No
4.4 and 4.9. soluble hemolysin could be demonstrated.
Acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose and As originally described, Streptococcus san-
trehalose. Lactose, sorbitol and salicin may guis produced alpha reaction on blood agar,
or may not be fermented. No acid from but one strain produced narrow-zone beta
raffinose, inulin, glycerol or mannitol. hemolysis (White and Niven, Jour. Bact.,
Esculin may or may not be hydrolyzed. 51, 1946, 717).
Gelatin not liquefied. Sodium hippurate Colony forms: Matt or glossy type colo-
hydrolyzed by some bovine strains but not nies may be produced, usually 0.7 to 0.9
by ovine strains. mm in diameter on blood agar after 48 hours
Ammonia produced from arginine.
at Not
37° C.
fibrinolytic.
Relationships : This non-hemolytic species
needs further study to establish definitely Temperature relations: No growth at
its identity, the relationship of the ovine 10° C. May or may not grow at 45° C. A few
and bovine strains and its serological rela- cultures may survive 60° C. for 30 minutes.
tionship to group C. Tolerance tests: Fails to grow in presence
Source: Isolated from milk and udder of of 6.5 per cent NaCl or in skim milk con-
cows with acute but mild mastitis. Also taining 0.1 per cent methylene blue. Most
516 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
cultures grow on blood agar containing 40 beta hemolytic streptococcus. Long and
per cent bile. Bliss, Jour. Exp. Med., 60, 1934, 619; also
Litmus milk: Acid produced; may be see Long, Bliss andWalcott, ibid., 633, and
curdled; litmus not reduced before curdling. Bliss, Jour. Bact., 83, 1937, 625.)
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.6 an.gi.no'sus. L. adj. anginosus pertaining
and 5.2. to angina.
Acid from glucose, maltose, lactose, su- Minute cocci, one-half to two-thirds the
crose, trehalose and salicin. The majority size of Streptococcus pyogenes, occurring
of the cultures ferment inulin but not raffi- singly, in pairs, short chains and in small or
nose. Arabinose, xylose, glj^cerol, mannitol large masses. Gram-positive, but may de-
and sorbitol not fermented. colorize readil3^
Nearly all cultures synthesize a polysac- Serology: Comprises Lancefield's group
charide (dextran) from sucrose in broth F and type I group G. At least 4 serological
culture (Niven, Kiziuta and White, Jour. types within group F have been established.
Bact., 51 , 1946, 711) or on sucrose agar when The type-specific antigens in type I group
incubated anaerobically (Hehre, Jour. Exp. F, and type I group G appear to be chem-
Med., 83, 1946, 147). This polysaccharide ically and serologically identical.
cross reacts with type II pneumococcus Action on blood: Very minute colonies
antiserum. appear on blood agar after incubation for
Starch usually not hydrolyzed. Gelatin 48 to 96 hours; they are surrounded by
not liquefied. minute zones of beta hemolysis. The he-
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. Escu- molytic zones may appear before the colo-
lin usually split. nies are visible to the naked eye. Growth
Ammonia produced from arginine. and hemolysis greatly aided by incubation
Relationships: Although the identity of under 10 per cent carbon dioxide (Deibel,
non-hemolytic Streptococcus sanguis with Thesis, Univ. of Chicago, 1952). Soluble
the hemolytic group H streptococci has not hemolysin produced, but may be difficult to
yet been clearly established, their close re- demonstrate (Long and Bliss, Jour. Inf.
lationship appears to warrant combining Dis., 61, 1937, 96). Streptolysin O or S not
them into one species at this time. Further produced. Non-hemolytic strains reported
serological studies are needed to firmly es- by Rantz (Jour. Inf. Dis., 71, 1942, 61).
tablish the validity of this grouping. Al- Colony forms : Matt colonies usually not
though most Streptococcus sanguis cultures produced. Under the microscope, colonies
react with group H sera, attempts to pre- are finely granular and may appear wrinkled
pare group H sera ivora Streptococcus sanguis and crenated.
cultures have been unsuccessful. Not fibrinolytic.
Source : The original group H strains were Temperature relations: No growth at
isolated from normal human throats. They 10° C. and, with few exceptions, no growth
were not believed to be associated with any at 45° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 30
serious human infections. minutes.
Streptococcus sanguis was originally iso- Tolerance tests: Does not grow in broth
lated from so-called vegetation on heart containing 6.5 per cent NaCl or at pH 9.6.
valves from cases of subacute bacterial No growth on 40 per cent bile blood agar
endocarditis and appeared to be one of the or in skim milk containing 0.1 per cent
most common streptococci associated with methylene blue.
this disease. Occasionally isolated from in- Litmus milk: Acid produced by the lac-
fected sinuses and teeth and from house tose-fermenting strains. Milk may be cur-
dust. dled by some strains. Litmus not reduced
Habitat: Unknown. Probably man. before curdling.
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.5
7. Streptococcus anginosus Andrewes and 5.2.
and Horder, 1906. (Andrewes and Horder, Acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose and
Lancet, 2, 1906, 70S, 775 and 852; Minute salicin. Lactose and trehalose usually fer-
517
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
merited. Raffinose fermented bj' the group coccus ttiastitidis Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2,
G strains. Inulin, glycerol, mannitol and 1900, 19.)
sorbitol not fermented. a.ga.lac'ti.ae. Gr. noun agalactia want of
Starch not hydrolyzed. Gelatin not lique- milk, agalactia; M.L. gen. noun agalactiae of
fied.
agalactia.
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. Escu- Spherical or ovoid cells 0.6 to 1.2 microns
lin split. in diameter, occurring in chains of seldom
Ammonia produced from arginine. less than four cells and frequently very long.
Oxidizes butja-ic acid with the production Chains may appear to be composed of paired
of hydrogen peroxide (Niven, Evans and cocci.
White, Jour. Bact., J^9, 1945, 105). Serology: Constitutes Lancefield's group
Requires folic acid for growth in simplified B. May be subdivided into a number of
media (Niven, Washburn and Sherman, serological types by the precipitin tech-
Jour. Bact., 51, 1946, 128). nique on the basis of the capsular carbohy-
Reciuires high carbon dioxide tension or drate "S" substance. The type-specific
an unsaturated fatty acid for growth in polysaccharides appear to have a direct
simplified media (Deibel, Thesis, Univ. of relationship to virulence, and the antibodies
Chicago, 1952). to which they give rise are concerned with
Comments: All of the minute streptococci the specific protective action of immune
do not adhere to the original description of sera. Some strains may lack the "S" sub-
Streptococcus anginosus as given by An- stance.
drewes and Border. The minute streptococci There is a difference of opinion as to
comprise a homogeneous group based upon whether the serological types indigenous to
physiological characteristics other than man and cattle are distinct (Lancefield,
those originally employed by these investi- Harvey Lectures, Ser. XXXVI, 1940, 251;
gatorsalso
; it will be noted that this species, Simmons and Keogh, Austral. Jour. Exp.
as herein described, contains representa- Biol. Med. Sci., 18, 1940, 151; Brown, Proc.
tives that belong to two different serological Fifth Internat. Congress Microbiol., Rio
groups. Further study of these microor- de Janeiro, 1950, in press).
ganisms isneeded to establish definitely the Action on blood: About half the strains
validity of this precedent. Minor differences produce narrow but clear zones of hemoly-
between the group F and the minute group sis on blood agar. A few may produce broad
G streptococci may warrant the establish- zones of hemolysis. The other strains pro-
ment of two separate varieties within this duce greening (alpha hemolytic) reaction.
species or an ultimate separation into two The hemolytic strains produce a soluble
separate species (Sherman, Bact. Rev., /, hemolysin that is moderately sensitive to
heat and acid and that is distinct from
1937,3).
Source: Human throat, sinuses, abscesses, streptolysins O and S.
Some strains produce a yellow, orange or
vagina, skin, feces. Has been associated
with glomerular nephritis and various types brick-red pigment in stab cultures. May
also be noted as an orange sediment in
of mild respiratory diseases.
broth cultures, especially when starch is
Habitat: Human respiratory tract.
added.
Not fibrinolytic.
8. Streptococcus agalactiae Lehmann
Temperature relations: Optimum tem-
and Neumann, 1896. (Streptococcus de la
mammite, Nocard and MoUereau, Ann. perature, 37° C. No growth at 10° or 45° C.
Does not survive 60° C. for 30 minutes.
Inst. Past., 1, 1887, 109; Streptococcus Tolerance tests : Usually grows in presence
nocardi Trevisan, I generi e le specie delle of 4 per cent NaCl but not in 6.5 per cent
Batteriacee, 1889, 30; Streptococcus agalac- NaCl. Does not grow in milk containing 0.1
tiae contagiosae Kitt, Bakterienkunde, per cent methylene blue or in broth ad-
Wien, 1893, 322; Lehmann and Neumann, justed to pH 9.6. Usually grows on blood
Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 126; Strepto- agar containing 40 per cent bile.
518 ORDER rv. EUBACTERIALES
Litmus milk: Acid, usually followed by taining 2per cent NaCl but not 6.5 per cent
curdling. Litmus reduced subsequent to NaCl. No growth at pH 9.6 or in milk con-
curdling. No proteolysis. taining 0.01 per cent methylene blue.
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.2 Litmus milk: Little or no visible change.
and 4.8. Final pH in glucose broth, between 6.5
Acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose and and 5.6. Most strains fail to lower the pH
trehalose. Nearly all strains ferment lac- below 6.0.
tose, although an occasional strain may fail Acid from glucose, lactose and sucrose.
to ferment or may lose its ability to ferment The majority of strains ferment maltose and
lactose. Salicin may or may not be fer- trehalose. Mannitol may or may not be fer-
mented. Glycerol is fermented aerobically mented. Afew cultures ferment sorbitol and
(Gunsalus and Sherman, Jour. Bact., Jt5, salicin. Arabinose, xylose, raffinose, inulin
1943, 155), but rarely anaerobically. No acid and glycerol not fermented. The fermenta-
from xylose, arabinose, raffinose, inulin, tion tests are difficult to perform with ac-
mannitol or sorbitol. curacy because of the high limiting pH.
Starch not hydrolyzed; gelatin not lique- Starch and gelatin not hj^drolyzed.
fied. Sodium hippurate hydrolyzed slowly.
Sodium hippurate hydrolyzed, but es- Esculin not split by most strains.
culin not split. Ammonia not produced from arginine.
Ammonia produced from arginine. Distinctive characters: This species may
Erythrogenic toxin not produced. be confused with Streptococcus agalactiae
Distinctive character: This species is dis- because of its ability to hydrolyze sodium
tinctive among the pyogenic group by its hippurate, but it can be differentiated easilj^
ability to hydrolyze sodium hippurate. by its low acid production in glucose broth,
Source: Isolated from milk and tissues by its inability to produce ammonia from
from udders of cows infected with mastitis. arginine and by its inability to ferment
Also reported to be associated with a variety
of human infections, especially those of the glycerol.
Source: Originally isolated from freshly
urogenital tract. drawn milk. Occurs abundantly in the
Habitat : Udder of cows infected with mas- bovine vagina. Also found on the skin of
titis. calves.
Habitat: The bovine vagina.
9. Streptococcus acidoniinimus Ayers
and Mudge, 1922. (Jour. Inf. Dis., 31, 1922, 10. Streptococcus salivarius Andrewes
40; ihid., S3, 1923, 155.) and Horder, 1906. (Lancet, 2, 1906, 712.)
a.ci.do.mi'ni.mus. L. adj. acidus sour, sa.li.va'ri.us. L. adj. salivarius salivary,
slimy.
acid; L. sup. adj. minimus very least;
M.L. neut.n. acidum an acid; M.L. adj. Description based on studies by Sherman,
acidominimus literally acid least, probably Niven and Smiley (Jour. Bact., 4S, 1943,
249).
intended to mean that this organism pro-
duces the least amount of acid. Spherical or ovoid cells 0.8 to 1.0 micron
Description taken from Smith and Sher- in diameter. Chain length may vary from
man (Jour. Inf. Dis., 65, 1939, 301). short to very long. Gram-positive.
Spheres. Generally occur in short chains. Serology: No group-specific antigen has
Serology: Does not belong to any es- been demonstrated. Serological types I and
tablished serological group. II have been established based upon the
Action on blood: Greening (alpha hemo- presence of capsular antigens (Sherman,
lytic). No soluble hemolysin produced. Niven and Smiley, loc. cit.). Several ad-
Temperature relations : No growth at 10° ditional serological types are known to exist.
or 45° C. Some strains are reported to pro- A cross reaction occurs between type I and
duce feeble growth at 45° C. Does not Streptococcus MG (Mirick et al., Jour. Exp.
survive 60° C. for 30 minutes. Med., 80, 1944, 431).
Tolerance tests: Growth in broth con- Action on blood: Indifferent (gamma re-
519
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
strains produce colonies on sucrose agar vary from strong greening (alpha hemolytic)
resembling small bits of broken glass. to no observable change (gamma hemoly-
Acid from glucose, maltose, sucrose and tic). No soluble hemolysin produced.
usually from lactose and salicin. A minority Generally uniform turbidity with some
of the strains ferment raffinose and treha- sediment produced in broth cultures. Some
lose. No acid from inulin, mannitol, sor- strains tend to die out rapidly in artificial
bitol, glycerol, arabinose or xylose. media.
Sodium hippurate and gelatin not hy- Temperature relations : Growth at 45° but
drolyzed. Esculin is split by a minority of not at 10° C. Survives 60° C. for 30 minutes.
the strains. Starch may be hydrolyzed Tolerance tests: No growth in broth con-
feebly by some strains. taining 6.5 per cent NaCl. No growth at pH
Ammonia may or may not be produced 9.6. May tolerate 0.01 per cent, but not 0.1
from arginine. per cent, methylene blue in milk. Growth
Some strains oxidize butyric acid with the occurs on blood agar containing 40 per
production of hydrogen peroxide and acetic cent bile.
acid (Wolin, Evans and Niven, Jour. Bact., Litmus milk: Acid; usually curdles with
6J^, 1952, 531). litmus reduction after curdling. No diges-
Comments: This species comprises the tion.
heterogeneous group of greening strepto- Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.0 and
cocci associated with the human respiratory 4.5.
tract. It has no unique identifiable charac- Some strains synthesize a dextran from
teristic, and some non-hemolytic varieties sucrose resulting in the production of large,
of the pyogenic group may be confused with mucoid colonies on agar media containing 5
it. The species may yield to more incisive per cent sucrose.
methods of segregation and more accurate Acid from glucose, fructose, mannose,
characterization of its constituent units. galactose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, raf-
Source: Saliva, sputum and intestinal finose and salicin; sometimes from xylose,
tract of the human. Ordinarily not consid- arabinose, trehalose, inulin, mannitol and
ered pathogenic but may be recovered from sorbitol. No acid from glycerol.
ulcerated teeth and sinuses and from the Starch is hydrolyzed. Occasional strains
blood and heart lesions in subacute endocar- hydrolyze sodium hippurate. Gelatin not
ditis cases. hydrolyzed. Esculin split.
Habitat: Human mouth, throat and naso- Ammonia is not produced from arginine.
pharynx. Distinctive characters: This species is
characterized by its temperature limits of
12. Streptococcus bovis Orla-Jensen, growth, its bile tolerance and its ability to
1919, emend. Sherman, 1937. (Orla-Jensen. hydrolyze starch. A significant proportion
The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 137; Sher- of the strains from bovine sources do not,
man, Bacteriological Reviews, 1, 1937, 57.) however, fit the above description. Further
bo'vis. L. noun hos a cow; L. gen. noun study of the streptococci from bovine
hovis of a cow. sources is indicated.
Spherical or ovoid cells, 0.8 to 1.0 micron Source: Alimentary tract of the cow.
in diameter, occurring in pairs and chains. Sometimes found in large numbers in hu-
Some occur in long chains. Gram-positive. man feces. May be encountered in blood and
Serology: This species is serologically heart lesions of certain cases of subacute
heterogeneous. Many serological types are endocarditis (Niven, Washburn and White,
known to occur. Some strains cross-react Jour. Bact., 55, 1948, 601).
with group D sera (Sherman, Jour. Bact., Habitat: Bovine alimentary tract.
35, 1938, 81). Shattock (Jour. Gen. Micro-
biol., S, 1949, 80) claims that by special 13. Streptococcus equinus Andrewes
methods of preparing the cellular extracts, and Border, 1906. (Lancet, 2, 1906, 712.)
the group D antigen can be demonstrated. e.qui'nus. L. adj. equinus pertaining to a
Action on blood: The changes exhibited horse.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
521
Spheres, occurring in moderately long Action on blood: Most strains produce a
chains. Some cultures show very long weak greening reaction.
chains in broth. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Serology: No group-specific antigen has tween 40° and 45° C. Grows at 50° but not
been demonstrated.
at 53° C. No growth below 20° C. Survives
Action on blood: Usually weak greening. 65° C. for 30 minutes.
No soluble hemolysin produced. Tolerance tests: Very sensitive to salt as
Temperature relations : Growth at 45° but indicated by no growth in broth containing
not at 50° C. No growth at 10° C. Occa- 2 per cent NaCl. No growth in milk con-
sional strains survive 60° C. for 30 minutes. taining 0.01 per cent methylene blue nor on
Tolerance tests: Growth in broth con- 10 per cent bile blood agar.
taining 2per cent NaCl but not in 6.5 per Litmus milk: Acid, curdled, followed by
cent NaCl. No growth at pH 9.6 or in milk reduction of the litmus. No digestion.
containing 0.1 per cent methjdene blue. Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.0
Growth on 40 per cent bile blood agar. and 4.5. Members of this species preferen-
Litmus milk: No visible change. tially ferment the disaccharides sucrose and
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.0 lactose and, therefore, may show a lower
and 4.5. final pH from fermenting these sugars than
No polysaccharide synthesized from from fermenting glucose.
sucrose. No polysaccharide is synthesized from
Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose.
maltose and usually from sucrose and Acid from glucose, fructose, lactose and
salicin. Raffinose and inulin are seldom fer- sucrose; seldom ferments the pentoses or
mented. No acid from arabinose, xylose, raffinose. No acid from trehalose, maltose,
lactose, mannitol or glycerol. inulin, glycerol, mannitol, sorbitol or sali-
Starch is hydrolyzed on a favorable me- cin.
dium. Sodium hippurate and gelatin not Starch may be hydrolyzed on a favorable
hydrolj-zed. Esculin split. medium. Sodium hippurate and gelatin not
Ammonia not produced from arginine. hjfdrolyzed. Esculin not split.
Distinctive character: This species is Ammonia not produced from arginine.
ordinarily differentiated from the other Distinctive characters: This species may
viridans streptococci by its inability to fer- be easily recognized by its high tempera-
ment lactose. However, occasional strains ture range for growth, its thermal tolerance,
in other species of this group also fail to its extreme sensitivity to salt and its in-
ferment this sugar, thus necessitating the ability to ferment maltose.
determination of the tolerance to bile, of Source: Milk and milk products. Em-
the ability to hydrolyze starch and of other ployed as a starter for Swiss cheese.
tests for final identification. Habitat: Unknown.
Source and habitat: Predominating strep-
tococcus in the alimentarj- tract of the 15. Streptococcus uberis Diernhofer,
horse. 1932. (Diernhofer, Milchw. Forsch., IS,
1932, 368; "Group III" non-hemolytic
14. Streptococcus therniophilus Orla- streptococci, Edwards, Jour. Comp. Path.
Jensen, 1916. (Maelkeri-Bacteriologi, 1916, Therap., 45, 1932, 43.)
37; The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 136.) u'ber.is. L. noun uber udder, teat; L.
ther.mo'phil.us. Gr. noun therme heat; gen. noun uberis of an udder.
Gr. adj. philus dear, loving; M.L. adj. Description taken from Seeley (Jour.
therniophilus heat-loving. Bact., 6S, 1951, 107).
Spherical or ovoid cells, 0.7 to 0.9 micron Spheres, occurring in pairs or chains of
in diameter, occurring in pairs to long moderate length.
chains. Gram-positive. Serolog}-: A group-specific and distinctive
Serology: No group-specific antigen has antigen has been reported to exist among the
been demonstrated. strains tested (Seeley, loc. cit.), but the sta-
522 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
tus of this species with respect to its serol- bovine mastitis. Its temperature limits of
ogy remains doubtful. Members of this growth and its ability to ferment the higher
species have been related to group E (Little, alcohols tend to relate this species to the
Thirteenth Ann. Report, N. Y. State Assoc. enterococci. However, other characteris-
Dairy Milk Insp., 1939, 35; Jacob, Thesis, tics, including its nutritional require-
Univ. Reading, 1947). Plastridge and Wil- ments, clearly differentiate this species
liams (Jour. Bact., 38, 1939, 352) established from the enterococci and would tend to
11 serological types. place it among the viridans streptococci.
Action on blood: Slight greening (alpha Source: From raw milk and from freshly
hemolytic) or indifferent (gamma hemo- drawn milk of cows affected with mastitis.
lytic). Habitat: Found in bovine udder infec-
tions.
Temperature relations: Growth at 10°
and 45° C. Some variation occurs among the
individual strains at both extremes of tem- 16. Streptococcus faecalis* Andrewes
perature, depending, however, upon the and Horder, 1906. (Micrococcus ovalis
previous history of the method for handling Escherich, Die Darmbakterien des Saug-
the culture. Most strains survive 60° C. for lings und ihre Beziehungen zur Physiologie
30 minutes. der Verdauung. Stuttgart, 1886, 89; re-
Tolerance tests: Growth in broth con- clas ified as a streptococcus by Escherich
taining 4.0 per cent NaCl but not in 6.5 per in Jahrb. f. Kinderheilk., 49, 1899, 161;
cent NaCl. Growth in milk containing 0.01 Enterocoque, Thiercelin, Compt. rend.
per cent methylene blue but not in 0.1 per Soc. Biol., Paris, 54, 1902, 1082; Enterococcns
cent methylene blue. No growth at pH 9.6. 'proteijormis Thiercelin and Jouhaud,
Most strains fail to grow on 10 per cent Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 55, 1903, 686;
bile blood agar but a few strains are able to Andrewes and Horder, Lancet, 2, 1906, 708;
tolerate as nmch as 40 per cent bile. Streptococcus ovalis Lehmann and Neu-
Litmus milk: Freshly isolated strains may mann, Bakt. Diag., 7 Aufl., 2, 1927, 209
acidify and curdle milk with reduction of and 230.)
litmus after curdling. Old laboratory strains fae.cal'is. L. adj. faex, faecis dregs; M.L.
tend to lose their ability to curdle milk. No adj. faecalis relating to feces.
digestion. Ovoid cells elongated in direction of the
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.6 chain; 0.5 to 1.0 micron in diameter. Occur
and 4.9.
mostly in pairs or short chains. Gram-
No polysaccharide synthesis from sucrose.
Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose, lac- positive.
tose, sucrose, trehalose, mannitol, sorbitol Serology: Belongs to Lancefield's group
and salicin. Most strains ferment inulin D. Many serological types and sub-types
are known to exist (Takedo, Zeit. Immun-
but fail to ferment raffinose. Xylose, arabi-
nose and melibiose not fermented. Glycerol forsch., 86, 1935, 341; Shigeno, ibid., 90,
1937, 323). Sharpe and Shattock (Jour. Gen.
fermented aerobically but not anaerobi-
cally. Microbiol., 6, 1952, 150) established 24
Starch hydrolyzed by a minority of the serological types based upon agglutinin and
strains. Gelatin not liquefied. Sodium hip- precipitin tests. Some cultures of Strepto-
purate hydrolyzed, though slowly, by some coccus faecalis and Streptococcus lactis ap-
strains. Esculin split. pear to contain identical type-specific
Ammonia produced from arginine. Tyro- antigens, although they belong to different
sine not decarbo.xylated. serological groups (Niven, Thesis, Cornell
Relationships : This species represents an Univ., 1939; Sharpe, Jour. Gen. Microbiol.,
important group commonly associated with 7, 1952, 192).
* Although the specific epithet ovalis has priority, the species name Streptococcus faecalis
is being retained here because of its widespread usage and because of the more complete
description given by Andrewes and Horder (op. cit., 1906, 708).
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 523
Action on blood: Greening (alpha hemo- Starch and gelatin not hydrolyzed.
lytic) to indifferent (gamma hemolytic). Sodium hippurate may or may not be hy-
Abundant growth in broth media con- drolyzed. Esculin split.
taining fermentable carbohydrate with Ammonia produced from arginine.
the production of uniform turbidity and Tyrosine is decarboxylated with the pro-
heavy sediment. duction of tyramine and carbon dioxide.
Some strains are actively motile (Leven- Distinctive characters: This species and
sen, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 99; Bruner, the other members of the enterococcus
Edwards, Doll and Moran, Cornell Veteri- group are easily distinguished from the
narian, 38, 1948, 313; Auerbach and Felsen- other Streptococcus species by their wide
feld, Jour. Bact., 56, 1948, 587). temperature limits of growth, their salt
A few strains are reported that are tolerance and their ability to initiate
yellow pigmented (Hannay, Jour. Gen. growth at pH 9.6. They are also considerably
Microbiol., 4, 1950, 294). more tolerant to penicillin than the other
Not fibrinolytic. streptococci, most strains being able to
Temperature relations: Growth at 10° and grow in the presence of 0.5 to 1.0 unit of this
45° C. Survives 60° C. for 30 minutes. antibiotic per ml. All enterococci are dis-
Tolerance tests: Growth in broth contain- tinctive in their ability to decarboxylate
ing 6.5 per cent NaCl. Growth at pH 9.6 tyrosine.
(Sherman and Stark, Jour. Dairy Sci., 17, Source : Human feces and the intestine of
1934, 525; Shattock and Hirsch, Jour. Path. many warm-blooded animals. Occasionally
Bact., 69, 1947, 495). Growth in milk con- encountered in urinary infections and in the
taining 0.1 per cent methylene l)lue. Growth blood stream and heart lesions in subacute
on 40 per cent and higher concentrations of endocarditis cases. Associated with Euro-
bile in blood agar. pean foul-brood of bees; found in milk and
Litmus milk: Acidified, usually curdled dairy products. Has been associated with
with complete reduction of litmus before mild outbreaks of food poisoning.
curdling. Some cultures do not reduce lit- Habitat: Intestines of humans and many
mus before curdling. other warm-blooded animals.
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.0
and 4.4. 16a. Streptococcus faecalis var. lique-
Acid from glucose, maltose, lactose, faciens (Sternberg, 1893, emend. Orla-
trehalose and salicin. All cultures ferment Jensen, 1919) Mattick, 1947. {Streptococcus
glycerol, although this substance may be liquefaciens Sternberg*, Manual of Bac-
fermented only under aerobic conditions by teriology, 1893, 613; Orla-Jensen, The Lac-
some strains (Gunsalus and Sherman, Jour. tic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 142; Mattick, Proc.
Bact., 45, 1943, 155). Mannitol and sorbitol Fourth Internat. Cong, for Microbiology,
are fermented with only occasional ex- Copenhagen, 1947, 519.)
ceptions. Arabinose and sucrose may or li.que.fa'ci.ens. L. part. adj. liquefaciens
may not be fermented. Inulin and raffinose liquefying.
are seldom fermented. This variety was regarded as a separate
Some strains are able to ferment citric species. Streptococcus liquefaciens, in the
acid in the absence of any fermentable car- Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 326, but it is believed
bohydrate with the production of acetic that the differences are not sufficient to
acid, carbon dioxide, formic acid and lactic warrant species distinction. This variety
acid (Campbell and Gunsalus, Jour. Bact., possesses the same characteristics as Strep-
48, 1944, 71). tococcus faecalis except as given below. It
No polysaccharide is synthesized from is a member of the enterococcus group and
sucrose. Lancefield's group D. It can not be dis-
* Streptococcus liquefaciens Frankland and Frankland, 1888 (Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc.
London, 178, B, 1888, 264), may have been an organism identical with Sternberg's; it was
described as producing a yellow pigment, as do certain strains of Streptococcus faecalis.
524 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
fore curdling milk, fails to ferment sorbitol, Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.0
rarely ferments mannitol or sucrose and and 4.5.
ferments glycerol only aerobically. Skad- Acid from glucose, maltose and lactose.
hauge (Studies on Enterococci with Special May or may not ferment xylose, arabinose,
Reference to Their Serological Properties, sucrose, trehalose, mannitol and salicin. No
A Monograph, Copenhagen, 1950) reports acid from raflinose, inulin, glycerol or sor-
that this species does not tolerate 1/2500 bitol. Strains have been isolated from plants
potassium tellurite in a medium, which is in that fail to ferment lactose (Yawger and
contrast to the typical Streptococcus faecalis Sherman, Jour. Dairy Sci., 20, 1937, 83).
and its varieties. Orla-Jensen and Hansen (Zent. f. Bakt., II
Source: Originally isolated from spray Abt., 86, 1932, 6) described certain strains
dried milk powder. Found in milk and that ferment raffinose.
dairy products and in the human intestine. Starch and gelatin not hydrolyzed. So-
Habitat: Intestines of humans and other dium hippurate and esculin may or may not
warm-blooded animals. be split.
Ammonia produced from arginine. Ty-
18. Streptococcus lactis (Lister, 1873) rosine not decarboxylated.
Lohnis, 1909. (Bacterium lactis Lister, Quart. This species is of great economic im-
Jour. Micro. Sci., 13, 1873, 380; also see ibid., portance in the dairy industry. Certain
18, 1878, 177; Lohnis, Cent. f. Bakt., II strains are employed as starter cultures in
Abt., 22, 1909, 553.) preparing cheeses and cultured milk drinks.
lac'tis. L. noun lac milk; L. gen. noun lactis Some strains are capable of fermenting citric
of milk. acid when incorporated with a fermentable
Ovoid cells elongated in direction of the sugar with the production of carbon dioxide,
chain; 0.5 to 1.0 micron in diameter. Occur acetic acid and diacetjd. (See discussion
mostly in pairs or short chains. Some cul- and reference citations of citrate-ferment-
tures produce long chains. Gram-positive. ing strains by Swartling, Jour. Dairy Res.,
Serologj': A group-specific antigen has 18, 1951, 256.) For a recent discussion of
been demonstrated (Sherman, Smiley and the relationships of Streptococcus lactis to
Niven, Jour. Dairy Sci., 23, 1940, 529; S. cretnoris and other lactic acid strepto-
Seeleman and Nottbohm, Zent. f. Bakt., I cocci, see Sherman (Jour. Dairy Sci., 38,
Abt., Orig., 146, 1940, 142; Shattock and 1955, 1184).
Mattick, Jour. Hyg., 43, 1943, 173). The Some cultures of this species synthesize a
serological group has been designated by powerful antibiotic, nisin, that inhibits
Shattock and Mattick {loc. cit.) as group N. the growth of a wide variety of other Gram-
Manj' serological types are known to exist. positive microorganisms (Mattick and
Action on blood: Slight greening (alpha Hirsch, Nature, 154, 1944, 551; Hirsch,
hemolytic) to indifferent (gamma hemo- Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 208).
lytic). Distinctive characteristics: Growth at 10°
Temperature relations : Growth at 10° but or below and at 40° but not at 45° C; rapid
not at 45° C. May survive 60° C. for 30 and complete reduction of litmus before
minutes. curdling milk; growth in the presence of 4
Tolerance tests: Growth in broth con- per cent but not in 6.5 per cent NaCl; am-
taining 4per cent NaCl but not in 6.5 per monia produced from arginine; growth at
cent NaCl. Growth initiated at pH 9.2 but pH 9.2 but not at pH 9.6; tyrosine not de-
not at pH 9.6. Growth in milk containing carboxylated.
0.3 per cent methylene blue. Growth on 40 Source: A common contaminant in milk
per cent bile blood agar. and dairy products.
Litmus milk: Acidified, curdled, litmus Habitat: Probably of plant origin (Stark
completely reduced before curdling. Old and Sherman, Jour. Bact., SO, 1935, 639).
laboratory strains may lose the ability to
curdle milk. No digestion. 19. Slreplococcus crenioris
Orla-
526 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Jensen, 1919. (Streptococcus hollandicus porated with a fermentable sugar with the
Weigmann, quoted from Kramer, Die production of carbon dioxide, acetic acid
Bakteriologie in ihren Beziehungen zur and diacetyl.
Landwirtschaft und den Landw. Techni- Some cultures produce an antibiotic-like
schen Gewerben, Wien, 1890; Orla-Jensen, substance that is active against other lactic
TheLacticAcid Bacteria, 1919, 132; 5«rep<o- acid bacteria. This substance is distinct
coccus lactis B, Aj-ers, Johnson andMudge, from nisin, the antibiotic from Streptococcus
Jour. Inf. Dis., 34, 1934, 29.) lactis (Oxford, Biochem. Jour., 38, 1944,
178).
cre.mo'ris. L. noun cremor juice; cream;
L. gen. noun cremoris of cream. Related species : Although closely related,
Spheres or ovoid cells elongated in direc- this species can be distinguished readily
tion of the chain; 0.6 to 1.0 micron in di- from Streptococcus lactis by its inability to
ameter (often larger than Streptococcus grow at 40° C., in a 4 per cent NaCl broth or
lactis) ; form long chains, especially in milk, in a medium adjusted to pH 9.2. Also, it
but some cultures occur predominantly as fails to produce ammonia from arginine,
pairs. Gram-positive. and the majority of the strains fail to fer-
Serology: Possesses group-specific anti- ment maltose.
gen (group N) of Streptococcus lactis (Sher- Source: Raw milk and milk products;
man, Smiley and Niven, Jour. Dairy Sci., commercial starters for butter and cheese
23, 1940, 529; Swartling, Jour. Dairy Res., manufacture.
18, 1951, 256; Briggs and Nevvland, Jour. Habitat: Probably of plant origin.
Dairy Res., 19, 1952, 160). Many serological
types are known to exist. Addendum: Species incertae sedis. De-
Action on blood: Slight greening (alpha scriptions ofspecies to which no name has
hemolytic) to indiiferent (gamma hemo- been given or of poorly defined species, the
lytic). taxonomic relationships of which are not
Temperature relations: Growth at 10° and clear:
below but not at 40° C. Optimum, below 1. Streptococcus sp. Serological group E.
30° C. May survive 60° C. for 30 minutes. (Brown, Frost and Shaw, Jour. Inf. Dis.,
Tolerance tests: No growth in broth con- 38, 1926, 381; Lancefield, Jour. Exp. Med.,
taining 4per cent NaCl. Growth not ini- 57, 1933, 571.)
tiated in broth adjusted to pH 9.2. No Spherical or ovoid cells occurring in
growth in milk containing 0.3 per cent pairs or chains of medium length.
methylene blue. Growth on 40 per cent Serology: Constitutes Lancefield's group
bile blood agar. E. Several serological types are known to
Litmus milk: Acidified, curdled, litmus occur. May cross react with group C.
completely reduced before curdling. No Action on blood: Strongly hemolytic
digestion. (beta). Some non-hemolytic strains have
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.0 and been reported. The streptolysin produced
4.6. is very acid-stable (Todd, Jour. Path.
Acid from glucose and lactose. May or Bact., 39, 1934, 299).
maj' not ferment trehalose and salicin. Not fibrinolytic.
Rarely ferments maltose, sucrose, raffinose Temperature relations: No growth at 10°
or mannitol. Arabinose, xj-lose, inulin, glyc- or at 45° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 30
erol and sorbitol not fermented. minutes.
Starch, gelatin and sodium hippurate not Tolerance tests: Does not grow in broth
hydrolyzed. Esculin may or may not be containing 6.5 per cent NaCl or at pH 9.6.
split. No growth in 0.1 per cent methylene blue
Ammonia not produced from arginine. milk or in 10 per cent bile blood agar.
Comments: Members of this species are Litmus milk: Acid, but not curdled. No
commonly employed in commercial dairy digestion.
starters. Like Streptococcus lactis, some Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.2
strains ferment citric acid when incor- and 4.8.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
527
Acid from glucose, lactose, trehalose and Litmus milk: Acid, some strains curdle;
sorbitol. May or may not ferment sucrose, litmus not reduced before curdling.
glycerol, mannitol and salicin. No acid Final pH in glucose broth, l)etween 4.8
from arabinose, raffinose or inulin. and 5.2.
Gelatin not liquefied. Sodium hippurate Acid produced from glucose, lactose,
not hydrolyzed. Some strains may hydrolyze sucrose and trehalose. Glycerol is fer-
starch or split esculin. mented when incubated aerobically. Salicin
Ammonia produced from arginine. may or may not be fermented. Inulin fer-
Not pathogenic. mented by a few strains. No acid from raf-
Source: Isolated from raw milk and the finose, mannitol or sorbitol.
bovine udder. Starch may be hydrolyzed by some
Habitat: Unknown. strains. Gelatin not liquefied.
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. Es-
2. Streptococcus sp. Lancefield and Hare. culin usually split.
(Large colony group G, Lancefield and Ammonia produced from arginine.
Hare, Jour. Exp. Med., 60, 1934, 633; Lance- Source: Obtained from the human throat,
field, The Harvey Lectures, Series XXXVI, nose, skin, vagina and feces. Also found in
1940-1941, 251.) the throat of a number of domestic ani-
Spherical or ovoid cells 0.6 to 1.0 micron mals, especially the dog. May be associated
in diameter; occur in medium-sized or long with a variety of animal diseases.
chains. Habitat: Human respiratory tract and
Serologj^: Belongs to Lancefield's group vagina; throats of domestic animals.
G. At least three serological tj'pes of the This group of streptococci deserves spe-
large-colony group G streptococci have cies recognition, but no suitable name has
been established (Simmons and Koegh, been proposed. More than one variety or
Austral. Jour. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci., 18, species may be included among these large-
1940, 151). May contain a common protein colony group G streptococci (Sherman,
antigen with Streptococcus equisimilis Bact. Rev., 1, 1937, 1). Some strains, es-
which sometimes gives rise to confusing pecially those that are fibrinolytic, are very
cross-reactions. Griffith's type 16 belongs difiicult to differentiate from Streptococcus
to this species. pyogenes by means other than serological
Action on blood: Broad-zone beta hemol- methods.
j'sis on blood agar. Area of hemolysis may
be much larger than that produced by 3. Streptococcus sp. Hare. (Group K,
Streptococcus pyogenes. Soluble hemolysin Hare, Jour. Path. Bact., 41, 1935, 499.)
produced that is identical to streptolysin O. Spherical cells in medium-sized to long
Colony form: Matt colonies similar to chains. Gram-positive.
those of Streptococcus pyogenes and Strepto- Serology: Established as group K.
coccus equisimilis are produced characteris- Action on blood: Small, incomplete zones
tically. of hemolysis on 8 per cent blood agar. No
May or may not be fibrinolytic (Sher- soluble hemolysin produced.
man, Bact. Rev., 7, 1937, 1). Colony forms: Moist and transparent
Temperature relations: No growth at 10° with crenated edges; 0.8 to 1.3 mm in di-
and, with few exceptions, no growth at ameter after 48 hours.
45° C. Does not survive 60° C for 30 min- Not fibrinolytic.
utes. Tolerance test: Does not grow on 10 per
Tolerance tests : Fails to grow in presence cent bile blood agar.
of 6.5 per cent NaCl or in skim milk con- Final pH in glucose broth, between 5.1
taining 0.1 per cent methylene blue. Gen- and 5.4.
erally more tolerant to methylene blue than Acid from glucose and generally from lac-
Streptococcus pyogenes. No growth in broth tose. May or may not ferment salicin. Acid
adjusted to pH 9.6 or on blood agar con- generally not produced from trehalose,
taining 40 per cent bile. mannitol or sorbitol.
528 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. ably not associated with any canine dis-
Source: Normal human throat. Not con- ease.
sidered to be pathogenic. Habitat: Probably the dog.
Habitat: Human throat.
6. Streptococcus sp. Boissard and Wor-
4. Streptococcus sp. Fry. (Group L, Hare mald. (Hitherto undescribed serological
and Fry, Vet. Rec, 1, 1938, 1537.) Addi- group O, Boissard and Wormald, Jour.
tional information from Laughton, Jour. Path. Bact., 62, 1950, 37.)
Path. Bact., 60, 1948, 471. Spherical or ovoid cells occurring in very
Spherical or ovoid cells in long chains. long chains in broth culture.
Gram-positive. Serology: Belongs to a new serological
Serology: Established as group L. group for which "group O" is proposed.
Action on blood: Surface and submerged Action on blood: Hemolysis on blood agar
colonies are beta hemolytic. Most strains ranges from frank green to a moderately
do not produce a demonstrable soluble wide zone of beta hemolysis similar to that
hemolysin. produced hy Streptococcus pyogenes. Growth
Colony forms: Glossy, matt and inter- under anaerobic conditions reduces or com-
mediate types observed on blood agar. pletely inhibits the beta hemolysis. No
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.7 soluble hemolysin detected.
and 5.2. Colonj^ forms: Surface colonies on blood
Acid produced from maltose, lactose, agar 0.4 to 0.8 mm in diameter after 18 hours
sucrose, trehalose and salicin. May or may at 37° C. with flattened margin and raised
not ferment glycerol and sorbitol. center. The margin is radically striated and
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. has a beaded or pleated edge. Colony has
Source: Isolated from miscellaneous in- rubbery and coherent consistency.
fections ofthe dog. Not fibrinolytic.
Habitat : Probably the throat and genital Temperature relations: Does not survive
tract of the dog. 60° C. for 30 minutes.
Tolerance tests: May or may not grow
5. Streptococcus sp. Fry. (Group M, Hare on blood agar containing 10 per cent bile.
and Fry, Vet. Rec, 1, 1938, 1537.) Addi- No growth on 40 per cent bile blood agar.
tional information from Laughton, Jour. Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.5
Path. Bact., 60, 1948, 471. and 5.1.
Spherical or ovoid cells in long chains. Acid produced from glucose and lactose.
Gram-positive. May or maj^ not ferment trehalose and sali-
Serology: Established as group M. At cin. No acid from mannitol or sorbitol.
least two serological types are known. Sodium hippurate not hj'drolyzed.
Action on blood: Surface and submerged Not pathogenic for mice.
colonies are beta hemolytic. A weak, slow Source: Nasopharynx of normal humans;
acting soluble hemolysin produced by some occasionally from throats of individuals
suffering from tonsilitis.
strains; other strains appear to be negative.
Habitat: Probably the human naso-
Colony forms: Glossy, matt and inter-
mediate types observed on blood agar. pharynx.
Final pH in glucose broth, between 4.6 7. Streptococcus MG. Mirick, Thomas,
and 6.9. Curnen and Horsfall. (Jour. Exp. Med., 80,
Acid produced from maltose, lactose, 1944, .391, 407 and 431.)
sucrose and usually from trehalose. May or Spherical or ovoid cells occurring in pairs
may not ferment glycerol and salicin. Sor- or short chains. Gram-positive.
bitol not fermented.
Serology: No group-specific antigen has
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. been demonstrated. All strains belong to one
Source: Isolated from the urethra, the serological type due to the presence of a
vagina and the tonsillar area of dogs. Prob- type-specific capsular antigen shown to be
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
529
Pe.di.o.coc'cus. Gr. noun pedium a plane; Gr. noun coccus a berry, sphere; M.L. mas.n.
Pediococcus plane coccus.
Cocci occurring singly, as tetrads, pairs or even short chains. Although these organisms
are frequently called sarcinae in the literature, packets of eight cells, if they occur at all,
are very rare. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Microaerophilic, showing poor surface growth.
Generally catalase-negative in sugar media. Homofermentative, producing optically inac-
tive lactic acid from carbohydrates. Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Produce acidifica-
tion and more or less clouding of wort and beer. Saprophytes in fermenting vegetable juices.
The type species is Pediococcus cerevisiae Balcke.
I. Optimum temperature, between 25° and 32°C. Grows in wort, hopped wort and beer.
1. Pediococcus cerevisiae.
II. Optimum temperatxire, about 40°C. Grows in unhopped wort but not in beer.
2. Pediococcus acidilactici .
* Prepared by Prof. Carl S. Pederson, New York State Experiment Station, Geneva, New
York, September, 1954.
530 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
1. Pedicoccus cerevisiae Balcke, 1884. and asparagine are required for growth.
(Ferment No. 7, Pasteur, Etudes sur la Aspartic acid can completely replace as-
biere. Paris, 1876, 4; Sarcina from beer, paragine, whereas asparagine can only par-
Hansen, Compt. rend. Trav. Lab. Carls- tially replace aspartic acid. DL-methionine
berg, 1, 1879, 234 and 288; Balcke, Woch- and possibly DL-lysine are stimulatory
nschr. f. Brauerei, 1, 1884, 257.) (Jensen and Seeley, Jour. Bact., 67, 1954,
486).
ce.re.vi'si.ae. L. noun cerevisia beer;
L. gen. noun cerevisiae of beer. Purine and pyrimidine requirements vary
Spheres, 1.0 to 1.3 microns in diameter, considerably with the strain: some strains
occurring singly, in pairs or in tetrads. In require neither of these compounds; other
acid media the latter prevail. Non-motile. strains, requiring both purines and pyrimi-
Gram-positive. dines, exhibit greatest growth with either
No growth in alkaline media. xanthine or guanine, whereas uracil and
Peptone, meat-extract gelatin colonies: thymine are least effective; still other
White becoming yellowish to yellowish strains require uracil (Jensen and Seeley,
brown. No liquefaction. loc. cit.).
Wort gelatin with calcium carbonate: Leucovorin (citrovorum factor), niacin
White colonies, 2 to 3 mm; carbonate dis- and pantothenic acid are absolute vitamin
solved. requirements, whereas biotin and pyridox-
Meat extract gelatin stab: Growth along ine are merely stimulatory; a few strains
stab ; white, raised surface growth. No lique- require riboflavin in addition (Jensen and
faction. Seeley, loc. cit.).
Wort and beer: Slight to moderately tur- Urea not utilized.
bid growth, strong development on bottom Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
of the flask. Hop-sensitive, but may de- Usually catalase-negative; may be weakly
velop in heavily hopped beers under special positive in media low in sugar content (Fel-
conditions. ton, Evans and Niven, Jour. Bact., 65, 1953,
481).
Litmus milk: Usually no growth; a few
strains may show acid and may curdle the Microaerophilic.
milk.
Optimum temperature, between 25° and
Potato: Scant growth. 32° C. Growth range, 7° to 45° C. Killed at
Acid from glucose, fructose, mannose, 60° C. in 8 minutes.
galactose and maltose; usually from arabi- Source: Originally isolated from sarcina-
nose, sucrose, lactose, raffinose, salicin and sick beer and for many years known only as
amygdalin; sometimes from xjdose and found in beer j^easts, spoiled wort and beer.
rhamnose. No acid from mannitol, alpha- More recently this species has been recog-
methyl glucoside, inulin, dextrin or starch nized in various types of fermenting vegeta-
(Pederson, Bact. Rev., 13, 1949, 228). Op- ble juices (Pederson, op. cit., 1949, 228; also
tically inactive lactic acid, as well as traces see Wallerstein Lab. Communications, 17,
of acetic acid and carbon dioxide, is pro- 1954, 10).
duced.
Habitat: Widely distributed in ferment-
Diacetyl is produced, apparently from ing materials such as beer, sauerkraut and
the oxidation of acetylmethylcarbinol; di-
acetyl is the substance responsible for the pickles.
"sarcina odor" of spoiled beer and the 2. Pediococcus acidilactici Lindner,
aroma of fresh butter (Shimwell and Kirk-
1887. (Lindner, Wochnschr. f. Brauerei, 3,
patrick, Jour. Inst. Brewing, 45 (N.S. 36),
1939, 141). No. 23, 1887; see Cent. f. Bakt., 2, 1887, 342;
L-tryptophane, L-cj^stine, DL-threonine, also see Die Sarcina-Organismen der Giih-
DL-valine, DL-leucine, DL-isoleucine, rungsgewerbe. Lindner, Inaug. Diss., Ber-
427.) lin, 1888, 26, and Cent. f. Bakt., 4, 1888,
L-histidine, DL-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine,
L-proline, glycine, DL-alanine, L-arginine,
DL-serine, L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid a.ci.di.lac.ti'ci. M.L. noun acidum lacti-
FAMILY X, LACTOBACILLACEAE
531
ciim lactic acid; M.L. gen. noun acidi lactici Growth in unhopped wort but not in beer.
of lactic acid. Produces much acid from maltose and
Original description supplemented by wort. Cultures that do not produce acid
naaterial from Shimwell (Jour. Inst. Brew- from maltose are regarded by some (see
ing, 5i (N.S. 45), 1948, 103). Shimwell, loc. cit.) as forming a distinct
Cocci, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter, oc- species as they produce slight or no acid
curring singly, in pairs and tetrads or even in unhopped wort.
in short chains. Gram-positive. Catalase-negative.
Gelatin colonies: Small; no liquefaction. Optimum temperature, 41° C. Killed in
Gelatin streak: Growth grayish white, a short time at 60° C.
moist, iridescent, thin; smooth edges. Source: Isolated from spoiled mash.
Gelatin stab: Growth along stab; white, Habitat: Found in mash and unhopped
leafy surface growth. wort.
Glucose gelatin colonies: Small, white to jerinck, 1912) Hucker and Pederson, 1930.
grayish white, raised, nodular. (Lactococcus dextranicus Beijerinck, Folia
Glucose gelatin stab: Growth along entire Microbiologica, Delft, 1912, 377; Hucker
stab. No liquefaction. and Pederson, New York Agr. Exp. Sta.
Sucrose broth: Usually produces slime Tech. Bull, 167, 1930, 67.)
from sucrose; slime most pronounced in dex.tra'ni.cum. L. adj. dexter right; M.L.
sucrose gelatin stab. Niven, Castellani and noun dextranum dextran; M.L. adj. dex-
AUanson (Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 633) have tranicus related to dextran.
described types from meat products that Spheres, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter,
do not produce slime. Pederson and Ward occurring in pairs and in short chains. Gram-
(New York State Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech
Bull. 288, 1949) have described similar positive.
Gelatin stab : Gray filiform growth in stab.
types from high-salt cucumber brines. Agar colonies: Small, gray, circular,
Pederson and Albury (Jour. Bact., 70, 1955, slightly raised, entire.
702) have induced such types to produce Glucose broth: Slight grayish sediment.
typical slime by repeated transfers in Litmus milk: Acid, coagulation. Fre-
sucrose solutions. quentl}^ shows slight reduction of litmus in
Potato: No visible growth. bottom of tube.
Indole not produced. Potato: No visible growth.
Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose, Indole not produced.
mannose, xylose, arabinose, sucrose and Produces slime from sucrose in rapidly
generally from lactose, raffinose, salicin and growing cultures.
mannitol. Rarely acid from dextrin, starch, Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose,
inulin, sorbitol, rhamnose or glycerol. Mc- maltose, sucrose and generally from lactose
Cleskey, Faville and Barnett (Jour. Bact., and mannose. No acid from xylose, arabi-
54, 1947, 697) recognize four colonial types nose, glycerol, rhamnose, sorbitol, mannitol
which differ somewhat in fermentation reac- or starch; rarely from raffinose, inulin or
tions. dextrin.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Microaerophilic, facultatively anaerobic. Microaerophilic, facultatively anaerobic.
Optimum temperature, between 21° and 25°Optimum
C. temperature, between 21° and
25° C.
Distinctive characters: Usually active Distinctive characters: Produces a mod-
slime producer in sucrose solutions. Mc- erate amount of slime in sucrose solutions.
Cleskey, Faville and Barnett (op. cit. 1947, Source: Isolated from dairy starters.
697) recognized four colonial types, A, B, C Habitat: Found in plant materials and in
and F, which differ in amounts of gum, acid milk products.
and gas produced and in temperature and
pH requirements for growth. McCleskey 3. Leuconostoc citrovoruni (Hammer,
and Barnett (Proc. Louisiana Acad of Sci.,
1920) Hucker and Pederson, 1930. {Strepto-
12, 1949, 38) have correlated these with nu- coccus citrovorus Hammer, Iowa Agr. Exp.
tritional requirements and Leiva-Quiros and Sta. Research Bull. No. 63, 1920; Hucker
McCleskey (Jour. Bact., 54, 1947, 709) with
and Pederson, New York Agr. E.xp. Sta.
serological relationships.
Source: Isolated from slime in a sugar Tech. Bull. 167, 1930, 67.)
factory. cit.ro'vo.rum. L. noun citr^js the citron
Habitat: Most active species of the genus. tree; M.L. noun citrus the lemon, here re-
Encountered in fermenting vegetable and ferring to citric acid; L. v. voro to devour;
other plant materials and in prepared meat M.L. adj. citrovorus citrate-utilizing.
products. Frequently isolated from slimy Spheres, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in diameter,
sugar solutions. occuring in pairs and chains. Gram-positive.
Gelatin stab: Filiform growth in stab. No
2. Leuconostoc dextranicuiii (Bei- liquefaction.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 533
Agar colonies: Small, gray, entire, slightly arabinose, rhamnose, raffinose, glycerol,
raised. dextrin, inulin, starch, salicin, mannitol or
Agar slant: Small, gray, discrete colonies. sorbitol.
Glucose broth: Slight gray sediment. Uggg ^-^^^-^^ ^cid in milk.
Litmus milk: Slightly acid with partial ^-^^-^^^ ^^^ produced
reduction of litmus. , ,. , .,. ,,,,-, from nitrates, , .
„ , , ^.-r . ., , ,, Microaerophilic, facultatively anaerobic.
Potato: No visible growth. ^ .
. Optimum temperature, between 20° and
not prod
Indole poorly
Grows on ordinaryuced
media without
the addition of yeast extract or other Distinctive character: Non-slime pro-
growth-accessory substance. ducer.
Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose Source: Isolated from dairy products,
and lactose. Generally does not form acid Habitat: Found in milk and dairy prod-
from mannose, sucrose, maltose, xj^lose, ucts.
* Revised by Dr. Louis DS. Smith, ^lontana Agricultural Experiment Station, Boze-
man, Montana, February, 1955.
534 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
nose are sometimes fermented. Fermenta- ameter, convex, grayish, entire margin.
tion products include formic and acetic Small, brownish hemopeptic zone around
acids (Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 67, 1941, colonies. No true hemolysis.
88). Martin broth: Poor growth; no turbidity;
Neutral red broth: Changed to fluorescent flakes form on wall of tube but rapidly settle
yellow. to the bottom; little or no gas is produced;
Anaerobic. very faint, fetid odor.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Martin glucose broth: Good growth; no
tween 36° and 38° C. Grows at 26° but not turbidity; gas fetid, inflammable.
below 22° C. Survives 5 minutes at 60° C. Meat and liver broth: Rapid, abundant
or two minutes at 80° C. Killed in ten min- growth; abundant gas; strong, fetid odor.
utes at 80° C. Milk: No acid; no coagulation.
Optimum pH, between 6.0 and 8.0. Peptone broth: Gas production is feeble.
Some strains are pathogenic. Indole not produced.
Distinctive characters: Ver}^ peptolytic; Fresh organs become green, then blacken.
gas produced in peptone water with destruc- Much gas is produced which contains hy-
tion of the peptone. Differs from Pepto- drogen sulfide; later the organs are grad-
streptococcus foetidus b}^ being morphologi- ually disintegrated; partial bioproteolysis
cally like a typical streptococcus. Differs and hydrogen sulfide formation.
from Peptostreptococcus pntridiis by its Coagulated protein is not attacked.
phj'siology, by its bread-crumb-like growth Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac-
and by the production of gas in all media. tose and sucrose. No acid from lactose, malt-
Source: Isolated in cases of putrefactive ose, arabinose, glycerol, mannitol, dulcitol
gangrene; war wounds; uterus, lochia and or starch.
blood in puerperal infections; appendicitis; Neutral red broth: Changed to fluorescent
pleurisy; and amniotic fluid.
Habitat: Found in the mouth and intes- Anaerobic.
yellow.
tines; also from the cavities of man and Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
animals, especially the vagina. Can invade tween 36° and 38° C. Feeble growth at 26° C.
all tissues.
No growth below 22° C. Killed in one hour
at 60° C. or in ten minutes at 80° C.
2. Peptostreptococcus foetidus (Veil- Optimum pH, between 6.5 and 8.0.
Ion, 1893) Smith, comb. nov. {Micrococcus Some strains are pathogenic.
foetidus Veillon, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Comment : A variety of this species, which
Paris, 4^, 1893, 867; not Micrococcus foetidus differs from the parent strain in being
Flugge, Die Mikroorganismen, 2 Aufl., 1886, smaller in size and in producing more gas
172; not Micrococcus foetidus Klamann, in carbohj'drate media, has been reported
Allgem. med. Centralzeitung, 1887, 1344; by Prevot (ibid., 193).
Streptococcus foetidus Prevot, Ann. Sci. Nat., Source: First isolated from a fatal case
Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, 189; not Streptococcus
foetidus Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 38.) of Ludwig's angina; also from perinephritic
phlegmon, the fetid pus from Bartholin's
foe'ti.dus. L. adj. foetidus stinking. gland, gangrene of the lung and appendi-
Large spheres, 0.8 to 1.0 micron in diame-
ter, occurring normally in short chains; also citis.
Habitat: Found in the mouth, intestines
in tetrads and double or zig-zag chains. Non-
and vagina of man and animals. Common
motile. Gram-positive.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. in fetid suppurations and autogenous gan-
Semi-solid agar (Veillon): Slow growth; grenous processes.
at first punctiform. Small colonies, }i to
}-2 mm in diameter, which grow 1 to 2 cm 3. Peptostreptococcus putridus
below the surface, regular, thick, lenticular, (Schottmiiller, 1910, emend. Prevot, 1933)
opaque. Gas bubbles are produced. Smith, comb. nov. (Streptococctis putridus
Blood agar colonies: 0.5 to 1.0 mm in di- Schottmiiller, Mitteil. a. d. Grenzgeb. d.
536 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Med. Chirurg., 21, 1910, 450; Prevot, Ann. Distinctive characters: Putrescence but
Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, 170 and 184.) absence of gas in ordinary media; presence
pu'tri.dus. L. adj. putridus rotten, de- of gas and hydrogen sulfide in media with
cayed. fresh tissue or body fluids.
Spheres, averaging 0.8 micron in diame- Comments: Thomas and Hare (Jour. Clin.
ter, occurring in chains. Gram-positive. Path., 7, 1954, 302) divide certain of the
Gelatin: No liquefaction. anaerobic cocci into nine groups and state
Semi-solid agar (Veillon) colonies: More that Group I is essentially Streptococmis
or less lenticular; 1 to 2 mm in diameter; putridus. This group is described as in-
no gas produced. cluding Gram-positive, anaerobic spheres,
Blood agar colonies: 2 mm in diameter; 0.6 to 0.8 micron in diameter, which grow
become brownish, sometimes blackish on in the form of chains and which, in media
aging. Surrounded by a brownish hemopep- containing 0.01 per cent sodium oleate, 0.1
tic zone. per cent sodium thioglycollate and 1.0 per
Martin broth: In 6 to 8 hours there is a cent of the substance tested, produce acid
uniform turbidity which does not precipi- and gas from glucose, fructose and maltose
tate completely; no gas; little odor. and gas from pyruvate; galactose, sucrose,
Martin glucose broth: Rapid, abundant malate, citrate, tartrate and lactate are not
growth; uniform turbidity; sediment; no attacked. Gas is produced in ordinary media
gas; slight fetid odor; black pigment in the if sulfur compounds are present.
sediment. Source: Isolated from normal and fetid
Meat and liver broth: Very abundant lochia; blood in puerperal fever; gangrenous
growth; veiy marked putrid odor; incom- appendicitis; gangrene of the lung; gas gan-
plete sedimentation. grene; gangrenous metastases; war wounds;
Peptone broth: Sparse growth; neither osteomyelitis and from amniotic fluid.
gas, odor, hydrogen sulfide nor indole is pro- Found in sea water by Montel and Mous-
duced. seron (Paris Medical, 1929).
Milk: No acid; no coagulation. Habitat: Found in the human mouth and
Coagulated protein is not attacked. intestines and especially in the vagina.
Deep blood agar: Agar is broken by the
gas (hydrogen sulfide). 4. Peptostreptococcus productus (Pre-
Fresh-blood broth: Abundant gas which vot, 1941) Smith, comb. nov. (Streptococcus
contains a large amount of hydrogen sulfide productus Pr6vot, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol.,
is produced; blood blackens rapidly and Paris, 135, 1941, 105.)
has typical putrid odor. pro.duc'tus. L. adj. productus lengthened.
Fresh fibrin broth: The fibrin is broken Large spheres, 0.7 to 1.2 microns in diame-
up and partially digested. ter, occurring in chains which contain 6 to
Lead media are blackened. 20 cells. Gram-positive.
Acid from glucose, fructose and maltose. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Acid sometimes produced from sucrose, Gas and odor produced.
mannitol and galactose. Fermentation prod- Deep agar colonies: Lens-shaped; slight
ucts include valerianic, butyric and acetic
acids (Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 67, 1941, 88). Glucose broth: Homogeneous turbidity;
Neutral red is changed to fluorescent viscid; mucoid, coherent sediment; slight
yellow. gas. hydrogen sulfide is produced.
gas;
Anaerobic. Peptone broth: Homogeneous turbidity;
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- no gas; indole not produced.
tween 36° and 38° C. Growth feeble at 28° C. Milk: Slowly coagulated (8 to 10 daj^s).
No growth below 22° C. Killed in ten min- Coagulated proteins not attacked.
utes at 80° C. Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, xy-
Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 8.5. lose, arabinose, sorbose and lactose. Fer-
Rare strains are pathogenic for laboratory mentation products include ammonia, hy-
animals. drogen sulfide, acetic and propionic acids
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
537
and traces of lactic acid and acetylmethyl- Distinctive characters: Proteolytic and
carbinol. saccharolytic; produces ammonia from
Neutral red reduced. hydrolyzed proteins; butyric, valerianic
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. and acetic acids are produced from certain
Anaerobic. carbohydrates. No hydrogen sulfide is pro-
duced.
Optimum temperature, between 30° and Source: Isolated from human feces in a
37° C.
Optimum pH, between 6.5 and 8.2. case of diarrhoea.
Non-pathogenic for guinea pigs, rabbits Habitat: Found in putrefying materials.
and mice.
Comments: A hemolj'tic variety of this 6. Peptostreptococcus micros (Prevot,
organism has been reported by Beeuwkes 1933) Smith, comb. nov. {Streptococcus an-
and Aladame (Ann. Inst. Past., 75, 1948, aerobius micros Lewkowicz, Arch. Med. Exp.,
390). IS, 1901, 645; Streptococcus micros Prevot,
Source: Isolated from a subacute case of Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. Bot., 15, 1933, 193.)
pulmonary gangrene. mi'cros. Gr. adj. micrus small.
Habitat : Found in the natural cavities of Very small spheres, 0.2 to 0.4 micron in
man, especially the respiratory. diameter, occurring in long chains or in
pairs. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
5. Peptostreplococcus lanceolatu.s Gelatin: Poor growth. No liquefaction.
(Prevot, 1933) Smith, comb. nov. {Coccus Semi-solid agar (Veillon) : Slow growth;
lanceolatus anaerobhis Tissier, Compt. rend. colonies at first punctiform, becoming len-
Soc. Biol., Paris, 94, 1926, 447; Streptococcals ticular and later forming processes into the
lanceolatus Prevot, Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. medium. Average size, 0.5 to 1.0 mm in di-
Hot., 15, 1933, 173 and 193; not Streptococcus ameter; some reach 2 to 3 mm, growing 2 or
lanceolatus Gamaleia, Ann. Inst. Past., 2, 3 cm below the surface.
1888, 440.) Blood agar: No hemolysis. No hemopep-
lan.ce.o.la'tus. L. adj. lanceolatus lancet- tolysis.
shaped. Martin broth: Sliglit, particulate tur-
Large, ovoid cells, 1.2 to 1.4 microns in bidity which slowly settles.
diameter, with pointed ends, occurring in Meat and liver broth: Rapid growth;
short chains in culture and in pairs in ex- abundant sediment.
udates. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Peptone broth: Powdery sediment; me-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. dium not acidified; no indole is produced.
Deep agar colonies: Very large, lenticular; Milk: Grows with difficulty; no acid; no
abundant gas produced which breaks up coagulation.
the medium. Coagulated protein not attacked.
Peptone broth: Uniform turbidity; gran- Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose,
ular, viscous sediment. sucrose and maltose. Fermentation prod-
Peptone broth: Good growth; gas pro- ucts include propionic, formic and lactic
duced. acids (Pr(5vot, Man. d. Classif. et d. De-
Milk: No change. term, d. Bact. Anaerobies, 2" ed., 1948, 59).
Coagulated protein not attacked. Neutral red broth is changed to fluores-
Hydrolyzed albumen reduced to CO3 , cent yellow.
(NH4)2C03 and NH,,. Anaerobic.
Acid from glucose, sucrose and starch.
Optimum temperature, between 36° and
No acid from lactose. Butyric, valerianic 38° C. No growth at 22° C. Killed in 15 min-
and acetic acids are produced, in the pro- utes at 60° C.
portions 2:1: trace, from glucose and su- Optimum pH, about 7.0.
crose. Non-pathogenic for mice.
Anaerobic. No toxin and no hemolysin.
Distinctive characters: Neither gas nor
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Non-pathogenic for laboratory animals. fetid odor produced; small size.
538 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Source: Isolated from gangrene of the and Repaci identified this organism as Strep-
lung, from lochia and uterus in puerperal tococcus micros, but Weinberg, Nativelle
sepsis and from cases of appendicitis. and Prevot consider it as a distinct species,
Habitat: Found in the mouth and in- although rare.
testine of man and other animals. Source: Isolated from the respiratory
tract.
7. Peptostreptococcus parvulus (Wein- Habitat: Unknown.
berg et al., 1937) Smith, comb. nov. (Strep-
tococcus parvulus non liguefuciens Repaci, 8. Peptostreptococcus intermedius
Compt. rend.Soc. Biol., Paris, 68, 1910, 528; (Prevot, 1925) Smith, comb. nov. (Strepto-
Streptococcus parvulus Weinberg, Nativelle coccus intermedius Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past.,
and Prevot, Les Microbes Anaerobies, 1937, 39, 1925, 439.)
1011; not Streptococcus parvulus Levin- in.ter.me'di.us. L. adj. intermedius inter-
thai, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 106, mediate.
1928, 195.) Description taken in part from Prevot
par'vu.lus. L. dim. adj. parvulus somewhat (Ann. Sci. Nat., S^r. Bot., 15, 1933, 197).
small. Spheres, 0.5 to 0.7 micron in diameter,
Small spheres which average 0.3 to 0.4 occurring in very long chains in culture.
micron in diameter and which occur in Non-motile. Gram-positive.
short chains, sometimes in pairs. Non-mo- Gelatin: Poor growth.
tile. Gram-positive. Semi-solid agar (Veillon) : After 24 hours,
Gelatin: At 37° C., slow growth; culture colonies 1 to 2 mm in diameter, regular,
at bottom of tube; no gas. No liquefaction. lenticular, sometimes with complex proc-
Deep glucose agar colonies: After 48 esses.
hours, very tiny, lenticular, whitish. Old Blood agar: No change or slight greening.
colonies become blackened. No gas is pro- Martin broth: Rapid growth; uniform
duced. turbidity which slowly settles.
Broth: Rapid turbidity; sediment forms Martin glucose broth: Abundant growth;
in 5 or 6 days as a whitish, mucous mass abundant sediment; medium strongly acidi-
which clears the fluid; no gas; faint, dis- fied.
agreeable odor. Peptone broth: Particulate sediment.
Milk: Coagulation in 24 hours. Milk: Very acid; coagulated in 24 hours
Indole not produced. without retraction of clot; not peptonized.
Coagulated proteins not attacked. Serum broth (1:2): Rapid growth; coag-
Glucose and lactose are feebly attacked. ulation by acidification.
Does not attack sucrose, galactose or dex- Indole not produced.
trin. Fermentation products include acetic, Coagulated proteins not attacked.
propionic and lactic acids (Prevot, Man. d. Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose,
Classif. et d. D6term. d. Bact. Anaerobies, maltose and lactose. Fermentation products
2« ed., 1948,59). include formic, propionic and lactic acids
Anaerobic. (Prevot, Man. d. Classif. et d. Determ. d.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. No growth Bact. Anaerobies, 2«ed., 1948, 60).
at room temperature. Will grow at 41° C. Neutral red broth is changed to fluores-
Non-pathogenic. cent yellow.
Distinctive characters : Differs from Pep- Anaerobic.
tostreptococcus micros by its black colonies, Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
its coagulation of milk and by its feeble tween 36° and 38° C. Poor growth at 26° C.
saccharolytic power. Differs from Pepto- No growth below 22° C. Killed in 30 minutes
streptococcus intermedius by its black colo- at 70° C. or in ten minutes at 80° C.
nies, the smallness of its elements, its feeble Optimum pH, between 6.0 and 8.5.
saccharolytic power and by the viscous Some strains are pathogenic for guinea
sediment it forms in broth. pigs and mice, causing small abscesses;
Relationship to other species: Veillon sometimes kill in 48 hours.
FAMILY X, LACTOBACILLACEAE 539
Lac.to.ba.cil'le.ae. M.L. mas.n. Lactobacillus tj^pe genus of the tribe; -eae ending to
denote a tribe; M.L. fem.pl.n. Lactobacilleae the Lactobacillus tribe.
Straight or curved rods usually occurring singly or in chains, sometimes in filaments;
so-called false branching may also occur. Usually non-motile but may be motile, the motile
species possessing peritrichous flagella. Gram-positive. Gelatin may be liquefied, but only
by the strict anaerobes. Carbohydrates are usually attacked, the end-products of fermenta-
tion including either one or a number of the following: formic, acetic, propionic, butyric,
lactic and valerianic acids, alcohol and carbon dioxide. Microaerophilic to anaerobic. Cata-
lase-negative. May or may not be pathogenic. Found in fermenting animal and plant prod-
ucts; also found in the intestinal tracts and in lesions of various warm-blooded animals,
including man.
The physiologies of the strictly anaerobic species included in this tribe have not been
completely elucidated; future work may show that some of these species should be placed
in Propionibacterium Orla-Jensen or in Butyribacterium Barker and Haas.
Lac.to.ba.cil'lus. L. noun lac, lactis milk; L. dim. noun bacillus a small rod; M.L. mas.n.
Lactobacillus milk rodlet.
Rods, often long and slender. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Pigment production rare;
when present, yellow or orange to rust or brick-red. Gelatin is not liquefied. Growth on
potato is poor or absent. Glucose and similar aldehydic hexoses, carbohydrates which yield
these simple sugars, and polyhydroxy alcohols are changed either by homofermentation
to lactic acid or by heterofermentation to lactic and acetic acids, alcohol and carbon diox-
ide. Nitrates are not reduced except under certain conditions with Lactobacillus plantarum.
Several species grow at relatively high temperatures. Poor surface growth because these
bacteria are generally microaerophilic or anaerobic. Do not produce catalase. Found in
fermenting animal (especially dairy) and plant products.
Many taxonomists continue to recognize three subdivisions of the lactic acid rods de-
scribed here as belonging to the genus Lactobacillus Beijerinck: Thermobacterium Orla-
Jensen (The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 160) and Streptobacterium Orla-Jensen {ibid, 166)
for the homofermentative species, and Betabacterium Orla-Jensen {ibid., 175) for the hetero-
fermentative types. Two of these generic names are illegitimate homonyms: Streptobac-
terium apparently was first used by Maggi (Jour. Micrographie, 10, 1886, 84) to designate
a growth form of Bacterium aceti Zopf ; Billet (Bull. Sci. de la France et de la Belgique,
Paris, 1890, 23) used it as a form genus to designate rod-shaped organisms which occur in
chains; Jacqu6 andMasay (Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 62, 1912, 180) defined it as a genus,
including Streptobacterium foetidum as a species in the genus; this organism was similar to
if not identical with one of the species placed in the genus Proteus Hauser. Betabacterium,
as a name for the heterofermentative tj^pes, is antedated by Saccharobacillus van Laer, type
species Saccharobacillus pastoriajius van Laer. There seems to be no more reason for sepa-
rating the high temperature, homofermentative lactic rods from the species that grow at
ordinary temperatures than there is for making a similar subdivision of the homofermenta-
tive lactic streptococci. Thermobacterium is therefore regarded as a synonym in part of
Lactobacillus Beijerinck. Lactobacterium as used by some recent authors (e.g. Krassilnikov,
Guide to the Bacteria and Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949, 208)
as a substitute for Lactobacillus Beijerinck is invalid. Lactobacterium was proposed by van
Steenberge (Ann. Inst. Past., 34, 1920, 803) for lactobacilli in beer and beer wort; it is a
synonym of Lactobacillus Beijerinck. At the same time when Beijerinck proposed Lacto-
bacillus and van Laer proposed Saccharobacillus, the generic name Bacillus was generally
accepted as applying to any large, rod-shaped bacterium whether it did or did not form
spores, and this interpretation is in accord with the classical meaning of bacillus. In other
*Completely revised by Prof. Carl S. Pederson, New York State Experiment Station,
Geneva, New York, October, 1954.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 543
words, the use of Bacillus for spore-forming rods at a later period cannot be properly inter-
preted as rendering generic names of non-spore-forming rods with the suffix -bacillus ille-
gitimate. Stability in bacteriological nomenclature can, it is believed, be best brought
about by observing the rules of the internationally accepted Bacteriological Code. Under
this Code no one has authority to reject, change or modify a name because in his judgment
another name is preferable. Exceptions to rules should be internationally approved.
The type species is Lactobacillus caucasicus Beijerinck.
It is impossible to make an entirely satisfactory differentiation of the species in the genus
Lactobacillus due to the inadequacy of comparative data. The end-products of fermenta-
tion, utilization of carbon compounds and temperatures of growth are the criteria relied
upon at present. It is quite possible that when more comparative information is made avail-
able in regard to nutritional patterns in defined media, serological reactions and variations
in sugar fermentations, a more satisfactory arrangement of species may be effected. See
Rogosa, Wiseman, Mitchell, Disraely and Beaman (Jour. Bact., 65, 1953, 681), Tittsler,
Geib and Rogosa (Jour. Bact., 54, 1947, 12), Williams (Jour. Inf. Dis., 82, 1948, 31) and Or-
land (Jour. Inf. Dis., 86, 1950, 63).
1. Lactobacillus caiicasicus (Beije- was not the same as the presumably granu-
rinck, 1889) Beijerinck, 1901. (Bacillus cau- lated lactobacillus he saw in microscopical
casicus Beijerinck, Arch, neerl. d. sci. exact. preparations of kefir. Beijerinck was appar-
et nat., ^3, 1889, 428; Beijerinck, ibid., S6r. ently the first to have isolated a lactobacil-
2, 7, 1901, 212; not Bacillus caucasicus von lus from kefir in pure culture and to have
Freudenreich, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., S, given a sufficiently complete description to
1897, 54 and 135.) make reidentification possible. It should be
cau.ca'si.cus. Gr. noun Caucasia region noted that from the characters given, this
of the Caucasus; M.L. adj. caucasicus of could not have been the same species as
the Caucasus. that isolated later from kefir by von Freu-
Description taken from the reports of denreich (op. cit., 1897, 54 and 135) and
Beijerinck cited above. Orla-Jensen (The Lactic Acid Bacteria,
Rods, thin and variable in size, occurring 1919, 175).
singly or in filaments. Non-motile. Gram-
positive (not recorded in early descriptions) . 2. Lactobacillus lactis (Orla-Jensen,
Gelatin: No liquefaction. 1919) Holland, 1920. {Bacillus lactis acidi
Wort gelatin: Small, white colonies. Leichmann, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., £, 1896,
Agar colonies: Small. 779; also see Milch. Zeitung, 25, 1896, 67;
Broth: Carbohydrates necessary for Thermobacterium lactis Orla-Jensen, The
growth. Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 164; Holland,
Milk: Rapid acid production with coagu- Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 223.)
lation; no action on casein. lac'tis. L. noun lac milk; lactis of milk.
Utilizes animal peptones wath difficulty; Rods, appearing as long forms with a
utilizes vegetable peptones more readily. tendency to grow into threads, often
Acid from glucose, sucrose, maltose and strongly curling, occurring singly or in pairs
lactose. No action on starch. Action on other
in young vigorous cultures. Generally con-
carbohydrates not studied. Lactose in milk tain volutin grains. Gram-positive (not
converted to levo rotatory lactic acid with recorded in original description).
little carbon dioxide.
Milk: Acid produced followed by coagu-
Microaerophilic . lation in one to four days. 1.7 per cent acid
Optimum temperature, between 40° and
produced.
44° C. Temperature range, 25° to 45° C. Acid from fructose, glucose, mannose,
Source: Isolated from kefir and from
cheese. galactose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffi-
Habitat: Occurs symbiotically with yeast nose and dextrin. Glycerol, xylose, arabi-
in kefir. nose, rhamnose, sorbitol, mannitol, inulin
Prototype: Dispora caucasica Kern, 1882. and starch not fermented. Salicin may or
(Biol. Zent., 2, 1882, 135; later in Bull, de la may not be fermented.
Soc. Imp. des Naturalistes de Moscow, 56, Forms levo rotatory lactic acid with only
1882, 168.) a trace of other products.
The description by Kern of an organism Temperature relations: Optimum, 40° C.
from kefir grains is confused probably be- Minimum, between 18° and 22° C. Maxi-
cause the organism (a spore former) which
mum, 50° C.Isolated from milk and cheese.
Source:
he isolated by the use of Cohn's solution
545
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
Habitat: Undoubtedly widely distril)uted Rods, 0.6 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 6.0 microns, oc-
in milk or milk products. curring singly, in pairs and in short chains
with rounded ends. Non-motile. Dimensions
3. Lactobacillus helveliciis (Orla-Jen- variable (Kulp and Rettger), (Curran,
sen, 1916) Holland, 1920. (Bacillus e, von Rogers and Whittier). Gram-positive; old
Freudenreich, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., /, cultures often Gram-negative (Moro).
1895, 173; also see Landw. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, Gelatin: No growth at 20° C. No lique-
faction.
1895, 211; Bacillus casei e, von P'reudenreich
and Thoni, Landw. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, 1904, Wort-agar (Moro) or tomato agar (Kulp
526; Thermobacterium helveticiun Orla-Jen- and Rettger) plates. Surface colonies: pe-
sen, Maelkeri-Bakteriologie, 1916, 35; also ripheries a capilliform maze of long, deli-
see The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 164; cate, twisted, fuzzy projections; center
Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 223.) appears as a thick, dark, felt-like mass.
hel.ve'ti.cus. L. adj. Helveiicus Swiss. Deep colonies: small, irregularly shaped,
Rods, 0.7 to 0.9 by 2.0 to 6.0 microns, oc- with fine radiate or ramified projections.
curring singly and in chains. Non-motile. Wort-agar slants: Growth scant, limited,
Gram-positive. dry, veil-like.
Whey gelatin colonies: Does not grow Wort-broth: After 48 hours, fine, floccu-
readily at temperatures required for incu- lent sediment. Other acid broths sediment
bation of gelatin. whitish, slight turbidity.
Lactose agar colonies: Small, grayish, Milk: Slow growth with small inoculum.
viscid. Coagulates from the bottom up.
Milk: Acid, with coagulation; may be- Potato: No growth.
come slimy. Acid but no gas from glucose, sucrose and
Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose (Moro). Acid from glucose, fructose,
mannose, maltose and lactose; smaller galactose, mannose, maltose, lactose and
amounts are produced from dextrin. The sucrose. Some cultures ferment raffinose
lactic acid produced is optically inactive. and trehalose and have slight action on
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. dextrin. Xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, glyc-
Microaerophilic. erol, mannitol, sorbitol, dulcitol and inosi-
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- tol not fermented (Kulp and Rettger). Op-
tween 40° and 42° C. Minimum, between tically inactive lactic acid and volatile acids
20° and 22° C. Maximum, 50° C. formed from sugars (Curran, Rogers and
Source: Isolated from sour milk and Whittier).
cheese. No visible growth in carbohydrate-free
Habitat: Widely distributed in dairy media (Rettger, Levy, Weinstein and
products. Weiss).
Microaerophilic.
4. Lactobacillus acidophilus (Moro,
Temperature relations: Optimum, 37° C.
1900) Holland, 1920. (Bacillus acidophilus No growth between 20° and 22° C. (Moro).
Moro, Wiener klin. Wochnschr., 13, 1900, Maximum, between 43° and 48° C. (Curran,
114; also see Jahrb. f. Kinderheilkunde, 52, Rogers and Whittier).
1900, 38; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 215.) Not pathogenic for laboratory animals.
a.ci.do'phi.lus. L. adj. acidus sour; M.L. Distinctive characters: Grows in acid
neut.n. acidum acid; Gr. adj. philus loving; media. Unless frequent transfers are made,
M.L. adj. acidophilus acid-loving. organism may become Gram-negative and
Description of Moro supplemented by rapidly develop characteristic degeneration
material from Kulp and Rettger (Jour. forms (Moro). The so-called original strains
Bact., 9, 1924, 357), Curran, Rogers and of Bacilhts acidophilus from the Krdl col-
Whittier (Jour. Bact., 25, 1933, 595) and lection, described and called Microbaclerium
Rettger, Levy, Weinstein and Weiss (Lacto- lacticum by Orla-Jensen, do not have the
bacillus acidophilus, Yale Univ. Press, New characteristics given by Moro.
Haven, 1935). Comments: Crecelius and Rettger (Jour.
546 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Bact., 46, 1943, 12) describe a variety of this in primary culture, becoming microaero-
species from the feces and intestinal con- philic (Weiss and Rettger).
tents of guinea pigs. Optimum temperature, 37° C. May show
Source : Isolated from the feces of milk-fed slight growth at 20° C. Killed at 60° C. in
infants. Also found in the feces of older 15 minutes.
persons on high milk-, lactose- or dextrin- Non-pathogenic for mice or guinea pigs.
containing diets. Distinctive characters: Bifurcations and
Habitat: Same as for the source. club-shaped forms (Tissier), particularly
in infant feces and in primary culture (Weiss
5. Lactobacillus bifidus (Tissier, 1900) and Rettger).
Holland, 1920. (Bacillus bifidus communis Comment: A variety of this species that
and Bacillus bifidus Tissier, Recherches sur
grows more readily in human than in cow's
la flore intestinal des nourrissons, Paris, milk is discussed by Gyorgy and Rose (Jour.
1900, 85; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 223.) Bact., 69, 1955, 483) and in papers listed in
bi'fi.dus. L. adj. bifidus cleft, divided. the bibliography of this report. This differ-
Description supplemented from Weiss ence appears to be due to a specific growth
and Rettger (Jour. Bact., 28, 1934, 501). factor, the so-called bifidus factor.
Small, slender rods, the average length Source: Isolated from feces of nursing
of which is 4.0 microns, 0.5 to 0.7 by 2 to 8 infants.
microns (Weiss and Rettger), occurring Habitat: Very common in the feces of
singly or in pairs and short chains, parallel infants. May constitute almost the entire
to each other, very variable in appearance. intestinal flora of breast-fed infants. Also
Branched and club forms develop in some present in smaller numbers with bottle-fed
cultures. Non-motile. Gram-positive but infants. Possibly more widely distributed
stains irregularly in old cultures (Tissier). than indicated in the intestines of warm-
Little or no growth in carbohydrate-free blooded animals.
agar (Weiss and Rettger).
Deep sugar-agar colonies: After 3 days, 6. Lactobacillus biilgaricus (Luerssen
solid with slightly irregular edge, whitish. and Kiihn, 1907) Holland, 1920. {Bacillus A,
Grow up to 3 cm from the surface forming Grigoroff, Revue M6d. Suisse romande, 25,
a ring. Average diameter 3 mm. No gas. 1905; Bacillus biilgaricus Luerssen and
Sugar broth: Good growth. Turbid within Kuhn, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 20, 1907, 241;
3 days. Clears with fiocculent precipitate. Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 215.)
Milk: Good growth with large inoculum. bul.ga'ri.cus. M.L. adj. bulgaricus Bul-
No coagulation (Tissier). May or may not
coagulate milk (Weiss and Rettger). garian.
Description of Luerssen and Kiihn sup-
Acid but no gas from glucose (Tissier). plemented byGrigoroff {op. cit., 1905), Co-
Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose, su- hendy (Compt. rend. Soc. Biol. Paris, 58,
crose, inulin and usually from dextrin, 1906, 364), Kuntze (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
starch, maltose, raffinose and trehalose. A 21, 1908, 737), Bertrand and Duchacek (Ann.
few strains form acid from lactose and sali- Inst. Past., 23, 1909, 402), White and Avery
cin. The acid consists of optically inactive (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 25, 1910, 161), Rahe
lactic acid and 18 to 25 per cent of volatile (Jour. Bact., 3, 1918, 420), Orla-Jensen (The
acid (Weiss and Rettger). Orla-Jensen (The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 164), Kulp and
Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 192), Eggerth Rettger (Jour. Bact., 9, 1924, 357) and Sher-
(Jour. Bact., 30, 1935, 295) and Weiss and man and Hodge (Jour. Dairy Sci., 19, 1936,
Rettger (Jour. Bact., 85, 1938, 17; Jour. Inf. 494).
Dis., 62, 1938, 115) describe a more anaerobic Slender rods with rounded ends, often in
variety of this species which produces more chains. Non-motile. Gram-positive, older
volatile acid as well as dextro rotatory lactic cultures showing unstained portions (Lu-
acid and which ferments arabinose, xylose erssen and Kiihn).
and melezitose but not mannose. Whey gelatin: No liquefaction (White and
Avery).
Strict anaerobe (Tissier). Strict anaerobe
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
547
Gelatin colonies: Small, gray, circular, is produced with a trace of other end-prod-
not liquefied. ucts.
Agar colonies: Small, flat, crenatecl. Microaerophilic.
Agar slant: Narrow, translucent, soft, Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
grayish streak. Minimum, 10° C. Maximum, between 37°
Broth: Slightly turbid. and 40° C.; with some strains, 45° C.
Milk: Unchanged. Relationship to other species : This is the
Acid from maltose and sucrose (Leich- more common lactic acid rod found in milk
mann) and glucose, fructose, galactose and and milk products. Orla-Jensen distin-
dextrin. No acid from xylose, arabinose, guishes itfrom Lactobacillus plantarum Hol-
rhamnose, lactose, raffinose, trehalose, inu- land in that it produces dextro rotatory
lin, starch, mannitol or a-methyl-glucoside lactic acid and usually ferments lactose
(Henneberg). Levo rotatory lactic acid is more readily than sucrose or maltose.
formed. Forms 1.6 per cent acid in mash. Comments: Rogosa, Wiseman, Mitchell,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Disraely and Beaman (Jour. Bact., 65, 1953,
Microaerophilic. 688) recognize three varieties of this species
Optimum temperature, 45° C. based on the ability to ferment lactose and/
This is the high-temperature organism or rhamnose.
of fermenting mashes. In fresh isolations it Source: Isolated from milk and cheese.
apparently has a higher optimum tempera- Habitat: Probably more widely distribu-
ture than when held in pure culture. ted than indicated b}^ isolations.
Source: Isolated from sour potato mash
in a distillerJ^ 10. Lactobacillus leichmannii Bergey
Habitat : Fermenting vegetable and grain et al., 1925. {Bacillus leichmanni I, Henne-
mashes. berg, Ztschr. f. Spiritusindustrie, 26, 1903,
22; also see Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 11, 1903,
9. Lactobacillus casei (Orla-Jensen, 180.) Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925,
163;
1919) Holland, 1920. {Bacillus a, von Freu-
denreich, Ann. d. Microg., 2, 1890, 266; also leich.man'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun leichmannii
see Landw. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, 1891, 20; of Leichmann; named for Prof. G. Leich-
Bacillus casei a, von Freudenreich and mann, a German bacteriologist.
Thoni, Landw. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, 1904, 526; Rods, 0.6 by 2.0 to 4.0 microns, occurring
Caseobacterium vulgare Orla-Jensen, Mael- singly and in short chains. The cells show
keri-Bakteriologie, 1916, 35; Streptobacte- two or more deeply staining granules. Non-
rium casei Orla-Jensen, The Lactic Acid motile. Gram-positive.
Bacteria, 1919, 166; Holland, Jour. Bact., Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
5, 1920, 221.) Agar colonies: Small, clear with white
centers.
ca'se.i. L. nouncose;/s cheese; L. gen. noun
casei of cheese. Agar slant: Limited, grayish streak, bet-
Short or long rods occurring in short or ter growth in stab.
Broth: Turbid.
long chains. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose,
Milk: Acid with coagulation in 3 to 5 days
sucrose and trehalose; slight amounts from
or longer, may become slimy. Forms about
1.5 per cent lactic acid. galactose, mannitol and a-methyl-glucoside.
Lactose, raffinose, arabinose, rhamnose,
Utilizes casein and therefore important dextrin and inulin not fermented. Forms
in cheese ripening. 1.3 per cent lactic acid in mash. Produces
Acid from glucose, fructose, mannose,
levo rotatory lactic acid, according to Ro-
galactose, maltose, lactose, mannitol and gosa et al. (Jour. Bact., 65, 1953, 686).
salicin. May or may not ferment sucrose. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Mostly dextro rotatory lactic acid produced Microaerophilic.
though a small amount of levo rotatory
Temperature relations: Optimum, 36° C.
lactic acid may be formed. Only lactic acid
Maximum, between 40° and 46° C.
549
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAB
Relationship to other species : This species Lactic acid (usually optically inactive),
is apparently similar to Lactobacillus del- with only small quantities of acetic acid
brueckii but has a lower optimum tempera- and carbon dioxide, is produced in the fer-
ture. mentation of hexose sugars. Acetic and
Source: Isolated from compressed yeast lactic acids are produced from the pentoses
and from fermenting milk. Produces up to 1.2 per cent acid in broth.
Habitat: Dairy and plant products. Nitrites not produced from nitrates in
ordinary broth. In special media, some
11. Laclobacillus plantaruni (Orla- strains produce nitrites from nitrates (Cos-
Jensen, 1919) Holland, 1920. (Streptobac- tilow and Humphreys, Science, 121, 1955,
168).
teriurn plantarum Orla-Jensen, The Lactic
Acid Bacteria, Copenhagen, 1919, 174; Hol- Microaerophilic.
land, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 225.) Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C.
Probable synonyms: Lactobacillus pento- Minimum, 10° C. Maximum, 40° C. Thermal
sus Fred, Peterson and Anderson, Jour. death point, 65° to 75° C. for 15 minutes.
Biol. Chem., 48, 1921, 410; Lactobacillus Salt tolerance: Usually grows in salt up
arabinosus Fred, Peterson and Anderson, to 5.5 per cent.
loc. cit. Relationship to other species : This species
plan.ta'rum. L. fem.n. planta a sprout; is the optically inactive lactic acid-produc-
M.L. planta a plant; M.L. gen. pi. noun plan- ing rod from fermenting materials but is
tarum of plants. closely related to Lactobacillus casei. It
Description from Orla-Jensen supple- ferments sucrose and maltose as readily as
mented b}^ material from Pederson (Jour. lactose.
Bact., SI, 1936, 217). Comments: Breed and Pederson (Jour.
Rods, ordinarily 0.7 to 1.0 by 3.0 to 8.0 Bact., 36, 1938, 667; also see New York Agr.
microns, occurring singly or in short chains, Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 259, 1941, 15 pp.) have
with rounded ends. Under favorable growth described a chromogenic variety of this
conditions these organisms tend to be short species which causes rusty spots in cheese.
rods. Under adverse conditions they tend Source: Isolated from cheese, butter,
to be longer; for example, in tomato juice kefir, feces, fermenting potatoes, beets,
agar at 45° C. (Pederson, N. Y. Agr. Exp. corn, chard, bread dough, sauerkraut, cu-
Sta. Tech. Bull. 150, 1929). In fermenting cumber pickles, tomato pickles, cauliflower
vegetables, the organisms tend to become pickles and spoiled tomato products.
longer as the acidity becomes greater. The Habitat: Widely distributed in nature,
organisms are usually longer in milk than particularly in fermenting plant and animal
in broths. Differences in morphology are
well illustrated by Orla-Jensen. Non-motile. products.
A motile strain of this organism has been 12. Lactobacillvis pastorianus (van
described bj' Harrison and Hansen (Jour. Laer, 1892) Bergey et al., 1923. (Saccharo-
Bact., 59, 1950, 444). Gram-positive. bacillus pastorianus van Laer, Contributions
Gelatin-yeast extract-glucose stab: Fili-
form growth. No liquefaction. k I'Histoire des Ferments des Hydrates de
Carbone. M6m. Acad. Royale de Belgique,
Agar slant: Growth, if any, is very faint.
Broth: Turbid, clearing after a few days. 47, 1892, 5; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed.,
A few strains flocculate. 1923, 246.)
Litmus milk: Acid, usually coagulated. pas.tor.i.an'us. L. mas.n. pastor a shep-
The majoritj' of strains produce acid from herd, the Latin rendition of Pasteur; M.L.
glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, arabi- adj. pastorianus pertaining to Pasteur;
nose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffinose, named for Louis Pasteur, French chemist
salicin and, to a lesser extent, from sorbitol, and bacteriologist.
mannitol, dextrin, glycerol and xylose. Description supplemented by material
Rhamnose, starch and inulin usually not from Henneberg (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
fermented. 8, 1902, 184), Shimwell (Jour. Inst. Brewing,
550 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
4/, 1935, 481) and Pederson (Jour. Bact., fermentations, has been described by Shim-
35, 1938, 107). well (Jour. Inst. Brewing, 55 (X.S. 46),
Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 bj' 7.0 to 35.0 microns, 1949, 26).
occurring singly and in chains. Non-motile. Source: Isolated from sour beer and from
Gram-positive. distillery yeast.
Wort gelatin : Surface colonies are rhizoid Habitat: Probably more widely distribu-
and slightly spreading. Submerged colonies ted than indicated by isolations.
are round with smooth edges, yellowish by
transmitted light and rarely exceed 0.3 mm 13. Lactobacillus buchneri (Henne-
in diameter. berg, 1903) Bergey et al., 1923. {Bacillus
Wort gelatin slant: Growth is narrow huchneri Henneberg, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
(about 1 mm wide), fiat, translucent and 11, 1903, 163; Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed.,
rhizoid, becoming dry. 1923, 251.)
Wort gelatin stab: A lu.xuriant, arbores- buch'ner.i. M.L. gen. noun buchneri of
cent form is produced in 7.5 per cent gelatin. Buchner; named for Prof. E. Buchner, a
With 10 per cent gelatin the growth spreads German bacteriologist.
less vigorously, and in 15 per cent gelatin Description supplemented hy material
the stab is no longer arborescent but be- from Pederson (Jour. Bact., 85, 1938, 107).
comes beaded. Rods, 0.35 by 0.7 to 4.0 microns, occurring
Wort agar colonies: Appear as irregular singly, in pairs and chains or in filaments
masses of threads radiating from a central 25 microns or longer. Non-motile. Gram-
nucleus; grayish white by reflected light.
Wort agar slant: Growth same as for wort positive.
Agar colonies: White to j-ellowish, ad-
gelatin slant. However, at higher tempera- herent.
tures (32° C.) the rhizoid form becomes ob- Agar slant: Growth, if anj', faint.
scure, and the growth develops into a Broth: Turbid, clearing after a few days.
beaded, raised, grayish white streak about Litmus milk: Usually unchanged but
2 mm in width. may be slightly acid with no reduction.
Broth: Produces a silky turbidity in un- Acid usually from arabinose, xylose, glu-
hopped beer and wort. Good growth in cose, fructose, galactose, mannose, sucrose,
yeast extract; turbid. lactose, maltose and raffinose. Mannitol,
Litmus milk: Acid. sorbitol, glycerol, rhamnose, salicin, inulin,
Acid from arabinose, glucose, fructose, dextrin and starch fermented by a few
galactose, maltose, sucrose, dextrin, rafii- strains.
nose, trehalose and mannitol; slight acid Lactic acid produced usually optically
from lactose and starch. No acid from xy- inactive. Acetic acid, ethyl alcohol and car-
lose, rhamnose or inulin. Forms 1.5 per cent bon dioxide formed in the fermentation of
acid in mash. Also forms CO2 and alcohol, aldohexoses. Mannitol produced from fruc-
lactic, formic and acetic acids. tose. Acetic and lactic acids from pentoses.
This species includes the ordinarily long Forms 1.3 per cent lactic acid in mash and
rod tj'pes from spoiled beers. Apparently 2.7 per cent alcohol.
the same variations in regard to sugar fer- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
mentation may be found as are noted for Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
similar species. tween 32° and 37° C. Minimum, between
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 10° and 15° C. Maximum, between 44° and
Microaerophilic. 48° C.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Relationship to other species: Strains of
tween 29° and 33° C. Minimum, 11° C. Max- this species might be considered intermedi-
ates between Lactobacillus brevis and Lacto-
imum, 37° C.
Optimum pH for initial growth, 8.0; bacillus fermenti.
growth shows signs of inhibition at pH 9.0. Source: Isolated from sour mash, pressed
Comment: A slime-producing variety, yeast, molasses, wine, catsup and sauer-
differing from the parent strain in sugar kraut.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 551
Habitat: Widel}' distributed in fermenting (Proc. Soc. Agr. Bact., 1936, 3) and by Breed
substances. and Pederson (Jour. Bact., S6, 1938, 667;
also see New York Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech.
14. Lactobacillus brevis (Orla-Jensen, Bull. 259, 1941, 15 pp.).
1919) Bergey et al., 1934. (Bacillus y, von Source: Isolated from milk, kefir, cheese,
Freudenreich, Landw. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, feces, fermenting sauerkraut, ensilage,
1891, 22; Bacillus casei y, von Freudenreich manure, soils, sour dough and spoiled to-
and Thoni, Landw. Jahrb. d. Schweiz, 1904, mato products.
526; Beiabacterium breve Orla-Jensen, The Habitat: Widely distributed in nature,
Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 175; Bergey et particularly in plant and animal products.
aL, Manual, 4th ed., 1934, 312.)
bre'vis. L. adj. brevis short. 15. Lactobacillus fermenti Beijerinck,
Description supplemented by material 1901. (Arch, n^erl. d. sci. exact, et nat.,
fromPederson (Jour, of Bact.,S5, 1938, 105). Ser. 2, 7, 1901, 212.)
Rods, 0.7 to 1.0 by 2.0 to 4.0 microns, with fer.men'ti. L. neut.n. fermentum ferment
rounded ends, occurring singly, in short yeast; L. gen. noun fermenti of yeast.
chains and occasionally in long filaments Description supplemented by material
which may show granulation. Non-motile. from Smit (Ztschr. f. Garungsphysiol., 5,
Gram-positive. 1916, 273) and Pederson (Jour. Bact., 35,
Gelatin: No liquefaction. 1938, 106).
Agar slant: Growth, if any, faint. Rods, variable in size, usually short (Bei-
Broth: Turbid, clearing after a few daj^s. jerinck), 0.5 to 1.0 by 3.0 to 15.0 microns
Milk: Acid produced but no clot except (Smit), sometimes in pairs or chains. Non-
with some freshly isolated strains.
Does not attack casein as a rule. motile. Gram-positive (Smit).
Utilizes calcium lactate as a source of Yeast extract-glucose-gelatin: Filiform,
carbon. no liquefaction (Pederson).
Acid from arabinose, xylose, glucose, Agar colonies: Flat, circular, small, trans-
fructose, galactose and maltose. Strains lucent like droplets of water.
vary in fermentation of lactose, sucrose, Agar slant: Growth, if any, scant.
mannose and raffinose. Salicin, mannitol, Broth: Turbid, clearing after a few days.
glycerol, rhamnose, dextrin, inulin and Milk: Unchanged or slightly acid.
starch seldom fermented. Usually shows a Reduction of litmus, methylene blue,
particularly^ vigorous fermentation of arabi- indigo carmine, sodium thiosulfate. NaoSOs
nose.
is reduced to H2S (Smit).
Lactic acid produced usually optically
inactive; acetic acid, ethyl alcohol and Acid usually from glucose, fructose, malt-
carbon dioxide formed in fermentation of ose, sucrose and lactose (Beijerinck) and
aldohexoses. Mannitol produced from fruc- mannose, galactose and raffinose; some
tose. Acetic and lactic acids produced from strains ferment xylose; usually does not
the pentoses. ferment arabinose, rhamnose, sorbitol,
Temperature relations: Optimum, 30° C. mannitol, inulin, dextrin, starch or salicin
Growth poor below 15° and above 37° C. (Pederson).
Maximum, 38° C. Lactic acid produced usually optically
This species includes the large group of inactive; acetic acid, ethyl alcohol and
gas-producing lactic acid rods ordinarily carbon dioxide are formed in the fermenta-
characterized by a marked fermentation of
tion of aldohexoses (Smit), (Pederson).
pentoses, particularly arabinose. Thej^ usu- Mannitol is formed in the fermentation of
ally also ferment fructose more readily
than glucose. fructose (Beijerinck), (Smit). Acetic acid
Comment: A chromogenic variety which and lactic acid are produced from pentoses
causes the production of rusty spot in cheese if they are fermented (Pederson).
has been described by Davis and Mattick These are the higher temperature gas-
552 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
producingrods.They usually do not ferment 15° and 18° C. Maximum, between 48° and
the pentoses, but when they do the fermen- 50° C.
tation is seldom as active as that produced Source: Isolated from yeast, milk prod-
by strains of Lactobacillus hrevis. ucts, fermenting dough, potatoes or vegeta-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. bles, tomato products and wine.
Microaerophilic. Habitat: Widely distributed in nature.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- particularly in fermenting plant or animal
tween 41° and 42° C. Minimum, between products.
*Arranged by Mrs. Eleanors Heist Clise and Mr. Erwin F. Lessel, Jr., Cornell Univer-
sity, Geneva, New York, March, 1955.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 553
1. Eubacteriuni foedans (Klein, 1908) semifluid mass. Alkaline reaction. Gas and
Prevot, 1938. (Bacillus foedans Klein, Lan- fetid odor produced.
cet, 1, 1908, 1832; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., Milk: No change. Fetid odor produced.
60, 1938, 294.) Coagulated proteins not attacked.
foe'dans. L. part. adj. foedans making Hj'drogen sulfide is produced,
foul or filthj'. Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose and
Straight or curved rods, 0.4 by 3.0 to 5.0 galactose,
microns, occurring in short chains or some- Ammonia, acetylmethylcarbinol, volatile
times in filaments. Non-motile. Gram-posi- amines, alcohol, ketone and formic, pro-
tive. pionic and lactic acids are produced.
Gas and fetid odor produced in culture Nitrites produced from nitrates,
media. Neutral red not reduced.
Glucose gelatin: Colonies cloudy. No Phenosafranine reduced,
liquefaction. Anaerol)ic.
Deep agar colonies: Lenticular, becoming Optimum temperature, between 20° and
floccose and arborescent. 37° C.
Glucose broth: Growth occurs as a viscid. Not pathogenic.
554 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Jtl, 1902, 474; Pr6vot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, Milk: No coagulation.
1938, 294.) Coagulated proteins not attacked.
quar'tum. L. adj. quartus fourth. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Thick rods, with rounded ends, which Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose,
vary in length. Non-motile. Gram-positive. sucrose, lactose, galactose, sorbitol and
Gas and fetid odor produced in culture starch.
media. Ammonia, formic, butyric and lactic
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 6 to 9 days. Sedi- acids, volatile amines, alcohol, aldehyde,
ment. ketone and acetylmethylcarbinol are pro-
Deep agar colonies : Small, round, arbores- duced.
cent. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Glucose broth: Turbid. Abundant gas. Neutral red and safranin are reduced.
Sediment. Anaerobic.
Milk: Digested in 3 to 5 days. Cheese-like Optimum temperature, 37° C.
odor produced. Optimum pH, 7.4.
Coagulated serum not liquefied. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. Source: Isolated from a case of purulent,
Acid from glucose, fructose, maltose and acute appendicitis.
glycerol. Habitat: Found in human intestines. Un-
Ammonia, volatile amines, alcohol and common.
formic, butyric and lactic acids are pro-
duced. 7. Eubacterium tortuosum (Debono,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 1912) Pr^vot, 1938. (Bacillus tortuosus De-
Neutral red and safranin are reduced. bono, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 6£, 1912,
Anaerobic. 233; Pr^vot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 295.)
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Killed at tor.tu.o'sum. L. adj. tortuosus full of
70° C. windings.
Pathogenic. Guinea pigs killed in 24 hours Straight rods of medium size, with
by intraperitoneal inoculation. rounded ends, occurring in twisted chains.
Source: Isolated from feces in cases of Non-motile. Gram-positive.
infantile diarrhea; also from soil from Slight gas production in culture media.
French West Africa. Gelatin: Granular growth. No liquefac-
Habitat: Found in intestines of children. tion.
Rather uncommon. Deep agar colonies: Small, lenticular or
irregular, grayish. Little gas produced.
6. Eubacterium pseiitlotortuosuiii Pr6- Glucose broth: Uniform turbidity. Vis-
vot, 1947. (Ann. Inst. Past., 73, 1947, 409.) cous, coherent sediment. Gas produced.
pseu.do.tor.tu.o'sum. Gr. adj. pseudes Milk: Acidified; no coagulation.
false; L. adj. tortuosus full of windings, a Coagulated proteins not digested.
specific epithet; M.L. adj. pseudotortuosum Indole not produced.
not the true {Eubacterium) tortuosum. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Straight or curved rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 3.0 Acid and gas from glucose, lactose, su-
to 4.0 microns, occurring in twisted chains crose, galactose, fructose, maltose, manni-
or wavy filaments. Non-motile. Gram-posi- tol and starch.
tive (decoloring easily). Ammonia, acetylmethylcarbinol and for-
Gas but no odor produced in culture me- mic, propionic and lactic acids are produced.
dia. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 3 days. Neutral red reduced.
Deep agar colonies: Lenticular. Gas is Anaerobic.
produced. Not pathogenic.
Glucose broth: Abundant turbidity and Source: Isolated from human feces.
gas. Habitat: Found in the human intestine.
Peptone broth: Turbid. Rather uncommon.
556 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
8. Eubacteriuni quintum Prevot, 1940. halose. A slight acidity (pH 6.0 to 6.5) de-
(Anaerob No. V, Rodella, Ztschr. f. Hyg., velops without detectable gas in aesculin,
U, 1902, 475; Prevot, Man. d. Classif. et d. cellobiose, glucosamine, inulin, glycogen,
Determ. d. Bact. Anaerobies, 1940, 65.) maltose, mannose, methylmannoside, raffi-
quin'tum. L. adj. quintus fifth. nose, salicin, starch and sucrose. No acid
More or less thick rods, of variable length, from amygdalin, arabinose, dulcitol, galac-
with rounded ends. Non-motile. Gram-posi- tose, glycerol, inositol, lactose, melezitose,
tive. methylglucoside, rhamnose, sorbitol or
Gas but no odor produced in culture me- .xjdose.
dia. Gas and volatile acid, of which butyric
Gelatin: Liquefaction in 5 to 7 days. acid is a main component, are produced
Deep agar colonies: Opaque centers. Gas from glucose; traces of lactic acid are also
is produced. produced (Pederson, Jour. Bact., 50, 1945,
478).
Glucose broth: Rapid turbidity.
Milk: Digested in 2 to 3 days after coagu- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
lation. Anaerobic.
Coagulated serum slowly digested.
Anaerobic. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Non-pathogenic for white mice and rab-
Pathogenic. Guinea pigs killed in 48 hours bits.
after subcutaneous injection. Relationship to other species: A culture
Source: Isolated from cases of infantile of this organism supplied to Dr. H. A. Bar-
diarrhea. ker has been carefully studied. Barker (per-
Habitat: Found in the intestines of chil- sonal communication, November, 1955)
dren. Uncommon. states that acetic and n -butyric acids are
produced from glucose and lactate and
9. Eubacteriuni liiiiosum (Eggerth, that this organism should be transferred to
1935) Prevot, 1938. (Bacteroides limosus the genus Butyribacterium.
Eggerth, Jour. Bact., 30, 1935, 290; Prevot, Source: One strain, obtained as a single-
Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 295.) cell culture, was isolated from human feces.
li.mo'sum. L. adj. limosus full of slime, Habitat: Found in human feces and pre-
slimy. sumabl}^ in the feces of other warm-blooded
Rods, 0.5 to 1.5 by 1.0 to 5.0 microns; the animals.
average length is 3.0 to 4.0 microns. Pleo-
morphic. Occur as short ovoids and as 10. Eubacteriuni ethylicum Prevot,
wedge-shaped bacilli; curved, hooked and 1938. {Bacillus gracilis ethylicus Achalme
bifid forms are numerous. Metachromatic and Rosenthal, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol.,
granules are absent. Non-motile. Gram- Paris, 58, 1906, 1025; Prevot, Ann. Inst.
positive. Past., 60, 1938, 295.)
Gas but no odor produced in culture me- e.thy'li.cum. Gr. noun ether ether; M.L.
dia. neut.n. ethyl the ethyl radical; M.L. adj.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. ethylicus pertaining to ethyl.
Glucose agar and blood agar colonies: 2 Slender, straight or curved rods occurring
to 4 mm in diameter, raised, cream-colored, singly, in pairs or in short chains. Granular.
mucoid, adherent. No hemolysis on blood Non-motile. Gram-positive.
agar. Gas but no odor produced in culture me-
Glucose broth: Cloudy with a heavy, dia.
mucoid sediment; the pH reaches 4.8. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Milk: Unchanged. Deep agar colonies: At first punctiform,
Coagulated proteins not attacked. spreading to 2 mm in diameter; irregular.
Indole not produced. Glucose broth: Flocculent growth which
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. precipitates, leaving the medium clear.
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, man- Ammonia is produced.
nitol, adonitol, erythritol, de.xtrin and tre- Peptone broth: Same as for glucose broth.
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE 557
poe.ci.lo'i.des. Gr. adj. poecilus many- Glucose broth: Turbidity which finally
colored, spotted; Gr. noun eidus shape, precipitates.
form; M.L. adj. poeciloides variegated. Milk: No growth.
Potato: No growth.
Straight or curved rods, 0.8 by 3.0 mi- Anaerobic.
crons, with rounded ends, occurring singly,
in pairs or in V- or L-shaped groups, some- 38°Optimum
C. temperature, between 37° and
times tapered. Non-motile. Gram-positive. Pathogenic for guinea pigs and rabbits.
Gas not produced in culture media. Source : Isolated from a case of intestinal
Gelatin: No liquefaction. occlusion.
Deep agar colonies: Small, punctiform, Habitat: Found in human intestines. Un-
becoming confluent. common.
Long rods, 0.3 by 8.0 microns, with lactose, sucrose, arabinose, xj'lose, manni-
tapered, rounded or swollen ends, often tol, dulcitol, sorbitol and inositol,
occurring in short chains or in very long Anaerobic.
£, , -KT
filaments. .-I /-I
Aon-motile. „ „;+;.,„ Optimum
uram-positive. ^^ temperature,
^ ' between 37° and
Requires serum or ascitic fluid for growth. a- i xu
^ , ,. , ,. -Not pathogenic.
Gas not produced in culture media. g^^^^^^ j^^j^^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^
Blood agar colonies: Arborescent. Not caries.
hemolytic. Habitat: Found in the human mouth.
Acid from glucose, fructose, mannose, Common.
* Arranged by Mrs. Eleanore Heist Clise and Mr. ErwinF. Lessel, Jr., Cornell University,
Geneva, New York, March, 1955.
564 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Ammonia and acetic and propionic acids den'ti.um. L. mas.n. dens tooth; L. gen.
are produced. pi. noun dentium of teeth.
Anaerobic. Straight, slender rods, 0.3 to 0.4 by 2.0
Optimum temperature, 37° C. to 3.0 microns, resembling those of Rami-
Pathogenic for mice, guinea pigs and bacterium ratnosvm; occur in short chains
rabbits. and in clumps; Y-shaped forms occur as the
Source: Isolated from cases of appendi- result of what appears to be false branching.
citis and various suppurations (dacryo- Non-motile. Gram-positive.
cystitis, tubercular tissues). Gas but no odor produced in culture me-
Habitat: Found in the appendix, lacrymal dia.
sac and lungs. Common. Gelatin: Abundant growth. No liquefac-
tion.
4. Ramibacteriuni pseudoraniosuni Deep agar colonies: Punctiform, becom-
(Distaso, 1912) Pr6vot, 1938. (Bacillus pseu- ing cotton-like in appearance. Develop
slowly.
doramosus Distaso, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt.,
OTig.,62, 1912, 441 ; Pr^vot, Ann. Inst. Past., Glucose broth: Produces a viscid, semi-
60, 1938, 296.) fluid mass which precipitates. Gas is pro-
pseu.do.ra.mo'sum. Gr. adj. pseudes duced.
false; L. adj. ramosus much-branched; M.L. Peptone broth: Growth poor; produces a
adj. pseudoramosus false (Ramibacterium) viscid, semifluid mass.
ramosum. Milk: No coagulation.
Cells similar to those of Ramibacterium
Coagulated proteins not attacked.
ramosum but slightlj^ smaller and flexuous; Indole is produced.
occur in angles and in short chains. Non- Acid from glucose, fructose and mannitol.
motile. Gram-positive.
Ammonia, acetylmethylcarbinol and bu-
Gas produced in slight amounts in culture tyric and valerianic acids are produced.
media.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Neutral red and safranin are reduced.
Deep agar colonies: Lenticular. Gas is Anaerobic.
produced.
Glucose broth: Turbid. Whitish precipi- Optimum temperature, 37° C. Grows at
tate. 26° C. Killed at 65° C.
Milk: Slowly coagulated. Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 8.0.
Coagulated proteins not attacked. Neither toxin nor hemolj^sin is produced.
Indole is produced. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice.
Source: Isolated from dental tartar.
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, ga-
Habitat: Found in the human mouth.
lactose, lactose and trehalose.
Ammonia, traces of hydrogen sulfide, Not common.
aldehyde, ketone, formic and valerianic
acids and traces of lactic acid are produced. 6. Ramibacterium alaclolyticum Ft6-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. vot and Taffanel, 1942. (Ann. Inst. Past.,
Neutral red reduced temporarily. 68, 1942, 259.)
Anaerobic. a.lac.to.ly'ti.cum. Gr. pref. a not; L.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. noun lac, lactis milk; Gr. adj. lyticus dis-
Not pathogenic. solving; M.L. adj. alactolyticus non-milk-
Source: Isolated from human feces. dissolving.
Habitat: Found in human intestines. Straight rods occurring either in sinuous,
Very common. short chains or in zigzags; Y-shaped forms
occur as the result of what appears to be
5. Ramibacterium dentium Vinzent false branching. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
and Reynes, 1947. (Ann. Inst. Past., 73, Gas but no odor produced in culture me-
1947, 594.) dia.
566 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
1. Cillobacterium moniliforme (Re- lace; L. noun forma shape; M.L. adj. monili-
paci, 1910) Prevot, 1938. (Bacillus monili- formis necklace-shaped.
formis Repaci, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Straight rods, 0.7 by 3.0 to 4.0 microns,
Paris, 61, 1910, 216; Pr6vot, Ann. Inst. Past., occurring singly or in pairs. Possess spindle-
60, 1938, 296.) shaped swellings and metachromatic gran-
mo.ni.li.for'me. L. noun monile a neck- ules. Motile. Gram-positive.
* Arranged by Mrs. Eleanore Heist Clise, Geneva, New York, March, 1955.
567
FAMILY X. LACTOBACILLACEAE
Orig., 59, 1911, 101 ; Bacieroides tenuis Bergey Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and formic,
et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 263; Cillobac- butyric and lactic acids are produced.
terium spatulif or me Frevot, Ann. Inst. Past., Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
60, 1938, 297.) Neutral red reduced.
Anaerobic.
te'nu.e. L. adj. tenuis slender.
Straight or curved rods with square ends;
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
one of the ends is usually enlarged, thus Neither toxin nor hemolysin is pro-
giving the cells the appearance of spatulas. duced.
Motile. Gram-positive. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs.
Gas produced in culture media. Source: Isolated from the feces of a dog;
Gelatin: Liquefaction. also from soil from Equatorial Africa.
Deep agar colonies: Circular. Small Habitat: Unknown.
amount of gas is produced.
Milk: Coagulated then digested. 6. Cillobacterium combesii Prevot and
Coagulated protein is attacked. 687.)
Laplanche, 1947. (Ann. Inst. Past., 73, 1947,
Indole is produced.
Acid and gas from glucose. com.be'si.i. M.L. gen. noun combesii of
Anaerobic. Combes; named after Combes.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Straight rods, 0.7 by 3.0 to 4.2 microns,
Pathogenicity unknown. with square ends, occurring singly or in
Source: Isolated from feces from a dog. pairs, more often in chains of 3 to 10 ele-
Habitat: Unknown. ments. Motile by means of slow undula-
tions. Gram-positive.
5. Cillobacterium multiforme (Dis- Gas and odor produced in culture media.
taso, 1911) Prevot, 1938. (Bacillus multi- Gelatin: Liquefaction in 5 days.
formis Distaso, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., Deep agar colonies: Irregular; arbores-
59, 1911, 101; not Bacillus jtiultiformis van cent or like tufts of cotton. Gas is produced.
Senus, Dissert., Leiden, 1890; Prevot, Ann. Glucose broth : Abundant turbidity which
Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 297.) forms a viscous, zoogloea-like mass. Fetid
mul.ti.for'me. L. adj. multus much, gas is produced.
many; L. noun /orma shape; M.L. adj. 7nul- Peptone broth: Turbid.
tiformis many-shaped. Milk: Coagulated in 8 days, then digested.
Straight or curved, thick, pleomorphic Coagulated proteins not attacked.
rods, 3 microns long. Motile. Gram-positive. Carbohydrates not attacked.
Gas and odor produced in culture media. Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, alcohol,
Gelatin: Liquefaction.
traces of acetylmethylcarbinol and formic,
Deep agar colonies: Lenticular. Abundant
butyric and valerianic acids are produced.
gas is produced.
Glucose broth: Turbid. Gas is produced. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Putrid odor. Neutral red and safranin are reduced.
Milk: Coagulated then digested. Anaerobic.
Coagulated protein is attacked. Fibrin Optimum temperature, 37° C.
and coagulated serum are digested. Toxin not produced.
Indole is produced in trace amounts. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice.
Acid and gas from glucose, lactose, fruc- Source: Isolated from forest soil from
tose, maltose, galactose, sorbitol, mannitol French West Africa.
and glycerol. Habitat: Unknown.
FAMILY XI. PROPIONIBACTERIACEAE 569
simple: practically all, if not all, of the species require pantothenic acid, and the majority
require biotin; a few species require either thiamine or para-aminobenzoic acid in addition.
Optimum temperature, 30° C. Found in dairy products, especially hard cheeses.
The type species is Propionibacterhim freudenreichn van Niel.
uoard von Freudenreich, the Swiss bacteri- The Propionic Acid Bacteria, Haarlem,
ologist who isolated this species. 1928, 163.)
Description taken from van Kiel (loc. sher.man'i.i. M.L. gen. noun shermanii of
cit.) and from Werkman and Brown (Jour. Sherman; named for J. M. Sherman, the
B&ci., 26, 1933, 397). American bacteriologist who isolated this
Small, spherical cells, 0.5 to 0.6 micron
species.
Description taken from van Niel {loc.
in diameter, occurring mostly in pairs and
short chains. Little difference in morphol- cit.) and from Werkman and Brown (Jour.
ogy between growth from anaerobic solid Bact., ^6, 1933, 400).
media and neutral or acid liquid media. Small, spherical cells, 0.5 to 0.6 micron
Aerobic growth irregular, club-shaped and in diameter, occurring mostly in pairs and
branched, long rods. Non-motile. Show met- short chains. Little difference in morphol-
achromatic granules. Gram-positive. ogy between growth from anaerobic solid
Yeast -gelatin-lactate stab: No liquefac- media and neutral or acid liquid media.
tion. Aerobic growth occurs as irregular, club-
Yeast-agar-Iactate stab: Dirty, grayish- shaped and branched rods. Non-motile.
creamy development in stab; very slight Show metachromatic granules. Gram-posi-
surface growth of same color. tive.
Liquid media: Distinctly turbid with Yeast-gelatin-lactate stab: No liquefac-
grayish-creamy, ropy sediment. tion.
Litmus milk: Slight development; faint Yeast-agar-lactate stab: Dirty, grayish
reduction; not coagulated. creamy development in stab; very slight
Indole not produced. surface growth of same color.
Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc- Liquid media: Distinctly turbid with
erol, dihydroxyacetone, glucose, fructose, grayish -creamy, ropy sediment.
mannose and galactose with the production Litmus milk: Acid coagulation.
of chiefly propionic and acetic acids and Indole not produced.
carbon dio.xide. Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc-
Acid from erythritol, adonitol, inositol erol, dihydroxyacetone, glucose, fructose,
and esculin. No acid from amygdalin, d- mannose, galactose and lactose with the
and 1-arabinose, dextrin, dulcitol, glycogen, production of chiefly propionic and acetic
inulin, lactose, maltose, mannitol, melezi- acids and carbon dioxide. Occasionally
tose, melibiose, perseitol, raffinose, rham- arabinose is fermented.
nose, sucrose or xylose. Acid from erythritol, adonitol, arabitol,
Pantothenic acid, but not thiamine or inositol and esculin. No acid from amj^g-
para-aminobenzoic acid, is required for dalin, dextrin, dulcitol, glycogen, inulin,
growth; a few strains require biotin (Del- maltose, mannitol, melezitose, melibiose,
wiche, Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 396). perseitol, raffinose, rhamnose, salicin, sorbi-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. tol, sucrose, starch, trehalose or xylose.
Catalase-positive. Pantothenic acid and biotin, but not
Anaerobic to aerotolerant . para-aminobenzoic acid, are required for
Distinctive character: Inability to fer- growth; some strains require thiamine,
ment any of the disaccharides when inocu- others do not, and still others find this vita-
min stimulating but not required for growth
lated into yeast extract-sugar media. (Delwiche, Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 396).
Source: Isolated from dairy products;
also from raw market milk and Swiss cheese. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Catalase-positive.
Habitat: Dairy products. Anaerobic to aerotolerant.
Distinctive characters: Resembles Fro-
2. Propionibacteriuni shernianii van pionibactenum Jreudenreichii in every re-
Niel, 1928. {Bacterium acidi propionici d, spect, but differs in its ability to ferment
Sherman, Jour. Bact., 6, 1921, 387; van Niel, lactose.
572 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
480) reports that this species may or may Litmus milk: Coagulated; acid.
not ferment lactose and may or may not Indole not produced.
produce acid from esculin and salicin. Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc-
Pantothenic acid and biotin, but not erol, dihydroxyacetone, 1-arabinose, rham-
para-aminobenzoic acid, are growth re- nose, glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose,
quirements; thiamine is required by some sucrose, cellobiose, maltose, lactose and
strains, but other strains, while not requir- mannitol with the production of propionic
ing this vitamin, find it stimulating for and acetic acids and carbon dioxide.
growth (Delwiche, Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, Acid from salicin. No acid from d-arabi-
396). nose, dextrin, dulcitol, glycogen, inulin,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. starch or xylose.
Catalase-positive. Pantothenic acid and biotin are required
Less anaerobic than Propionibacteriiun for growth; thiamine and para-aminoben-
Jreudenreichii and Propionihacterium sher- zoic acid, although not required, are growth-
nianii. stimulating (Delwiche, Jour. Bact., 58,
Distinctive characters : Closely resembles 1949, 396).
Propionihacterium rubrum in morphology Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
and in the production of brownish red pig- Catalase-positive, especially when grown
ment under aerobic and anaerobic condi- in neutral media.
tions. Differs from this species in its inabil- Less anaerobic than Propionibacterium
ity to ferment rafiinose and mannitol, freudenreichii and Propionibacterium sher-
whereas fermentation of sorbitol occurs. manii.
The biochemical characteristics of a ten- Distinctive characters: Cream-colored
year-old stock culture have remained un- surface growth and ability to ferment
changed. 1-arabinose and rhamnose but not d-arabi-
Source: Isolated from cheese and butter- nose or xylose.
milk. Source: Not definitely recorded, but prob-
Habitat: Dairy products. ably isolated from silage.
Habitat: Dairy products.
5. Propionibacterium zeae Hitchner,
1932. (Jour. Bact., £S, 1932, 40; also see 6. Propionibacterium technicuni van
ibid., 28, 1934, 473.) Niel, 1928. (The Propionic Acid Bacteria,
ze'ae. Gr. fem.n. zia spelt; M.L. fem.n. Haarlem, 1928, 164.)
Zea generic name of maize; M.L. gen.noun tech'ni.cum. Gr. adj. technicus technical.
zeae of maize. In neutral media spherical cells, 0.8 mi-
Cells in neutral lactate media spherical, cron in diameter, occur in pairs and in short
0.8 micron in diameter, usually occurring chains. In acid media short rods, 0.6 by 1.0
in short chains. In carbohydrate media to 1.5 microns, occur, often in pairs, with a
which turn acid during development, the typical diphtheroid appearance. Aerobic
cells are distinctly rod-shaped, 0.8 by 2.0 growth occurs in the form of irregular, long
to 3.0 microns, with a slight tendency to- rods, swollen and branched. Non-motile.
wards the formation of club-shaped forms. Show metachromatic granules. Gram-posi-
Appearance typically diphtheroid. Aerobic tive.
growth occurs as irregular, club-shaped and Yeast-gelatin-lactate-stab: No liquefac-
branched rods. Non-motile. Show meta- tion.
chromatic granules. Gram-positive. Yeast-agar-lactate-stab : Cream-colored
Yeast-gelatin-lactate-stab: I^o liquefac- development in stab with distinct yellow
tion. surface growth.
Yeast-agar-lactate-stab : Cream-colored Liquid media: Turbid in early stages;
growth in stab with distinct surface growth cream-colored, somewhat flocculent sedi-
of same color. ment.
Liquid media: Distinctly turbid; cream- Litmus milk: Coagulation, acid.
colored; smooth sediment; very ropy. Indole not produced.
574 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Ferments lactic and pyruvic acid, glyc- mannose, galactose, cellobiose, maltose,
erol, dihydroxyacetone, arabinose, glucose, lactose, sucrose, raffinose and mannitol
galactose, fructose, naannose, lactose, malt- with the production of propionic and acetic
ose, sucrose, raffinose, dextrin, glycogen and acids and carbon dioxide.
starch with the production of propionic and Acid from adonitol, amygdalin, arabitol,
acetic acids and carbon dioxide. erythritol, esculin, inositol, melezitose,
Acid from esculin, salicin and mannitol. salicin and trehalose. No acid from d- and
No acid from dulcitol, inulin or xylose. 1-arabinose, dextrin, dulcitol, glycogen,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. inulin, melibiose, perseitol, pectin, rham-
Catalase-positive. nose, sorbitol, starch or xylose.
Anaerobic, but less so than Propionibac- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
terium Jreudenreichii . Catalase-positive; only very slightly so
Distinctive character: The ability to fer- when grown aerobically.
ment the polysaccharides dextrin, glycogen Less anaerobic than Propionibacteriuni
and starch. Jreudenreichii.
Source: Isolated from Edam and Tilsit Distinctive characters: Differs from Pro-
cheeses. pionibacterium jensenii in its somewhat
Habitat: Dairy products. greater length and in its ability to ferment
cellobiose and salicin; the behaviour of
7. Propionibacteriuni raffinosaceum Propionibacteriuni jensenii towards raffinose
Werkman and Kendall, 1931. {Propionibac- and mannitol is not constant and hence
terium jensenii var. raffinosaceum van Niel, cannot be used as a differential character.
The Propionic Acid Bacteria, Haarlem, Werkman and Kendall have reported differ-
1928, 162; Werkman and Kendall, Iowa State ent agglutination reactions for Propioni-
Coll. Jour. Sci., 6, 1931, 17.) bacterium jensenii and Propionibacteriuni
raf.fi. no. sa'ce.um. Fr. v. raffiner to re- raffinosaceum.
fine; M.L. neut.n. raffinosum raffinose, a Source: Isolated from buttermilk.
sugar secured by refining beet sugar mo- Habitat: Dairy products.
lasses; M.L. adj. raffinosaceum relating to
raffinose. 8. Propionibacterivim peterssonii van
Description taken from van Niel (op. Niel, 1928. {Bacterium acidi propionici c,
cit., 1928, 162) and from Werkman and Troili-Petersson, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
Brown (Jour. Bact., 26, 1933, 402). 24, 1909, 333; van Niel, The Propionic Acid
Cells in neutral media spherical to short, Bacteria, Haarlem, 1928, 163.)
rod-shaped cells, 0.8 by 0.8 to 1.5 microns, pe.ters.so'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun peterssonii
of typical diphtheroid appearance. In media of Petersson; named for Gerda Troili-Pe-
in which acid is produced, the cells are some- tersson, the Swedish bacteriologist who iso-
what longer rod-shaped, to 2 microns in lated this organism.
length. Aerobic growth occurs as irregular, Description taken from van Niel (loc.
long rods, swollen and branched. Non-mo- cit.) and from Werkman and Brown (Jour.
tile. Show metachromatic granules. Gram- Bact., 26, 1933, 406).
positive. Cells in neutral media spherical, 0.8 mi-
Yeast-gelatin-lactate-stab: No liquefac- cron in diameter, occurring in clumps of
tion. short chains. In carbohydrate media which
Yeast-agar-lactate-stab : Cream-colored turn acid during development, rod-shaped
growth in stab; distinct, orange-yellow sur- cells, 0.8 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns, also occur
face growth. in clumps. Aerobic growth occurs as heavily
Liquid media: Turbid in early stages; swollen and branched rods. Non-motile.
cream-colored, smooth sediment. Show metachromatic granules. Gram-posi-
Litmus milk: Coagulated, acid. tive.
Indole not produced. Yeast-gelatin-lactate stab: No liquefac-
Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc- tion.
erol, dihydroxyacetone, glucose, fructose, Yeast-agar-lactate stab: Cream-colored
575
FAMILY XI. PROPIONIBACTERIACEAE
growth, dry and wrinkled, resembling that little influenced by developing acidity.
of Mycobacterium spp. Aerobic growth occurs as irregular long
Liquid media: No turbiditj^; sediment a rods, swollen and branched. Non-motile.
coherent layer, cream-colored. Show metachromatic granules. Gram-posi-
Litmus milk: Acid coagulation. tive.
Indole not produced. Yeast-gelatin-lactate stab: No liquefac-
tion.
Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc-
erol, dihydroxyacetone, glucose, fructose, Yeast-agar-lactate stab: Cream-colored
mannose, galactose, sucrose, maltose and growth in stab; orange-yellow, dome-shaped
lactose with the production of propionic surface growth.
and acetic acids and carbon dio.xide. Liquid media: Turbid in early stages;
Acid from esculin and salicin. No acid cream-colored, smooth sediment.
from d- and 1-arabinose, cellobiose, dextrin, Litmus milk: Coagulated, acid.
dulcitol, glycogen, inulin, perseitol, pectin, Indole not produced.
raffinose, rhamnose, sorbitol, starch or xj^- Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc-
lose. erol, dihydroxyacetone, glucose, fructose,
Pantothenic acid, biotin and para-amino- mannose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, lac-
benzoic acid are required for growth; thi- tose and sometimes raffinose and mannitol
amine, while not required, is stimulating with the production of propionic and acetic
for growth (Delwiche, Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, acids and carbon dioxide.
396). Acid from adonitol, arabitol, erythritol.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. esculin, inositol and trehalose. No acid from
Catalase-positive; aerobically developed arabinose, cellobiose, dextrin, dulcitol, gly-
growth very slightly so. cogen, inulin, perseitol, pectin, rhamnose,
Less anaerobic than Propionibacterium salicin, sorbitol, starch or xylose.
freudenreichii and Propionibacterium sher- Pantothenic acid and biotin are growth
manii. requirements; some strains require para-
Distinctive character: Growth in liquid aminobenzoic acid, others do not, and still
media in clumps, giving the cultures the others find this vitamin stimulating but
appearance of agglutinated bacteria. So far not required for growth; thiamine, although
as known, the only species among the pro- not required, is growth-stimulating (Del-
pionic acid bacteria possessing this char- wiche, Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 396).
acteristic. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Source: Isolated from cheese and soil. Strongly catalase-positive.
Habitat: Dairy products. Less anaerobic than Propionibacterium
freudenreichii.
9. Propionibacterium jensenii van Distinctive characters: Morphologically
Niel, 1928. {Bacterium acidi propionici b, similar to Propionibacterium rubrum and
von Freudenreich and Orla-Jensen, Cent. f. Propionibacterium thoenii from which it is
Bakt., II Abt., 17, 1906, 532; van Niel, The distinguished chiefly by the failure to pro-
Propionic Acid Bacteria, Haarlem, 1928, duce a red pigment under anaerobic condi-
163.) tions. The yellow surface growth distin-
jen.se'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun jensenii of guishes Propionibacterium jensenii from
Jensen; named for Prof. S. Orla-Jensen, the Propionibacterium zeae, as does also the
Danish bacteriologist who isolated this inability of the former to ferment 1-arabi-
organism. nose and rhamnose.
Description taken from van Niel (loc. Source: Isolated from cheese and butter.
cit.) and from Werkman and Brown (Jour. Habitat: Dairy products.
Bact., 26, 1933, 404).
In neutral media spherical to short rod- 10. Propionibacterium arabinosum
shaped cells, 0.8 by 0.8 to 1.5 microns, occur, Hitchner, 1932. (Jour. Bact., SS, 1932, 40;
often in pairs or short chains; possess typi- also see ibid., 28, 1934, 473.)
cal diphtheroid appearance. Morphology a.ra.bi.no'sum. Gr. noun Arabia Arabia;
576 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
M.L. neut.n. arabinosum arabinose, a pen- pen.to.sa'ce.um. Gr. pi. adj. pente five;
tose sugar derived from gum arable. M.L. neut.n. pentosum a pentose sugar;
Cells in neutral lactate media spherical, M.L. adj. pentosaceus relating to a pentose.
0.8 micron in diameter, occurring in pairs Description taken from van Niel {loc.
and short chains. In acid media swollen cit.) and from Werkman and Brown (Jour.
spheres and ellipsoidal cells occur, mostly Bact., 26, 1933, 408).
2.0 by 3.0 to 3.5 microns, often in pairs and In neutral lactate media cells spherical,
short chains. Non-motile. Show metachro- 0.8 micron in diameter, occurring in pairs
matic granules. Gram-positive. and short chains. In media developing acid-
Yeast-gelatin-lactate-stab: No liquefac- ity, long, irregular rods, swollen and
tion. branched, 3 to 4 microns in length, occur.
Yeast-agar-lactate-stab : Cream-colored Aerobic growth occurs as irregular, swollen
growth in stab with distinct orange-yellow and branched, long rods. Non-motile. Show
surface growth. metachromatic granules. Gram-positive.
Liquid cultures: Turbid in early stages; Yeast-gelatin-lactate stab: No liquefac-
cream-colored, smooth sediment. tion.
Litmus milk: No coagulation. Yeast-agar-lactate stab: Cream-colored
Indole not produced. development in stab with abundant, cream-
Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc- colored surface growth.
erol, dihydroxyacetone, d- and 1-arabinose, Liquid media: Turbid in early stages;
glucose, galactose, fructose, mannose, cello- smooth, creamy sediment; ropy.
biose, maltose, sucrose, raffinose and man- Litmus milk: Coagulated, acid.
nitol with the production of propionic and
acetic acids and carbon dioxide. Indole not produced.
Acid from sorbitol. No acid from dulcitol, Ferments lactic and pyruvic acids, glyc-
xylose, rhamnose, salicin or inulin. erol, dihydroxyacetone, d- and 1-arabinose,
Pantothenic acid and biotin, but not xylose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, fruc-
tose, mannose, cellobiose, lactose, maltose,
para-aminobenzoic acid, are required for
growth; thiamine, although not required, sucrose, raffinose, mannitol and sorbitol
is growth-stimulating (Delwiche, Jour. with the production of propionic and acetic
Bact., 58, 1949, 396). acids and carbon dioxide.
Nitrite production not recorded. Acid from adonitol, arabitol, erythritol,
Very slightly catalase-positive. esculin, inositol, salicin and trehalose. No
Anaerobic, but less so than Propionibac- acid from dextrin, dulcitol, glycogen, inulin,
terium freudenreichii. perseitol or pectin.
Distinctive characters: The development Pantothenic acid and biotin, but not
of spherical involution forms in acid media, para-aminobenzoic acid, are growth re-
the almost complete absence of catalase
quirements; although thiamine is not re-
and the ability to ferment both d- and quired, it is stimulating for growth (Del-
1-arabinose but not xylose or rhamnose. wiche, Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 396).
Note : The strain obtained from Dr. E. B.
Nitrites and free nitrogen produced from
Fred produced only minute amounts of acid nitrates.
from lactose and starch; it is questionable
whether these carbohydrates are fermented. Slightly catalase-positive.
Source: Not definitely stated. Anaerobic, but less so than any of the
Habitat: Dairy products. other species of the genus.
Distinctive characters: The formation of
11. Propionibacterium pentosaceum long, rod-shaped involution forms in acid
van Niel, 1928. {Bacillus acidi propioriici media, the absence of pigment production,
von Freudenreich and Orla- Jensen, Cent. f. and the ability to ferment d- and 1-arabi-
Bakt., II Abt., 17, 1906, 532; van Niel, The nose, rhamnose and xylose.
Propionic Acid Bacteria, Haarlem, 1928, Source: Isolated from Emmental cheese.
163.) Habitat: Dairy products.
577
FAMILY XI. PROPIONIBACTERIACEAE
1. Zymobacterium oroticum Wachs- Acid and gas (in 3 to 5 days) from glucose,
man and Barker, 1954. (Jour. Bact., 68, fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, arabi-
1954, 400.) nose, galactose and mannitol. Lactic and
o.ro'ti.cum. M.L. noun acidum oroticxiyn glutamic acids and glycerol not utilized.
orotic acid; M.L. adj. oroticus orotic. Glucose fermentation yields predomi-
Rods, 0.35 to 0.60 by 1.2 to 2.0 microns, nantly ethanol (1.3 moles per mole of glu-
with tapering ends, usually occurring in cose) and carbon dioxide with small amounts
long, intertwined chains. Non-motile. of acetic and possibly lactic and formic
Gram-positive. acids. The maximum level of ethanol pro-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. duction has not 3'et been determined; how-
Tryptone-glucose-yeast extract agar col- ever, the level must be quite low since
onies: Small, round, convex. glucose is fermented slowly, even under
Tryptone-glucose-yeast extract broth: optimum conditions.
In young cultures the cells are character- Orotic acid fermented with the production
istically short rods with tapering ends, be- of ammonia.
coming ovoid in old cultures. Starch not hydrolj^zed.
Orotic acid-basal medium; Morphologi- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
cally, the cells are similar to those described Catalase-negative.
directly above. Anaerobic to microaerophilic.
Milk: No growth. Source: Isolated from bay mud.
Indole not produced. Habitat: Unknown.
* Definition and key with arrangement of genera in family prepared by Prof. Robert S.
Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, November, 1954.
FAMILY XII. CORYNEBACTERIACEAE 579
* The human section of this genus was revised by Prof. E. G. D. Murray', University of
Western Ontario, London, Canada, the animal section by Dr. E. V. Morse, Department of
Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State Uni-
versity, East Lansing, Michigan, the plant section by Prof. Walter H. Burkholder, De-
partment of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Cornell University, Ithaca, New
York and the anaerobic section by Dr. H. Seeliger, Hj^giene-Institut der Universitat
Bonn, Germany, November, 1954.
t Habitat relationships are used in this key because comparative studies of the species
in these groups are still completely lacking.
580 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
aa. Colonies j^ellow. No liquefaction of gelatin. Causes a wilt and canker of to-
matoes.
21. Corynebacterium michiganense .
2. Nitrites produced from nitrates. Slow or no liquefaction of gelatin.
a. Colonies yellow.
b. Slow liquefaction of gelatin. Attacks members of the grass family.
22. Corynebacterium rathayi.
bb. No liquefaction of gelatin. Attacks members of the grass family.
23. Corynebacterium agropyri.
aa. Colonies orange. Parasitic on sweet peas, etc.
24. Corynebacterium fascians.
B. Motile, usually by means of a single flagellum.
1. Non-chromogenic on beef extract agar media.
a. Colonies white on beef extract agar media.
25. Corynebacterium hypertrophicans .
aa. Colonies colorless and almost transparent on beef extract agar media. Sal-
mon- to flesh-colored on potato glucose agar.
26. Corynebacteriiim poinsettiae.
2. Yellow colonies on beef extract agar.
a. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
27. Corynebacterium tritici.
aa. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
28. Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens .
2. ANAEROBIC TO AEROTOLERANT.
Gelatin colonies: Slow development. Very fructose; some strains also ferment galac-
small, grayish, lobulate. tose, maltose, sucrose, dextrin and glycerol.
Gelatin stab: Slight growth on surface Nitrites produced from nitrates.
and scant growth in stab. No liquefaction. Does not hydrolyze urea (Merkel, Zent.
Agar slant: Scant, grayish, granular, f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., U7 , 1941, 398).
translucent growth, with irregular margin. A highly poisonous exotoxin is produced
Blood-tellurite media: Produces gray to in fluid media. This toxin represents the
black colonies. principal disease-producing agency of the
Colony forms: Smooth (S) colony form: organism. Toxin production may fail in
Round and umbonate or convex, with even otherwise tj-pical strains.
margin and smooth surface. Opaque when A highly potent antitoxin can be pro-
viewed by transmitted light, glistening and duced by repeated injection of toxin into
somewhat moist in appearance when viewed experimental animals. The antitoxin pos-
by reflected light. Colonies about 1 to 3 mm sesses both curative and protective proper-
in diameter. Growth frequently slowed or ties.
inhibited by the presence of potassium tel- Serological types : In a study of 250 strains
lurite in the medium. of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Murray
Rough (R) colony form: Flat, margin is (Jour. Path, and Bact., 41, 1935, 439-45)
very irregular. Surface is pitted and very was able to classify 228 strains into 11 sero-
uneven. Very little light reflected from sur- logical types, and 22 strains remained un-
face. Translucent when viewed by trans- classified (Morton, Bact. Rev., 4, 1940, 196).
mitted light. Colonies about 1 to 5 mm in McLeod et al. (Jour. Path, and Bact., 34,
diameter. 1931, 667; ibid., 36, 1933, 169; Lancet, 1,
Intermediate colony forms: Several col- 1933, 293) describe three tj-pes which have
ony forms are found in this group since the been confirmed by other workers; these are
term includes all forms between the pure S distinguishable by colony form on McLeod's
form and the pure R form. Sr forms very blood-tellurite medium, they are antigeni-
nearlj' approach the S colonies and the sR cally different with subtypes, there is some
forms nearl}' approach the pure R forms. difference between their toxins (Etris, Jour.
The SR form shows properties distinct from Inf. Dis., 50, 1934, 220) and the severity of
either the S or R forms. The colonies are 3 disease is associated with the type.
to 5 mm in diameter. The margin usually Corynebacterium diphtheriae type gravis
shows indentations. The surface is raised grows with dark gray, daisy-head colonies;
but not convex; it may be nearly level or ferments dextrin, starch and glycogen; is
show a central elevation surrounded by a not hemolytic; has very few small metachro-
concentric depression and elevation. matic granules; forms a pellicle and a gran-
Dwarf (D) colony form: Colonies very ular deposit, and there is an early reversal
small, about 0.2 mm or less in diameter. of pH in broth.
Margin round and even. Surface convex. Corynebacterium diphtheriae type mitis
All of the above colony forms have been grows in convex, black, shiny, entire colo-
isolated from cases of diphtheria (Morton, nies; no fermentation of starch and
Jour. Bact., ^0, 1940, 768 ff.). glycogen, and it is variable with dextrin;
Broth: Uniform turbidity produced by S hemolytic; metachromatic granules are
form, pellicle produced by SR form, sedi- prominent; diffuse turbidity, infrequent
ment produced by the R form. pellicle, and there is a late reversal of pH
Litmus milk: Unchanged. in broth.
Potato: No visible growth. Corynebacterium diphtheriae type intenne-
Blood serum: Growth grayish to cream- dius produces a small, flat, umbonate colony
colored, moist, smooth, slightly raised, with a black center and slightly crenated
margin entire. May be bright yellow or oc- periphery; not hemolytic; barring of bacilli
asionally reddish (Hill, Sci., 17, 1903, 375). is accentuated; there is no fermentation of
Indole not produced. starch and glycogen, and it is variable with
All strains produce acid from glucose and dextrin ; forms no pellicle but a fine granular
FAMILY XII. CORYNEBACTERIACEAE 583
transmitted light and bluish white by re- Litmus milk: Acid. No coagulation.
flected light. Potato: Good growth.
Bovine blood serum slants: Pit-like or Indole not produced.
more general areas of liquefaction. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Serum bouillon: Cloudy with fine floccu- Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose,
lent grayish flakes that form a sediment maltose, lactose, sucrose, inulin and man-
like a streptococcus culture. nitol. Arabinose and isodulcitol are not
attacked.
Milk: Coagulation after 48 hours at 37° C,
with acid at bottom of tube. Separation of Action on nitrates not reported.
whey and peptonization. Aerobic, facultative.
Indole not produced. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Acid produced in serum bouillon from Pathogenic for mice.
glucose, sucrose, lactose and xylose but Habitat: Septicemia in mice.
not from raffinose, inulin, mannitol or sali-
cin. 9. Corynebacterium renale (Migula,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates (Mer- 1900) Ernst, 1905. (Bacillus renalis bovis
chant, Jour. Bact., 30, 1935, 108). Bollinger, in Enderlen, Zeit. f. Tiermed.,
Beta hemolytic; not hemoglobinophilic, 17, 1890, 346; Bacterium renale Migula, Syst.
though growth is favored by proteins as d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 504; Ernst, Cent. f. Bakt.,
egg albumen, serum or blood (Brown and I Abt., Orig., 40, 1905, 80.)
Orcutt, op. cit., 1920, 244). re.na'le. L. adj. rewaZz's pertaining to the
Aerobic as well as anaerobic growth. kidne^^s.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth Description taken mainlj^ from Jones and
Little (Jour. Exp. Med., U, 1926, 11).
range, 20° to 40° C.
Intravenous injection of rabbits and mice Rods, 0.7 b}' 2.0 to 3.0 microns, occurring
usually fatal. usually in masses, rarely singly. Non-motile.
Toxin and a heat-labile hemolysin are Bacteria from tissues not so pleomorphic
produced (Lovell, Jour. Path, and Bact., as those from the earlier transfer cultures,
45, 1937, 339). although many show polar granules or swol-
Source: Isolated from bovine pus (Lucet, len ends. Cultures grown in broth show coc-
op. cit., 1893, 327); also isolated from path- coid forms and beaded rods with swollen
ological processes in man (Forgeot, Halbron ends. Gram-positive.
and Levy-Bruhl, Ann. Inst. Past., 65, 1940, Gelatin: Grows poorly if at all. No lique-
326; also see Ballard, Upsher and Seeley, faction.
Amer. Jour. Clin. Path., 27, 1947, 209). Agar: Small, punctiform colonies.
Habitat: Found in abscesses in cattle, Agar slants: Raised, grayish white and
swine and other warm-blooded animals, dry growth (Jones and Little). Others say
including man. cream-colored and moist.
Blood serum slants: Fine, gray, puncti-
8. Corynebacterium murisepticuni form colonies in 24 hours at 37° C. which
von Holzhausen, 1927. (Cent. f. Bakt., I are a little larger than those on agar. Streak
Abt., Orig., 105, 1927, 94.) scarcely 1 mm in width. Glistening and slimy
mu.ri.sep'ti.cum. L. noun »ius, muris a in fresh cultures. No liquefaction.
mouse; Or. adj. septicus septic; L. adj. tnuri- Litmus milk: Reduction and coagulation
septicvs mouse-poisoning (-infecting). from the bottom. Slow digestion, becoming
Slender rods, 1.2 to 1.5 microns in length, alkaline.
with polar granules. Grow out into long Broth: Sediment at end of 2 days with
filaments. Non-motile. Gram-positive. clear bouillon above.
Gelatin stab: Feeble growth, with fimbri- Potato: Growth grayish white, later be-
ate outgrowth along line of puncture. coming adingy yellow, turning the potato
Egg glycerol broth: Good growth. brown.
Loeflfler's blood serum: Good growth. Acid from glucose. No acid from lactose,
Broth: Turbid. sucrose, maltose or mannitol. Some strains
FAMILY XII. CORYXEBACTERIACEAE 587
ferment fructose and mannose (Merchant, kerud et al., 1951. (Svenkerud, Rosted and
Jour. Bact., 30, 1935, 109). Thorshang, Nord. Vet. Med., S, 1951, 168.)
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. pho'cae. M.L. noun Phoca a generic name
Optimum temperature, 37° C. of seals; M.L. gen. noun phocae of Phoca.
Pathogenic for mice (Lovell and Cotchin, Description prepared by Prof. E. G. D.
Jour. Comp. Path, and Therap., 56, 1946, Murray from the original publication by
205) and for rabbits (Feenstra, Thorp and Svenkerud et al. and from a study of cul-
Gray, Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 10, 1949, 12). tures supplied by these investigators.
No to.xin produced. Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 0.7 to 2.0 microns, oc-
Shows a close serological relationship with curring infrequently flexed chains of 3 to 7
Corynebacteriurn psuedotuberculosis (Mer- or more cells, in linear, end to end pairs or
chant). in pairs lying at an obtuse angle to each
Source: Isolated from pyelonephritis in other; occasionally single cells and very
cattle. long rod-shaped forms, 10 to 15 microns in
Habitat: Occurs in purulent infections length, may occur, the latter sometimes
of the urinary tract in cattle, sheep, horses being curved. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
and dogs. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar colonies: Small (0.1 mm), circular,
10. Corynebacteriurn kutscheri (Mi- smooth, moderately elevated, entire; at
gula, 1900) Bergey et al., 1925. {Bacillus first (24 hours) transparent and colorless,
pseudotuberculosis murium Kutscher, later (48 hours) becoming enlarged (0.5 to
Ztschr. f. Hyg., 18, 1894, 338; Bacterium 1.0 mm), opalescent and slightly white.
kutscheri Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, Potassium tellurite medium: No growth.
372; Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, Peptone broth: Poor growth at 37° C.
395.) and room temperature.
kut'scher.i. M.L. gen. noun kutscheri of Pneumo broth: Good growth at 37° C.
Kutscher; named for Kutscher, the bac- and room temperature; slight growth in 3 to
teriologist who first isolated this species. 4 days at 4° C., becoming progressively
Rods, with pointed ends, staining irregu- heavier and producing a turbidity in the
larly. Non-motile. Gram-positive. lower portion of the medium, thus leaving
Gelatin colonies: Small, white, translu- a clear supernatant several mm in depth.
cent. Coagulated blood serum: No liquefaction.
Gelatin stab: No growth on surface. Litmus milk: No change.
White, filiform growth in stab. No lique- Indole not produced.
faction. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Agar colonies: Small, thin, yellowish Carbohydrate fermentation determina-
white, translucent, serrate. tions (except those of esculin, arbutin and
Agar slant: Thin, white, translucent. alpha-methyl-glucoside) performed in Hiss
Loeffler's blood serum: Abundant growth. serum sugar water. Acid from glucose, fruc-
Not peptonized. tose, sucrose, maltose, trehalose and salicin.
Broth: Slight turbidity. Crystals of am- Slight acid from xj-lose, galactose, lactose,
monium magnesium phosphate are pro- inulin, glycerol, inositol and mannitol. Acid
duced. occasionally produced from rhamnose and
Litmus milk: Unchanged. dextrin. No acid from arabinose, dulcitol,
Potato: No growth. sorbitol or arbutin. Glucose, fructose, su-
Indole not produced. crose and salicin cause clotting of the me-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. dium in 24 hours at 37° C. as does trehalose
Aerobic, facultative. in 48 hours; dextrin causes clotting l)y one
Optimum temperature, 37° C. week.
Source: Isolated from a cheesy mass in Starch, aesculin and alpha-met h3-l-glu-
the lung of a mouse. coside are hydroljzed.
Methyl red test positive.
11. Corynebacteriurn phocac Sven- Acetylmethylcarbinol produced.
588 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Pellicle, and final pH alkaline (Brooks and Agar slant: Thin, gray, filiform, dry
Hucker, op. cit., 1944, 309). Branched cells
occur in 6- to 8-hour cultures in broth. growth.
Broth: Slight, granular sediment.
LoefBer's blood serum: Good growth with Litmus milk: Slowly becomes deeply alka-
line.
tan to yellow chromogenesis. No liquefac-
tion. Potato: No growth.
Coagulated egg yolk: Vigorous salmon- Indole not produced.
pink growth. Dryer than on agar, resembling No acid from carbohydrate media.
wrinkled growth of tubercle bacillus after Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
two weeks. No growth on agar containing asparagine
Litmus milk: No change to slightly alka- as a sole source of nitrogen (Evans, Jour.
line. Inf. Dis., 18, 1916, 461).
Potato: Abundant growth, usually tan, Coagulated blood serum: Thin, gray, fili-
yellow or pink. form growth.
Indole not produced. Blood serum (10 per cent) and bile (5 per
Hydrogen sulfide produced on appropriate cent) enhance growth, especially the former
media. (Evans, ibid., 459).
No acid from carbohj^drate media. How- Causes rancidity in cream. Weakl}- lip-
ever, glucose stimulates growth. olytic on tributyrin agar (Black, Jour.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. No am- Bact., 4i, 1941, 99).
monia produced. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Sodium hippurate: Not hydrolyzed. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs (Evans,
Esculin: Not hydrolj'zed. Jour. Inf. Dis., 22, 1918, 579).
No exotoxin demonstrated in filtrate of Comments: Miss Alice Evans (personal
broth cultures. communication) states that the organism
No or slight hemolysis of horse blood. from the udder which she described as Bac-
Aerobic. teriimi lipolytimis (sic) {ibid., 576) was prob-
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- ably aCorynebacteriuni. This is also regarded
tween 25° and 37° C. Minimum, between 7° as probable by Steck (Die latente Infektion
and 18° C. Maximum, between 37° and der Milchdriise, Hannover, 1930) and b}'
45° C. Hendrixen (Ztschr. f. Infektionskrankh. d.
Not pathogenic for laboratory animals. Haustier., 43, 1933, 106). Miss Evans also
Source: Originally isolated from infec- indicates that it is probable that the organ-
tious pneumonia of foals. ism described by Bergey first in 1904 (op.
Habitat: Found in spontaneous pneu- cit., 1904, 11) and later in the first edition of
monia of foals and in other infections of the Manual as Corynebacieriimi bovis was
horses. Also found in swine, cattle and buf- the same organism; this is further confirmed
faloes. by Black {op. cit., 1941, 99). In his unpub-
lished manuscript, Black reports that he
14. Corynebacteriuni bovis Bergey et found no essential differences between his
al., 1923. {B. psevdodiphtheria, Bergey, The cultures isolated from milk (53 cultures)
Source and Nature of Bacteria in Milk. and those described by Bergey except for
Penn. Dept. Agr. Bull. 125, 1904, 11; Bergey action on litmus milk. Black reports no
et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 388.) action on litmus milk.
bo'vis. L. noun bos the ox; L. gen. noun Source: Isolated from fresh milk drawn
bovis of the ox.
directly from the cow's udder.
Slender rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 2.5 to 3.0 mi- Habitat: Found rather commonly in
crons, which are barred and clubbed. Non- freshly drawn milk.
motile, Gram-positive.
Gelatin stab: Slight, gray, fiat surface 15. Corynebacteriuni paurometabo-
growth. lum Steinhaus, 1941. (Jour. Bact., 4I , 1941,
Agar colonies: Circular, gray, slightly 763 and 783.)
raised, radiate, undulate, dry. pau.ro. me. ta'bo.lum. Gr. adj. pavrus
590 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
little; Gr. adj. meiabolus changeable; M.L. dium, a little kidney; M.L. gen. noun neph-
adj. pauro7netabolus little changeable, prob- ridii of a nephridium.
ably intended to mean producing little Description taken from Busing and Frey-
change. 582). tag (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 160, 1954,
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 bj' 1.0 to 2.5 microns, oc-
curring singly, in pairs and in masses. Meta- Slender rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 2.0 mi-
chromatic granules present. Non-motile. crons, with no tendency toward filamentous
Gram-positive. forms or chains; occasionally occur in a
Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction at surface. palisade arrangement. Non-motile. Gram-
Agar colonies: White to gra}^, entire, cir- positive.
cular, small, dry, somewhat granular. Growth occurs on common culture media
Agar slant: Filiform to arborescent, thick, on primary isolation.
granular growth. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Broth: Abundant, granular sediment but Agar colonies: 1.5 mm in diameter, round,
no turbidity. Pellicle. smooth, moist, slimy, gray.
Litmus milk: Alkaline. Broth: Uniformly turbid; later becoming
Potato: Thick, raised, dry, granular, slimy with a gray pellicle with stalactite-
profuse, gray to light cream-colored growth. like growths; sediment.
Indole not produced. Coagulated blood serum: No liquefaction.
Slight production of hydrogen sulfide. Litmus milk: Distinctly alkaline in 10
No action on the following carbohydrates : days.
glucose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, Indole not produced.
mannitol, galactose, arabinose, xylose, Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
dextrin, salicin, rafiinose, trehalose, sorbi- No acid from carbohydrate media.
tol, inulin, dulcitol, glycerol, rhamnose, Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
adonitol, mannose, esculin and inositol. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Ammonia produced in peptone media.
Aerobic. Urea not hydrolyzed.
Slight alpha hemolysis. Blood agar: No hemolj^sis.
Non-pathogenic for guinea pigs. Aerobic.
A special semi-solid medium, the main Optimum temperature range, 15° to 37° C.
nutritive constituents of which were pro- Optimum pH range, 6.2 to 7.2.
teose peptone, rabbit serum, gelatin, minced Source : Isolated from the medicinal leech
rabbit kidney and carbohydrates, was used {Hirudo medicinalis) .
for the original isolation. An incubation
period of 4 to 7 days at 26° C. was necessary 17. Corynebacterium vesiculare Busing
for the initial isolation. Subsequent trans- et al., 1953. (Busing, Doll and Freytag,
fers to ordinary beef -infusion agar grew out Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 19, 1953, 76.)
in 24 to 48 hours. ve.si.cu.la're. M.L. adj. vesicularis per-
Source: Isolated from media inoculated taining to a vesicle.
with the mycetome and ovaries of the bed- Description taken from Busing and Frey-
bug, Cimex lectiilarius L. A very similar tag (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 160, 1954,
579).
diphtheroid strain was isolated from the
alimentary tract of the bagworm, Thyri- Slender, pleomorphic rods 0.4 by 3.0 to
dopteryx ephemerae/ ormis Haw. 8.0 microns; filamentous forms 30 microns
Habitat: Distribution in nature unknown. or more in length may also occur. Non-
motile. Gram-positive.
16. Corynebacterium nephridii Busing Primary isolation accomplished on "fun-
et al., 1953. (Busing, Doll and Freytag, gus" medium, but this species can be
Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 19, 1953, 77.) adapted to grow on common culture media.
neph.ri'di.i. Gr. adj. nephridius of the Gelatin: No liquefaction.
kidney; M.L. noun nephridium a nephri- Agar colonies: After 2 days, 1 to 2 mm in
FAMILY XII. CORYXEBACTERIACEAE 591
diameter, round, smooth, moist, slimy, Source: Isolated from diseased alfalfa
orange to rust-red.
Coagulated blood serum: No liquefaction. plants.
Habitat: Vascular pathogen of alfalfa,
Litmus milk: Distinct alkalinity after Medicago saliva .
10 days.
Indole not produced. 19. Corynebacteriuni sepedonicum
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. (Spieckermann and Kotthoff, 1914) Skap-
No acid from carbohydrate media. tason and Burkholder, 1942. {Bacterium
Starch not hydrolyzed. sepedonicum Spieckermann {nomen nudum),
111. Landw. Zeitung, 33, 1913, 680; Bacterium
Acetj'lmethylcarbinol not produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. sepedonicum Spieckermann and Kotthoff,
Ammonia produced in peptone media. Landw. Jahr., 46, 1914, 674; Skaptason and
Burkholder, Phytopath., 32, 1942, 439.)
Urea not hj-drolyzed.
Blood agar: No hemolysis. se.pe.do'ni.cum. Gr. adj. sepedonicus
Aerobic. leading to decaj'.
Description taken from Stapp (Ztschr. f.
Optimum temperature range, 15° to 22° C. Par., 5, 1930, 756).
Optimum pH, 6.4.
Source: Isolated from the medicinal leech Rods 0.3 to 0.4 by 0.8 to 1.0 micron. Pleo-
(Hinido niedicinalis). morphic. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
Gelatin: Liquefaction slight.
Agar colonies: Thin, smooth, translucent,
18. Corynebacteriuni insidiosum (Mc- glistening, whitish, 2 to 3 mm in diameter.
Culloch, 1925) Jensen, 1934. (Aplanobacter Broth: Weak growth. No pellicle. Light
insidiosum 'SicCulloch, Phytopath., 15, 1925, sediment.
497; also see Jour. Agr. Res., 33, 1926, 502; Litmus milk: Little change in 6 weeks,
Jensen, Proc. Linnean Soc. New So. Wales, after which litmus is reduced.
59, 1934, 41.) Indole not produced.
in.si.di.o'sum. L. adj. insidiusus deceit- Hydrogen sulfide production feeble, if at
ful, insidious.
all.
Rods, 0.4 to 0.5 by 0.7 to 1.0 micron. En- Glucose, galactose, fructose, arabinose,
capsulated. Non-motile. Gram-positive. xylose, mannitol, glycerol and dulcitol are
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. utilized.
Beef agar colonies: Pale yellow, circular,
Starch hydrolj'sis light.
smooth, shining; edges entire; viscid. Blue Grows in 4 per cent salt.
granules found on the medium.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Milk: Coagulated after 16 to 20 days. No
digestion. An apricot-^yellow sediment is tween 20° and 23° C. Minimum, 4° C. Max-
deposited on the walls of the tube. imum, 31° C. characters: Differs from Co-
Distinctive
Indole not produced.
njnebacterium michiganense in that it is
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. white to cream-colored on various media
Acid from glucose, sucrose, lactose and and has a lower optimum temperature.
glycerol.
Moderate diastatic action. Corynebacterium michiganense does not in-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. fect potatoes.
Source: Stapp used 17 cultures isolated
Grows in 5 per cent salt.
Aerobic. from diseased potatoes.
Habitat: Causes ring rot of ])otato tubers
Optimum temperature, 23° C. Maximum, in Germany.
31° C.
Distinctive character: Bluish granules 20. Corynebacteriuni huniiferuni Selis-
produced in culture. kar, 1952. (Colorado Farm and Home Re-
Comments: Jensen (ibid., 42) reports that search, 2,1952, 9.)
he has found a non-infectious variety of hu.mi'fer.um. L. noun humus soil; L. v.
this species in grass land soil in Australia. fero to bear; M.L. adj. humiferus soil-borne.
592 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Source: Isolated from slimy heads of Dac- Broth: Slightly turbid. Fragile pellicle
tylis glomerata. with distinct rim.
Habitat: Pathogenic on Dactylis glomerata. Milk: Litmus becomes blue. Other changes
slight .
23. Corynebacteriuni agropyri (C- Indole not produced.
Gara, 1916) Burkholder, 1948. {A planohader Hydrogen sulfide produced.
agropyri O'Gara, Phytopath., 6, 1916, 343; Acid but no gas from glucose, galactose,
Burkholder, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 395.) fructose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, malt-
ag.ro. py 'ri . Or. noun agrus field ; Or. noun ose, sucrose, glycerol, mannitol and dextrin.
pyrus wheat; M.L. neut.n. Agropyron ge- No acid from rhamnose, lactose, raffinose
neric name of a grass; M.L. gen. noun agro- or inulin.
pyri of Agropyron. Starch not hj-drolyzed.
Rods 0.4 to 0.6 by 0.6 to 1.1 microns. En- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
capsulated. Non-motile. Gram-variable. Grows in 8 per cent salt.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Aerobic.
Nutrient agar slant: Meager, yellow, very
viscid growth. 28°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25° and
Broth: Light clouding with yellow precipi- Source: Described from 15 single-cell iso-
tate. lates from fasciated growths on sweet peas.
Milk: Little-changed. Yellow sediment Habitat: Pathogenic on sweet pea, chrys-
formed. anthemum, geranium, petunia, tobacco,
Acid but no gas from glucose, lactose, etc.
sucrose and glycerol.
Starch: Hydrolysis feeble. 25. Corynebacterium hypertrophicans
Nitrites produced from nitrates. (Stahel, 1933) Burkholder, 1948. (Pseudo-
Optimum temperature, between 25° and nionas hypertrophicans Stahel, Phyt. Ztschr.,
28° C. 6, 1933, 445; Burkholder, in Manual, 6th ed.,
This species is very similar to and may 1948, 398.)
be identical with Corynebacterium rathayi hy. per. tro 'phi. cans. Gr. pref. hyper very;
Dowson. Gr. adj. trophicus well-fed, stout, over-
Source: Isolated from slimy heads of grown; M.L. adj. hypertrophicans becoming
wheat grass. overgrown, producing a hypertrophy.
Habitat: Found on wheat grass, Agro- Rods 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.2 to 2.8 microns. Mo-
pyron smithii. tile by means of a single polar flagellum.
Bipolar staining. Gram-positive.
24. Corynebacterium fascians (Til- Gelatin: No growth.
ford, 1936) Dowson, 1942. (Phytomonas fas- Agar colonies: Slow growing, circular,
cians Tilford, 54th Rept. Ohio Agr. Exp. raised, wet-shining, white.
Sta. Bull. 561, 1936, 39; also see Jour. Agr. Broth plus sucrose: Growth good. No
Res., 53, 1936, 393; Dowson, Trans. Brit.
Myc. Soc, 25, 1942, 313.) pellicle.
Milk: No visible change.
fas'ci.ans. L. part. adj. fascians banding, Indole not produced.
binding. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Rods 0.5 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 4.0 microns. Non- Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose
motile. Gram-positive. and sucrose. No acid from lactose and glyc-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. erol. The acids from sucrose are lactic and
Potato-glucose agar colonies: Light formic.
cream-colored colonies appear after 72 Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
hours. Punctiform, circular, later cadmium- Aerobic.
yellow to deep chrome. Source: Isolated from witches' brooms.
Nutrient agar slant : After one week streak Habitat: Pathogenic on Eugenia latifolia.
is filiform, flat, dull to glistening, smooth,
opaque, cream-colored and butyrous. 26. Corynebacterium poinsettiae Starr
594 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
and Pirone, 1942. (Phytopath., 32, 1942, Source: Fourteen cultures isolated from
1080.) diseased stems of poinsettia. Euphorbia
poin.set'ti.ae. M.L. fem.n. Poinsettia pulcherrima.
name of a genus of flowering plants; M.L. Habitat: Causes a canker of stems and
gen. noun poinsettiae of Poinsettia. spots on leaves of the poinsettia.
Rods which average 0.3 to 0.8 by 1.0 to
3.0 microns. Pleomorphic, with some cells 27. Corynebacterium tritici (Hutchin-
8.5 microns in length. Encapsulated. Gran- son, 1917) Burkholder, 1948. (Pseudomonas
ules present. Motile by means of a single tritici Hutchinson, India Dept. of Agr.,
(rarely 2) polar or lateral flagellum. Gram- Bact. Ser., 1, 1917, 174; Burkholder, in Man-
positive. ual, 6th ed., 1948, 400.)
Gelatin: Liquefaction. tri'ti.ci. L. noun triticum wheat; M.L.
Loeffler's blood-serum: Liquefaction. neut.n. Triticum generic name of wheat;
Beef -extract agar colonies: Round, L. gen. noun tritici of wheat.
slightly convex, 0.1 to 1.0 mm in diameter, Rods 0.8 by 2.4 to 3.2 microns. Motile by
entire, smooth, non-viscid, colorless and means of a single polar flagellum. Gram-
almost transparent.
Potato glucose agar slants: Moderate positive.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
growth, filiform, glistening, non-viscid, Agar colonies: Bright yellow becoming
salmon- to flesh-colored. orange, glistening, moist, entire. Agar
Beef -extract broth: Turbid in 24 hours; brownish.
abundant, pale salmon sediment. No pelli- Broth: Turbid. Thin pellicle.
cle. Milk: Yellow surface and yellow precipi-
Milk: Slight acidity but no other visible tate. Little change.
change for 2 weeks, then a soft curd, reduc- Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
tion of litmus and complete peptonization. Acid but no gas from glucose and lactose.
Indole not produced. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. This species is very similar to and may
Sodium hippurate not hydrolyzed. be identical with Corynebacterium rathayi
Moderate to abundant acid, but no gas, Dowson.
from glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, Source: Isolated from slimy heads of
sucrose, maltose, cellobiose, melibiose, wheat in India.
raffinose, glycerol, erythritol, salicin and Habitat: Pathogenic on wheat, Triticum
amygdalin; weak acid from arabinose, xy- aestivum.
lose, lactose, trehalose, dextrin and
adonitol; no acid from rhamnose, fucose, 28. Corynebacterium flaccunifaciens
inulin, glycogen, mannitol, dulcitol, sorbitol (Hedges, 1922) Dowson, 1942. {Bacterium
or inositol.
flaccumfaciens Hedges, Science, 55, 1922,
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
433; also see Phytopath., 16, 1926, 20; Dow-
Methyl red test negative. son, Trans. Brit. Myc. Soc, 25, 1942, 313.)
Starch hydrolyzed.
No action on cellulose. flac.cum.fa'ci.ens. L. adj. flaccus flabby;
L. part. adj. faciens making; M.L. part. adj.
Non-lipolytic.
Tellurite reduced. flaccumfaciens wilt-making.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Rods 0.3 to 0.5 by 0.6 to 3.0 microns. Mo-
tile by means of a single polar flagellum;
Asparagine not utilized as carbon-nitro- also non-motile (Adams and Pugsley, Jour.
gen source. Uric acid not utilized; urea not
hydrolyzed. Dept. Agr. Victoria, 32, 1934, 306). Gram-
Aerobic.
positive.
Gelatin: Liquefaction feeble.
Growth occurs after 24 hours from 15° to
Beef agar slants: Rather moderate
.36° C.; after 48 hours from 7° to 12° C. No
growth above 36° or below 7° C. at the end growth, glistening, flat, smooth, viscid and
of a week.
yellow.
FAMILY XII. OORYNEBACTERIACEAE 595
137, 1953, 1-10) found a culture of this organ- Neutral red not reduced.
ism isolated from a submandibular abscess Blood serum agar: Numerous, porcelain-
to be identical with C. liquefaciens as recog- w^hite colonies.
nized by Prevot and also identical with Obligately anaerobic.
cultures of C. acnes as isolated and identi- Pathogenic to white mice.
fied by Lentze (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., Serology: See Linzenmeier (Ann. Inst.
155, 1950, 290). Since that time, Seeliger Past., 87, 1954, 572).
(personal communication, December, 1954) Source : Isolated from blood from a woman
has had opportunity to study the cultures with a postnatal fever. Also found in various
of C. acnes found in both the National Col- infections of the female urogenital organs.
lection of Type Cultures (London) and the Habitat: Found in female urogenital or-
American Type Culture Collection (Wash- gans so far as known.
ington), all isolated from acne pustules,
and he has found all of them to be identical. 31. Corynebacterium granulosum Pre-
At the same time he finds these cultures to vot, 1938. (Bacille granuleux, Jungano,
be the same as the cultures that he examined Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 66, 1909,
in 1953. All cultures agree with the brief 123; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 304.)
but characteristic description of C. acnes gra.nu.lo'sum. L. noun granula a little
as given by Gilchrist. As the name C. acnes grain; L. adj. granulosus full of granules.
has priority and as the name C. liquefaciens Slender, medium-sized rods resembling
is an illegitimate homonym, the former those of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Non-
binomial is used here. motile. Show bipolar staining and meta-
Source: Originally isolated from acne chromatic granules. Gram-positive.
pustules. The specific epithet "acnes" was Gas not produced in culture media.
given by Gilchrist to indicate the source of Gelatin: No liquefaction.
this culture, and it should not be interpreted Agar stab: Round colonies; no gas.
as meaning that this species is the cause of Glucose broth: Turbid; no gas.
acne. Milk: Not coagulated.
Habitat : While this species appears to be Coagulated egg white: Not attacked.
an organism commonly found in acne pus- Glucose and galactose are acidified.
tules, italso occurs in other types of lesions Anaerobic.
in the human body or even as a saprophyte Optimum temperature, 37° C.
in the intestine, in skin, in hair follicles and Not pathogenic.
in sewage. It probably also occurs in domes- Serology: See Linzenmeier (Ann. Inst.
tic and wild animals. Past., 87, 1954,572).
Source: Isolated from the intestines of
30. Corynebacteriuni parvuni Prevot, white rats.
1940. {Corynebacterium parvum injectiosum
Mayer, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 98, 32. Corynebacteriuni aviduni (Eggerth,
1926, 370; Prevot, Man. de Class, et Determ. 1935) Prevot, 1938. (Bacteroides avidus Eg-
des Bacteries Anaerobies. Monographic, gerth, Jour. Bact., SO, 1935, 289; Prevot,
Inst. Past., Paris, 1940, 202.) Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 304.)
par'vum. L. adj. parvus small. a'vi.dum. L. adj. avidus greedy, vora-
Small, slightly curved, club-shaped rods, cious.
usually 0.3 by 1.4 microns, occurring in pairs Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 2.5 microns, with
in which the cells are either parallel to each pointed or rounded ends, frequently slightly
other or in an angular arrangement due to curved, occasionally branched. Non-motile.
snapping division. Non-motile. Gram- Gram-positive.
positive. Gelatin liquefied.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Glucose agar colonies: 2 to 3 mm in di-
Nutrient broth: Slightly turbid. ameter, raised, yellowish white, smooth.
Carbohydrates generally not attacked; Glucose broth: Turbid; acidified (final
slight acid from glucose.
pH, 4.8).
FAMILY XII. CORYNEBACTERIACEAE 597
IMilk: Acid; coagulated; partially di- Habitat: From the human intestinal tract
gested. so far as known.
Indole production weak, if at all.
33. Corynebacteriuni diphtheroides
Hydrogen sulfide irregularly produced.
Prevot, 1938. (Bacille diphteroide, Jungano,
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac- Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 66, 1909, 112;
tose, sucrose, maltose, trehalose, melezitose,
Corynebacteriuni diphteroides (sic) Prevot,
glycerol, mannitol, inositol, erythritol, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 1938, 304.)
adonitol, dextrin and starch. Lactose, raffi-
diph.the.ro.i'des. Or. noun diphthera
nose, inulin and glucosamine slowly acidi- leather, skin; M.L. fem.n. diphtheria diph-
fied (in 20 to 40 days). No acid or gas from theria; Gr. eidus form, shape; M.L. adj.
xylose, rhamnose, arabinose, aesculin, diphtheroides resembling diphtheria.
amygdalin, salicin, cellobiose, dulcitol, Medium-sized (0.3 to 0.4 by 3.0 to 4.0
mannitol, sorbitol, methyl glucoside or microns), straight or curved, club-shaped
methyl mannoside. rods resembling those of Corynebacteriuni
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. diphiheriae and occurring singly, in pairs or
Coagulated egg albumen: Not digested in clumps or angularly arranged due to snap-
awaj' but becomes transparent. ping division. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
Blood agar colonies: 2 to 3 mm in diame- Gelatin: No liquefaction.
ter, raised, yellowish white, smooth; no Glucose agar stab: Colonies round; gas
hemolysis. is produced.
Anaerobic. Glucose broth: Turbid with the produc-
tion of gas.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Milk: Not coagulated.
Non-pathogenic for rabbits or white mice.
Indole is produced.
Linzenmeier (Ann. Inst. Past., 87, 1954,
Acid and gas from glucose.
572) states that serologically Corynebacte-
Non-proteolytic.
rium avidum is closely related to C. acnes. Anaerobic.
Comments: Pederson (Jour. Bact., 50,
1945, 478) secured a culture of this species Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Non-pathogenic.
from Eggerth and found that it ferments Serology: See Linzenmeier (Ann. Inst.
glucose with the production of higher fatty Past., 87, 1954, 572).
(mainly butyric) acids and lactic acid; he Source: Isolated from the intestine of a
further states that this species appears to white rat. Also found in a case of fibrous
be closely related to Butyribacteriujn rett- osteitis (Beerens).
geri Barker and Haas. Habitat: Unknown except as stated
Source: Isolated from feces. above.
mined definitely, as Bacterium hepatis does of birds, in all of which disease occurs. Many
not ferment lactose, rhamnose, sucrose or cases have proved fatal. Suggested as a
salicin while it does ferment xj'lose. Failure cause of infectious mononucleosis in man
to infect guinea pigs and chickens also indi- by Anton, Nj-feldt and others (see Girard
cates a possible difference between the two and Murra}^ Amer. Jour. Med. Sci., 221,
species. There may also be other species 1951, 343). "Granulomatosis infantiseptica"
(Sohier, Benazet and Piechaud, Ann. Inst. of Potel (Ztschr. f. Kinderheilk., 73, 1953,
Past., 74, 1948, 54). 113; also see Wissensch. Ztschr. der Martin-
Source and habitat: Isolated from lesions Luther Univ., 3, 1953, 341). Isolated from
in organs, from meconium, and from blood ferrets (Morris and Norman, Jour. Bact.,
and cerebrospinal fluid of man and at least 59, 1950, 313) without apparent disease. In
twentj'-six species of other mammals and some species it causes metritis and abortion.
oped colonies are transparent with a bluish Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
sheen by reflected light, circular and entire. Catalase-negative.
Tellurite agar colonies: Grayish and pin- Facultatively anaerobic.
point in 24 hours, later increasing in size Temperature range of growth, 16° to
and becoming jet black. 41° C. The fastest growth rate is at about
Broth: Slight turbidity with scant, gray- 37° C. The maximum cell crop is obtained
ish sediment.
near 33° C.
Litmus milk: No change. Optimum pH, between 7.4 and 7.8.
Indole not produced. Tolerates phenol in concentrations to 0.2
Hj^drogen sulfide produced. per cent and potassium tellurite in concen-
Blood serum shows scant growth. trations to 0.05 per cent.
No gas from carbohydrates. Source: Isolated from cases of swine ery-
Acid from glucose, galactose, fructose sipelas, human erysipeloid and mouse sep-
and lactose. When the basic medium is very ticemia; also isolated from infections in
favorable, acid may be produced from xy- birds, e.g. turkeys and ducks. Transmissible
lose, arabinose, mannose, maltose, cello- to a large number of experimental animals :
biose and melibiose. Usually no acid from pigeons and mice are susceptible to experi-
glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol, inositol, rham- mental infection, but rabbits are less sus-
nose, sucrose, trehalose, melezitose, raffi- ceptible, and guinea pigs are quite resist-
nose, starch, inulin or salicin. The addition ant; inoculation in man has been successful;
of yeast autolysate to media for fermenta- susceptibility of swine is very variable. Fish
tion studies is recommended. handlers are especially subject to erysipe-
Esculin not hydrolyzed. loid infections derived from fish (Bedford
Final pH in yeast extract trj^pticase-glu- and Leeds, Brit. Jour. Dermat. and Syph.,
cose broth usually about 6. U, 1932, 368; Niewiarowski, see Biol. Abst.,
Blood agar: On prolonged incubation ;g7, 1953, No. 17069).
there is at first a greening and then a slight Habitat : This organism is widely distrib-
but definite clearing around the colonies. uted in nature as indicated above.
Micro. bac.te'ri.um. Gr. adj. micrus small; Gr. neut.dim.n. hactcrium a small rod; M.L.
neut.n. Microbacterium a small rodlet.
Small rods with rounded ends; vary in length from 0.5 to 30 microns. Non-motile. Gran-
ulations demonstrable with methylene blue stain. Gram-positive. Good surface growth
on media supplemented with milk or yeast extract. Acid production weak with principally
L (+)- lactic acid produced from fermented carbohydrates. Catalase-positive. Optimum
temperature, 32° C. Thermoduric saprophytes found chiefly in dairy products and on
utensils.
The type species is Microbacterium lacticum Orla-Jensen.
Cel.lu.lo.mo'nas. M.L. noun cellulosa cellulose; Gr. noun inonas a unit, monad; INI. L.
fem.n. Cellulomonas cellulose monad.
Small, pleomorphic rods, straight to angular or slightly curved with occasional beaded,
clubbed, branched or coccoid cells, the number of such cells depending on the age and con-
dition ofthe subculture. Motile bj' means of one or a few peritrichous flagella; some species
are non-motile. If only a single flagellum is present, it is usually polar. Gram-variable.
Growth on ordinary culture media often not vigorous; otherwise, growth on solid media
usually soft and smooth and, in broth, turbid. Yellow, non-water-soluble pigmentation
common; other pigments also occur. Gelatin slowly hydrolyzed. Catalase-positive. Acid
but no gas from carbohydrates; cellulose commonly attacked. Typically of soil or plant
origin.
The type species is Cellulomonas biazotea (Kellerman et al.) Bergey et al.
* Completely revised by Dr. Francis E. Clark, Agricultural Research Service, Soil Re-
search Branch, U. S. Dept. Agr., Beltsville, Maryland, January, 1954,
602 OEDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
regard Arthrohacler Fischer (Jahrb. f. vvissen. Bot., 27, 1895, 141) as a nomen dubiurn, no
species having been named as belonging to the genus by Fischer. Under these circumstances
Arthrohacler Fischer would appear to be illegitimate. Conn and Dimmick (op. cil., 1947,
300) revived Fischer's name for the organisms they describe as they feel it to be an ap-
propriate name. Fischer defined Arthrohacler as including all non-flagellate, rod-shaped
bacteria which produce "arthrospores" as recognized by De Bary. While the real meaning
of arthrospores is somewhat uncertain, it sometimes has been used for the coccoid bodies
developed by the species placed in Arthrohacler as defined here.
In young cultures the cells appear as rods which may vary in size and shape from straight
to bent, curved, swollen or club-shaped forms; snapping division may show angular cell
arrangement. Short filament formation with rudimentary budding may occur, especially
in richer liquid media. Gram-negative or Gram-variable. Coccoid cells are characteristically
observed in cultures after one or more days; these coccoid cells persist as the predominant
form in older cultures and are Gram-negative to Gram-positive. Larger coccoid cells (cys-
tites), which give rise to one or more rod-shaped cells on fresh transfer, also occur. Gen-
erally non-motile. Growth on solid media soft or viscous; growth in liquid media generally
not profuse. Most species liquefy gelatin. Little or no acid from carbohydrates. Nitrites
generally produced from nitrates. Indole not produced. Aerobic. Most species show little or
no growth at 37°C. Typically soil organisms.
The type species is Arthrohacler glohifonnis (Conn) Conn and Dimmick.
Rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 4.0 microns, butyrous biotypes of this species have been
which may be curved or club-shaped; oc- recognized (Sguros, loc. cit.).
casionally rudimentary filamentous forms Source: Isolated from tobacco leaves.
maj' occur, although branching is infre- Habitat: Probably soil.
quent. The longer forms fragment into short
rods and cocci. Cells in older cultures are 5. Arthrobacter aurescens (Clark, 1951)
almost exclusively coccoid and vary from Phillips, 1953. (Arthrobacter globifonne var.
1.0 to 3.0 microns in diameter. When trans- aurescens Clark, Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer.,
ferred to fresh media, the larger coccoid 15, 1951, 180; Phillips, Iowa State Coll. Jour.
cells (cystites) germinate, giving rise to one Sci., 27, 1953, 240.)
or two rod-shaped cells (Sguros, Jour. Bact., au.res'cens. L. v. auresco to become
69, 1955, 28). Non-motile. Gram-negative; golden; L. part. adj. aurescens becoming
the cystites are Gram-negative and usually
possess a Gram-positive granule. golden.
Rods which vary in shape and size accord-
Gelatin stab: Slow, crateriform liquefac- ing to the nature of the culture medium:
tion. 0.5 by 1.0 to 3.0 microns on plain agar and
Agar colonies: Punctiform or circular, 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 6.0 microns on enriched
convex, opaque, smooth, glistening; viscid solid media; the cells may be straight,
or butj'rous varieties may occur. curved or swollen or may show rudimentary
Agar slant: Growth abundant, filiform, branching, especially in enriched liquid
opaque, smooth, glistening; yellow and media. In older cultures the cells become
pearl-gray strains occur, the former being coccoid, measuring 0.6 micron in diameter.
viscid and the latter butyrous in consist- Non-motile. Gram-variable; the cocci are
ency. generally Gram-negative although the
Asparagine agar: Growth filiform, opaque, larger coccoids (cystites) are usually Gram-
smooth, glistening; development of chromo-
genesis retarded. positive.
Gelatin stab: Stratiform liquefaction;
Nicotine agar: Abundant growth with the yellowish surface growth; moderate sedi-
production of a diffusible, deep blue pigment ment; liquid very turbid.
which turns reddish to yellowish brown with Agar colonies: Circular, up to 2 mm in
age. diameter, convex, yellow, opaque, smooth,
Broth: Abundant growth; surface ring; glistening.
viscid sediment. Agar slant: Growth abundant, filiform,
Potato: Abundant growth, yellow to gray opaque, smooth, creamy lemon-yellow, soft,
varying with the strain. waxy luster with a metallic sheen.
Milk: Slow peptonization and reduction Soil-extract agar slant: Growth filiform,
of litmus; reaction alkaline. smooth, cream-colored becoming pale yel-
Indole not produced. low, glistening, soft.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Asparagine agar slant: Growth filiform,
Acid but no gas from fructose and su- lemon-yellow, soft, waxy luster; surface
crose; acid in glucose broth weak and tran- uneven; edge finely indented.
sient; with other carbohydrates, reaction Nicotine agar: Growth slow and sparse,
alkaline.
flat, translucent, colorless.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Broth: Moderately turbid; no surface
Starch is hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. growth; considerable cream-colored sedi-
Utilizes nitrates and ammonium salts as ment.
nitrogen sources; citrates utilized as sole Potato: Growth moderate, brownish yel-
source of carbon. low, dull, cheesy in consistency.
Catalase-positive. Milk : Pale yellow surface and ring growth ;
Aerobic. clearing (3 to 4 daj's) without coagulation;
Optimum temperature, 25° C. cream-colored sediment.
Comment: Yellow-viscid and pearl -white- Indole not produced.
GIO ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ter're.gens. L. noun terra soil; L. part. adj. diameter, entire, convex, yellowish brown,
egens requiring; M.L. part. adj. terregens glistening.
soil-requiring. Agar slant: Growth filiform, flat, pale
Rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.0 to 5.0 microns, usu- brown, glistening.
all}^ occurring in V-shaped pairs as a result Soil extract agar slant: Growth filiform,
of snapping division. The cells vary in shape flat, yellowish brown, glistening, soft; sur-
from short, straight rods to irregular, curved face finely roughened.
or swollen forms; some of the longer rods Broth: Moderately turbid; no surface
show rudimentary budding. In older cul- growth; stringy, yellowish sediment.
tures (usually after 3 days), coccoid cells, Potato: Slight or no growth.
formed by the fragmentation of long rods, Milk: No change after 6 weeks.
predominate. The cocci vary in size accord- Indole not produced.
ing to the medium: on soil extract agar the Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
cells measure 0.6 to 0.7 micron, and on Slight acid from glucose and sucrose;
richer media containing yeast extract, they trace or no acid from other sugars; no gas
are 0.8 to 0.9 micron in diameter. When produced.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
freshl}^ transferred, the larger coccoids
Starch not hydrolyzed.
(cystites) may germinate rod forms, up to
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
three in number. Gram-negative; the coc- Urease not produced.
coid cells are Gram-variable, usually Gram- Unable to utilize nitrates or ammonium
negative. salts as nitrogen source, or citrates as sole
Requires a growth factor, 'terregens fac- carbon source, even in presence of growth
tor' (TF), present in soil extract or in cul- factor.
ture filtrates of Arthrobacter pascens. No
Catalase-positive.
growth in standard media; these may be Aerobic.
rendered suitable for growth by addition of
soil extract or culture filtrate of A . pascens. Optimum temperature, between 20° and
26° C.; grows from 15° to 35° C.; no growth
Gelatin stab: Yellowish growth, best at
at 10° or 37° C.
surface; no liquefaction. Source: Isolated from soil.
Agar colonies: Circular, 1.0 to 2.5 mm in Habitat: Soil.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE FISCHER, 1895.
(Jahrb. f. wiss. Bot., 21, 1895, 139.)
Ba.cil.la'ce.ae. M.L. noun Bacillus type genus of the family; -aceae ending to denote a
family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Bacillaceae the Bacillus family.
Rod-shaped cells capable of producing endospores which are cylindrical, ellipsoidal or
spherical, and which are located in the center of the cell, subterminally or terminally.
Sporangia do not differ from the vegetative cells except when bulged by spores larger than
the cell diameter; such sporangia are spindle-shaped when spores are central and wedge-
or drumstick-shaped when spores are terminal. Motile by means of peritrichous flagella or
non-motile. Usually Gram-positive. Pigment formation isjare. Gelatin is frequently hy-
drolyzed. Sugars are generally fermented, sometimes with the production of visible gas.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic; anaerobic; or anaerobic, aerotolerant. Some species are
capable of growth at 55° C. Mostly saprophytes, commonly found in soil; a few are animal
or insect parasites or pathogens.
Key to the genera of family Bacillaceae.
I. Aerobic or facultatively anaerobic; catalase-positive.
Genus I. Bacillus, p. 613.
II. Anaerobic or aerotolerant; catalase not known to be produced.
Genus II. Clostridium, p. 634.
* Smith et al. (loc. cit.) pointed out that pathogenicity is a variable character in these
two species and that academically they should be classified as variants of Bacillus cereus,
the stable parent form. From the practical standpoint and to avoid complications that
would arise as to priority, it has been thought best to retain these as separate species in
the Manual until more work has been done.
t Gordon and Smith (Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 327) recommended the use of 5 per cent NaCl.
Ford et al. (Bact. Proc, 1952, 18), however, found that certain strains of Bacillus coagulans
would grow in 5 per cent broth, thus rendering this character useless as a means of separa-
ting Bacillus coagulans from Bacillus subtilis. Since then the writers have obtained growth
in 7 per cent NaCl broth by all strains of Bacillus licheniformis. Bacillus subtilis (one excep-
tion) and its varieties and Bacillus pumilus. The use of the higher percentage of NaCl is,
therefore, recommended to overcome the objection of Ford and his co-workers. (Also see
Smith, Gordon and Clark, op. cit., 1952.)
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 615
tween 28° and 35° C. Maximum, usually Broth: Heav}'^, uniform turbidity with
between 40° and 45° C. soft, easily dispersed sediment, with or
Source: Isolated from cooked cabbage. without soft ring pellicle. Variations: Floc-
Habitat : Widely distributed in soil, water, culent growth. Firm pellicle.
dust and decomposing materials. Milk: Rapid peptonization, with or with-
out slight coagulation.
2. Bacillus cereus Frankland and Frank- Milk agar streak plate: Wide zone of hy-
land, 1887. (Philosoph. Trans. Roy. Soc. drolysis of the casein.
London, 178, B, 1887, 279.) Potato: Growth abundant, thick, spread-
ce're.us. L. adj. cereus wax-colored, ing, soft, creamy white, sometimes with
waxen. pinkish tinge. Variations: Growth re-
Rods, 1.0 to 1.2 by 3.0 to 5.0 microns, with stricted, thin, folded, dry or slimJ^ Potato
square ends, usually occurring in short to darkened or orange-colored.
long, tangled chains. When lightly stained, Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts as
protoplasm granular or foamy. No shadow- source of nitrogen*) from glucose; also
forms. Not encapsulated. Motile. Gram- usually from sucrose, glycerol and salicin.
positive. Variations: 0.8 to 1.3 by 2.0 to 6.0 No acid from arabinose, xylose or mannitol.
microns. Filaments. Ends rounded. Encap- Usually no acid from lactose.
sulated. Non-motile. Protoplasm stains uni- Starch hydrolyzed.
formly. Gram-variable. Acetylmethylcarbinol produced.
On glucose agar, rods are larger and more Citrates usually utilized as sole source of
vacuolated and contain many, large, fat carbon.
globules. Variation: Sometimes contain Nitrites usually produced from nitrates.
only a few, small, fat globules but always Gas usually produced from nitrates under
vacuolated when lightly stained. anaerobic conditions.
Spores, 1.0 to 1.5 microns, ellipsoidal, Amino acids necessary for growth.
central or para-central. Thin-walled. Many Lecithinase produced.
formed in 18 to 24 hours. Variations: 0.5 to Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Growth
1.2 by 1.3 to 2.5 microns. Few or none at in glucose broth under anaerobic condi-
48 hours or longer. tions; pH usually below 5.2.
Sporangia not appreciably swollen. Temperature relations: Optimum about
Gelatin stab: Rapid liquefaction. 30° C. Maximum, between 37° and 48° C.
Gelatin agar streak plate: Wide zone of Pathogenicity: Large doses of 24-hour
hydrolysis. broth cultures fatal to guinea pigs (Clark,
Agar colonies: Large, rough, flat, irregular Jour. Bact., 33, 1937, 435).
with whip-like outgrowths. Whitish with Source: Isolated from dust.
characteristic mottled appearance by trans- Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, dust,
mitted light (resembling galvanized iron or milk and on plant surfaces.
moire silk). Variations: Thin and spreading,
rough and arborescent, smooth and dense. 2a. Bacillus cereus var. mycoides (Fliigge,
Agar slants: Growth abundant, rough, 1886) Smith et al., 1946. {Bacillus mycoides
opaque, whitish, non-adherent, spreading. Flugge, Die Mikroorganismen, 2 Aufl., 1886,
Edge irregular with whip-like outgrowths. 324; Smith, Gordon and Clark, U. S. Dept.
Variations: Relatively smooth. Very rough Agr. Misc. Pub. 559, 1946, 54.)
extending into the agar. Greenish yellow, my.co.i'des. Gr. noun myces fungus; Gr.
diffusing pigment. noun eidus form, shape; M.L. adj. mycoides
Glucose agar slants: Growth abundant, fungus-like.
heavier and softer than on agar. Bacillus cereus var. uiycoides is identical
Glucose nitrate agar slants: Scant, if any, in all respects with Bacillus cereus except
growth. in the following characters :
Rods, usually slightly thinner, in long Gelatin stab: Arborescent in depth, in-
chains twisted together to form strands. verted pine tree. Liquefaction crateriform
Agar colonies: Grayish, thin, widely becoming stratiform.
Gelatin agar streak plate: Wide zone of
spreading by means of long, twisted chains
of cells, turning to the left or right (sinistral hydrolysis.
or dextral). The sinistral form occurs more Agar colonies: Large, dense, irregular,
often in soil (Gause, Mikrobiologia, 18, composed of parallel chains of cells giving
1949, 154). a curled or combed appearance; similar to
certain strains of Bacillus cereus.
Agar slants: Growth thin, rhizoid, gray-
Agar slants : Growth abundant, spreading,
ish, widely spreading, adhering to or grow- dense, grayish, with irregular borders.
ing into the agar. With aging, growth be- Blood hemolysis : Variable (Bekker, Zent.
comes thicker and softer.
Gordon (Jour. Bact., 39, 1940, 98) and f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., I47, 1941, 451; also
Smith, Gordon and Clark (op. cit., 1952) see ibid., 150, 1943, 326).
Broth: Little or no turbidity; thick pel-
showed that Bacillus mycoides lost its rhi- licle.
zoid character if grown from a small inocu-
lum in flasks containing 100 ml of broth and Milk: Coagulated, slightly acid, pep-
tonized.
plated on agar after 3 to 30 days. The result- Milk agar streak plate: Wide zone of hy-
ing non-rhizoid cultures could not be differ- drolysis ofthe casein.
entiated from Bacillus cereus. Dissociation
Potato: Growth abundant, spreading,
occurred under other conditions, but not so
white to creamy.
rapidly or completely. Reversion to the
rhizoid state was not observed, although Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts
the dissociants were grown under a variety as source of nitrogen) from glucose, fruc-
of conditions intended to induce such re- tose, sucrose, maltose, trehalose and dex-
version. trin. Late and slight acidity from glycerol
Source: Isolated from soil. and salicin by some strains. No acid from
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil. arabinose, rhamnose, mannose, galactose,
lactose, rafEnose, inulin, mannitol, dulcitol,
3. Bacillus anthracis Cohn, 1872, sorbitol, inositol or adonitol.
emend. Koch, 1876. (Les infusories de la Starch hydrolyzed.
maladie charbonneuse, Davaine, Compt.
Acetylmethylcarbinol produced.
rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 69, 1864, 393; Cohn,
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Beitrage z. Biol. d. Pflanzen, ^, Heft 2, 1872, Amino acids are necessary for growth.
177; Koch, ibid., 2, Heft 2, 1876, 279; Bac- Lecithinase produced.
teridie des charbon, Pasteur and Joubert,
Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 84, 1877, Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
900.) Temperature relations: Optimum, about
an'thra.cis. Gr. noun anthrax charcoal, a 35° C. Maximum, about 43° C.
red precious stone, a carbuncle; M.L. noun Pathogenicity: Cause of anthrax in man,
anthrax the disease anthrax; M.L. gen.noun cattle, swine, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs,
anthracis of anthrax. mice, etc. (Smith, Gordon and Clark {op.
Rods, 1.0 to 1.3 by 3.0 to 10.0 microns, cit., 1952) considered Bacillus anthracis as a
with square or concave ends, occurring in pathogenic variety of Bacillus cereus be-
long chains; resemble Bacillus cereus. When cause certain strains of the two were in close
lightly stained, protoplasm granular or agreement in all characters except patho-
foamy. Encapsulated. Non-motile. Gram- genicity. As strains of Bacillus anthracis
positive.
may become avirulent, and as certain strains
Spores ellipsoidal to cylindrical, 0.8 to 1.0 of Bacillus cereus may be lethal in massive
by 1.3 to 1.5 microns, central or para- dosages (Clark, Jour. Bact., 33, 1937, 435),
central, often in chains. Germination polar.
Sporangia ellipsoidal to cylindrical, not the relationship is closer than most investi-
definitely swollen, in chains. gators realize.)
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE G19
Source: Isolated from the blood of in- central, thin-walled. Many formed in 48
fected animals. hours at 37° C. Variations: Slightly smaller
Habitat: Man and animals with anthrax. or larger. Only a few are formed in 2 or 3
weeks.
4. Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, 1915. Spore germination is equatorial without
(Ztschr. f. angew. Ent., Beihefte 2, 1915, 29.) splitting of the spore coat along transverse
thur.in.gi.en'sis. M.L. gen. noun thurin- a.xis (Lamanna, Jour. Bact., 44, 1942, 611;
giensis of Thuringia; named for Thuringia, Burdon and Wende, Bact. Proc, 1952, 46).
a German province. Sporangia not definitely swollen; fre-
Rods same as those of Bacillus cereus. quently resemble rods with bipolar staining.
Spore size and shape the same as in Gelatin stab: Rapid crateriform to strati-
Bacillus cereus. form liquefaction.
Sporangia not definitely swollen. Spores Gelatin agar streak plate: Wide zone of
tend to lie obliquely in the sporangium; hydrolysis.
after aging, a knob of protoplasm remains Agar colonies: Large, spreading; surface
at each end. These so-called crystalline rough or rugose; hairy outgrowths. Offwhite.
inclusion bodies are described in greater Variations: Smooth, entire or lobate.
detail by Steinhaus (Hilgardia, 23, 1954, 1) Agar slants: Growth abundant, rough,
and by Hannay (Nature, 172, 1953, 1004). opaque, adherent, spreading, with hairy
The significance of the crystals has not been outgrowths. Matt surface. Variations:
determined. Smooth, thin, non-adherent, rugose.
Other cultural and biochemical characters Glucose agar slants: Growth heavy,
are the same as for Bacillus cereus. rugose, often with extruded droplets or
As in the case of Bacillus antkracis, Smith mucoid vesicles on surface. Usually hairy
et al. considered Bacillus thuringiensis as a outgrowths from line of inoculation.
pathogenic variety of Bacillus cereus. From Sometimes gas produced at 37° C.
the practical standpoint, it seems best to Glucose nitrate agar slants: Growth slow,
retain it as a separate species in the Man- scant to abundant, with hairy outgrowths.
ual. Offwhite to brownish red. Sometimes gas
Pathogenicity: Cause of death of larvae is produced.
of certain insects. Soybean agar slants: Growth softer and
Source: Isolated from the larvae of the more abundant than on agar. Brownish to
flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella Zell). reddish, often purplish at the bottom. Drop-
Habitat: Diseased insects. lets extruded. Variations: Matt surface.
Folded growth.
5. Bacillus licheniforinis (Weigmann, Tyrosine agar slants: Same as agar slants.
1898) Chester, 1901, emend. Gibson, 1937. Broth: Clear with heavy, wrinkled, tough
{Clostridium licheniforme Weigmann, Cent, pellicle. Variations: Flocculent or uniform
f. Bakt., II Abt., 4, 1898, 820; Bacillus lichen- turbidity, with or without fragile pellicle.
iformis Chester, Man. Determ. Bact., 1901, NaCl broth: Good growth in 5 to 8 per
287; Gibson, Soc. Agr. Bact., Abs. Proc, cent NaCl, inhibition with higher concen-
1937; also see Jour. Dairy Res., 13, 1944, trations. In a few cases, growth in 12 per
248.) cent.
li.che.ni.for'mis. Gr. noun lichen a tree Milk agar streak plate: Usually narrow
moss, lichen; L. noun forma shape; M.L. zone of hydrolj^sis of the casein.
adj. licheniformis lichen-shaped. Potato: Growth heavy, spreading, wrin-
Rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns, stain kled, warty, with extruded droplets. Pink.
uniformly, not in chains. Not encapsulated. Submerged portion of potato red to violet.
Motile. Gram-positive. Variations: Rods, Variations: Soft. Offwhite.
0.5 to 0.9 by 1.2 microns, to long filaments. Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts
Encapsulated. Shadow-forms. Non-motile. as source of nitrogen) from arabinose, xy-
Spores, 0.6 to 0.9 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns, lose, glucose, sucrose and mannitol. Acid
ellipsoidal to cylindrical, central or para- production variable from lactose.
620 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
pH of glucose broth is 7.6 to 8.0 in 10 days. Slight acid but no gas (with peptone as
Citrates not utilized. source of nitrogen) from glucose.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. No Starch hydrolyzed.
gas produced in nitrate broth under ana- Ammonium salts not utilized as source of
erobic conditions. nitrogen.
Urease not produced. Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Aerobic. No growth in glucose broth under pH of glucose broth is not less than 6.2 in
anaerobic conditions. 7 days; very little growth.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Citrates not utilized.
tween 35° and 40° C. Maximum, 52° C. Nitrites produced from nitrates. No gas
Source: Isolated from an infant's stool produced in nitrate broth under anaerobic
(Batchelor), from macerated figs (Saghafi conditions.
and Appleman) and from the surface of an Urease not produced.
orange (Smith and Gordon, unpublished Accessory growth substances essential.
data). Lecithinase not produced.
Habitat: Uncertain. Probably associated Aerobic. No growth in glucose broth under
with decomposing materials. anaerobic conditions.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
10. Bacillus firmus Werner, 1933. (Cent, tween 28° and 33° C. No growth at 50° C.
f. Bakt., II Abt., 87, 1933, 470.) Source: Isolated from soil.
fir'mus. L. adj. firmus strong, firm. Habitat: Soil and decomposing materials;
Rods, 0.6 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 4.0 microns, with also found as a laboratory contaminant.
ends poorly rounded, occurring singly or in
pairs. Stain uniformly. Motile. Gram-posi- 11. Bacillus lentus Gibson, 1935. (Zent.
tive. f. Bakt., II Abt., 92, 1935, 368.)
Spores, 0.7 to 0.9 by 1.0 to 1.4 microns, len'tus. L. adj. lentus slow.
ellipsoidal, central to subterminal. Usually Rods, 0.6 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 4.0 microns, with
form in 48 hours and more numerous on ends poorly rounded, occurring singly or in
agar without the beef extract. pairs. Stain uniformly. Motile. Gram-posi-
Sporangia only slightly swollen if at all. tive.
Gelatin stab: Slow crateriform liquefac- Spores, 0.7 to 0.9 by 1.0 to 1.4 microns,
tion. ellipsoidal, central to subterminal. Usually
Gelatin agar streak plate: Wide zone of form in 48 hours and are more numerous on
hydrolysis. agar without the beef extract.
Agar colonies: Small, round, smooth, Sporangia only slightly swollen if at all.
dense, whitish, rarely pink. Gelatin stab: No liquefaction.
Agar slants: Growth moderate, flat, Gelatin agar streak plate: No zone of
smooth, opaque, whitish, rarely pink. hydrolysis.
Glucose agar slants: Growth very scant, Agar colonies: Small, round, smooth,
inhibited b}^ the acid produced from the dense, whitish, not distinctive.
glucose. Agar slants: Growth slow, thin, trans-
Glucose nitrate agar slants: No growth. lucent becoming opaque, whitish.
Soybean agar slants: Scant, if any, Glucose agar slants: Growth scant, not
growth. so good as on agar because of the acid pro-
Broth: Turbidity light, uniform or floc- duced from the glucose.
culent. Glucose nitrate agar slants: No growth.
NaCl broth: Usually there is growth in Soybean agar slants: Very scant, if any,
5 per cent NaCl; no growth in 10 per cent.
Milk agar streak plate: Moderate to wide growth.
Broth: Faint, uniform turbidity; granular
zone of hydrolysis of the casein. sediment.
Potato: No growth. NaCl broth: Growth in 4 per cent, none
Indole not produced. in 5 per cent NaCl.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 625
Biotin necessary for growth. erally better than on agar. Usually no gas
Lecithinase reaction variable. Broth: Turbidity light, uniform to gran-
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Growth ular, with or without flocculent sediment.
with vigorous production of gas in glucose NaCl broth: No growth in 5 per cent
broth under anaerobic conditions. NaCl.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Milk: Acid and gas. No visible peptoniza-
tion.
tween 28° and 35° C. Maximum, for the
Milk agar streak plate: Very small, if
majority of the strains, 40° C. No growth at
45° C. any, zone of hydrolysis of the casein.
Antibiotic substance (polymyxin) ob- Potato: Inconspicuous or scant growth
tained from cultures of a certain strain with the production of much gas 'and de-
(Stansly, Shepherd and White, Bull. Johns composition ofthe potato.
Hopkins Hosp., 81, 1947, 43; also see Stansly Indole not produced.
and Schlosser, Jour. Bact., 54, 1947, 549). Acid and usually gas (with ammonium
Source: Isolated from grain, soil and pas- salts as source of nitrogen) from arabinose,
teurized milk. rhamnose, xylose, glucose, sucrose, lactose,
Habitat : Widely distributed in soil, water, mannitol and sorbitol (the production of
milk, feces and decaying vegetables. gas can best be demonstrated by growing
the cultures at 37° C. on the following me-
13. Bacillus macerans Schardinger, dia: agar plus 1 per cent potato starch, po-
1905. (Rottebazillus 1, Schardinger, Wien. tato plugs or wheat mash as used for the
Klin. Wochnschr., 17, 1904, 207; Schar- production of crj'stalline dextrins).
dinger, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., U, 1905, Starch hydrolyzed. Crystalline dextrins
772.) produced from starch.
ma'ce.rans. L. part. adj. macerans to Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. Ace-
soften by steeping, to ret. tone and ethanol produced.
Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 2.5 to 5.0 microns, not pH of glucose broth cultures is 5.0 or
lower.
in chains. Motile. Gram-variable.
Citrates not utilized.
Spores, 1.0 to 1.5 by 1.2 to 2.5 microns,
ellipsoidal, subterminal to terminal. Spore Methylene blue reduced and then com-
wall thick and easily stained. pletely reoxidized.
Sporangia definitely swollen, clavate. Nitrites produced from nitrates. No gas
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction variable owing produced in nitrate broth under anaerobic
to the low temperature. conditions.
Biotin and thiamine are essential for
Gelatin agar streak plate: Fair to good
zone of hydrolysis.
growth.
Lecithinase reaction negative or faint.
Agar colonies: Thin, transparent to whit-
ish, spreading, irregular. Rough stage small Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Usually
and compact. there is growth with the production of gas
Agar slants: Growth thin, spreading or in glucose broth under anaerobic conditions
restricted, inconspicuous to whitish. (neutral broth is better than the alkaline
Glucose agar slants: Growth heavier than broth generally prepared for this test).
on agar, usually with the production of gas. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Glucose nitrate agar slants: Very scant, tween 28° and 40° C. Maximum, usually
if any, growth. between 45° and 50° C.
Source: Isolated from vats in which flax
Proteose-peptone acid agar slants: No was retting.
growth.
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, watei',
Soybean agar slants: Growth usually as decomposing starchy materials, retting
good as or better than on agar; sometimes flax, etc.
gas is produced.
Stock culture agar slants: Growth gen- 14. Bacillus alvei Cheshire and Cheyne,
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 627
1895. (Jour. Roy. Microscop. Soc, Ser. II, Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts
5, 1895, 592.) as source of nitrogen) from glucose; acid
al've.i. L. noun alveus a beehive; L. gen. usually produced from sucrose. Generally
noun alvei of a beehive. no acid from lactose or mannitol. No acid
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 2.0 to 5.0 microns, from arabinose or xylose.
frequentl}- occurring side bj^ side in long Starch is hydrolyzed.
rows. Motile. Gram-variable. Variation: Acetylmethj'lcarbinol is produced.
Non-motile and with capsular material pH of glucose broth is usually 4.8 to 5.6.
(Clark, Jour. Bact., 38, 1939, 491). Citrates not utilized.
Spores, 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.2 to 2.0 microns, Methylene blue reduced; reoxidation
ellipsoidal, central to terminal. Spore wall variable.
thick and easily stained. Free spores fre- Nitrites not produced from nitrates. No
quently^ in parallel arrangement like that gas produced in nitrate broth under ana-
of the rods. erobic conditions.
Sporangia distinctly bulged, spindle- Urease not produced.
shaped to clavate. Thiamine is essential for growth.
Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction. Lecithinase reaction negative or re-
Gelatin agar streak plate: Good zone of stricted.
hydrolysis. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Growth
Agar colonies: Thin, smooth, translucent, in glucose broth under anaerobic conditions,
quickly spreading as a thin layer over entire often with a few bubbles of gas.
plate. Variation: Round and rather gummy. Temperature relations: Optimum, about
Giant colonies: Motile, bullet-shaped, 30° C. Maximum, between 43° and 45° C.
micro-colonies moving in large arcs from Source: Isolated from the larvae of the
point of inoculation, usually covering the honey bee infected with European foul-
plate in 1 day (agar plates should stand a brood.
couple days in order to dry the surface some- Habitat: Widely distributed in soil and
what before using). bee-hives.
Agar slants: Growth thin, flat, spreading
over the surface. Migrating colonies on the 15. Bacillus stearotherniophilus Donk,
upper, drier part of the slant. Variation: 1920. (Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 373.)
Growth thick and gummy. ste.a.ro.ther.mo'phi.lus. Gr. noun stear
Glucose agar slants: Growth thinner or fat; Gr. noun thermus heat; Gr. adj. phibis
thicker than on agar. loving; M.L. adj. stearotherniophilus (pre-
Glucose nitrate agar slants: Scant, if
loving. sumably intended to mean) heat- and fat-
any, growth.
Proteose-peptone acid agar slants: No Rods, 0.6 to 1.0 by 2.0 to 5.0 microns,
growth. sometimes occurring in filaments. Motile.
Soybean agar slants: Growth, if any, Gram- variable.
scant, thin and spreading. Variation: Abun- Spores, 1.0 to 1.2 by 1.5 to 2.2 microns,
dant, dense, wrinkled. characteristically variable in size, ellip-
Broth: Turbidity uniform, light to mod- soidal, terminal to subterminal. Spore wall
erate. thick and easily stained.
NaCl broth: No growth in 5 per cent Sporangia definitely swollen and racket-
shaped.
NaCl.'
Milk: Usually coagulated; little or no Gelatin stab: No liquefaction (tempera-
acid; peptonized. ture too low).
Milk agar streak plate: Wide zone of hy- Gelatin agar streak plate: Usually there
drolysis of the casein. is a wide zone of hydrolysis.
Potato: Growth, if any, inconspicuous Agar colonies: Not distinctive, pinpoint
to moderate, spreading, yellowish. to small, round to irregular, translucent to
Indole is produced. opaque, rough to smooth.
628 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Agar slants: Growth variable, ranging Board of Health, Exp. Invest., pt. 2, 1890,
from thin, scant, rough and non -spreading 831; Ford, Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 519.)
to good, opaque, smooth and spreading. cir'cu.lans. L. part. adj. circulans circling,
Glucose agar slants: Growth usually less making round.
than on agar. Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 2.0 to 5.0 microns, some
Glucose asparagine agar slants: Growth slightly bent, with ends rounded or pointed,
variable. usually not in chains. Usually actively
Proteose-peptone acid agar slants: No motile. Gram-negative. Variations: 0.4 to
growth. 0.9 by 1.5 to 5.0 microns. Contain metachro-
Soybean agar slants: Growth, if any, less matic granules. Encapsulated.
than on agar. Spores, 0.8 to 1.4 by 1.1 to 2.4 microns,
Stock culture agar slants : Growth usually ellipsoidal, terminal to sub-terminal. Spore
less than on agar. wall thick and easily stained. Variations:
Broth: Turbidity usually uniform. Kidney-shaped or cylindrical. Lateral or
NaCl broth: Scant, if any, growth in 3 per central. Thin-walled.
cent NaCl. Sporangia definitely swollen and clavate.
Milk agar streak plate: Hydrolysis of Gelatin stab: Slow, cone-shaped lique-
casein variable. faction, liquefied portion evaporating (Jor-
Tomato yeast milk: Not coagulated in .3 dan); no liquefaction (Ford).
days at 45° to 50° C. (Gordon and Smith, Gelatin agar streak plate : Usually a zone
Jour. Bact., 58, 1949, 327). Coagulated at of hydrolj'sis is visible.
65° C. (Stark and Tetrault, Sci. Agr., 32, Agar colonies: Thin, spreading, trans-
1952, 81). lucent to transparent, sometimes barely
Potato: Scant, if any, growth. visible or small to medium in size, opaque,
Indole not produced. entire.
Acid but no gas (with peptone as source Giant colonies: Sometimes there are mo-
of nitrogen) from glucose. Acid production tile micro-colonies which move from the
variable from arabinose and xylose. With point of inoculation in a rotating pattern,
ammonium salts as a source of nitrogen, eventually covering the entire plate (poured
acid production is variable from glucose. agar plates should be allowed to stand 2 or
Starch is hydrolyzed. 3 days at room temperature in order to dry
Acetjdmethylcarbinol not produced. the surface somewhat before using).
pH of glucose broth cultures is 4.5 to 6.6. Agar slants: Growth scant, thin, spread-
Citrates usually not utilized. ing, often indistinct. Variations: Growth
Nitrites usually produced from nitrates. moderate, entire, dense, coherent.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates (Donk). Beef extract agar slants (without pep-
Usually no gas produced in nitrate broth tone) :Sporulation usually better than on
under anaerobic conditions.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Usually agar.
Glucose agar slants : Growth usually heav-
ier than on agar. Variations: Very gummy,
there is growth in glucose broth under ana-
erobic conditions. opaque. Less growth than on agar.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Proteose-peptone acid agar slants: Usu-
ally no growth.
tween 50° and 65° C. Growth variable at Soybean agar slants: Growth, if any, less
70° C. and 37° C. No growth at 28° C. than on agar.
Source: Isolated from spoiled canned
Broth: Turbidity light to fair. Sediment
corn and string beans. flocculent to slimy. No growth by a few
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil and strains.
spoiled food products. NaCl broth: No growth by some strains
in 2 per cent NaCl. Growth by other strains
16. Bacillus circulans Jordan, 1890, in 5 per cent. No grow^th in 7 per cent.
emend. Ford, 1916. (Jordan, Mass. State Milk: Usually acid; slowly coagulated.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
629
Milk agar streak plate: Usually scant, ture spore thicker on one side of the spore
if any, hydrolysis of the casein. than on the other.
Potato: Usually no visible growth. Vari- Sporangia definitely bulged and spindle-
ationsGrowth
: scant to abundant, yellowish shaped.
to brownish. GummJ^ Gelatin stab: Slow liquefaction. -
Indole not produced. Gelq,tin agar streak plate: Visible zone of
Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts hydrolysis.
as source of nitrogen) from glucose; acid Agar colonies: Thin, translucent, spread-
usually produced from arabinose, xylose ing, irregular. Variations: Small, round,
and sucrose. rough, opaque.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Crystalline dextrins Agar slants: Growth thin, flat, spreading,
produced from starch by some strains. translucent. Variations: Growth abundant
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. or restricted. Opaque.
pH of glucose broth cultures is usually Glucose agar slants: Growth heavier than
less than 5.5. on agar, dense and wrinkled.
Citrates usually not utilized. Soybean agar slants: Growth variable.
Methylene blue usuall}^ reduced; reox- \7 Broth: Turbidity uniform to granular.
idized in few days. NaCl broth: Usually there is growth in
Nitrites may or may not be produced 2 per cent NaCl; no growth in 5 per cent.
from nitrates. Usually no gas produced in ' Milk: Usually curdled, peptonized.
nitrate broth under anaerobic conditions. Milk agar streak plate: Usually there is
Urease usually not produced. a wide zone of hydrolysis of the casein.
Thiamine and biotin are essential for Potato: Growth scant to abundant,
growth. spreading, gray, pink or brown.
Lecithinase not produced. Indole usually produced.
Aerobic, usually facultatively anaerobic. n/ Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts
Usually there is growth in glucose broth as source of nitrogen) from glucose and
under anaerobic conditions, pH 4.8 to 6.0. mannitol; acid usually produced from su-
Temperature relations: Optimum, about qrose. No acid from arabinose or xylose.
30° C. Maximum, usually between 40° and J Starch not hydrolyzed.
45° C; with some strains, between 50° and Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
55° C. pH of glucose broth cultures is 6.0 to 7.4.
Source: Isolated from tap water. Citrates not utilized.
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, water J Nitrites produced from nitrates. Usually
and dust; also found as a laboratory con- a few bubbles are produced in nitrate broth
taminant. under anaerobic conditions.
Urease not produced,
17. Bacillus laterosporus Laubach, s/ Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Growth
1916. (Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 511.) in glucose broth under anaerobic condi-
tions, pH 4.8 to 5.8.
la.te.ros'po.rus. L. noun latus, lateris
the side or flank; Gr. noun sjpora seed;M.L. ^ Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
noun spora a spore; M.L. adj. laterosporus tween 28° and 37° C. No growth at 45° C.
Source: Isolated from water.
with lateral spore.
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, water
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 2.0 to 5.0 microns, and dust.
sometimes slightly smaller or larger in
width, with ends poorly rounded or pointed. 18. Bacillus pulvifaciens Katznelson,
Motile. Gram- variable. 1950. (Jour. Bact., 59, 1950, 153.)
Spores, 1.0 to 1.3 by 1.2 to 1.5 microns, pul.vi.fa'ci.ens. L. noun pulvus dust;
ellipsoidal, central, formed at one side of L. V. facio to make; M.L. part. adj. pulvi-
the rod. Spore wall thick and easily stained. faciens dust-producing.
Remnants of sporangium adhering to ma- Rods, 0.3 to 0.6 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns,
630 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
with rounded ends, not in chains. Motile. Temperature relations: Optimum, about
Gram-positive. 37° C. Maximum, 45° C. No growth at 50° C.
Spores, 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.3 to 1.5 microns, Poor growth and less pigmentation at 28° C.
ellipsoidal, central to terminal; spore wall Pathogenicity: Possible cause of death
thick and easily stained (sporulation vari- of honej^ bee larvae.
able on most media; best on potato). Source : Isolated from dry, powdery, light-
Sporangia definitely swollen; spindle- brown scales of dead larvae of the honey bee.
shaped to clavate. Habitat: Probably same as the source.
Gelatin agar streak plate: Visible zone
of hydrolysis. 19. Bacillus brevis Migula, 1900, emend.
Glucose agar colonies: Small, round, Ford, 1916. (Bacillus No. I, Fliigge, Ztschr.
smooth, dense, orange to colorless. f. Hyg., 17, 1894, 294; Bacilhis lacHs No. I,
Agar slants: Growth scant to fair, fiat, Kruse, in Fliigge, Die Mikroorganismen,
smooth, translucent to opaque, pink to 3 Aufl., 2, 1896, 208; Migula, Syst. d. Bakt.,
orange or brownish, rapidly dissociating to 2, 1900, 583; not Bacillus brevis Lustig, Diag-
the colorless stage. nostica dei batteri delle acque, Torino, 1890,
Glucose agar slants: Growth heavier than 52; Ford, Jour. Bact., 1, 1916, 522.)
on agar. Many needle-, boat- and bayonet- bre'vis. L. adj. brevis short.
shaped microcrystals are present in the Rods, 0.6 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 4.0 microns, with
growth after 6 days. ends poorly rounded or pointed, not in
Soybean agar slants: Growth scant to chains. Protoplasm finely granular. Motile.
fair, pink to orange, rapidly dissociating Gram- variable, usually Gram-negative.
to the colorless stage. Many microcrystals. Variations: Slightly smaller or larger in
Tyrosine agar slants: Same as on agar. diameter. Rarely encapsulated.
Broth: Poor to fair uniform turbidity. Spores, 1.0 to 1.3 by 1.3 to 2.0 microns,
NaCl broth: Growth in 5 per cent NaCl. ellipsoidal, central to sub-terminal. Spore
No growth in 8 per cent. wall usually thick and easily stained. Var-
Milk agar streak plate: Wide zone of hy- iation: Spores lateral in few cases, like those
drolysis ofthe casein. of Bacillus later os-porus.
Potato: Growth moderate, spreading, Sporulation in some strains poor on media
thin, orange (sporulation and pigment for- made with highly refined agar; much better
mation may be maintained by transferring when crude agar is used or when soil extract
every 2 months on potato plugs; incubation is added to the refined agar (Smith and
temperature, 37° C; storage at 28° C.). Gordon, unpublished data).
Indole not produced. Sporangia definitely bulged; spindle-
Acid but no gas (with agar as the base shaped to clavate.
medium) from glucose, glycerol and man- Gelatin stab: Slow, crateriform liquefac-
nitol. No acid (no growth) with ammonium tion.
salts as source of nitrogen. Gelatin agar streak plate: Wide zone of
Starch not hydrolyzed. hydrolysis.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. Agar colonies: Thin, smooth, translucent,
pH of glucose broth cultures is 5.0 to 5.8. quickly spreading over entire plate. Varia-
Citrates not utilized. tions: Small, round, opaque, non-spreading.
Methylene blue usually reduced and re- Agar slants : Growth thin, smooth, spread-
oxidized. ing or non-spreading, translucent, becoming
Nitrites produced from nitrates. No gas opaque and creamy with age.
produced in nitrate broth under anaerobic Glucose agar slants: Growth usually more
conditions. abundant than on agar, wrinkled, spreading.
Urease not produced. Soybean agar slants: Growth usually
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Growth abundant, dense, spreading.
in glucose broth under anaerobic conditions, Broth: Turbidity usually heavy, uniform,
pH 5.2 to 5.6. with or without fragile pellicle.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
631
NaCl broth: Usually no growth in 2 per White, ibid., Rept. for 1904, 1905, 106; White,
cent NaCl. Thesis, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N. Y., 1905;
Milk agar streak plate : Wide zone of hy- White, U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Entomol.,
drolysis of the casein. Tech. Ser. Bull. 14, 1906, 32; White, U. S.
Potato: Growth scant to moderate, flat, Dept. Agr. Bull. 809, 1920, 13.)
spreading, creamy, pink or brownish. Fre- lar'vae. L. noun larva a ghost, mask; M.L.
quently resembles growth of Bacillus pumi- noun larva a larva; M.L. gen. noun larvae
lus. of a larva.
Indole not produced. Description taken from Lochhead (Sci.
Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts as Agr., 5, 1928,84).
source of nitrogen) from glucose and su- Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 2.5 to 5.0 microns, oc-
crose; acid usually produced from man- curring singly and in chains. Motile. Gram-
nitol. No acid from arabinose, xylose or lac- variable.
tose. (A few strains are not able to use Spores ellipsoidal, central to subterminal.
ammonia. Organic nitrogen cannot be sub- Sporangia swollen and spindle-shaped.
stituted because of the strong proteolytic Gelatin stab: No growth.
activity of the organism.) Carrot gelatin: Slow liquefaction.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Yeast carrot agar colonies: Small, whit-
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. ish, somewhat transparent, smooth, slightly
pH of glucose broth cultures is 8.0 to 8.6. glistening.
Citrate utilization variable. Agar slants: No growth. With addition of
Methylene blue reduced and not reox- carrot extract, there is noticeable growth
idized in 21 days. along the line of inoculation. More abundant
Nitrites may or may not be produced growth with the further addition of yeast
from nitrates. A few strains produce gas extract.
in nitrate broth under anaerobic conditions. Yeast carrot broth: Fungoid in appear-
Urease not produced. ance, floating masses breaking up on shaking
Growth factors not essential. to produce uniform clouding.
Lecithinase not produced. Carrot milk: Acid wdth curdling. No pep-
Aerobic, rarely facultatively anaerobic. tonization.
No growth in glucose broth under anaerobic Potato: No growth.
conditions. Indole not produced (Stoilova, Zent. f.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Bakt., II Abt., 99, 1938, 124).
tween 28° and 40° C. Maximum, usually Acid but no gas (in yeast extract peptone
between 45° and 55° C. broth) from xylose, glucose, fructose, galac-
The antibiotics gramicidin and tyrocidin tose and salicin; slight acid produced by
are obtained from certain strains (Dubos
and Hotchkiss, Jour. Exp. Med., 7S, 1941, some strains
acid from from lactose
mannitol and sucrose. N^o
or dulcitol.
629; also see Hotchkiss and Dubos, Jour.
Starch not hydrolyzed (carrot starch
Biol. Chem., I4I, 1941, 155), while grami-
cidin Sis obtained from other strains (Gause agar) .
and Brazknikova, Lancet, 247, 1944, 715). Nitrites produced from nitrates (Loch-
Source: Isolated from milk (Fliigge) ; milk, head, Can. Jour. Research, C, 15, 1937, 79).
soil and dust (Ford). Purine bases are necessary for growth
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, air, (Katznelson and Lochhead, Jour. Bact.,
dust, milk and cheese; also common as a 55, 1948, 763).
laboratory contaminant. Thiamine replaces the growth factor in
vegetable or yeast extract, etc. (Lochhead,
20. Bacillus larvae White, 1905. (Bac- Jour. Bact., 44, 1942, 185).
terium X, Moore and White, N. Y. State Growth, as well as spore-formation, in
Dept. Agr., 11th Ann. Rept. Comm. Agr. for complex organic media enhanced by treat-
1903, 1904, 111; Bacillus X, Moore and ment with activated charcoal or soluble
632 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
starch (Foster et al., Jour. Bact., 59, 1950, Bact., 54, 1947, 267; also see Steinkraus and
463). Tashiro, op. cit., 1955, 873).
Temperature relations: Optimum, about Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
37° C. Ma.ximum, about 45° C. Temperature relations: Optimum, about
Pathogenicity: Cause of American foul- 25° C. Maximum, about 30° C.
brood of honey bees. Pathogenicity: Cause of type B milky
Source: Isolated from scales of dead lar- disease of Japanese beetle {Popillia japon-
vae. ica Newm.).
Habitat: Diseased broods. Source: Isolated from infected beetles.
Habitat: Diseased larvae in soil.
21. Bacillus popilliae Dutky, 1940.
(Jour. Agr. Research, 61, 1940, 59.) 23. Bacillus pantothenticus Proom and
po.pil'li.ae. M.L. noun Popillia generic Knight, 1950. (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 4,
name of the Japanese beetle; M.L. gen. noun 1950, 539.)
popilliae of Popillia. pan.to.then'ti.cus. M.L. adj. acidumpan-
Description taken from Dutky (loc. cit.). tothenicum pantothenic acid; M.L. adj.
Rods, unstained, 0.9 by 5.2 microns. pantothenticus (probably intended to mean)
Stained by crystal violet after fixing in related to pantothenic acid.
Schaudinn's solution, 0.3 by 3.5 microns. Rods, 0.4 to 0.7 by 1.2 to 3.5 microns, not
Non-motile. Gram-positive. in chains. Stain evenly. Motile. Gram-posi-
Spores, 0.9 by 1.8 microns, cylindrical, tive.
central. No free spores observed. Spores Spores, 0.8 to 1.0 by 0.8 to 1.3 microns,
formed on artificial media (Steinkraus and round to ellipsoidal, terminal. Spore wall
Tashiro, Science, 121, 1955, 873). thin and not easily stained. (Round spores
Sporangia swollen and spindle-shaped are smaller than the ellipsoidal.)
(contain a refractile body, about half the Sporangia definitely swollen; drumstick-
size of the spore, at the broader pole of the to racket-shaped.
cell; this body reacts similarly to spores Gelatin agar streak plate: Wide zone of
with respect to stains). hydrolysis.
Unheated egg yolk beef infusion agar Agar colonies: Small, round, translucent
slants: Small, discrete colonies. to dense, granular to moire, smooth to
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. rough. Embedded colonies lenticular or
Temperature relations: Optimum, about irregular and hairy.
30° C. Maximum, about 36° C. Agar slants: Growth moderate, thick,
Pathogenicity: Cause of type A milky not spreading, whitish.
disease of Japanese beetle (Popillia japon- Glucose agar slants: Growth scant, less
ica Newm.). than on agar.
Source: Isolated from infected larvae. Proteose-peptone acid agar slants: No
Habitat: Diseased larvae in soil.
growth.
Soybean agar slants: No growth.
22. Bacillus lentimorbus Dutky, 1940. Broth: Light to moderate uniform tur-
bidity.
(Jour. Agr. Research, 61, 1940, 65.)
NaCl broth: Growth in 10 per cent NaCl;
len.ti.mor'bus. L. adj. lentus slow; L.
noun morbus disease; M.L. noun lentimorbus marked stimulation by a 5 per cent concen-
the slow disease. tration.
Description taken from Dutky (loc. cit.). Milk agar streak plate: Wide zone of hy-
Rods, unstained, 1.0 by 5.0 microns. drolysis ofthe casein.
Stained by crystal violet after fixing in Potato: No growth.
Schaudinn's solution, 0.5 by 4.0 microns. Indole not produced.
Spores formed on artificial media (Stein- Acid but no gas (with ammonium salts as
kraus and Tashiro, Science, 121, 1955, 873). source of nitrogen) from glucose and su-
Grows on artificial media (Dutky, Jour. crose. Acid production variable from arabi-
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
633
nose. No acid from xylose or mannitol. With cro-colonies ofvarious shapes move in large
organic basal medium (Proom and Knight), arcs from the point of inoculation and cover
acid from arabinose and xylose. the plate in 1 day (the surface of poured
Starch hydrolyzed. Crystalline dextrins agar plates should be dried by holding at
not produced from starch. room temperature for 2 or 3 days before use) .
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced. Agar slants: Growth thin, smooth, trans-
pH of glucose broth cultures is 5.8 to 6.0. lucent, spreading. Variations: Rough, re-
Citrate utilization variable. stricted, opaque, wrinkled.
Methylene blue reduction variable. Agar slants at pH 6.0: Growth same as at
Nitrites may or may not be produced from
nitrates. Usually no gas produced in nitrate pHGlucose
7.0. agar slants : Same as on agar.
broth under anaerobic conditions. Glucose nitrate agar slants: Scant, if any,
Urease not produced.
Pantothenic acid, biotin and thiamine growth.
Soybean agar slants: Growth heavier and
are essential for growth. sporulation much better than on agar.
Lecithinase reaction positive though re- Broth: Turbidity heavy, uniform to gran-
stricted. ular. Sometimes a fragile pellicle is formed.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Scant NaCl broth: Usually there is growth in
growth in glucose broth under anaerobic 4 per cent NaCl. No growth in higher con-
conditions, pH 5.4 to 6.4. centrations.
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- Milk: No change.
tween 33° and 40° C. Maximum, between Milk agar streak plate: Hydrolysis of the
45° and 50° C. Slow growth at 28° C. casein is variable.
Source: Isolated from soils of Southern Potato: Growth thin, soft, spreading,
England. gray, usually becoming brownish with age.
Habitat: Probably widely distributed in ^Indole not produced.
soil. — No acid from carbohydrates.
^Starch not hydrolyzed.
24. Bacillus sphaericus Neide, 1904. Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
(Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 12, 1904, 350.) pH of glucose broth cultures is 7.8 to 8.2.
sphae'ri.cus. Gr. adj. sphaericus spherical. Citrates usually not utilized.
Rods, 0.6 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 7.0 microns, with Methylene blue reduced; not reoxidized
ends rounded or pointed, occurring singly in 21 days.
or in short chains. Motile. Gram-variable, Nitrites not produced from nitrates. No
often Gram-negative with Gram-positive gas produced in nitrate broth under ana-
granules. erobic conditions.
Spores, 0.7 to 1.2 microns in diameter, Urease production variable.
round, terminal to subterminal. Spore wall Usually thiamine and sometimes also
usually thick and easily stained. Remnants biotin are essential for growth.
of the sporangium often adhere making the Lecithinase not produced.
surface rough and spiny. Immature spores Aerobic. No growth in glucose broth under
sometimes ellipsoidal, becoming round. anaerobic conditions.
Sporulation variable, best on soybean agar. A Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Sporangia, definitely swollen; usually tween 28° and 35° C. Maximum, between
drumstick-shaped. 40° and 45° C.
Gelatin stab: Growth scant; no liquefac- Not pathogenic for guinea pigs.
tion. Source: Isolated from mud from a pond;
Gelatin agar streak plate: Usually there also from rotting cypress and oak wood and
is a visible zone of hydrolysis. soil.
Agar colonies: Thin, smooth, translucent, Habitat: Widely distributed in nature.
rapidly spreading over entire plate. Varia-
tions: Small, round or irregular. 25. Bacillus pasteurii (Miquel, 1889)
Giant agar colonies: Usually motile mi- Migula, 1900. {Urobacilhis ■pasteurii Miquel,
634 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Ann. de Micrographie, 1, 1889, 552; Migula, Urea soybean agar slants: Good growth,
heavier than on agar.
Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 726.)
Urea broth: Turbidity uniform, moderate
pas.teur'i.i. M.L. gen.noun pasteurii of to heavy.
Pasteur; named for Louis Pasteur, a French
NaCl urea broth: Growth in 10 per cent
chemist and bacteriologist.
NaCl.
Description taken from Lohnis and Urea milk agar streak plate: Hydrolysis
Kuntze (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 20, 1908, of the casein is variable.
684), Gibson (Jour. Bact., 28, 1934, 295 and No acid from carbohydrates with agar
313; also see ibid., 29, 1935, 491) and Smith, plus urea as base medium.
Gordon and Clark (op. cit., 1952). Starch not hydrolyzed.
Rods, 0.6 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 3.5 microns (1.0 Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced (urea
to 1.5 by 4.0 to 5.0 microns, Lohnis and added) .
Kuntze), with rounded ends, usually not Nitrites produced from nitrates in urea
in chains. Motile. Gram-variable. nitrate broth. Gas production variable
Spores, 1.0 to 1.2 microns in diameter, under anaerobic conditions.
round, terminal to subterminal. Urease produced.
Sporangia usually bulged and clavate. Thiamine plus biotin or nicotinic acid are
essential for growth. Alkaline reaction and
Urea gelatin stab : Slow, crateriform lique- usually ammonia or urea are also essential.
faction.
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. Growth
Urea gelatin streak plate: Visible zone of
in urea glucose broth under anaerobic con-
hydrolysis. ditions.
Urea agar colonies: Small, round, not Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
distinctive.
tween 28° and 35° C. Maximum, between
Urea agar slants: Growth thin, restricted, 37° and 40° C.
translucent. Source: Isolated from decomposing urine.
Urea agar slants with pH 6.0 or less : No Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, ma-
growth. nure and sewage.
* Those unfamiliar with anaerobic techniques should consult L. Ds. Smith, Introduction
to the Pathogenic Anaerobes, University of Chicago Press, 1955, 253 pp.
636 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
9. Clostridium tyrobutyricum.
kk. Calcium lactate not fermented.
10. Clostridium pasteurianum.
hh. Action on coagulated albumin not recorded,
i. Milk coagulated without gas production,
j. Digestion of milk not recorded. Milk acid-
coagulated.
11. Clostridium toanum.
jj. Digestion of milk slight, if at all. Milk
slowly acid-coagulated.
12. Clostridium amijlosaccharobutylpropylicum.
ii. Milk coagulated with gas production; no di-
gestion.
j. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
13. Clostridium madisonii.
jj. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
14. Clostridium muelleri.
gg. Glucose not fermented,
h. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
15. Clostridium amylolyticuvi.
hh. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
16. Clostridium nigrificans.
ii. Gelatin and/or glucose-gelatin liquefied,
g. Glucose fermented.
h. Coagulated albumin may or may not be liquefied.
i. Coagulated albumin not liquefied,
j. Milk not digested.
k. Milk slowly coagulated. Clot not di-
gested.
I. Glycerol and mannitol not fer-
mented.
m. Lactose fermented. Patho-
m. Exotoxin is produced.
n. Produces hemolytic leci-
thinase (gamma).
21. Clostridium novyi (Type A).
nn. Produces hemolytic leci-
thinase (beta).
21a. Clostridium novyi (Type B).
mm. Non-toxic.
21b. Clostridium novyi (Type C).
11. Lactose, sucrose and salicin not
fermented. Exotoxin (atoxic strains
possible) produced which is toxic
on injection and feeding. Colonies
on egg yolk agar produce precipi-
tation zone in regular circle and
narrow luster zone following con-
tour of colony,
m. Adonitol fermented (TypeB).
22. Clostridium botulinum.
mm. Adonitol not fermented.
22a. Clostridium botulinum (Type C).
22b. Clostridium botulinum (Type D).
22c. Clostridium botulinum (Type E).
jj. Milk digested.
23. Clostridium limosum.
ii. Coagulated albumin slowly to rapidly lique-
fied.
j. Stormy fermentation or at least active
coagulation of milk; slow digestion,
k. Pectin not fermented. Inulin and man-
nitol fermented.
24. Clostridium acetobutylicum.
kk. Pectin fermented. Inulin and mannitol
not fermented.
25. Clostridium laniganii.
jj. Milk slowly and softly coagulated, not
stormily. Clot slowly to rapidly digested,
k. Glycerol may or may not be fer-
mented.
1. Glycerol and mannitol not fer-
mented. Action on starch not re-
corded,
m. Lactose fermented.
26. Clostridium aerofoetidum.
mm. Lactose not fermented.
27. Clostridium sporogenes.
11. Glycerol fermented. Mannitol not
fermented. Exotoxin produced
which is toxic on injection and on
feeding.
d. Milk acidified.
e. Milk slowly and softlj- coagulated, not stormily. Clot not
digested.
43. Closlridium sphcnoides.
ee. Milk not coagulated.
44. Clostridium innominalmn.
dd. Milk neither acidified nor coagulated.
45. Clostridium microsporum.
cc. Rods not swollen at sporulation. Non-motile. Gelatin and/or glu-
cose-gelatin not liquefied. Glucose fermented. Coagulated albumin
not liquefied. Milk acidified but not coagulated.
46. Clostridium filiforme.
aa. Terminal spores.
b. Distinctly ovoid to ellipsoid spores. Rods distinctly swollen at sporula-
tion.
c. Motile.
d. Gelatin and/or glucose-gelatin not liquefied.
e. Glucose fermented. Coagulated albumin not liquefied.
f. Milk slowly coagulated. Clot not digested. Glycerol not
fermented,
g. Mannitol fermented.
47. Clostridium sartagoformum..
gg. Mannitol not fermented.
48. Clostridium paraputrificum.
ff. Milk unchanged.
49. Clostridium indologenes.
ee. Glucose not fermented.
f. Coagulated albumin not liquefied. Milk unchanged.
50. Clostridium cochleariuvi .
ff. Action on coagulated albumin not recorded. No growth
on milk or on iron-milk (Spray). Carbohydrates not fer-
mented,
g. Ethyl alcohol fermented chiefly to caproic acid.
51. Clostridium kluyveri.
gg. Ethyl alcohol not fermented to caproic acid. Requires
uric acid or other purines as primary source of car-
bon and energy
52. Clostridium acidiurici.
dd. Gelatin and/or glucose-gelatin liquefied. Glucose fermented,
e. Coagulated albumin liquefied.
f . Milk often, but not always, coagulated. Clot, if produced,
not digested.
53. Clostridium capiiovale.
ff. Milk partially coagulated, later partially digested.
54. Clostridium cadaveris.
ee. Coagulated albumin not liquefied.
55. Clostridium saprogenes.
cc. Non-motile.
56. Clostridiwn perenne.
bb. Spores spherical, or nearly so.
c. Rods distinctly swollen at sporulation.
d. Motile.
e. Action on gelatin definitely established.
640 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
II. Anaerobic, aerotolerant (grow customarily as anaerobes but are able to produce scant,
sometimes atj^pical, growth on aerobic agar slants). Cellulose not typically fermented.
Distinctive pigments not characteristically produced.
A. Central or eccentric to subterminal, ovoid spores. Rods distinctly swollen at sporu-
lation. Motile.
1. Gelatin and/or glucose gelatin not liquefied.
89. Clostridium carnis.
2. Gelatin and/or glucose-gelatin liquefied.
a. Carbohydrates not fermented.
90. Clostridium histolyticutn.
aa. Carbohydrates fermented.
91. Clostridiurn lacunarurri.
B. Terminal, distinctly ovoid to ellipsoid spores. Rods distinctly swollen at sporulation.
Motile.
1. Gelatin and/or glucose-gelatin not liquefied.
92. Clostridium tertium.
2. Gelatin liquefied.
93. Clostridium peciinovorum.
Glucose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, glyc- are not fermented. Fermentation variable
erol, raffinose and salicin fermented. No for inulin and mannitol.
action on dulcitol or mannitol. Action on Fermentation of glucose yields, in addi-
inulin variable. tion to acetic and butyric acids, butyl and
Starch agar: Strong diastatic action. ethyl alcohols and acetone but not iso-
Coagulated albumin: No digestion.
propyl alcohol.
Blood agar surface colonies; Similar to Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
those on glucose agar; definite hemolytic Coagulated albumin : Action not recorded;
zone (Stoddard, Lancet, 1, 1919, 12). assumed negative.
Chopped meat medium: Extensive gas Brain media: No blackening.
production without change in color or with- Anaerobic.
out digestion.
Anaerobic. Optimum temperature,
Source : Isolated from the37°feces
C. of man and
from fertile soil.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Apparently not pathogenic for rabbits Habitat : Found in the intestinal tract of
except in combination with Clostridium man .
sporogenes.
Source: Isolated from a human muscle 6. Clostridium gummosum Spray, 1947.
infected with gas gangrene (Stoddard, Lan- (Jour. Bact., 54, 1947, 15; also see ibid., 55,
cet, 1,1919, 12), from fermented olives (Gil- 1948, 841.)
illand and Vaughn, Jour. Bact., ^6, 1943, gum. mo 'sum. L. adj. gummosus full of
315) and from spoiled chocolate candy (Hill, gum, gummy.
op. cit., 1925, 413). Rods, 0.8 to 1.0 by 4.0 to 8.0 microns, oc-
Habitat: Unknown. curring singly and in pairs but not in chains.
Sporulation active at 24 to 48 hours; spores
5. Clostridium iodophilum Svartz, are eccentric to chiefly subterminal, large,
1935. {Clostridium butyricum iodophilum ovoid to elongate, markedly swelling the
Svartz, Jour. Inf. Dis., 47, 1930, 149; Svartz, cells. Moderately motile, increasing in ac-
Acta Med. Scand., Supp., 78, 1935, 434; also tivity up to 48 hours. Gram reaction not
see Sjolander and McCoy, Zent. f. Bakt., recorded; implied positive.
II Abt., 97, 1937, 314.) Gelatin (or iron-gelatin) : No liquefaction
i.o.do'phi.lum. Or. noun ium the violet; or blackening at 19 days.
M.L. noun iodinum iodine; Gr. adj. philus Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Large,
loving; M.L. adj. iodophihim iodine-loving. round, convex, entire, very glistening, mu-
Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 3.0 to 6.0 microns, with coid.
rounded ends. Ovoid spores, eccentric to Agar deep colonies: Large lenticular to
subterminal, swell the cells. Clostridia buckwheat. White to creamy; very viscid
measure 1.5 by 4.0 microns. Motile. Granu- to rubbery mucoid; entire colony dissected
lose-positive. Gram-positive. from the medium or dragged unbroken by
Gelatin: No liquefaction. needle through 2 per cent agar (subsurface
Glucose calcium carbonate agar colonies: colonies).
Lens- or star-shaped, white, small, gummy. Milk (with iron-strip) : Slow fermentation,
Glucose blood agar surface colonies: with a stream of fine gas bubbles; coagula-
Round or slightly angular, brown to grayish tion at 18 to 20 hours, with the coagulum
white, shiny. No hemolj^sis. torn and forced to the surface. No digestion
Agar slants: Sparse growth. or blackening even upon prolonged incuba-
Milk: Rapid curdling; stormy fermenta- tion.
tion. Indole not produced.
Fructose, galactose, salicin, sucrose, lac- Hydrogen sulfide not produced in lead
tose, arabinose, glucose, glycerol, esculin, acetate agar or peptone iron agar.
maize starch and pectin are fermented. Dul- Acid and gas from glucose, maltose, galac-
citol, cellulose, amygdalin and Ca-lactate tose and mannitol. Lactose more slowly
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
645
fermented. Sucrose, salicin, dulcitol and Indole not produced (Duffett, Jour. Bact.,
inositol not attacked. 29, 1935, 576).
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Acid and gas from glucose, galactose,
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, inulin,
Blood agar: No hemolysis. salicin and starch. Glycerol and mannitol
Blood serum: No liquefaction. not fermented. Records wM-y in regard to
Brain medium (Hibler) : No blackening or action on lactose, inulin and salicin.
digestion even in the presence of an iron Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction.
strip. Blood serum: No liquefaction.
Anaerobic. Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
Optimum temperature not determined. tion.
Grows well both at 37° C. and at room tem- Meat medium: Reddened; no blackening
perature. or digestion.
Not pathogenic for white mice, guinea Anaerobic.
pigs or rabbits. Optimum temperature, not recorded.
Distinctive character: Submerged colo- Grows well at 37° C.
nies extremely gummatous. A weak exotoxin is produced.
Source: Isolated once from gaseous gan- Pathogenicity for guinea pig variable
grene and twice from normal human feces and commonly lost in cultivation.
(adult and infant). Source: Isolated from war wounds, appen-
Habitat: Decomposing organic matter, dicitis and once from black-leg of sheep.
so far as known. Habitat: Presumably widely distributed.
Brain medium with iron: Moderately gradsky, 1895. (Winogradsky, Arch. Sci.
blackened. Digestion not recorded. Biol. (Russ.), 3, 1895, 330; Clostridium pas-
Anaerobic. torianum (sic) Winogradsky, Cent. f. Bakt.,
Grows well at 37° C. II Abt., 9, 1902, 43; also see McCoy, Fred,
Toxicity: Glucose broth culture filtrates Peterson and Hastings, Jour. Inf. Dis., 46,
kill guinea pigs and rabbits in 24 to 36 hours. 1930, 118.)
Pathogenic for guinea pigs and rabbits. pas.teu.ri.a'num. M.L. adj. pasteurianus
Subcutaneous inoculation induces marked pertaining to Pasteur; named for Louis
edema. Death may occur in from 1 to 9 days. Pasteur, French chemist and bacteriologist.
Source: Isolated from the feces of new- Large rods, 0.9 to 1.7 by 3.5 to 4.7 microns,
born infants. sometimes occurring in chains. Spores large,
Habitat: Presumably widely distributed. 1.5 by 2.0 microns, each retained in a char-
acteristic "capsule" (a portion of the clos-
9. Clostridium tyrobiityricuni van tridial cell). Motile by means of peritrichous
Beynum and Pette, 1935. (Zent. f. Bakt., II flagella. Granulose-positive. Gram-positive.
Abt., 93, 1935, 208; also see Bryant and Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Burkey, Jour. Bact., 71, 1955, 43). Beef -peptone -glucose agar surface colo-
ty.ro.bu.ty'ri.cum. Gr. noun tyrus nies: Round, slightly raised, moist, creamy
cheese; M.L. noun acidum hutyricum butyric yellow; granular structure; dense centers;
acid; M.L. adj. tyrobutyricus (probably in- entire edges.
tended to mean) the butyric acid-producing Beef-peptone-glucose agar deep colonies:
organism from cheese. Small, woolly, biconvex, dense.
Large rods, 0.8 to 1.2 by 2.0 to 15.0 mi- Milk: Little change.
crons. Subterminal, ovoid spores swelling Indole not produced.
the cells. Motile. Gram-positive. Hydrogen sulfide not produced in brain
Gelatin: No liquefaction. mash, with or without iron.
Tomato juice agar surface colonies: En- Glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, arabi-
tire, opaque, slightly convex, cream-colored. nose, xylose (possibly variable), galactose,
Tomato juice agar deep colonies: Lenticu- mannose, trehalose, raffinose, soluble starch,
lar. melezitose, inulin (possibly variable), al-
Milk; No change. pha-methyl-glucoside, glycerol, inositol,
Indole not produced. mannitol and sorbitol are fermented. Rham-
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. nose, lactose, maize starch, dextrin, glycogen,
Glucose, calcium lactate, fructose and amygdalin, salicin, esculin, erythritol, dul-
arabinose are fermented. Sucrose, maltose, citol, quercitol, pectin, cellulose and cal-
starch, inulin, raffinose, salicin, dextrin, cium lactate are not fermented.
mannose, dulcitol, sorbitol and rhamnose More tolerant of high concentrations of
are not fermented. Galactose, xylose, lactose, glucose and sucrose than are other butyric-
mannitol and glycerol are variably fer- acid-producing species (Spiegelberg, Food
mented. Research, 5, 1940, 115).
Nitrites may or may not he produced Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
from nitrates.
Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed.
Coagulated albumin : Action not recorded;
assumed negative. Coagulated egg albumin: No digestion.
Anaerobic. Blood agar: No hemolysis.
Distinctive character: Fermentation of Coagulated blood serum: No change in
lactate. color or texture.
Source: Isolated from silage and from Anaerobic.
cheese. Optimum temperature, 25° C.
Habitat: Decomposing organic matter, Distinctive characters: Prolonged reten-
so far as known. tion of the spore within a peculiar, brush-
like spore-capsule; starch and lactose not
10. Clostridium pasteurianum Wino- fermented. More active in the assimilation
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 647
of free atmospheric nitrogen than are other Nitrites produced from nitrates.
butyric-acid-producing species. Serum: Poor growth; liquefaction very
Source: Isolated from soil and from acid- weak.
canned fruit. Catalase-negative.
Habitat: Soil. Anaerobic.
Temperature relations: Optimum, 33° C.
11. Clostridium toaniim Baba, 1943. Optimum fermentation, between 35° C. and
(Jour. Agr. Chem. Soc. Japan, 19, 1943, 37° C.
207.) Chemical tolerance: Fermentation occurs
to.a'num. Etymology Japanese, meaning between pH 5.8 and 6.5. Growth occurs be-
unknown. tween pH 6.0 and 7.0, 6.2 affording the best
Large rods, 1.04 by 5.47 microns, occurring
growth.
Source: Not indicated.
singly or in short chains, becoming spindle-
shaped in 48 hours; average size then is Habitat: Unknown.
1.91 by 7.35 microns. Spores ovoid, 1.4 to
2.1 microns, central to subterminal. Encap- 12. Clostridium amylosaccharobutyl-
sulated. Actively motile in young cultures. propylicum Beesch and Legg, 1947. (Clos-
Granulose-positive. Gram-positive, becom- tridium amylo-saccharo-bidylpropylicum (sic)
ing Gram-negative. Beesch and Legg, U. S. Letters Pat.,
Gelatin: No liquefaction. 2,420,998, May 27, 1947.)
Glucose meat infusion agar slant (anaer- a . my . lo . sac . char . o . bu . t y 1 . pro . pyl ' i . -
obic, 35° C., 3 days): Fairly good growth. cum. L. noun amylum starch; Gr. noun sac-
Moist, glistening, irregular, milky white charum sugar; M.L. adj. hutylicus pertaining
colonies. Gas splits agar. to the butyl radical; M.L. adj. propijlicus
Glucose meat infusion agar stab: Growth pertaining to the propyl radical; M.L. adj.
good; sticky; gas is produced. amylosaccharobutylpropylicum (probably in-
Tryptone agar slant: Poor growth. tended to mean) the organism which fer-
Meat infusion: Poor growth. ments starch and sugar with the production
Glucose meat infusion: Good growth; vis- of butyl and propyl alcohols.
cous precipitate; butanol odor. Short and long rods, 0.6 to 2.8 by 2.5 to
Milk: Coagulated. 12.0 microns, with rounded ends, occurring
Potato slant (anaerobic, 35° C., 3 days): singly or in chains. Sporangia are spindle-
Colonies island-like, moist, dull glistening, shaped and clavate. Spores cylindrical to
milky white, bubbling. After 7 days, growth ovoid, measuring 0.5 to 2.0 by 0.8 to 2.8 mi-
heavier with strong butanol odor. crons, subterminal to terminal. Motile by
Potato or maize mash: Good growth; means of peritrichous flagella. Granulose-
"head" formation; clear fermentation liq- positive. Gram-positive, but variable after
uid. 24 hours.
Indole not produced. Gelatin stab: Growth best below surface
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. to bottom line of puncture. No liquefaction.
Glucose, 1-arabinose, fructose, mannose, Agar colonies: Circular with spreading
galactose, sucrose, maltose, trehalose, al- tendency, smooth, pearly luster to surface,
pha-methyl-glucoside, dextrin, soluble entire, convex. Colonies appear opalescent
starch and glycogen are vigorously fer- with dark centers, finely granular, light tan.
mented. Less vigorously fermented are rath- Agar slant : Growth abundant, spreading,
nose, salicin, mannitol and beta-cellobiose. glistening, light cream-colored to tan, viscid
Xylose, lactose, pectin and calcium lactate with a butylic odor.
are weakly fermented. Fermentation ques- Broth: No surface growth; slight cloud-
tionable for amygdalin. Adonitol, 1-rham- ing; no odor.
nose, inulin, glycerol, dulcitol, d-sorbitol, Litmus milk: Acid curd produced in 10
inositol and quercitol not attacked. days; slight, if any, peptonization at 15
Fermentation products are butanol, iso- days.
propanol, acetone, ethanol and butyric acid. Potato: Abundant, spreading, glistening.
648 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
viscid, light cream-colored to yellow growth tose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, trehalose,
with a butylic odor. Medium liquefied alpha-methyl -glucoside, mannitol, arabi-
slightly, if at all. nose, xylose, galactose, melezitose, soluble
Indole not produced. starch, maize starch, dextrin, inulin, glyco-
Hydrogen sulfide produced in trace gen, esculin, sorbitol, raffinose, salicin,
amounts, if at all, on lead acetate agar. amygdalin and inositol. Rhanmose, glj^c-
Acid and gas from esculin, trehalose, arab- erol, erythritol, quercitol, dulcitol and
inose, xylose, glucose, fructose, galactose, cellulose not attacked.
mannose, lactose, sucrose, maltose, maize Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
starch, soluble starch, inulin, dextrin, gly- Atmospheric nitrogen fixed, though not
cogen, salicin and alpha-methyl -glucoside. as actively as by Clostridium pasteurianum
Rhamnose, raffinose, melezitose, glycerol, Winogradsky (Rosenblum and Wilson, Jour.
erythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, dulcitol, ino- Bact., 57, 1949, 413).
sitol and melibiose not attacked. Blood agar (glucose agar plus 10 per cent
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. defibrinated horse blood): Good growth;
Anaerobic. no hemolysis, but some surrounding colonies
Optimum fermentation temperature, be- discolored by acid.
tween 29° and 32° C. Von Hibler brain (plain or with iron) :
Optimum pH, between 5.4 and 5.8. Growth with gas production and sporulation
Source: Isolated from soil. but no blackening or digestion.
Habitat: Soil. Temperature relations: Growth between
8° and 42° C. Optimum fermentation, be-
13. Clostridium inadisonii McCoy, tween 29° and 33° C.
1946. (U. S. Letters Pat., 2,398,837, April 23, Chemical tolerance: Growth between pH
1946.) 4.3 and 7.6; apparent optimum for fermenta-
mad.i.son'i.i. M.L. gen. noun inadisonii tion, between pH 5.0 and 6.0, preferably
of Madison. about 5.5.
Short to long rods, 0.5 to 1.0 by 3.0 to 5.8 Anaerobic.
microns, with rounded ends, occurring Source: Original strain isolated from field
singly or in short chains. Spores abundant, soil collected near Madison, Wisconsin.
cylindrical to ellipsoidal, 0.7 to 1.3 by 1.3 Habitat: Probably soil.
to 2.4 microns, subterminal to terminal.
Sporangia elongated, spindle-shaped. Ac- 14. Clostridium muelleri McClung and
tively motile in young cultures. Granulose- McCoy, comb. nov. {Clostridium granulo-
positive in young cells. Gram-positive, be- bacter acetobutylicum Miiller, U. S. Letters
coming negative in old cultures. Pat., 2,195,629, April 2, 1940.)
Gelatin: No liquefaction. muel'le.ri. M.L. gen. noun muelleri of
Molasses-glucose agar colonies: Dark Miiller; named for Miiller, the bacteriologist
cream, round, entire, viscid, raised to con- who first isolated this species.
vex. Short rods, 0.5 to 1.4 by 3.0 to 10.0 mi-
Molasses-glucose agar slant: Moderate, crons, the majority of the cells measuring
glistening, confluent growth. 1.0 by 5.0 microns, with rounded ends, oc-
Litmus milk: Reduced before curdling; curring inchains. Sporangia spindle-shaped,
moderate gas production; soft acid curd clavate, 1.0 to 2.3 by 6.0 to 10.0 microns, the
with turbid pink whey, white crystals de- majority measuring 1.5 by 8.0 microns;
velop in old cultures. No digestion of casein. spores terminal to subterminal. Motile.
Indole not produced. Gram-positive.
Hydrogen sulfide production is positive Gelatin: No liquefaction.
by strip test when thiosulfate brain mash, Agar surface colonies: Smooth surface,
sulfite brain mash or oatmeal (5 per cent) raised to convex, dull luster, round, granular
mash is used. Negative with other media internal structure; good growth.
tried. Agar + 2 per cent glucose slant: Moderate,
Acid and gas from glucose, mannose, fruc- slightly spreading, opaque growth with a
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 649
Broth plus liver: Luxuriant, diffuse tur- ligni No. II, Novy, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 17, 1894,
bidity followed by agglutinative clearing. 212; Bacillus oedematis thermo-philus Kruse,
Moderate gas production. in Fliigge, Die Mikroorganismen, 3 Aufl.,
Milk: Acid; slow coagulation. Clot not 2, 1896, 242; Bacillus novyi Migula, Syst. d.
digested. Bakt., 2, 1900, 872; Bergey et al.. Manual,
Indole is produced (Records and Vawter, 1st ed., 1923, 326; Clostridium novyi Type A,
Nevada Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 173, 1945, 30). Scott, Turner and Vawter, Proc. 12th Inter-
Hydrogen sulfide is produced (Records nat. Vet. Cong., N. Y., 2, 1934, 175.)
and Vawter, loc. cit.). no'vy.i. M.L. gen. noun novyi of Novy;
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac- named for F. G. Novy, the American bac-
tose and glycerol. Lactose, maltose, su- teriologist who first isolated this organism.
crose, raffinose, arabinose, xylose, inulin, The descriptions of this and the following
salicin, mannitol and dulcitol not fer- types were compiled from Keppie (A study
mented. Subsequent studies have shown of the Antigens and Toxins of Clostridium
that pure galactose is not fermented (Rec- oedematiens and C. gigas by in-vitro and
ords and Vawter, loc. cit.). in-vivo methods. Thesis, Cambridge, 1943),
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced (Rec- McClung and Toabe (Jour. Bact., 53, 1947,
ords and Vawter, loc. cit.). 139), Oakley, Warrack and Clarke (Jour.
Methyl red test is negative (Records and Gen. Microbiol., 1, 1947, 91), Spray (in Man-
Vawter, loc. cit.). ual, 6th ed., 1948, 777) and Turner (Black
Nitrites not produced from nitrates (Rec- Disease (Infectious Necrotic Hepatitis) of
ords and Vawter, loc. cit.). Sheep in Australia. Counc. Sci. and Ind.
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. Res., Australia, Bull. 46, 1930).
Blood agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Clostridium novyi Type A.
Light, diffuse growth. Blood hemolyzed. Rods, 0.8 to 0.9 by 2.5 to 5.0 microns, oc-
Blood serum: No liquefaction. curring singly and in pairs, not in chains.
Brain medium: No blackening or diges- Spores large, ovoid, usually subterminal,
tion. slightly swelling the cells. Motile by means
Meat medium: Reddened; no blackening of peritrichous flagella. Gram-positive.
or digestion. Iron gelatin (Spray): Liquefaction.
Anaerobic. Glucose blood agar surface colonies:
Grows well at 37° C. Large, 3.0 to 4.0 mm in diameter, compact,
Somatic antigen not common with that raised; finely granular surface; edges
of Clostridium novyi (Turner and Eales, coarsely indented; center raised and dense.
Austral. Jour. Exp. Biol, and Med. Sci., 21, Usually hemolytic.
1943, 79; also see Smith, Jour. Bact., 65, Egg yolk agar surface colonies: Smooth;
1953, 222). irregular edge; precipitation zone under
Pathogenic and toxic for guinea pigs and colony and around colony in a regular circle
rabbits. Effect due to an unstable, hemo- to a radial distance of about 4 mm. The in-
lytic, lethal toxin which is a lecithinase
tense zone of precipitation is sharply de-
(McClung and Toabe, op. cit., 1947, 255). fined. Characteristically, an iridescent
Toxin also contains (in common with the
luster area marked by radial linear stria-
toxin of Clostridiiim novyi Type B) lyso- tions covers the colony and extends beyond
lecithin (Bard and McClung, Indiana Acad.
Sci., Proc, 57, 1948, 43). the colony in a regular circular zone to a
Source: Isolated from the blood and from radial distance of about 2 mm, only par-
other tissues of cattle dying of icterohemo- tially covering the precipitation zone.
globinuria. Broth: Turbid; flocculent sediment.
Habitat: Not determined. Thus far iso- Litmus milk: Acid; no coagulation. Lit-
lated only from animals. mus reduced.
Indole not produced.
21. Clostridium novyi (Migula, 1900) Glucose and fructose are fermented. Ac-
Bergey et al., 1923. {Bacillus oedematis ma- tion on glycerol and maltose variable. No
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 653
action on lactose, sucrose, mannitol or sali- the cells. Motile by means of peritrichous
cin. flagella. Gram-positive.
Nitrates rapidly reduced; nitrites absent Gelatin: Good growth. No liquefaction.
(Reed, Jour. Bact., 4-^, 1942, 425). Glucose-gelatin: Good growth. Liquefac-
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. tion after two weeks of incubation.
Blood serum: No liquefaction. Glucose blood agar surface colonies: Del-
Brain medium: No blackening or diges- icate, thin, fiat plaques of fine filaments,
tion. dull surface, scarcely raised above surface
Anaerobic, although less strict than Types of medium. Hemolysis variable.
B and C. Egg yolk surface colonies: Small, irregu-
Optimum temperature, between 35° and lar, transparent, producing a wide (8 mm in
38° C. diameter), regular, sharply defined circle
Produces an exotoxin which is toxic on of precipitation, without luster, under and
injection but not on feeding. Four antigenic beyond the colony.
components have been recognized in toxic Agar deep colonies: Lenticular or bicon-
filtrates (Oakley, Warrack and Clarke, vex disc, sometimes with outgrowths or
Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 1, 1947, 91; also see filamentous, woolly colonies with opaque
van Heyningen, Bacterial Toxins, C. C center or bursting-grenade colony type.
Thomas, Springfield, 1950, 42). These in- Glucose broth: Abundant growth with
clude: alpha, classical lethal toxin; gamma, gas; flocculent sediment.
hemolytic lecithinase; delta, oxygen-labile Meat infusion broth: Growth less abun-
hemolysin; and epsilon, probably pearly- dant than in glucose broth; little or no gas;
layer-agent in egg-agar. Production of sediment.
gamma toxin differentiates Type A from Cooked meat medium: Good growth; gas;
Types B and C. meat not blackened.
Produces a species-specific hemolysin for Milk: Reports variable; little action long
human red blood cells which is neutralized dela3^ed, possibly late coagulation without
by selected antisera; differentiated from digestion.
Clostridium septicum on this character. Glucose, galactose and fructose are fer-
Pathogenic for guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, mented. Action on glycerol and maltose
rats and pigeons. variable. No action on lactose, sucrose,
Comment: Some authors regard Clostri- rhamnose, dulcitol, mannitol, inulin or sali-
dium hemolyticum Hauduroy et al., which cin.
produces a hemolytic lecithinase, as be- Coagulated egg albumin: No digestion.
longing to this species. Brain medium: No blackening unless iron-
Source: Isolated from a guinea pig inocu- nail added.
lated with peptonized casein; later from a Strictlj- anaerobic.
human case of gaseous gangrene. Also iso- Optimum temperature, apparently 37° C;
lated from human necrotic hepatitis (Mol- growth occurs between 24° and 43° C.
laret, Prevot and Gueniot, Ann. Inst. Past., An exotoxin is produced which is toxic on
75, 1948, 195). injection but not on feeding. Three antigenic
Habitat: Probably widely distributed in components have been recognized in toxic
manured soil. filtrates (Oakley, Warrack and Clarke, Jour.
21a. Clostridium novyi Type B, Scott et Gen. Microbiol., 1, 1947, 91). These include:
al., 1934. (Bacillus gigas Zeissler and Rass- alpha, classical lethal toxin; beta, hemolytic
feld. Arch. Wiss. u. Prakt. Tierheilk., 59, lecithinase; and zeta, oxj^gen-stable hemoly-
1929, 419; Scott, Turner and Vawter, Proc. sin. Production of beta to.xin differentiates
12th Internat. Vet. Cong., N. Y., 2, 1934, Type B from Types A and C.
175.) Pathogenic for sheep, cows, horses, pigs,
Large rods, 1.2 to 2.0 by 10.0 to 14.0 mi- fowls, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.
crons, occurring singh', in pairs or in chains Source: Isolated from black disease (in-
of 3 to 4 elements. Spores ovoid, most fre- fectious necrotic hepatitis) of sheep in Aus-
quently subterminal, onlj^ slightly swelling tralia. Also isolated from similar diseases
654 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
of cells. Meat reddened but not softened. Gelatin: Liquefaction (probably slowly
Butyric odor. and not completely).
Milk (plain): Unchanged. Peptone beef infusion broth with ground
Iron milk (Spray) : Clotted and pepto- meat: Slightly turbid, clearing on continued
nized. incubation; gas production marked in young
Indole production slight, if at all. cultures; meat not digested.
Hydrogen sulfide produced in bismuth Milk : No change or slightly acid without
carbonate agar. action on casein.
Acid but no gas from glucose, fructose, Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, su-
maltose, inositol and galactose. Arabinose, crose, maltose, adonitol, sorbitol and inosi-
xjdose, rhamnose, trehalose, rafiinose, inu- tol. Lactose, raffinose, rhamnose, galactose,
lin, glycogen, erythritol, adonitol, mannitol, mannitol, inulin and dulcitol are not fer-
dulcitol, sorbitol, amygdalin and salicin mented. Reports vary on arabinose, xylose,
not fermented. Results with different base glycerol, salicin and dextrin.
media vary with lactose, sucrose and dex- Coagulated egg medium: No digestion.
trin. Coagulated serum: No digestion on origi-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. nal isolation.
Coagulated serum: No clearing. Human or sheep blood agar surface colo-
Coagulated egg albumin: Cleared but not nies: Small, flat, translucent, faintly gray,
dissolved. with smooth or irregular edges. Sometimes
Brain medium with iron: No blackening. with slightly raised centers. Tendency to
Strictly anaerobic. form film on moist agar. Reports on hemoly-
sis vary.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Exotoxin produced in beef heart mash Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
which is toxic by injection or feeding. Toxin tion.
neutralized by type D antitoxin but not by Strictly anaerobic.
types A, B, C or E. Mice, guinea pigs and Optimum temperature, probably between
rabbits are susceptible to toxin on injection 25° and 30° C.
or feeding. Monkeys are susceptible on in- Produces an exotoxin potent by injection
jection but are resistant to feeding, Chick- or feeding. Toxin neutralized by type E anti-
ens not susceptible on injection. Non-toxic toxin but not by tj^pes A, B, C or D. Mice,
substrains are frequently encountered. guinea pigs, rabbits and kittens susceptible
Source: Isolated from South African on injection. Susceptibility of chickens
"Lamziekte" of cattle and from Australian varies with the strain.
soil. Source: Isolated from Russian sturgeon,
Habitat: Probably soil. German canned sprats. Nova Scotian
smoked salmon, canned California mush-
22c. Clostridium boiulinum Type E, Gun- rooms, Canadian canned salmon, canned
nison et al., 1936. (Gunnison, Cummings salmon eggs, Canadian pickled herring,
and Meyer, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., canned chicken, soil contaminated with
chicken feces, mud and sand.
85, 1936, 278.)
Habitat: Not determined.
Description taken from Gunnison, Cum-
mings and Meyer (loc. cit.), Hazen (Proc. 23. Clostridium limosum Prevot, 1948.
Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 50, 1942, 112), (Ann. Inst. Past., 74, 1948, 165.)
Dolman and Kerr (Canad. Jour. Pub.
li.mo'sum. L. adj. litnosus full of mud or
Health, 38, 1947, 48) and Dolman, Chang, slime, slimy; (probably intended to mean)
Kerr and Shearer (Canad. Jour. Pub. from mud.
Health, 4/, 1950,215). Rods, 0.7 by 3.0 microns, with rounded
Rods, 4.0 to 6.0 microns in length, with ends, occurring singly, in pairs and occasion-
rounded ends, often vacuolated. Spores ally in short chains. Spores subterminal,
large, ovoid, subterminal, very slightly clostridial. Motile. Gram-positive.
swelling the cells. Motile. Gram-positive. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
657
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
Agar deep colonies: Lenticular, small. Potato: Creamy yellow growth. Potato
Milk: Digested in four days. digested to a yellow slime.
VF glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; Maize mash: Much gas with butj-lic odor.
sediment; weakly acid. Indole not produced.
Indole and skatole not produced. Hydrogen sulfide produced from thio-
Hydrogen sulfide produced in small sulfate or sulfite; generally negative from
amounts. proteinaceous sources.
Glucose and galactose weakly fermented. Acid and gas from arabinose, xylose,
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. rhamnose, glucose, galactose, mannose,
Coagulated proteins: Not attacked. fructose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffinose,
Strictly anaerobic. melezitose, starch, dextrin, inulin, glj-cogen,
Optimum temperature, 37° C. d-mannitol, alpha-methyl-glucoside and
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs. salicin. Esculin, amygdalin and trehalose
Source: Isolated from mud from an Afri- are weakly fermented. Melibiose, dulcitol,
can lagoon. d-arabitol, perseitol, lactositol, sorbitol,
Habitat: Presumably soil. erythritol, adonitol, inositol, quercitol,
glycerol, pectin and cellulose are not fer-
24. Clostridium acetobutylicuni ISIc- mented.
Coy et al., 1926. (McCoy, Fred, Peterson and Fermentation products include acetone,
Hastings, Jour. Inf. Dis., 39, 1926, 483; also butyl and ethyl alcohols, butyric and acetic
see ibid., 46, 1930, 118.) acids, H2 and CO2 .
a.ce.to.bu.ty'li.cum. L. noun acetum Acetylmethylcarbinol produced from
vinegar; Gr. noun hutyrum butter; M.L. many carbohydrates.
adj. butylicum butjdic, having the butyl Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Ni-
radical, as in butyl alcohol; M.L. adj. aceto- trites reduced to ammonia.
butylicus acetic acid and butyl alcohol (-pro- Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed, though less
ducing). actively than by Clostridium pasteurianum
Straight rods, with rounded ends, occur- Winogradsky (Rosenblum and Wilson, Jour.
ring singly and in pairs but not in chains. Bact., 57, 1949, 413).
The vegetative cells measure 0.6 to 0.72 by Coagulated albumin cubes: Softened and
2.6 to 4.7 microns, the Clostridia, 1.3 to 1.6 browned by slow digestion.
by 4.7 to 5.5 microns. Spores ovoid, eccentric Blood agar: No hemolysis.
to subterminal, swelling the cells to Clos- Blood serum: No liquefaction.
tridia. Not encapsulated. Motile by means Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
of peritrichous fiagella. Granulose-positive tion.
in clostridial stage. Gram-positive, becom- Anaerobic.
ing Gram-negative. Optimum temperature, probably about
Glucose-gelatin : Liquefaction. 37° C. Grows between 20° and 47° C.
Glucose agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits.
Compact, raised, fairlj^ regular. Source: Isolated from maize, molasses,
Glucose agar deep colonies: Compact, potatoes and garden soil.
typically lenticular and smooth. Agar frag- Habitat: Widely, but apparently sparsely,
mented early by abundant gas. dispersed in agricultural soils.
Pigmentation: None. Colonies creamy
white, opaque. 25. Clostridium laniganii McClung and
Plain broth: No growth. McCoy, nom. nov. (Tj^pe II of retting Clos-
Glucose broth: Abundantly and uniformly tridia, Lanigan, Austral. Jour. Sci. Re-
turbid; much gas produced. search, Ser. B, Biol. Sci., 4, 1951, 474.)
Litmus milk: Acid and active, often la.ni.gan'i.i. M.L. gen. noun laniganii of
stormy, coagulation. Litmus reduced. Clot Lanigan; named for Lanigan, the first to
fragmented by gas but not visibly digested. isolate this species.
Proteolysis demonstrable, however, on Medium-sized rods with markedly incom-
milk agar. plete fission at 24 hours; by 48 hours the
658 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
chains and filaments disappear. Straight to Source: Isolated from Australian flax.
slightly curved rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 2.0 to 7.0 Habitat: Presumably soil.
microns, with rounded ends. Elliptical, ter-
minal spores (arise subterminally), 1.1 by 26. Clostridium aerofoetidum (Wein
1.8 to 2.0 microns. Motile. Gram-positive in berg and Seguin, 1916) Bergey et al., 1923
young cultures. (Bacille D, Weinberg, Compt. rend. Soc
Glucose-gelatin: Liquefaction within Biol., Paris, 79, 1916, 117; Bacillus aero
seven to twenty-one days. foetidus Weinberg and Seguin, ibid., 1028
Agar slant: Little or no growth. Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 327.)
Glucose j^east agar surface colonies : Irreg- a.e.ro.foe'ti.dum. Gr. noun aer air, gas
ular outline with woolly or myceloid margin. L. adj. foetidus with a bad odor, fetid; M.L.
On moist agar there is a marked tendency adj. aerofoetidus with bad-smelling gas.
to spread forming effuse, amoeboid projec- Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 3.0 to 5.0 microns, oc-
tions. Center of colony grayish white, curring singly, in pairs and in short chains.
opaque, low convex with an effuse trans- Spores rare, ovoid, subterminal, slightly
lucent marginal zone. swelling the cells. Motile by means of pe-
Glucose yeast agar deep colonies: Spher- ritrichous flagella. Gram-positive.
ical, woolly balls, 1.0 mm in diameter; me- Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction.
dium split by gas evolved. Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Circu-
Glucose yeast agar slant: Abundant lar, transparent, with faint, bluish tint,
growth; filiform on dry slants; spreading, fimbriate.
with finger-like projections on moist me- Agar deep colonies: Lenticular, becoming
dium. Slightly raised, smooth, glistening indented and lobate.
with butyrous center. Egg yolk agar surface colonies : Irregular,
Glucose yeast broth: Heavily turbid; flat, somewhat moist, slightly rough, color-
heavy, amorphous deposit; much gas. Dis- less, without precipitate or luster.
tinct odor of butanol. Glucose broth: Turbid; sediment.
Litmus milk: Acid; reduction; gas and Litmus milk: Acid; slow coagulation fol-
clot; frequently stormy coagulation; no lowed by slow peptonization. Gas is pro-
digestion. duced.
Potato mash: Active fermentation with Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac-
"head"; complete diastatic action. tose, mannose, maltose, lactose, xylose,
Indole not produced. amygdalin, salicin, esculin and glycogen.
Hydrogen sulfide produced in small to Sucrose, inulin, glycerol and mannitol not
moderate amounts in glucose yeast agar in fermented.
three to seven days. Nitrites produced from nitrates (Reed,
Acid and gas from glucose, galactose, Jour. Bact., 44, 1942, 425).
maltose, sucrose, lactose, starch and pectin. Coagulated albumin: Slow liquefaction.
Inulin, mannitol, glycerol and calcium lac- Blood agar: No hemolysis.
tate not attacked.
Blood serum: Liquefaction.
Active retting of flax sterilized in yeast Brain medium: Blackened and digested.
water.
Meat medium: Reddened, then blackened
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Ni- and slowly digested.
trites reduced, presumably to ammonia, in Anaerobic.
two to three days.
Coagulated egg albumin: No visible effect Optimum temperature, between 30° and
but, after several days, slight softening is 35° C.
usually detected by probing. Slightly pathogenic for guinea pigs.
Brain medium: Some gas; no blackening Source: Isolated from gaseous gangrene
or digestion. and from feces.
Anaerobic. Habitat: Not determined. Probably oc-
Grows well between 30° and 37° C. curs in soil.
FAMILY XIIT. BACILLACEAE
659
27. Clostridium sporogenes (Metch- and digested with foul odor. Gas is pro-
nikoff, 1908) Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacillus duced.
sporogenes var. A, Metchnikoff, Ann. Inst. Anaerobic.
Past., 22, 1908, 944; not Bacillus sporogenes Optimum temperature, 37° C. Growth
Migula, Syst. d. Bakt., 2, 1900, 560; Bergey occurs at 50° C.
et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 329; not Clostri- Filtrate is non-toxic on injection or on
feeding.
dium sporogenes Holland, Jour. Bact., 5,
1920, 220.) Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits
spo.ro'ge.nes. Gr. noun sporus seed; M.L. other than producing a slight, temporary,
noun spora a spore; Gr. v. gennaio to pro- local tumefaction.
duce; M.L. adj. sporogenes spore-producing. Source: Isolated from intestinal contents,
Rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 3.0 to 7.0 microns, with gaseous gangrene and from soil.
rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs or, Habitat : Common in soil , especially where
less frequently, in short to long chains and heavily manured.
filaments. Spores ovoid, eccentric to sub-
terminal, swelling the cells. Motile by means 28. Clostridium parabotulinum Bengt-
of peritrichous flagella. Gram-positive. son, 1924. (Bengtson, U. S. Public Health
Gelatin: Liquefaction and blackening. Serv., Hyg. Lab. Bull. 136, 1924, 32; Types
Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Small, A and B, Burke, Jour. Bact., 4, 1919, 556;
irregular, transparent, becoming opaque, Clostridium botulinum Types A and B, Ber-
yellowish white, fimbriate. gey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 328.)
Agar deep colonies: Woolly balls with pa.ra.bo.tu.li'num. Gr. pref. para be-
dense, nodular centers. side, by; M.L. noun botulinum a specific
Egg yolk agar surface colonies : Irregular, epithet; M.L. adj. parabotulinus (Clostri-
roughened, dry, cream-colored, with pre- dium) botulinum-like .
cipitate under colony and rarely spreading Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 3.0 to 8.0 microns, with
beyond. A slight luster covers the colony rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs and
but does not extend beyond. in short chains. Spores ovoid, subterminal,
Agar slant (anaerobic) : Grayish, opaque, distinctly swelling the cells. Motile by
spreading growth. means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-posi-
tive.
Broth: Turbid; gas is produced; putrid
odor. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
Litmus milk: Softly coagulated. Litmus Liver agar surface growth (anaerobic) :
reduced. Slow peptonization, leaving a dark, Profuse, moist.
amber-colored liquid. Liver agar deep colonies: Type A tend to
Indole not produced (Hall, Jour. Inf. be restricted to compact discs, with sharp
Dis., 30, 1922, 482). Skatole produced. outline and small, opaque nucleus at pe-
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac- riphery. Type B tend rather to form loose,
tose and maltose. Lactose, sucrose, salicin, woolly colonies (indicative only).
glj^cerol, mannitol and inulin not fermented. Egg yolk agar surface colonies: (Types A
(Records vary on many sugars.) and B) Raised, irregularly edged, covered
Nitrates rapidly reduced; nitrites absent
with a luster which extends in a regular cir-
(Reed, Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 425).
cle slightly beyond the colony edge and
Atmospheric nitrogen not fixed (Rosen-
blum and Wilson, Jour. Bact., 57, 1949, 413). area of precipitation under the colony and
luster zone. Radial striations not so marked
Coagulated albumin: Liquefaction.
Blood agar: Hemolysis. as with Clostridium noviji Bergey et al.
Blood serum: Liquefied to a dark, putrid Broth: Fairly abundant, diffuse turbidity.
liquid. Many strains spontaneously agglutinate.
Brain medium: Blackened and digested. Liver broth: Luxuriantly turbid. Profuse
Foul odor.
Meat medium: Reddened, then blackened Milk: Slight acidity; slow, curdling pre-
gas.
660 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
cipitation with subsequent digestion and non-acid, canned goods, from soil and from
darkening. silage.
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, malt- Habitat: Found rather widely dispersed
ose, dextrin, glycerol and salicin. Galactose, in soil.
sucrose, lactose, rhamnose, rafiinose, inulin,
adonitol, dulcitol, mannitol, xylose, arabi- 29. Clostridium caproicum Prevot,
nose and inositol not fermented (Bengtson, 1938. (Bacillus anaerobicus der Capronsaure-
op. cit., 1924, 22-25). Fermentation records gruppe, Rodella, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt.,
are variable. 16, 1906, 58; Pr6vot, Ann. Inst. Past., 61,
Coagulated albumin: Liquefaction. Ac- 1938, 84; Bacillus anaerobicus caproicus Pre-
tion of Type B usually more marked than vot, Man. d. Class, et d. D^term. d. Bact.
that of Type A. Anaerob., 1940, 140.)
Blood serum: Liquefaction. ca.pro'i.cum. M.L. noun acidum capro-
Brain medium: Blackened and digested icum caproic acid; M.L. adj. caproicus per-
with putrefactive odor. taining to caproic acid.
Meat medium: Blackened and digested. Straight rods, 3.0 to 8.0 microns, with
Putrefactive odor. Tyrosine crystals not square ends. Spores ovoid, clostridial. Mo-
observed. tile. Gram-positive.
Anaerobic. Gelatin: Liquefaction in 48 hours.
Optimum temperature, between 35° and Agar deep colonies: Woolly, arborescent.
37° C. Liquid media: Filamentous growth with
A powerful exotoxin is produced which is viscous sediment. Gas produced with a fetid
neurotoxic both on injection and on feeding odor.
and which is neutralized only by the homolo- Milk: Digested in two to three days.
gous type antitoxin. Toxin production best Indole produced in small amounts.
at about 28° C. Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Pathogenic for animals. Glucose, fructose, maltose and sorbitol
Distinctive characters: This group com- fermented. Lactose, galactose, sucrose,
prises the putrefactive (ovolytic) species, mannitol, inulin and starch not attacked.
including strains commonly referred to as Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Mem-phis and Canton (Type A), and Nevin Coagulated egg albunain : Slowly attacked
(Type B). Growth of these types is more but not completely digested.
easily obtained than with the Clostridium Fibrin incompletely digested.
botulinwn strains, and the reactions are Coagulated serum: Digested in three to
more obvious. Types are identified chiefly eight days.
by protection tests with known-type anti- Anaerobic.
toxin and, to a lesser extent, by agglutina- Distinctive characters: Produces caproic
tion. and acetic acids. Differs from Clostridium
Comments: Many authors have ignored kluyveri Barker and Taha, which does not
the Bengtson system of classification and grow in the usual media.
thus have referred incorrectly to Clostridium Source: Isolated from cheese.
botulinum (q.v., comments) in reporting Habitat: Mud (Prevot, Zimmes, Peyre
data for the ovolytic types. Gunnison and and Lanthiez, Ann. Inst. Past., 73, 1947,
222).
Meyer (Jour. Inf. Dis., 43, 1929, 130) pro-
pose an intermediate group between Clos-
tridium botulinum and Clostridium para- 30. Clostridium saccharoacetoperbu-
botulinum which they call Clostridium tylicum Beesch, 1948. (Clostridium sac-
metabotulinum. Such a group would pro- charo-acetoperbutylicum (sic) Beesch, U. S.
visionally include certain European Type B Letters Pat., 2,439,791, April 20, 1948.)
strains, the Australian Type C strain, cer- sac.char.o.a.ce.to.per.bu.tyl'i.cum. Gr.
tain American Type C strains and the South noun saccharum sugar; L. noun acidum aceti-
African Type D strain. cum acetic acid; L. pref. per much, exceed-
Source: Isolated chiefly from spoiled, ingly; L. adj. butylicus pertaining to the
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
661
butyl radical; M.L. adj. saccharoacetoperbu- ibid., 83, 1931, 11; MacLennan, Jour. Path,
tylicus (probably intended to mean) the and Bact., 49, 1939, 543.)
organism which ferments sugar with the has.ti.for'me. L. noun hasta a spear; L.
production of acetic acid and an abundance noun forma shape, form; M.L. adj. hasti-
of butjd alcohol. formis spear-shaped.
Short and long rods, 0.7 to 3.8 by 2.3 to Slender rods, 0.3 to 0.6 by 2.0 to 6.0 mi-
12.8 microns, the majority measuring 1.6 crons, with rounded ends, occurring singly,
by 5.3 microns, with rounded ends, occur- in pairs and rarely in short chains. Fila-
ring singly, in pairs or in chains. Sporangia ments not observed. Spores ellipsoidal, sub-
are spindle-shaped, clavate. Spores cylindri- terminal, swelling the cells. Polar-cap of
cal with rounded ends or ovoid, the majority protoplasm remains long attached to free
measuring 1.1 by 2.6 microns, subterminal spores. Motile by means of delicate, pe-
to terminal. Motile by means of peritrichous ritrichous flagella; motility persists even
flagella. Granulose-positive when stained after sporulation. Gram-positive.
with iodine. Gram-positive. Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction. Blackening
Gelatin: Liquefaction. not recorded.
Agar surface colonies : Circular to irregu- Plain agar surface colonies (anaerobic) :
lar, both rough and smooth, entire and Minute, translucent dots, becoming irregu-
lobar-lobulate edges, convex, translucent larly round, granular, grayish white, with
to opaque. opaque center and delicate, translucent
Agar slant: Growth abundant, scattered border.
to spreading, glistening, non-pigmented to Plain agar deep colonies: Small, irregu-
a light cream color; butylic odor; viscid larly round with coarsely filamentous bor-
consistency. der. A little gas is occasionally produced.
Broth: No growth. Broth: Transient, uniform turbidity,
Litmus milk: Acid reaction with an acid quickly settling as a heavy, white, flocculent
curd in 15 days. Slight peptonization. deposit. Culture assumes a cheesy odor.
Potato slant: Growth spreading, glisten- Milk: Abundant growth with lab-coagu-
ing, abundant, non-pigmented to light lation in 2 to 3 days. No increase in acidity,
cream color; butylic odor; viscid consis- becoming slightly alkaline. Clot completely
tency. digested in 10 to 14 days, leaving a white,
Indole not produced. semi-translucent fluid of cheesy odor.
Hydrogen sulfide produced in trace Indole not produced.
amounts, if at all. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Acid and gas from arabinose, xylose, glu- Glucose and other carbohj^drates not fer-
cose, fructose, galactose, mannose, lactose, mented.
sucrose, maltose, raffinose, maize starch, Ammonia not produced.
soluble starch, inulin, glycogen, salicin, Egg medium: No digestion or other visible
alpha-methyl -glucoside, melibiose and dex- change.
trin. Trehalose, inositol, rhamnose, melezi- Coagulated albumin: No digestion or
tose, glycerol, erythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, blackening.
dulcitol and esculin not attacked. Blood agar surface colonies (anaerobic) :
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Same as on plain agar, but larger and more
Optimum temperature, between 29° and opaque. Old colonies show grayish pigmen-
31° C. tation. No hemolysis.
Optimum pH, between 5.5 and 6.3. Blood serum: No digestion or blackening.
Anaerobic. Meat medium: No digestion or blacken-
Source: Isolated from maize husk. ing, even in the presence of metallic iron.
Habitat: Probably soil. Meat particles slightly reddened.
Brain medium: No digestion or blacken-
ing.
31. Clostridium hastifornie MacLen-
nan, 1939. (A4, Cunningham, Zent. f. Bakt., Anaerobic.
II Abt., 82, 1930-31, 487; B4a, Cunningham, Grows well between 22° and 37° C.
662 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ka.ne'bo.i. Etymology Japanese, mean- pionicum propionic acid; M.L. adj. propion-
ing unknown. icus pertaining to propionic acid.
Straight rods, 0.3 to 0.8 by 2.0 to 7.0 mi- Spindle-shaped rods, 0.8 by 3.0 microns,
crons, with rounded ends, occurring singly occurring singly or more commonly in pairs.
or in chains of two to four cells. Sporangia Spores ovoid, terminal or subterminal,
spindle-shaped, 1.2 to 1.5 bj' 5.0 to 7.0 mi- slightly swelling the cells; separate from
crons. Spores ovoid, 1.1 to 1.5 by 1.9 to 2.4 sporangium soon after being formed. Spores
microns, central to subterminal. Motile. do not form readily. Motile by means of
Gram-positive. peritrichous flagella. Gram-negative.
Sugar agar surface colonies: Circular, 2 to Complex nitrogenous or carbohydrate-
5 mm in diameter, raised, moist, smooth containing medium without added alanine:
edges, pale yellow-white, odor of solvents. No growth.
Subsurface colonies: Spherical, smooth, Alanine peptone yeast extract agar deep
gummy, splitting the agar. colonies: Lens-shaped with smooth edges.
Cane sugar broth: Good growth; turbid; Liquid medium: Uniformly turbid with
slight acidity; rich sporulation; abundant gradual clearing in three to four days.
slime; liquid is j-ellow-white, milky, semi- Glucose not attacked.
translucent with a fragrant odor. Alanine and other fermentations yield
Maize, cut yam, soybean mash: Good propionic acid.
growth; turbid, with slime. Catalase-negative.
Litmus milk : Good growth ; gas ; acid coag- Anaerobic.
ulation.
Optimum temperature, between 28° and
Potato slants (anaerobic, 5-day incuba- 37° C.
tion at 37° C): Colonies yellow-brown, 2 Optimum pH, between 7.0 and 7.4. Growth
mm in diameter, moist, irregular. range, pH 5.8 to 8.6.
Indole not produced. Source: Isolated from black mud from
Hydrogen sulfide is produced. San Francisco Bay.
Xylose, 1-arabinose, glucose, fructose, Habitat: Presumably mud.
mannose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, lac-
tose, alpha-methj'l-d-glucoside, starch, dex- 36. Clostridium setiense (Prevot and
trin, inulin, glycogen, mannitol and salicin Raynaud, 1944) McClung and McCoj-, comb.
are fermented. Trehalose and pectin weakly nov. {Inflabilis setiensis Prdvot and Ray-
fermented. Rhamnose, rafiinose, glycerol, naud, Ann. Inst. Past., 70, 1944, 51.)
dulcitol, calcium lactate, melibiose and se.ti.en'se. M.L. adj. setiensis (probably
sorbitol not attacked. intended to mean) pertaining to Setia, Italy.
Products of carbohydrate fermentation Rods, 0.7 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns. Spores
are acetone, butanol and ethanol. subterminal, clostridial. Non-motile. Gram-
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. positive.
Anaerobic. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar deep colonies: Lenticular; gas.
Optimum temperature, 37° C; no growth Glucose broth: Turbid; non-fetid gas.
at 45° C. Peptone broth: Poor growth.
Optimum pH, between 5.6 and 6.7; growth Milk: Not coagulated.
range, pH 4.2 to 9.1. Indole not produced.
Source: Isolated from soil and from sugar Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
cane plant. Glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose,
Habitat: Probably soil. maltose, sucrose, .xylose, arabinose and
glycerol fermented.
35. Clostridium propionicum Cardon Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
and Barker, 1946. (Jour. Bact., 52, 1946, Coagulated proteins: Not attacked.
631.) Anaerobic.
pro.pi.o'ni.cum. M.L. noun acidum pro- Optimum pH, between 7.3 and 8.8.
664 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs. director of the Institut intercolonial d'Adio-
Source: Isolated from oysters.
podoum6.
In liquid media, short, very thick rods,
Habitat : Found in oysters so far as known.
1.6 to 1.8 by 3.0 to 4.0 microns, often ovoid,
37. Clostridium tale (Prevot at al., with rounded ends, occurring most often
1947) McClung and McCoy, comb. nov. (In- in chains. On agar the rods are longer, 6.0
flabilis talis Prevot, Digeon, Peyr6, Pan- to 8.0 microns, often occurring in chains or
taloon and Senez, Ann. Inst. Past., 73, 1947, filaments. Clostridial spores are formed.
416.) Non-motile. Gram-positive.
ta'le. L. adj. talis such, so great, so ex- Gelatin: Liquefaction in 24 hours.
cellent. Agar deep colonies : Irregular, with woolly
Straight rods, 0.7 to 0.8 by 3.0 to 5.0 mi- edges, sometimes arborescent; little gas.
crons. Spores subterminal, swelling the cells. Glucose broth: Abundant, flocculating
Not encapsulated. Non-motile. Gram-posi- growth depositing a viscous mass. Foul odor.
tive. Milk: Digested in 24 hours.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Indole and a little skatole are produced.
Agar deep colonies: Lenticular with ten- Hydrogen sulfide abundantly produced.
dency to become irregular, evolving putrid Glucose and maltose are fermented. Lac-
gas. tose, galactose, arabinose and starch are
Peptone broth: Slightly turbid. not attacked.
VF glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
much gas; marked putrid odor. Coagulated serum, fibrin and coagulated
Milk: Coagulated in one to several days, egg white are slowly attacked and become
then digested. transparent but are not liquefied.
Indole produced in trace amounts. Anaerobic.
Glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose,
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
sorbitol and glycerol fermented with the Not pathogenic for guinea pigs.
production of gas. Source: Isolated from African soil.
Nitrites produced from nitrates (in pres- Habitat: Soil.
ence of maltose) by one strain.
Coagulated protein: Slowly and partially 39. Clostridium lituseburense (Pre-
attacked. vot, 1948) McClung and McCoy, comb. nov.
Anaerobic. {Inflabilis litus-eburense (sic) Prevot, Ann.
Pathogenicity variable. One strain is Inst. Past., 74, 1948, 167.)
pathogenic for guinea pigs without pro- li.tus.e.bu.ren'se. L. noun litus coast;
ducing local lesions but with hepatic degen- L. noun ebur ivory; M.L. adj. lituseburensis
eration and pulmonary congestion. Toxin, pertaining to the Ivory Coast.
on inti'avenous injection, kills mouse in Straight rods, 1.0 by 4.0 to 6.0 microns,
several seconds. with rounded ends, occurring in short
Agglutination: Sera are strain-specific. chains. Subterminal, clostridial spores.
Source: Isolated from an acute appendix Non-motile. Gram-positive.
and from canned fish. Gelatin: Complete liquefaction in 24
Habitat: From decomposing organic mat- hours.
ter, so far as known. Agar deep colonies: Woolly; gas is pro-
duced.
38. Clostridium mangenotii (PrOvot Peptone broth: Slightly turbid; gas.
and Zimmes-Chaverou, 1947) McClung and VF glucose broth: Abundantly turbid;
McCoy, comb. nov. {Inflabilis mangenoti gas; foul odor; non-coherent, slimy sedi-
(sic) Prevot and Zimmes-Chaverou, Ann. ment.
Inst. Past., 73, 1947, 603.) Milk: Coagulated with rapid digestion.
man . ge . no'ti . i. M.L. gen. noun mangenotii Indole and skatole not produced.
of Mangenot; named for Prof. Mangenot, Hydrogen sulfide produced.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 665
Glucose, fructose, maltose, galactose and Broth: Turbid; gas produced. Thick,
sorbitol are fermented. mucoid sediment.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Liquid cultures (particularly those of
Coagulated serum: Partially digested. to.xic strains) often have a pronounced va-
Coagulated egg white: Not attacked. leric odor (Vawter, Amer. Jour. Vet. Re-
Fibrin: Digested. search, 3,1942, 382).
Anaerobic. Iron-milk (Spray) : Inactive, gaseous fer-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. mentation; more or less rapid digestion of
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice. soft semi-coagulum; blackening.
Source : Isolated from soil and from humus Indole is produced.
from Africa. Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
Habitat: Soil. Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, man-
nose and maltose. Galactose, arabinose,
40. Clostridium biferinentans (Wein- xylose, lactose, sucrose, inulin and dulcitol
berg and Seguin, 1918) Bergey et al., 1923. not fermented. Records suggest variability
{Bacillus bifermentans sporogenes Tissier in glycerol and salicin fermentation.
and Martelly, Ann. Inst. Past., 16, 1902, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
894; Bacillus biferinentans Weinberg and Coagulated albumin: Rapid liquefaction
and blackening.
Seguin, La Gangrene Gazeuse, Paris, 1918,
128; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st ed., 1923, Blood serum: Liquefaction and blacken-
ing.
323.)
Brain medium: Digestion and blackening.
bi.fer.men'tans. L. pref. bis twice; L.
part. adj. fermentans fermenting; M.L. adj. Egg-meat medium: Digestion and black-
bijermentans doubly fermenting. ening. Tyrosine crystals in 8 to 10 da3's.
Anaerobic.
Rods, 0.8 to 1.0 by 5.0 to 6.0 microns, oc-
curring singly, in pairs and in short chains. Optimum temperature, between 30° and
Spores ovoid, central to eccentric, not dis- 37° C. Growth occurs at 50° C.
tinctly swelling the cells. Motile in very Toxicity varies from acute to none.
young cultures only (less than 24 hours old). Pathogenicity varies with the strain : some
Gram-positive. kill rabbits in 24 hours, others produce only
Gelatin: Liquefaction. slight edema, while some show no effect.
Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Cir- Comment: Varying degrees of virulence
cular, crenated to amoeboid. and toxicity occur in this species. The more
Agar deep colonies: Biconvex to multi- toxic and virulent strains are commonly re-
planate discs. ferred to as Clostridium sordelli.
Blood agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Source: Originally isolated from putrid
Small, transparent, becoming opaque, yel- meat; subsequently from gaseous gangrene.
lowish, spreading. Hemolysis. Habitat: Occurs commonly in feces, soil
Egg yolk agar surface colonies: Small to and sewage. Widely distributed in nature.
medium-sized, slightly raised, sometimes
shiny, edges rough or entire. Colony sur- 41. Clostridium cylindrosporum
rounded by wide zone of white precipitate, Barker and Beck, 1941. (Jour. Biol. Chem.,
but no luster is produced. Colony usually 141, 1941, 3.)
chalky white in contrast to colony of Clos- cy.lin.dro'spo.rum. Gr. noun cylindrus
tridium perfringens Holland which is creamy a cylinder; Gr. noun sporus a seed; M.L.
white. Differentiation between these two noun spora a spore; M.L. adj. cylindrosporus
species, which give similar characteristics cylinder-spored.
on egg yolk agar, is easily done on the basis Straight rods, 1.0 by 4.0 to 7.0 microns.
of iron milk, carbohydrate fermentations Spores elongate to cylindrical, 1.0 to 1.1 by
and indole production (McClung and To- 1.7 to 3.0 microns, central, subterminal to
abe, Jour. Bact., 53, 1947, 139). terminal, with little or no swelling of the
666 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
cells. Motile by means of peritrichous fla- Die Mikroorganismen, 3 Aufl., 2, 1896, 242:
gella. Gram-negative. Bacillus perfringens Veillon and Zuber,
Iron-gelatin (Spray) : No growth. Arch. M^d. Exp. et Anat. Path., 10, 1898,
Plain agar deep: No growth. 539; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 219; Clos-
Uric acid agar deep colonies: Whitish, tridium welchii Holland, ibid., 221; Bacillus
compact, lobate, 1 to 2 mm in diameter, welchii Type A, Wilsdon, Univ. Cambridge,
with irregular edges, surrounded by a zone Inst. Animal Path., 2nd Rept. of Dir., 1931,
of precipitated ammonium ureate which 72; Spray, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 789.)
gradually disappears. per. frin 'gens. L. part. adj. perfringens
Plain broth: No growth. breaking through.
Glucose broth: No growth. Short, thick rods, 1.0 to 1.5 by 4.0 to 8.0
Iron-milk (Spray): No growth. microns, occurring singly and in pairs, less
Indole production not recorded (probably frequently in short chains. Spores ovoid,
negative) . central to eccentric, not swelling the cells.
Glucose and other carbohydrates not Encapsulated. Non-motile. Gram-positive.
fermented. Gelatin: Liquefaction and blackening.
Cellulose not fermented. Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Circu-
Nitrite production not recorded (probably lar, moist, slightly raised, opaque center,
negative). entire.
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. Egg yolk agar surface colonies: Circular
Blood serum: No liquefaction. to somewhat irregular, smooth (rough var-
Brain medium: No digestion or blacken- iants excepted) , surrounded by a wide zone
ing. of opaque precipitate without luster over
Anaerobic. colony or zone. The reaction is given by all
Optimum temperature, about 35° C. colony types, although there is some varia-
Optimum reaction, about pH 7.5; lower tion in the size of the zone of precipitation.
limit for growth, pH 6.5. Broth: Turbid; peptolytic. Clearing with
Distinctive characters: Requires uric viscid sediment.
acid or certain other purines as a primary Litmus milk: Acid; coagulated. Clot torn
source of carbon and energy. The purines with profuse gas production but not di-
are converted into ammonia, CO 2 , acetic
acid and a little glycine. This organism is gested.
Potato: Thin, grayish white streak; gas
physiologically similar to Clostridium acidi- in subtended liquid.
urici but may be readily distinguished from Indole not produced.
the latter by its morphology. Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac-
Source: A single strain was isolated from tose, mannose, maltose, lactose, sucrose,
soil. xylose, trehalose, raffinose, starch, glycogen
Habitat: Probably soil, although only and inositol. Salicin rarely fermented. Man-
this single isolation is recorded. nitol not fermented. Action on glycerol and
inulin variable.
42. Clos iridium perfringeiis (Veillon Nitrites produced from nitrates.
and Zuber, 1898) Holland, 1920.* Clostridium Atmospheric nitrogen not fixed (Rosen-
perfringens Type A, Spray, 1948. (Bacillus blum and Wilson, Jour. Bact., 57, 1949, 413).
aerogenes cnpsulatus Welch and Nuttall, Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction.
Johns Hopkins Hosp. Bull. 3, 1892, 81 ; Bacil- Blood serum: No liquefaction.
lus phlegmones emphysematosae Fraenkel, Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
Ueber Gasphlegmonen, Leipzig, 1893, 47; tion.
Bacillus emphysematosus Kruse, in Fliigge, Egg-meat medium: Profuse gas produc-
* Because of use of the specific epithet perfringens by the Permanent Standards Com-
mission of the Health Organization of the League of Nations (Report of the Permanent
Commission on Biological Standardization, London, June 23, 1931), the use of this epithet
has been continued, although it is antedated by a valid binomial (Bacillus emphysematosus
Kruse) .
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
667
tion in 8 hours. The meat is reddened, and cuneate. Spores spherical, subterminal, be-
the liquid becomes turbid. No digestion. coming terminal on maturation, swelling
Anaerobic. the cells. Motile. Gram-positive only in
Optimum temperature, between 35° and young cultures.
37° C. Growth occurs at 50° C. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
An exotoxin is produced for which an anti- Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) ; Circu-
toxin can be prepared. lar or slightly irregular, entire.
Pathogenic for guinea pigs, pigeons and Agar deep colonies: Minute, opaque,
mice. smooth discs.
Distinctive characters: Stormy fermenta- Egg yolk agar surface colonies: Irregular,
tion of milk; non-motile. moist, relatively smooth to somewhat
Comments: Within this species group roughened, colorless, without precipitate
there exist several types established pri- or luster.
marily on the basis of the variety and nature Blood agar surface colonies (anaerobic):
of the toxins shown to be present in culture Minute dew-drops, becoming whitish,
filtrates. Some variation is reported con- opaque. Hemolysis.
cerning the morphological and physiological Broth: Turbid.
characteristics of this species. For a review Litmus milk: Acid; slowly and softly
of the characteristics of toxins, see van Hey- coagulated. Clot not digested.
ningen (Bacterial Toxins., C. C Thomas, Indole not produced. Indole produced
Springfield, 1950, 133 pp.) and Smith (Intro- by Tholby strain (Stanley and Spray, Jour.
duction to the Pathogenic Anaerobes, Uni- Bact., 4i, 1941, 256).
versity of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1955, 253 Acid and gas from glucose, galactose,
pp.). For a method of routine typing, see maltose, lactose and salicin. Inulin, glycerol
Oakley and Warrack (Jour. Hyg., 51, 1953, and dulcitol not fermented. Strains are ap-
102). Type A is the classic human gas gan- parently variable on mannitol, sucrose,
grene organism; Type B, lamb dysentery; dextrin and starch fermentation.
Type C, "struck" of sheep; Type D, entero- Nitrates reduced slowly, if at all; nitrites
toxemia, or "pulpy kidney" in lambs and absent (Reed, Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 425).
grass sickness in horses; Type E, entero- Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction.
toxemia of animals; Type F, hemorrhagic Blood serum: No liquefaction.
enteritis and enteritis necroticans, or Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
tion.
"Darmbrand," of humans.
Source: Isolated from cases of gaseous Anaerobic.
gangrene and from feces, milk and soil. Optimum temperature not determined.
Habitat: Widely distributed in feces, sew- Grows well between 30° and 37° C.
age and soil. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits.
Source: Isolated from gangrenous war
43. Clostridium sphenoides (Bulloch wounds.
et al., 1919) Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacillus Habitat: Not determined.
sphenoides Bulloch, Bullock, Douglas,
Henry, Mcintosh, O'Brien, Robertson and 44. Clostridium innominatum Prevot,
Wolf, Med. Res. Counc, Spec. Rept. Ser.
1938. (Bacillus E, Adamson, Jour. Path, and
No. 39, 1919, 43; Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st
ed., 1923, 331.) Bact., 22, 1918-19, 391; Pr6vot, Ann. Inst.
Past., 61, 1938, 85.)
sphe.no.i'des. Or. adj. sphenoides wedge-
shaped. in.no.mi.na'tum. L. adj. innominatus
Original description supplemented by unnamed.
material taken from Hall (Jour. Inf. Dis., Very small, thick rods, tapering at one or
30, 1922, 502). both ends, occurring singly, in pairs, in
Small, fusiform rods in the vegetative chains and in filaments. Involution forms
state, occurring singly, in pairs and occa- abundant on glucose agar. Spores small,
sionally in short chains. Sporulating cells spherical, subterminal, swelling the cells.
668 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Motile. Gram-positive, quickly becoming colonies, very slightly raised, with entire
Gram-negative. edges; visible only after some 48 hours' incu-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. bation.
Plain agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Agar deep colonies: Tiny, 0.5 to 1.0 mm;
Small, circular, entire, whitish translucent, lenticular with smooth, entire edges; whit-
becoming yellowish opaque with age. ish translucent (smaller and less opaque
Glucose agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : than those of Clostridium tertium Bergey et
Two forms are produced: a) circular, entire, al.). Growth perceptible only after some
opaque; b) diffuse, spreading, irregular and 72 hours' incubation.
translucent. Milk (with iron strip) : Fine and constant
Plain broth: Moderately turbid; clears by evolution of gas bubbles for many days, but
sedimentation in 3 to 4 days. no coagulation after 22 days' incubation.
Glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; slight Medium slowly graj^ed but not blackened.
gas production. Indole not produced.
Milk: Slowly acidified but not clotted. No Lead acetate agar or peptone iron agar:
further change. No blackening.
Acid and gas from glucose, maltose, lac- Acid and gas from glucose, maltose and
tose and mannitol. Sucrose not fermented. galactose. Lactose, trehalose, rhamnose,
Coagulated albumin: No digestion or raffinose, dulcitol and inositol are not at-
blackening. tacked.
Blood serum: No digestion or blackening. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Meat medium: No digestion or blacken- Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction.
ing. Blood agar: No hemolysis.
Brain medium: No digestion or blacken- Blood serum: No liquefaction.
ing. Brain medium (Hibler) : No blackening
Anaerobic. or digestion, even in the presence of an iron
strip.
Grows well at 37° C.
Not pathogenic (Prevot, loc. cit.). Anaerobic.
Source: Isolated from septic and gan- Optimum temperature not determined.
grenous war wounds. Growth better at 37° C. than at room tem-
Habitat: Not determined.
perature.
Not pathogenic for white mice, guinea
45. Clostridium inicrosporum Spray, pigs or rabbits.
1947. (Jour. Bact., 5^, 1947, 15; also see ihid., Distinctive characters: Minute size and
55, 1948, 840.) navicular pointed form of the cells, and the
mic.ro'spo.rum. Gr. adj. micrus small; tiny, spherical, central to eccentric spores.
Gr. noun sporus seed; M.L. noun spora a Source: Isolated only once from the ab-
spore; M.L. adj. microsporus small-spored. dominal contents of a fatal case of peritoni-
Rods, 0.8 by 2.0 to 4.0 microns, occurring tis.
singly and in pairs but not in long chains, Habitat: From human sources, so far as
occasionally long, pleomorphic filaments, known.
distinctly vacuolate, especially in old cul-
tures. Organisms navicular and sharply 46. Clostridium filiforme Bergey et al.,
pointed at both ends. Spores tiny, spherical, 1923. {Bacillus regularis filiformis Debono,
central to slightly eccentric, slightly swell- Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 62, 1912, 234;
ing the cells. Actively motile, particularly Bergey et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 331.)
by means of a spinning movement with fi.li.for'me. L. adj. filiformis thread-like.
little progressive motion. Presence, number Slender rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 3.0 to 5.0 mi-
and position of flagella not detected. crons, occurring singly, in pairs, in chains
Gelatin (or iron-gelatin) : No liquefaction and in filaments. Spores very small, spher-
or blackening. ical, subterminal or occasionally terminal,
Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Tiny, not swelling the cells. Non-motile. Gram-
almost imperceptible, transparent dew-drop
positive.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE C69
Brain medium: No blackening or diges- No. 39, 1919, 40; Bergey et al., Manual, 1st
tion. Non-proteolytic. ed., 1923, 333.)
Anaerobic. coch.le.a'ri.um. L. noun coclear (cochlear)
Grows well at 37° C. a spoon; M.L. adj. cochlearius spoon-like.
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits. Straight, slender rods, occurring chiefly
Source: Isolated from feces and gaseous singly and infrequently in pairs or short
gangrene and from post-mortem fluid and chains. Spores ovoid, terminal, swelling the
tissue cultures. cells. Motile by means of peritrichous
Habitat : Presumably occurs commonly in flagella. Weakly Gram-positive.
the intestinal canals of human beings. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Circu-
49. Clostridium indologenes (Prevot, lar, clear, entire or crenated.
1948) McClung and McCoy, comb. nov. Agar deep colonies: Lenticular, entire.
(Pleciridium indologenes Prevot, Ann. Inst. Broth: Turbid.
Past., 74, 1948, 165.) Litmus milk: Unchanged.
in.do.lo'ge.nes. M.L. neut.n. indolum Glucose and other carbohydrates not
indole; Gr. v. gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. fermented.
indologenes indole-producing. Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction.
Straight rods, 0.6 by 3.0 to 4.0 microns, Blood serum: No liquefaction.
occurring singly or in pairs. Spores rare, Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
ovoid, large-sized and distinctly terminal. tion.
Motile in very young cultures. Gram-posi- Meat medium: Slightly reddened. No
tive. blackening or digestion. Little gas produced
Gelatin: No liquefaction. of non-putrefactive odor.
Agar deep colonies: Lenticular with sec- Anaerobic.
ondary off-shoots; little gas produced, if
any. 35°Optimum
C. temperature, between 30° and
Peptone broth: Turbid. Not pathogenic.
Glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; vis- Source : Isolated from human war wounds
cous sediment; putrid odor. and septic infections.
Milk: No change. Habitat: Not determined. Probably oc-
Indole produced. curs in soil.
Hydrogen sulfide produced.
Glucose, lactose and galactose are fer- 51. Clostridium kluyveri Barker and
mentd. Taha, 1942. {Clostridium kluyverii (sic)
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 347.)
Barker and Taha, Jour. Bact., 43, 1942,
Coagulated proteins: Not attacked.
Anaerobic.
kluy've.ri. M.L. gen. noun kluyveri of
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Kluyver; named for Prof. A. J. Kluyver of
Optimum pH, 7.8. Delft, Holland, in whose laboratory this
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs. organism was discovered.
Source: Isolated from a sample of "poto- Straight to slightly curved rods, 0.9 to
poto" in Africa. 1.1 by 3.0 to 11.0 microns, usually occurring
Habitat: Not determined. singly and in pairs, occasionally in long
chains. Spores ovoid, 1.3 by 1.8 microns,
50. Clostridium cochlearium (Bulloch terminal, swelling the cells. Motile by means
et al., 1919) Bergey et al., 1923. {Bacillus of peritrichous flagella. Generally Gram-
Type IIIc, Mcintosh, Med. Res. Counc, negative; some strains are weakly Gram-
Spec. Rept. Ser. No. 12, 1917, 20; Bacillus positive when young.
cochlearius Bulloch, Bullock, Douglas, Iron-gelatin (Spray) : No growth.
Henry, Mcintosh, O'Brien, Robertson and Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Growth
Wolf, Med. Res. Counc, Spec. Rept. Ser. slow and restricted by residual traces of
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
671
oxygen. Rough and smooth colonies are pro- a.ci.di.u'ri.ci. L. adj. acidus sour; M. L.
duced. noun acidum acid; Gr. noun urum urine;
Agar deep colonies (yeast autolysate and M.L. adj. uricus pertaining to urine; M.L.
C2H5OH) : Small, 1 to 3 mm in diameter after acidum uricum uric acid; M.L. gen. noun
2 to 3 days ; two types are formed : a) fluffy acidiurici of uric acid.
spheres with dense nuclear centers and fila- Straight rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 2.5 to 4.0 mi-
mentous peripheries; b) compact, lenticular crons. Spores ovoid, 0.9 by 1.1 microns,
colonies. Little gas is produced. terminal, swelling the cells. Motile by means
Plain broth: Xo growth. of peritrichous flagella. Most strains are
Glucose broth: Xo growth. Gram-negative; a few strains are weakly
Milk or iron-milk (Spray) : Xo growth. Gram-positive, quickly becoming Gram-
Indole production not recorded (probably negative.
negative). Iron-gelatin (Spray): No growth.
Ethanol is converted to caproic acid. Plain deep agar: No growth.
Glucose and other carbohydrates not fer- Uric acid agar surface colonies (anaero-
mented. bic) Variable
: with the strain and with the
Cellulose not fermented. moisture of the medium. Colonies, 1 to 2 mm
X'itrite production not recorded (probably in diameter, opaque, white, raised, round,
negative) . smooth edged, with concentric surface
Atmospheric nitrogen fixed, though less markings and of rubbery consistency. Other
actively than by Clostridium -pasteurianum colonies may be very thin, soft, transparent,
Winogradsky (Rosenblum and Wilson, Jour. with fimbriate projections, spreading to
Bact.,57, 1949,413). cover almost the entire plate. Intermediate
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. colony tj^pes also observed.
Blood serum: X"o liquefaction. Uric acid agar deep colonies: Whitish,
Brain medium: No digestion or blacken- compact, lobate, 1 to 2 mm in diameter, with
ing. irregular edge; surrounded by a temporary
Anaerobic. zone of precipitated ammonium ureate
Optimum temperature, about 34° C. which gradually disappears.
Grows between 19° and 37° C. Yeast autolysate tryptone glucose semi-
Chemical tolerance: Optimum pH, about solid agar: No growth (Barker and Beck,
6.8. Range for growth, pH 6.0 to 7.5. Jour. Bact.,4S, 1942,291).
Probably not pathogenic. Plain broth: No growth.
Distinctive characters: Large size of cells Glucose broth: No growth.
and slow growth, accompanied by non- Iron-milk (Spray) : N^o growth.
putrefactive odor of caproic acid and of Indole production not recorded (prob-
higher alcohols. Growth is exceptionally ably negative).
favored by synergistic association with Glucose and other carbohydrates not
Methanohacterium omelianskii Barker. In fermented.
pure culture a high concentration of yeast Cellulose not fermented.
autolysate is required. Caproic acid is pro- Nitrite production not recorded (prob-
duced from ethanol. ably negative).
Source: Isolated from black mud of fresh
Atmospheric nitrogen not fixed (Rosen-
water and of marine origin. blum and Wilson, Jour. Bact., 57, 1949, 413).
Habitat: Not determined. Presumably Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction.
widely dispersed in nature. Blood serum: No liquefaction.
ing.
Brain medium: No digestion or blacken-
52. Clostridium acidiurici (Liebert,
1909) Barker, 1938. {Bacillus acidi urici Anaerobic.
Liebert, Koninkl. Akad. v. Wetensch., Proc.
Optimum temperature, about 35° C.
Sect. Sci., Amsterdam, 12, 1909, 55; Barker, Optimum reaction, about pH 7.5; lower
Jour. Bact.,3e, 1938,323.) limit for growth, about pH 6.5.
672 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Grows well microns for non-sporulating cells and 0.5
at room temperature. by 3.0 to 5.0 microns for sporulating cells,
Neither toxin nor hemolysin produced. with rounded ends, occurring in pairs or in
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits. chains of 3 to 16 cells. Spores ovoid, termi-
Source: Isolated from a human cadaver nal, measuring 0.6 by 1.0 micron. Non-
and from the peritoneum of a rabbit. motile. Gram-positive.
Habitat: Not determined. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar deep colonies: Lenticular, whitish,
55. Clostridium saprogenes (Salus, 1 to 2 mm in diameter. Agar is split by gas.
1904) McClung and McCoy, comb. nov. Glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; gas
(Bacillus saprogenes carnis Salus, Arch. f. liberated has a slight, but not disagreeable,
Hyg., 51, 1904, 114; Bacillus saprogenes odor of volatile acids.
Salus, ibid., 115; Plectridium saprogenes Peptone broth: Abundantly turbid; no
Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 61, 1938, 87; also
see Prevot and Weislitz, Ann. Inst. Past., Milk: Rapidly acidified, then coagulated
72, 1946, 444.) with
gas. liberation of gas and retraction of clot.
sap.ro'ge.nes. Gr. adj. saprus rotten; Gr. Indole not produced.
V. gennaio to produce; M.L. part. adj. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
saprogenes rot-producing. Glucose, fructose, maltose, galactose,
Rods, 1.5 by 8.0 microns, curved, in chains sucrose, arabinose and lactose are strongly
and filaments. Spores ovoid, terminal. Mo- fermented.
tile. Gram-positive. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. Anaerobic.
Agar deep colonies: Lenticular or spheri-
cal; gas is produced. 37°Optimum
C. temperature, between 33° and
Liquid media: Gas production; disagree- Optimum pH, about 7.0.
able odor. Not pathogenic for guinea pigs, mice or
Glucose broth: Turbid; sediment; pene- rabbits.
trating, putrid odor due in part to hydrogen Source: Isolated from a case of chronic
sulfide.
Milk: Coagulated with a disagreeable appendicitis.
Habitat: Not determined.
odor.
Glucose, fructose, maltose, galactose, su- 57. Clostridium thermosaccharolyti-
crose, lactose, arabinose, xylose, sorbitol, cum McClung, 1935. (Jour. Bact., 29,
dulcitol, inulin and starch are fermented. 1935, 200.)
Glycerol and mannitol are slightly attacked. ther.mo.sac.cha.ro.ly'ti.cum. Gr. adj.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. thermus hot; Gr. noun saccharum sugar; Gr.
Coagulated egg, serum, fibrin and brain: adj. lyticus dissolving; M.L. adj. thermo-
Not attacked. saccharolyticus (presumably intended to
Anaerobic. mean) thermophilic and sugar-fermenting.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Slender, granulated rods, 0.4 to 0.7 by 3.5
Not pathogenic. to 7.5 microns, occurring singly and in pairs,
Source: Isolated from spoiled meat and not in chains. Spores spherical, terminal,
from an industrial fermentation sample. swelling the cells. Motile by means of peri-
Habitat: Probably soil. trichous flagella. Gram-negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
56. Clostridium perenne (Prevot, 1940) Pea-infusion agar surface colonies (anae-
McClung and McCoy, comb. nov. (Acuformis robic) : Granular, grayish white, raised
perennis Prevot, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., center, feathery edges.
Paris, 133, 1940, 576.) Glucose-tryptone agar deep colonies:
per.en'ne. L. adj. perennis lasting through Small, lenticular, smooth.
the year or through many years, perennial. Liver-infusion broth over liver meat:
Straight rods, 0.3 to 0.4 by 1.6 to 3.0 Turbid; gas produced.
674 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
Litmus milk: Litmus reduced. Acid and tion, 2 mm in diameter, moist, grayish,
slow but firm coagulation; coagulum split round, irregular; there is also a spreading
with gas. Clot not digested. tendency.
Indole not produced. Glucose broth: Uniformly turbid.
Acid and gas from arabinose, fructose, Milk: Acid and coagulated in 2 days; gas.
galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose, cello- Indole is produced.
biose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, trehalose, Hydrogen sulfide is produced.
dextrin, glycogen, maize starch, amygdalin, Acid and gas from glucose, sucrose,
esculin, alpha-methyl-glucoside and salicin. maltose and lactose. Mannitol not fer-
Raffinose weakly fermented. Rhamnose, mented.
inulin, pectin, erythritol, inositol, mannitol, Coagulated proteins: Not attacked.
Anaerobic.
glycerol, quercitol and Ca-lactate not fer-
mented. Sorbitol and dulcitol not fermented Grows well at 37° C. but not at ordinary
(Mercer and Vaughn, Jour. Bact., 6£, 1951,
temperatures nor at 46° C.
27). Pathogenicity: Mice injected peritoneally
Cellulose not fermented.
show no efi'ects.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Source: Isolated from a patient operated
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. on for cancer of the large intestine.
Blood serum: No liquefaction. Habitat: Probably the human intestine.
Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
tion. 59. Clostridium caloritolerans Meyer
Meat medium: No blackening or diges- 321.)
and Lang, 1926. (Jour. Inf. Dis., 39, 1926,
tion.
Anaerobic. ca.lo.ri.to'le.rans. L. noun calor heat;
Optimum temperature, between 55° and L. part. adj. tolerans tolerating; M.L.
62° C. Thermophilic. caloritolerans heat-tolerating.
Not pathogenic on feeding to white rats Rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 8.0 to 10.0 microns,
or on injection to rabbits. with rounded ends, occurring singly, in
Distinctive character: Differentiated pairs, in chains and in curved filaments.
from Clostridium tariarivorum Mercer and Spores spherical or pear-shaped, terminal,
Vaughn by not fermenting tartrate. swelling the cells. Motile by means of peri-
Source: Isolated from hard-swell of trichous flagella. Gram-positive.
canned goods and from soil. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Habitat: Not determined. Liver agar deep colonies: Small, flat,
transparent discs with large, polar tufts.
58. Clostridium indolis McClung and Some colonies become fluffy.
McCoy, nom. nov* {Terminosporus indolo- Glucose blood agar surface colonies
genes Bezjak, Ann. Inst. Past., 82, 1952, (anaerobic): Small, flat, grayish, rhizoidal.
101.) No hemolysis.
in'do.lis. M.L. neut.n. indolum indole; Broth: Slightly turbid.
M.L. gen. noun indolis of indole. Glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; clear-
Straight to slightly curved rods, 0.6 by ing by sedimentation; gas is produced.
3.0 to 4.0 microns. Spores terminal, round, Brom cresol purple milk: No change.
measuring 1.0 to 1.5 microns. Motile. Gram- Indole not produced.
negative. Acid and gas from glucose, galactose and
Gelatin: No growth. maltose. Fructose feebly fermented. Lac-
Veillon agar colonies: Small, lenticular; tose, sucrose, raffinose, inulin, salicin,
no gas. mannitol, inositol and glycerol not fer-
Blood agar colonies : After 3 days incuba- mented.
*The specific epithet indolis is used here in lieu of indologenes because the latter is pre-
occupied in the genus Clostridium for an earlier-described organism (see species number 49,
Clostridium indologenes McClung and McCoy).
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
675
L-arabinose, d-xylose, glucose, fructose, gas is produced. After several days a very
galactose, mannose, maltose, lactose, su- scant sediment forms, and there is fairly
crose, trehalose, cellobiose, alpha-methyl- good sporulation.
glucoside, esculin, amygdalin, salicin, Heart broth: Good growth with good
mannitol, sorbitol, dextrin, glycogen and sporulation and good production of gas. In
potato starch are fermented. RafEnose, several days the medium turns viscous.
melibiose, adonitol, erythritol, glycerol, Liver broth: Good growth but little
inositol, cellulose and pectin not fermented. sporulation.
Rhamnose and dulcitol may or may not be Indole not produced.
fermented. Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Glucose, fructose, arabinose, .xylose,
Sodium sulfate and sulfite not reduced. galactose, mannose, rhamnose, sucrose,
Egg albumin: No growth. maltose, lactose, glycerol, mannitol, dul-
Beef heart infusion: No growth. citol, salicin, inulin, dextrin and starch
Brain medium: Slow growth; slight gas not fermented.
production; no blackening nor digestion. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Blood agar: No growth. Coagulated egg albumin: Not attacked.
Anaerobic. Brain medium: Good growth with good
Temperature relations: Optimum, be- production of gas. In brain medium with
tween 55° and 60° C. Grows between 37° and iron filings added, there is no blackening.
67° C. Von Hibler's medium: Good growth, but
Optimum pH, between 6.2 and 7.2. the culture medium is not blackened.
Distinctive character: Differentiated Anaerobic.
from Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum Mc- Not pathogenic upon inoculation into a
Clung by the fermentation of tartrate. small rat.
Source: Isolated from crude tartrates, Source: Isolated from a tin of spoiled
grape pomace and other industrial samples sardines.
containing crude tartrate; also isolated Habitat: Not determined.
from vineyard soils.
Habitat: Found in soil and in natural 63. Clostridium tetani (Fliigge, 1886)
substances containing tartrate. Holland, 1920. (Tetanusbacillen and Teta-
nuserreger, Nicolaier, Deutsch. med.
62. Clostridium sporosphaeroides So- Wochnschr., 10, 1884, 843; Bacillus tetani
riano and Soriano, 1948. (Rev. Asoc. Ar- Fliigge, Die Mikroorganismen, 2 Aufl., 1886,
gentina Dietol., 6, 1948, 36.) 274; Holland, Jour. Bact., 5, 1920, 220.)
spo.ro. sphae.ro 'i.des. Gr. noun sporus te'ta.ni. Gr. noun tetanus tetanus; M.L.
seed; M.L. noun spora spore; Gr. adj. gen. noun tetani of tetanus.
sphaeroides globular; M.L. adj. sporosphae- Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 4.0 to 8.0 microns, with
roides spheroidal-spored. rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs
Rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 5.0 to 8.0 microns. and often in long chains and filaments.
Sporulation after 48 hours, forming plec- Spores spherical, terminal, swelling the
tridia with a terminal spore that is spherical
and about 0.7 to 0.9 micron in diameter. cells. Motile by means of peritrichous
Motile. flagella. Gram-positive.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. ing.Gelatin: Slow liquefaction and blacken-
Yeast autolysate glucose agar colonies:
Lenticular with smooth edges. Agar deep colonies: Fluffy, cottony
Milk: At the beginning there is very little spheres, usually without visible, central
production of gas with no apparent change nucleus.
in the medium. After one week, partial Egg 3'olk agar surface colonies : Irregular,
coagulation commences, forming then a soft somewhat drj', somewhat roughened, with-
clot with a small amount of gas. out precipitate or luster.
Meat broth with meat: Slightly turbid; Serum agar surface colonies (anaerobic) :
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 677
Small, transparent; villous to fimbriate Egg yolk agar surface colonies : Irregular,
margin. somewhat dry, slightly roughened, colorless,
Broth: Slightly turbid. Gas is produced. no precipitate or luster.
Some strains clear quickly by sedimenta- Litmus milk: Slow, soft coagulation or
tion. flocculent precipitation. Casein is slowly
Litmus milk: Slow precipitation of casein digested.
or soft clotting. Clot slowly softened but Indole is produced (Hall, Jour. Inf. Dis.,
not definitely digested. Little gas is pro- 30, 1922, 141). Indole not produced (Hartsell
duced. and Rettger, op. cit., 1934, 509).
Indole not produced (Reed, Jour. Bact., Hydrogen sulfide produced in egg-meat
U, 1942, 425). medium.
Glucose and other carbohydrates not Carbohydrates not fermented. Glucose
fermented. slightly attacked without distinct acid pro-
Nitrates rapidly reduced; nitrites absent duction (Hartsell and Rettger, ibid., 508)
(Reed, loc. cit.). Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Coagulated albumin: Slow liquefaction. Coagulated albumin: Slow liquefaction
Blood agar: Hemolysis. and blackening.
Blood serum: Slowly softened; feeble di- Blood agar: Hemolysis.
gestion. Blood serum: Liquefaction. Gas is pro-
Brain medium: Blackening and slow di- duced.
gestion. Not activel}^ proteolytic. Brain medium: Slow blackening and di-
Strictly anaerobic.
gestion.
Egg-meat medium: Slightly turbid liquid.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
A potent exotoxin is produced for which Meat reddened in 7 to 10 days, then digested
an antitoxin is prepared. Toxin intensely with a foul odor.
toxic on injection but not on feeding. Anaerobic.
Pathogenic and toxic. Grows well at 37° C.
Source: Originallj^ isolated from animals ing.
Filtrate is non-toxic on injection or feed-
inoculated with garden-soil extract. Iso-
lated from wounds in human tetanus. Not pathogenic for white mice, guinea
Habitat: Common in soils and in human pigs or rabbits.
and horse intestines and feces. Source: Isolated from putrefying meat.
Habitat: Found in the intestinal canals
of humans. Widely dispersed in soil.
64. Clostridium lentoputrescens Hart-
sell and Rettger, 1934. (Jour. Bact., 27,
1934, 39 and 497.) 65. Clostridium tetanomorphum (Bul-
loch et al., 1919) Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacil-
len.to.pu.tres'cens. L. adj. lentus slow;
L. part. adj. putrescens decaying; M.L. lus pseudo-tetanus, Type No. IX, — Tetanus-
like Bacillus (Pseudotetanus Bacillus),
adj. lentoputrescens slow-rotting.
Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 7.0 to 9.0 microns, with Mcintosh and Fildes, Med. Res. Counc,
rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs and Spec. Rept. Ser. No. 12, 1917, 11 and 32;
Bacillus tetanomorphus Bulloch, Bullock,
in chains. Spores spherical, ternainal, swell-
ing the cells. Motile by means of peri- Douglas, Henry, Mcintosh, O'Brien, Rob-
ertson and Wolf, Med. Res. Counc, Spec.
trichous flagella. Weakly Gram-positive, Rept. Ser. No. 39, 1919, 41; Bergey et al..
becoming Gram-negative. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 330.)
Gelatin: Liquefaction.
te.ta.no.mor'phum. Gr. noun tetanus
Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Small, tetanus; Gr. noun morplie shape; M.L. adj.
circular, flat; edge crenated to filamentous tetanomorphus (presumably intended to
spreading. Develop a ground-glass appear- mean) {Clostridium) ^eianf -shaped.
ance.
Slender rods, with rounded ends, occur-
Agar deep colonies: Fluffy spheres with ring singly and in pairs, not in chains.
fibrils radiating from central nuclei. Spores spherical, or nearly so, terminal.
678 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
swelling the cells. Motile by means of peri- Agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Small,
trichous flagella. Gram-positive. filamentous.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Gelatin is Agar slant (anaerobic) : Scanty, white,
liquefied (Hall, Jour. Inf. Dis., 30, 1922, beaded, glistening growth.
501). Broth: Moderately turbid; heavy, floccu-
Agar surface colonies (anaerobic): Small, lent sediment.
flat, irregularly circular, translucent, cre- Litmus milk: Rennet coagulation; pep-
nated. tonized. Litmus reduced.
Agar deep colonies: Small, opaque, irregu- Indole not produced.
lar; not woolly or branched. Hydrogen sulfide produced in slight
Agar slant (anaerobic) : Grayish, translu- amounts.
cent growth. Acid and gas from glucose. Lactose, su-
Broth: Turbid. crose, maltose and starch not fermented.
Litmus milk: Unchanged or occasionally Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
slight reduction of litmus. Coagulated albumin: Liquefaction.
Indole not produced. Blood serum: Liquefaction.
Acid and gas from glucose and maltose. Brain medium: Blackening and slow di-
Fructose, galactose, lactose, sucrose, sali-
cin, inulin, mannitol and glycerol not fer- gestion.
Minced pork medium: Slight disintegra-
mented. tion; sour, putrefactive odor.
Nitrates rapidly reduced; nitrites absent Anaerobic.
(Reed, Jour. Bact., U, 1942, 425). Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
Atmospheric nitrogen is fi.xed, though not tween 20° and 25° C. Slow growth at 0° C;
as actively as by Clostridium pasteurianum no visible growth at 37° C.
Winogradsky (Rosenblum and Wilson, Jour. Not pathogenic.
Bact., 57, 1949, 413). Source: Isolated from muscle tissues of
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. hogs at slaughter.
Blood serum: No liquefaction. Habitat: Not determined.
Brain medium: No blackening or diges-
tion. 67. Clostridium thermoaceticum Fon-
Egg-meat medium: Slight gas production taine et al., 1942. (Fontaine, Peterson,
in 48 hours. White crystals are deposited. McCoy, Johnson and Ritter, Jour. Bact.,
Anaerobic. 43, 1942, 705.)
Grows at 30° and at 37° C. ther.mo.a.ce'ti.cum. Gr. adj. thermus
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits. hot; M.L. noun acidurn aceticum acetic acid;
Source: Isolated from war wounds and M.L. adj. thermoaceticus (probably intended
from soil. to mean) producing acetic acid under ther-
Habitat: Not determined. Probably mophilic conditions.
rather common in soil. Rods, 0.4 by 2.8 microns. Spores terminal,
very nearly round, slightly swelling the cell.
66. Clostridium putrefaciens (Mc- Gram-positive.
Bryde, 1911) Sturges and Drake, 1927. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
(Bacillus putrefaciens McBryde, U.S.D.A., Agar colonies: Circular, smooth, opaque.
Bur. An. Ind., Bull. 132, 1911, 6; Sturges and Litmus milk: Slight reduction of litmus.
Drake, Jour. Bact., U, 1927, 175.) Glucose, fructose and xylose are readily
pu.tre.fa'ci.ens. L. part. adj. putrefaciens fermented. Lesser fermentation of galac-
putrefying. tose, mannose, d-arabinose, d-lactic acid,
Rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 3.0 to 15.0 microns, with gluconic acid and esculin.
rounded ends, occurring singly, in pairs and Nitrites produced from nitrates.
in chains and filaments. Spores spherical, Coagulated egg albumin: Not attacked.
terminal, swelling the cells. Non-motile. Brain medium: Not attacked.
Gram-positive. Anaerobic.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Temperature relations: Optimum, be-
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
679
tween 55° and 60° C. Minimum, about 45° C. Specifically agglutinated only by homolo-
Maximum, about 65° C. gous antiserum.
Distinctive characters: No gas produced Source: Isolated from retting beds and
in carbohydrate fermentation; acetic acid is from air.
the principal fermentation product. Habitat: Not determined.
Source: Isolated from horse manure.
Habitat: Found in fecal matter. 69. Clostridium venturellii (de Tomasi,
1925) Spray, 1939. (Bacillus venturelli (sic)
68. Clostridium belfantii (Carbone and de Tomasi, Boll. 1st. Sieroter. Milan., 4,
Venturelli, 1925) Spray, 1939. (Bacillus 769.)
1925, 203; Spray, in Manual, 5th ed., 1939,
belfantii Carbone and Venturelli, Boll. 1st.
Sieroter., Milan, 4, 1925, 59; Spray, in Man- ven.tu.rel'li.i. M.L. gen. noun venturellii
ual, 5th ed., 1939, 759.) of Venturelli; named for Venturelli, an
bel.fan'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun belfantii of Italian bacteriologist.
Belfant; named for Belfant, an Italian Pleomorphic, fusiform to straight or
bacteriologist. slightly curved rods, 0.5 to 0.8 by 2.5 to 8.0
Thick, straight rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 1.5 to and up to 20.0 microns, the size varying with
7.0 microns, occurring singly, in pairs and the medium, with rounded ends, occurring
in short chains. Spores large, ovoid, central singly, in pairs, in chains or frequently in
to subterminal, swelling the cells. Motile. parallel groupings. Spores ovoid, central to
Granulose-negative. Usually Gram-nega- eccentric, swelling the cells. Encapsulated.
tive, occasional cells are Gram-positive. Motile. Granulose-positive, showing violet
Gelatin: No liquefaction. granules with iodine. Gram-negative.
Plain agar surface colonies (anaerobic) : Gelatin: No growth. No liquefaction.
Large, round, opaque, with filamentous Glucose agar surface colonies (anaerobic) :
edge. Round, becoming rose-colored.
Agar deep colonies: Arborescent along Plain agar slant (anaerobic) : No growth.
the stab. Gas is produced. Maltose agar stab: Colonies lenticular,
Plain broth: Diffuse turbidity, clearing yellowish, turning rose. Odor of acetone.
by precipitation. No pigmentation. Gas is Plain broth: No growth.
produced. Milk with CaCOs : Coagulated, becoming
Potato mash: Forms a foam which be- 3'ellow, then pale rose. Amylic odor.
comes violet in 24 to 48 hours and which Potato slant (anaerobic) : Becomes mu-
persists 3 to 6 days, disappearing on ex- cilaginous. Bubbles of gas of amylic odor.
posure to air. Potato mash: Very abundant growth;
Potato slant: Grayish pellicle, becoming rose-colored with red spots.
violet in 24 to 48 hours. Gas of alcoholic Acid and gas from glucose, maltose, su-
odor is produced. No acetone. crose, fructose, lactose, inositol, dextrin and
Glycerinated potato: Thin, grayish pel- starch. Arabinose, glycerol, mannitol and
licle, not becoming violet. inulin not fermented (Weinberg et al., Les
Milk: Coagulated in 24 to 48 hours. Clot Microb. Ana6rob., 1937, 800).
broken by gas. Fermentation products include especially
Milk agar: Abundant growth. Gas of bu- acetone and amyl alcohol with smaller
tyric odor is liberated. amounts of propyl, butyl and iso-butyl alco-
Indole is produced. hols and acetic acid.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced. Coagulated albumin: No digestion.
Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, Blood serum: No liquefaction; produces a
maltose, sucrose, lactose and mannitol. small amount of yellowish liquid.
Starch and inulin weakly fermented. Anaerobic.
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. Optimum temperature, between 18° and
Blood serum: No liquefaction. 20° C. Inhibition of growth and pigmenta-
Anaerobic.
tion above 25° C.
Grows well at 37° C. Distinctive character: Produces a rose-
680 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
arborescent, with coral-red pigment. Colo- rantium the orange; M.L. noun acidum hu-
nies near aerobic layer are more pigmented. tyricum butyric acid; M.L. adj. aurantibu-
Agar slants (in vacuum) : Round colonies tyricus (probably intended to mean) the
with irregular edges, non-pigmented. Colo- golden organism producing butyric acid.
nies become coral-colored if air is intro- Straight rods, 0.5 by 4.7 microns at 30°
duced into the tube.
to 0.5 by 9.4 microns at 37° C. Spores sub-
Peptone broth: Slightly turbid; colorless terminal and ovoid (0.9 by 2.1 microns),
sediment; pigment develops on addition of swelling the cells. Spore-bearing cells are
glucose. motile and mostly spindle-shaped. Motile
Glucose broth: Abundantly turbid; gas by means of peritrichous flagella. Clostridia
liberated; no pigment produced under ana- are granulose-positive. Gram-positive.
erobic conditions. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
Milk: Coagulated in 24 hours, clot not Glucose yeast agar surface colonies:
digested (Prevot and Raynaud, ihid., 183); Slightly granular with orange-red pigment;
coagulation with digestion (Prevot and sometimes pink, deepening to pale orange
Sansonnens, Ann. Inst. Past., 73, 1947, 1044). on continued anaerobic incubation.
Indole and skatole not produced. Potato slant: Not disintegrated.
Hydrogen sulfide produced. Carrot slant : Softening and rotting within
Glucose, fructose, maltose, galactose, su- 48 hours.
crose, lactose, arabinose, xylose, mannitol, Maize mash: Active gas production with
sorbitol, dulcitol, glycerol, starch and inulin distinct pink coloration; good but incom-
are fermented. plete diastatic action.
Pectin not attacked (Prevot and Ray- Acid and gas from xylose, galactose, glu-
naud, op. cit., 1944, 183); pectin attacked cose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, pectin and
(Prevot and Raynaud, Compt. rend. Acad. starch. Cellulose, inulin, mannitol, glycerol
Sci., Paris, 222, 1946, 1531). and sorbitol not fermented.
Produces butyric and formic acids; lactic Products of maize (starch) and glucose
acid not produced (Prevot and Raynaud, fermentation : Main products are acetic and
op. cit., 1944, 183); fermentation type: for- butyric acids. Acetone, butanol, ethanol,
mic-butyric-lactic with alcohol and acetone acetone and iso-propanol are formed in
or acetic-isobutyric-lactic with acetone lesser amounts. Lactic and formic acids and
(Prevot and Sansonnens, op. cit., 1947, acetylmethylcarbinol produced only in
1044); acetic, butyric and formic acids, slight or negligible amounts.
ethyl and butyl alcohols and acetone (Pre- Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
vot and Raynaud, op. cit., 1946, 1531). Anaerobic.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Distinctive characters (differentiation
Coagulated serum: Not attacked. from Clostridium felsmeum Bergey et al. and
Anaerobic. C. roseum McCoy and McClung) : Partial
Not pathogenic for mice or guinea pigs. diastatic action in maize mash; lower yield
Source: Isolated from the serum from a of neutral fermentation products from car-
mouse inoculated with Paris street dust bohydrates; inability to ferment inulin;
(Pr6vot and Raynaud, op. cit., 1944, 182) failure to digest potato tissue; inability to
and from African soil (Prevot and Sanson- reduce nitrates; optimum temperature,
nens, op. cit., 1947, 1044). 30° C.
Habitat: Soil. Source: Isolated from stems of South
African hibiscus and from English flax.
74. Clostridium aurantibutyricum Habitat: Soil.
Hellinger, 1944. (Commemorative Vol. to
Dr. Ch. Weizmann's 70th Birthday, Nov., 75. Clostridium felsineum (Carbone
1944, 46; also see Jour. Gen. Microbiol., /, and Tombolato, 1917) Bergey et al., 1930.
1947, 203.) {Bacillus felsineus Carbone and Tombolato,
au.ran.ti.bu.ty'ri.cum. M.L. noun au- Le Staz. Sper. Agrar., Ital., 50, 1917, 563;
G83
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
Biol., Paris, 99, 1928, 1517; Plectridio ama- Straight rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 3.0 to 4.0 mi-
rillo, Soriano, Tomo commemorativo del crons. Terminal, spherical spores, 1 micron
XXV aniversario de la fundacion de la Fa- in diameter. Gram-positive in young cul-
cultad de Agronomia y Veterinaria, Buenos tures.
Aires, 1929 (?) ; Bacillus haumani (sic) Sori- Gelatin: No growth.
ano, Rev. Inst. Bact., Buenos Aires, 5, 1930, Glucose agar deep colonies: Colonies ap-
743; Plectridium amarillum Stampa, Ann. pear slowly in 5 to 8 days; transparent,
Brass, et Distill., 29, 1930-31, (253, 271 and large, woolly colonies with green, fluorescent
302?); Clostridium haumanni (sic) Prdvot, coloration. Sometimes colonies are smaller,
Ann. Inst. Past., 61, 1938, 81; Clostridium opaque, irregular-edged and green-pig-
felsineum var. haumanni (sic) Heyn, Ver- mented. Pigment is soluble and diffuses
hand. d. k. Akad. v. Wetensch., Anasterdam, completely into the agar but stops at the
Tweedie Reeks, 48, 1951, 29.) level of the aerobic zone.
hau.man'i.i. M.L. gen. noun haumanii of VF glucose broth: Slow growth at 26° C.
Hauman; named for Prof. Lucien Hauman, in 8 to 10 days; after 15 days the broth is
Microbiologist of the University of Buenos colored green; no gas.
Aires. Milk: No growth.
Rods, averaging 0.7 to 0.8 by 4.0 to 10.0 Indole not produced.
microns, occurring singly or in short chains. Potato mash: Strongly colored green in
Terminal, ovoid spores, 1.6 by 3.0 microns, 2 days; marked production of gas.
with spore cap. Actively motile. Granulose- Lactose and galactose are strongly fer-
negative. Gram-positive, becoming Gram- mented. Fructose is more weakly fermented,
negative. while glucose, maltose, sucrose, sorbitol,
Gelatin: No liquefaction. mannitol and starch are not fermented.
Carrot agar deep colonies : Lenticular with Cellulose is not attacked (Prevot, Man. d.
smooth edges. Gas production disrupts agar. Class, et d. D^term. d. Bact. Anaerob.,
Intense canary-yellow pigment diffuses in 2« ed., 1948, 210).
medium. Propionic and formic acids are produced.
Carrot juice: Uniformly turbid. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Potato mash : Produces good growth with Coagulated egg white: No growth.
slow gas and with yellow pigment produc- Liver, brain and fibrin: No growth.
tion. No head formation as with Clostridium Anaerobic.
jelsinexim Bergey et al.
Acid and gas from amygdalin, salicin, Temperature relations: Optimum, 26° C.
Weak growth at 18° and no growth above
mannitol, arabinose, xylose, glucose, fruc- 30° C. Inhibition of pigment production in
tose, mannose, galactose, sucrose, maltose,
lactose, pectin and rhamnose. Arabitol, second-generation cultures at 30° C.
Not pathogenic for experimental animals.
dulcitol, sorbitol, inositol, raffinose, inulin Source: Isolated from pond and river
and starch not fermented. muds.
Retting action: Positive in three days.
Anaerobic. Habitat: Presumably mud.
Rods, 0.5 by 2.0 to 6.0 microns, commonly lactose, raffinose, mannitol and dextrin less
curved, occurring singly and in pairs, not readily fermented. Melezitose, trehalose,
in chains. Spores spherical, terminal, swell- salicin, inulin, soluble starch, glycerol and
ing the cells. Non-motile. Gram stain un- rhamnose not fermented.
certain; usually Gram-negative. Fermentation products are acetic, formic
Grows in routine media only when cellu- and lactic acids, ethyl alcohol, carbon diox-
lose or a certain few carbohydrates are ide, hydrogen and other products not identi-
added. fied. Cellobiose is the chief product of di-
Surface colonies on de.xtrin-cysteine meat gestion ofcellulose; no glucose is produced.
infusion agar (anaerobic) : Tiny, round, Ferrous sulfate not reduced.
transparent dew-drops; finely granular; Biotin and carbohydrates are required in
smooth edge. inorganic media.
Acid and gas from cellulose, dextrin, arab- Strictly anaerobic.
inose, xj-lose and soluble starch. Glucose, Temperature relations: Optimum, 38° C.
fructose, mannose, lactose, maltose, su- Growth is slow at 25° C. Growth inhibited
cro.se, melezitose, raffinose, inulin, saticin, at 18° and at 45° C.
amygdalin, adonitol, dulcitol, erythritol, Distinctive characters: Distinguished
glycerol, inositol, mannitol, sorbitol and from Clostridium cellulosolvens Cowles and
gum arable not fermented. Rettger by the fermentation of glucose,
Cellulose decomposed to H. , CO2 and fructose, mannose and maltose, from C.
organic acids. dissolvens Bergey et al. by spore shape and
Anaerobic. fermentation of mono- and di-saccharides
Grows at 37° C. and from C. werneri Bergey et al. by spore
Source: Isolated from horse feces. shape and fermentation of glucose (Hun-
Habitat: Probably widely dispersed in gate, Jour. Bact., 48, 1944, 499).
manured soils. Source: Isolated from the rumina of cat-
tle.
84. Clostridium cellobioparum Hun- Habitat: Found in the rumina of rumi-
gate, 1944. {Clostridium ceUobioparus (sic) nants, so far as known.
Hungate, Jour. Bact., 48, 1944, 503.)
cel.lo.bi-o'pa.rum. M.L. noun cellobio- 85. Clostridium omelianskii (Henne-
sum cellobiose; L. v. pario to bear, produce; berg, 1922, emend. Clausen, 1931) Spray,
L. verb. adj .suffix parus producing; M.L. 1948. (Bacillus hydrogenique, Omeliansky,
adj. ceUobioparus cellobiose-producing. Arch. Sci.Biol. (Russ.), 9, 1902-03, 263l(Was-
Slightly curved rods, 0.3 to 0.4 by 3.0 to serstoffbacillus, Omeliansky, Cent. f. Bakt.,
5.0 microns, occurring singly or as two cells II Abt., 8, 1902, 262), and Bacille formen-
attached. Spores are terminal and spher- ique, Omeliansky, op. cit., 1902-03, 263
ical, 0.9 micron in diameter, swelling the (Methanbacillus, Omeliansky, Cent. f.
cells; spores rarely remain attached to the Bakt., II Abt., 11, 1903-04, 370); Bacillus
cells. Motile by means of 1 to 4 peritrichous omelianskii Henneberg, Cent. f. Bakt., II
flagella. Gram-negative. Abt., 55, 1922, 276; Clausen, Cent. f. Bakt.,
Glucose agar deep colonies: Disc-shaped II Abt., 84, 1931, 40 and 54; Spray, in Man-
and compact, older colonies become more ual, 6th ed., 1948, 809.)
complex in shape, often by growth of daugh- o.me.li.an'ski.i. M.L. gen. noun omelian-
ter discs at right angles to the original one; skii of Omeliansky; named for Prof. W.
pigmentation not reported, presumed nega- Omeliansky, the Russian bacteriologist who
tive. was the first to observe this organism.
Cellulose agar deep colonies: Irregular in Straight to slightly curved rods, 0.5 to
shape, even when small. 0.7 by 5.0 to 15.0 microns, the length varying
Acid and gas readily produced from glu- with the medium, occurring chiefly singly,
cose, fructose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, occasionally in pairs, frequently parallel in
cellobiose, melibiose, maltose and a hemi- groups, never in chains or filaments. Spores,
cellulose from birch. Galactose, sucrose, 1.0 to 1.5 microns in diameter, the size vary-
688 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
ing with the medium, spherical, terminal, Spores resist heating at 100° C. for 90 min-
swelling the cells. Young cells are motile, utes.
the motility disappearing with sporulation; Comments: This species was apparently
flagella not demonstrable. Young vegetative first isolated and studied in pure culture by
cells are colored wine-red with iodine solu- Clausen {op. cit., 1931, 40 and 54). From his
tion. Gram-positive, becoming Gram-labile studies he concluded that Omeliansky's
on sporulation. Wasserstoffbacillus and Methanbacillus are
Gelatin (plus asparagine) : Liquefaction but a single species and that the gaseous
in 6 to 10 days. Medium remains perfectly fermentation products are H2 and CO2 , not
clear. methane; the production of methane ob-
Asparagine agar deep colonies: Grayish served by Omeliansky was effected by the
white, delicate, cottony, with fine radial symbiotic forms or other contaminants al-
outgrowths. ways present in Omeliansky's cultures.
Asparagine agar surface colonies (ana- Clausen's evidence is quite convincing, and
erobic): Poor, delicate, translucent, filmy, the organism is presented here from his de-
scarcely discernible growth. scription.
Cellulose-liver broth: Solution remains Source: Isolated from human, cow and
visibly clear and does not darken with age. horse excreta, from the stomach contents of
Occasionally, large gas bubbles arise. cows, from cheese and from soil.
Milk: Soft coagulation in 24 hours. Amor- Habitat: Found in the intestinal canals
phous clot shrinks and settles, forming a of animals and presumably thence widely
yellowish red to orange sediment with tur- disseminated in soil.
bid supernatant whey.
Indole not produced. 86. Clostridium dissolvens Bergey et
Hydrogen sulfide produced in trace al., 1925. (Bacillus cellulosae dissolvens
amounts in inorganic solutions. Khouvine, Ann. Inst. Past., 87, 1923, 711;
Maltose, mannitol, lactose, glucose, su- Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, 344.)
crose, galactose, fructose, starch, salicin, dis.sol'vens. L. part. adj. dissolvens dis-
solving.
glycerol and inulin not attacked.
Cellulose, apparently the primary carbon Slender rods, ranging from 2.5 to 12.5 mi-
source, is only weakly attacked by pure cul- crons in length, occurring singly and oc-
tures with the production of hydrogen and casional y inpairs, but not in chains. Spores
carbon dioxide. Yellow pigment not ob- ovoid, terminal, swelling the cells. Non-
served in the presence of cellulose (see Clos- motile. Gram-negative.
tridium dissolvens) . Cellulose is digested by the formation of
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. an endocellulase which acts only when the
Ammonia not produced. bacteria are attached to the cellulose. Sac-
charides and CO2 , Ho , ethyl alcohol and
Brain medium: No digestion or blacken-
ing. No visible evidence of growth. acetic, lactic and butyric acids are pro-
duced from cellulose.
Non -pathogenic for mice; effect on other
animals not recorded. A yellow pigment is produced in the pres-
ence of cellulose.
Anaerobic. Grows at 25 to 30 mm mercury
Glucose and carbohydrates other than
pressure. cellulose not fermented.
Optimum temperature, between 37° and Anaerobic.
42° C.
Grows between 35° and 51° C. without a
Optimum reaction, between pH 7.0 and definite optimum. For the thermophilic
7.4. Grows between pH 6.0 and 8.4. strain of Khouvine, see Clostridium thermo-
Distinctive characters: Ability to liquefy cellum Viljoen et al.
gelatin (with asparagine added), to coagu- Not pathogenic for guinea pigs.
late milk, producing an orange sediment, Distinctive character: Grows only in me-
and to grow in media containing asparagine dia containing cellulose, in the presence of
without requiring the presence of cellulose. which it produces a yellow pigment.
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE 689
Source: Isolated from human feces. formic, acetic, lactic and succinic acids and
Habitat: Intestinal canal of man. ethyl alcohol.
Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
87. Clostridium therniocellmn Viljoen Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
et al., 1926. (Viljoen, Fred and Peterson, Anaerobic.
Jour. Agr. Sci. (London), 16, 1926, 7; Ter- Optimum temperature, about 60° C.
minosporus thermocellus Prevot, Ann. Inst. Grows between 50° and 68° C.
Past., 61, 1938, 86; Plectridium snieszkoi Comment : A thermophilic strain of Bacil-
Prevot, Man. d. Class, et Determ. d. Bact. lus cellulosae dissolve?is Khouvine is re-
Anaerob., 1940, 154; also see McBee, Jour. garded as identical with this species.
Bact., 67, 1954, 505; and Bact. Rev., 14, 1950, Source: Isolated from horse manure, hu-
51.) man feces, soil and marine mud.
ther.mo'cel.lum. Gr. adj. thermus hot; Habitat: Probably widely dispersed in
M.L. noun cellulosum cellulose; M.L. adj. soils.
thermocellus (probably intended to mean) a
thermophilic organism that digests cellu- 88. Clostridium thermocellulaseum
lose. 653.)
Enebo, 1951. (Physiol. Plantarum, 4, 1951,
Vegetative cells are straight or slightl.y
curved rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 2.5 to 3.5 microns, ther.mo.cel.lu.la'se.um. Gr. adj. ther-
usually occurring as individuals but oc- 7110S hot; M.L. noun cellulosum cellulose;
casionally forming long chains in liquid M.L. adj. thermocelhilasexis (probabl}' in-
media. Terminal, ovoid spores, about 1.2 by tended to mean) a thermophilic organism
1.6 microns, swelling the cells. Motile by that digests cellulose.
means of peritrichous flagella. Gram-nega- Slender rods, 0.35 to 0.45 by 2.0 to 4.8 mi-
tive. crons, with rounded ends, occurring singly
Cellulose-gelatin: Cellulose digested, but or in pairs. Terminal spores, about 1.0 to
gelatin not liquefied. 1.25 microns in size, soon separate from the
Cellobiose agar surface colonies (anaero- sporangia, which are rapidly dissolved.
bic) :Watery, slightly convex, translucent Often times a small amount of the vegeta-
with a bluish fluorescence. tive cell remains attached to the spore. Mo-
Cellulose agar surface colonies (anaero- tile by means of very few peritrichous fla-
bic)As
: above but with an insoluble, yellow- gella. Gram-negative.
ish orange pigment frequently produced. Gelatin: No liquefaction at 55° C.
Cellulose digested in an area surrounding Cellulose agar colonies: Minute, colorless,
the colony. translucent, convex surface colonies; sub-
Cellulose agar deep colonies: Lenticular, surface colonies are minute, faintly yellow
becoming lobate in old cultures. Colonies and lens-shaped. Colonies are surrounded
may be white or produce a yellowish orange by clear, circular, decomposition zones.
pigment which is more intense in some Nutrient and starch agar: No growth
strains than in others. Cellulose surrounding (Enebo, Studies on Cellulose Decomposition
the colony is digested. by an Anaerobic Thermophilic Bacterium
Nutrient broth (anaerobic): No growth. and Two Associated Non-cellulolytic Spe-
Glucose broth (anaerobic): No growth. cies, Stockholm, 1954).
Indole not produced. Litmus milk: Not coagulated; acid not
Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
produced.
Acid and gas from cellulose, cellobiose, Indole not produced.
.xylose and hemicelluloses. Glucose, fruc- Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, man-
tose, mannose, galactose, arabinose, su- nose (weakly), maltose (weakly), cellobiose,
crose, lactose, maltose, melibiose, trehalose, arabinose and xylose. Galactose, rhamnose,
inulin, salicin, dextrin, soluble starch, inosi- sucrose, lactose, melibiose, trehalose, rafh-
tol, sorbitol, dulcitol, mannitol, glycerol, nose, glycerol, mannitol, dulcitol, sorbitol
pectin and gum arable not fermented. and starch not fermented.
Fermentation products include CO2 , H2 , Cellulose is hydrolyzed to low-molecular
690 ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
in a barely perceptible film or in tiny, Straight or curved rods, 0.9 by 4.0 mi-
smooth, discrete colonies. crons, with rounded ends, occurring singly,
Egg yolk agar surface colonies: Small, in pairs or in short chains. Subterminal,
circular to slightly irregular, moist, smooth, ovoid, clostridial spores, 1.5 by 2.0 microns.
creamy white, without precipitate or luster. Encapsulated. Weakly motile. Gram-posi-
Blood agar surface colonies (aerobic) : tive.
Minute, round dew-drops. Hemolysis. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
Broth: Turbid; slight precipitate. Agar deep colonies: Lenticular; gas is
Litmus milk: Softly coagulated, then
produced.
slowly digested. Little gas is produced. Peptone broth: Slightly turbid.
Indole not produced. VF glucose broth: Abundantly turbid;
Carbohydrates not fermented. abundant sediment.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Milk: Not coagulated; not changed.
Coagulated albumin: Slow liquefaction. Indole and skatole not produced.
Blood serum: Slow liquefaction with dark- Hydrogen sulfide produced.
ened, putrid fluid. Glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galac-
Brain medium: Blackening and digestion; tose and sucrose are strongly fermented.
putrefactive odor. Mannitol weaklj^ fermented.
Egg-meat medium: Little gas is produced. Nitrites produced from nitrates in the
Meat first reddened then darkened in 3 days. presence of mannitol.
Digestion apparent in about 24 hours. Nau- Coagulated proteins: Not attacked.
seous odor. Tyrosine crystals are abundant Anaerobic, aerotolerant.
after about a week.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Anaerobic, aerotolerant, growing feebly Not pathogenic for guinea pigs.
on aerobic agar slant. Source : Isolated from mud from an Afri-
Grows well at 37° C. can lagoon.
A cjtolytic exotoxin is produced which Habitat: Presumably mud.
causes extensive local necrosis and sloughing
on injection. Not toxic on feeding. 92. Clostridium tertium (Henry, 1916)
Produces at least three antigenic com- Bergey et al., 1923. (Bacillus teriius Henry,
ponents in toxic culture filtrates: (1) alpha, Jour. Path, and Bact., 21, 1916, 347; Bergey
lethal and necrotizing toxin, (2) beta, col- et al.. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 332.)
lagenase, and (3) cysteine-activated pro- ter'ti.um. L. adj. tertius third.
teinase which attacks altered collagen (hide- Rods, 0.4 to 0.6 by 3.0 to 6.0 microns, oc-
powder or azocoll) but not native collagen curring singly and in pairs, not in chains.
(Oakley and Warrack, Jour. Gen. Micro- Spores ovoid, terminal, swelling the cells.
biol., 4, 1950, 365). Produces an oxygen- Motile. Gram-positive.
labile hemolysin (Howard, Brit. Jour. Exp. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Path., 34, 1953, 564). Agar surface colonies (aerobic) : Circular
Pathogenic for small laboratory animals. with opalescent, crenated margin.
Source: Originally isolated from war Agar deep colonies: Small, lenticular,
wounds, where it induces active necrosis of regular, smooth.
tissue. Found occasionally in feces and soil. Agar slant (aerobic) : Grayish, filmy,
Habitat: Not determined. Apparently opalescent growth.
widely but sparsely dispersed in soil. Broth: Turbid; sediment.
Litmus milk: Acid; coagulated; some gas
91. Clostridium lacunarum Pr^vot, is produced. Clot not digested.
1948. (Ann. Inst. Past., 74, 1948, 166.) Indole not produced.
la.cu.na'rum. L. fem.n. lacuna a ditch, Acid and gas from glucose, fructose, galac-
pit or hole, especially one in which water is tose, mannose, lactose, maltose, sucrose,
apt to collect, a lagoon; L. fem.gen.pl.n. arabinose, xylose, trehalose, melezitose,
lacunarum of lagoons. soluble starch, esculin, mannitol, inositol
692 OEDER IV. EUBACTERIALES
and salicin. Inulin and glycerol not fer- Glucose-gelatin: Liquefaction (active
mented. growth of sporulating cultures necessary).
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Agar slant (aerobic) : Minute, translucent
Coagulated albumin: No liquefaction. colonies, containing long rods and thread-
Blood agar: Hemolysis. like forms without spores.
Blood serum: No liquefaction. Glucose yeast agar surface colonies : Large,
Brain medium: No blackening or diges- 1 to 5 mm in diameter, rounded or irregular,
tion. raised, smooth or crested, often star-shaped,
Meat medium: Reddened; acid and gas somewhat hard, compact, glutinous, wax-
produced. Meat neither blackened nor di- like. Whole colonj^ removed intact when
gested. Non-putrefactive. fished with needle.
Anaerobic, aerotolerant, growing feebly Milk: Stormy fermentation with some
on aerobic agar slant. peptonization.
Optimum temperature, between 30° and Hydrogen sulfide produced in yeast glu-
35° C. Growth occurs at 50° C. cose agar tested with lead acetate paper.
Not pathogenic for guinea pigs or rabbits. Negative in brain media with or without
Source : Isolated from gangrenous wounds iron.
and from feces. Maize or potato mash: Rapid fermenta-
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, feces tion with abundant gas production and par-
and sewage. tial diastatic action. Butyric odor. Head
collapses on continued incubation leaving
93. Clostridium pectinovorum (Stor- clear supernatant above coarse sediment.
mer, 1903) Donker, 1926. (Plectridium pec- Glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose,
tinovorum Stormer, Mitteil. d. deutsch. mannose, soluble starch, maize starch, dex-
Landwirts. Gesellsch., 18, 1903, 195; not trin, glycogen, salicin and mannitol are
Granulobacter pectinovorum Beijerinck and fermented. Glj^cerol, pectin, rhamnose,
van Delden, Arch, neerl. d. Sci. Exact, et. raffinose, melezitose and alpha-methyl-
Nat., Ser. II, 9, 1904, 423; Donker, Thesis, glucoside are slightly attacked, if at all.
Delft, 1926, 149.) Reports variable on arabinose, lactose, su-
pec.ti.no'vo.rum. Gr. adj. pecticus con- crose, xylose and inulin. Trehalose, amyg-
gealing or hardening; M.L. noun pectinum dalin, esculin, erythritol, sorbitol, dulcitol,
pectin; L. v. voro to devour; M.L. adj. pec- quercitol and cellulose not fermented.
tinovorus pectin-destroying. Products of glucose fermentation, in addi-
For additional descriptive characters see tion to butyric, acetic and lactic acids and
Stormer (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 13, 1904, ethyl alcohol, include negligible yields of
35), McCoy, Fred, Peterson and Hastings acetone and butyl and iso-propyl alcohols.
(Jour. Inf. Dis., i6, 1930, 118), Weizmann Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
and Hellinger (Jour. Bact., 40, 1940, 665), Atmospheric nitrogen fixed, though not
Weizmann and Hellinger (Palestine Jour. as actively as by Clostridium pasteurianum
Bot., Rehovot Ser., J^, 1944, 51), Hellinger Winogradsky (Rosenblum and Wilson,
(Bui. Research Council Israel, 2, 1952, 225) Jour. Bact., 57, 1949, 413).
and Hellinger (Jour. Applied Bact., 17, 1954,
Egg albumin: Digestion.
6). Brain medium: No blackening.
Long and short rods, slender, 0.5 to 0.6 by
Blood agar: No hemolysis.
3.8 to 4.2 microns, somewhat curved with
rounded ends, occurring singly or in short Blood serum: No liquefaction.
chains. Large, ovoid, terminal spores, swell- Catalase-negative reaction obtained on
ing the cells; plectridial sporangia, spatulate anaerobic cultures on glucose yeast agar;
results on aerobic cultures not recorded.
to capitate. Spores, 1.4 by 2.3 microns; plec-
tridia, 0.7 to 1.4 by 6.0 to 10.0 microns. Mo- Anaerobic, aerotolerant.
tile by means of peritrichous flagella. Gran- Temperature relations (for fermentation) :
ulose-positive in young plectridial stage. Optimum, 27° C. Range, 20° to 45° C.
Gram-positive. Source : Isolated from soil, hemp and jute.
693
FAMILY XIII. BACILLACEAE
Habitat: Found in soil and in naturally 1936, 437), this organism was later found to
retting plant materials. form spores of low heat resistance which
are spherical and terminal and which swell
the cells (Barker, op. cit., 1940, 207). Ini-
Nolc: Species incerlae sedis. The relation-
ships of Melhanohaclerium soehngenii Barker tiall}^ reported as non-motile (Barker, op.
and Methanobacterium omelianskii Barker to cit., 1936, 437) but later observed to be oc-
casionally and feebly motile, the type of
other species of bacteria are not entirely- flagellation not determined (Barker, op.
clear. M. soehngenii, a non-motile, non-
sporeforming, Gram-negative species, has cit., 1940, 207). At first described as Gram-
negative (Barker, op. cit., 1936, 437), the
tentatively been placed in the family Spiril-
laceae. While M. omelianskii was described cells were later reported to be Gram-var-
iable (Barker, op. cit., 1940, 208).
for some time as being non-motile and non-
Primary alcohols, including ethanol, pro-
sporeforming, it was later found to be defi-
nitely motile at times, to form spores and panol, n-butanol and n-amyl alcohol, are
oxidized to the corresponding fatty acids.
to be Gram- variable. As an anaerobe, it
should be placed in the genus Clostridium. Secondary alcohols, including isopropanol
If, however, it were placed in the genus and sec-butanol, are oxidized to the corre-
Clostridium, it could not bear the specific sponding ketones. Hj-drogen is oxidized.
Ethanol is utilized the best of all organic
epithet omelianskii, as this epithet is pre-
empted by the cellulose-fermenting Clos- compounds.
Carbon dioxide is utilized and converted
tridium omelianskii (Henneberg, emend.
to methane. Growth and alcohol oxidation
Clausen) Spraj', a different organism. While
awaiting a better determination of the rela- are directly proportional to the carbon diox-
tionships of Methanobacterium omelianskii, ide supply, at low concentrations.
this organism has been placed here. Fatty and hydroxy acids, glucose and
other polyhydroxy alcohols and amino acids
are not attacked.
1. Methanobacterium omelianskii Ammonia is utilized as a nitrogen source.
Barker, 1936. (Bacille de la decomposition Nitrate, sulfate and oxygen cannot be
methanique de I'alcohol ethylique, Omelian- used as oxidizing agents.
sky, Ann. Inst. Past., 30, 1916, 56; Barker, Obligate anaerobe.
Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 7, 1936, 436; also see
Optimum temperature, between 37° and
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 6, 1940, 201; and 40° C. Maximum, between 46° and 48° C.
Jour. Biol. Chem., 137, 1941, 153.) Growth limits, pH 6.5 and 8.1.
o.me.li.an'ski.i. M.L. gen. noun omelian- Source: Isolated from soil, fresh-water
skii of Omeliansky; named for Prof. W. and marine muds, rabbit feces and sewage.
Omeliansky, the Russian bacteriologist who Pure cultures were isolated from fresh-water
was the first to observe this organism. and marine muds (Barker, op. cit., 1940,
201).
Rods, 0.6 to 0.7 by 1.5 to 10.0 microns,
usually 3.0 to 6.0 microns in length. Origi- Habitat: Found wherever organic matter
nally described as non-sporeforming (Omel- is decomposing in an anaerobic, approxi-
iansky, op. cit., 1916, 60; Barker, op. cit.. mately neutral environment.
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES BUCHANAN, 1917.
Ac.ti.no.my.ce.ta'les. M.L. mas.n. Actinomyces type genus of the order; -ales ending to
denote an order; M.L. pl.f.n. Actinomycetales the Actinomyces order.
Organisms forming elongated cells which have a definite tendency to branch. These hy-
phae do not exceed 1.5 microns and are mostly about 1.0 micron or less in diameter. In some
species the cells are acid-fast. In the Mycobacteriaceae the mycelium is rudimentary or ab-
sent; no spores are formed. The Actinomycetaceae, Streptomycetaceae and Actinoplanaceae
usually produce a characteristic branching mycelium and multiply by means of special
spores (oidiospores, conidia or sporangiospores) or combinations of these spores. Special
spores are formed by fragmentation of the plasma within straight or spiral-shaped, spore-
bearing hyphae; the oidiospores are formed by segmentation or by transverse division of
hyphae, similar to the formation of oidia among the true fungi; the conidia are produced
singly, at the end of simple or branching conidiophores; the sporangiospores are borne in
spherical or variously shaped sporangia. A few species in Nocardia are reported to be motile.
In Actinoplanes the sporangiospores have polar fiagella and swim; in Streptosporangium
the spores are non-motile. The cell structure is like that of the bacteria proper. The cell
wall substance is neither chitin nor cellulose (Avery and Blank, Can. Jour. Microbiol., 1,
1954, 140). Thus it differs from the cell wall substance of the true fungi, another indication
of a closer relationship with the bacteria than with the fungi. Only a few species are patho-
genic. The majoritj' are found in soil or less commonly in fresh water.
Among the recent systems of classification of this order it is sufficient to mention the
following: Baldacci (Mycopath., 2, 1939, 84; and ibid., 4, 1947, 60) divided the order Actino-
mycetales into two families: (a) Mycobacteriaceae Chester with two subfamilies, Leptotrichioi-
deae Baldacci and Proactinomycoideae Baldacci, each with five genera, and (b) Actinomy-
cetaceae Buchanan, with two genera, Micromonospora and Actinomyces. Krassilnikov (Ray
fungi and related organisms, Izd. Akad. Nauk, Moskau, 1938) divided the order into (a)
Actinomycetaceae, with four genera, Actinomyces, Proactinomyces, Mycobacterium and My-
cococcus, and (b) Micromonosporaceae, with one genus, Micromonospora. Waksman (Jour.
Bact., 89, 1940, 549) divided the order into four families: Mycobacteriaceae, Proactinomyceta-
ceae, Actinomycetaceae and Micromonosporaceae . Later, Waksman and Henrici (Jour. Bact.,
48, 1943, 339) arranged these organisms into three families: Mycobacteriaceae, Actinomyceta-
ceae and Streptomycetaceae. This was the arrangement used in the Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 875.
Later Couch (Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci., /&, 1954, 315) added the family of water-inhabit-
ing species {Actinoplanaceae) to this grouping.
* The general arrangement of the families in this Order follows that developed by Prof.
S. A. Waksman, New Jersey Experiment Station, New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Prof.
A. T. Henrici, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, as supplemented more
recently by the work of Prof. J. N. Couch, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
North Carolina, May, 1955.
FAMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE 695
after incubation for 5 days at 28° C. on 1938. (Strains of Mycobacterium from cows
glycerol agar from 10 to 80 per cent. 18, 19, 70 and 75, Minett, Jour. Comp. Path,
Gelatin: Usually no hydrolysis by Fra- and Ther., 45, 1932, 317; Cruz, Acta Med.
zier method. Rio de Janeiro, 1, 1938, 298; Mycobacterium
Bennett's and soil extract agar colonies: giae Darzins, Arquiv. Inst. Brasil. Invest.
Dense with smooth edges, dense with fringe Tuberc, 9, 1950, 29; Mycobacterium minetti
of filaments, or filamentous. Filaments Penso, Castelnuovo, Gaudiano, Princivalle,
fragmenting into short rods. Vella and Zampieri, Rend. dell'Istituto
Glycerol agar slants: Growth at 2 to 3 Superiore di Sanita, 15, 1952, 491.)
days usually, rough, good, spreading, finely for. tu'i. turn. L. adj. fortuitus casual, ac-
wrinkled, creamy white; at 14 days, abun- cidental.
dant, spreading, finely wrinkled, waxy, Description taken from Cruz (op. cit.,
cream-j'ellow to orange. Growth of cultures 1938, 298), Penso et al. (op. cit., 1952, 491)
in smooth stage abundant, glistening, and Gordon and Smith (Jour. Bact., 69,
butyrous and sometimes nodular. 1955, 502).
Milk agar plate: No hydrolysis of casein. Rods, 1.0 to 3.0 microns in length after
Acid from glucose, rhamnose, xylose, cultivation for 72 hours on glycerol agar at
arabinose, sorbitol, inositol, mannose, man- 28° C, the largest number from 2.0 to 2.2
nitol, trehalose and galactose (with am- microns in length. Coccoid and short forms,
moniacal nitrogen); usually from dulcitol. to long, slender rods, occasionally beaded or
No acid from lactose and usually none from swollen with an ovoid, non-acid-fast body
raffinose. Acid not produced from maltose at one end. In pus, long and filamentous
by a majority of the cultures. forms with definite branching (Penso et
Starch is hydrolyzed. al.). Acid-fastness after incubation for 5
Citrate, succinate and malate used as sole days at 28° C. on glycerol agar 10 to 100 per
sources of carbon. cent. In the majority of cultures, 70 to 100
Tyrosine not decomposed (Gordon and per cent of cells were acid-fast. Non-motile.
Smith, Jour. Bact., 69, 1955, 504). Gram-positive.
Benzoate utilized (Gordon and Smith, Gelatin: No hydrolysis by Frazier method
loc. cit.). (Gordon and Smith).
Oxalate is decomposed by strains isolated Gelatin stab: Heavy growth on surface
from the intestines of earthworms (Kham- and along stab. No liquefaction.
bata and Bhat, Jour. Bact., 69, 1955, 227). Agar colonies : After 3 or 4 days of incuba-
Khambata and Bhat identified their strains tion, dense colonies with smooth edges,
as Mycobacterium lacticola Lehmann and dense colonies fringed with short filaments
Neumann; however, an earlier study by and/or filamentous colonies. On further
Gordon and Smith (op. cit.., 1953, 44) has incubation the filaments usually fragment
shown that M. lacticola is identical with M. into short rods (Gordon and Smith).
smegmatis Lehmann and Neumann, the Glycerol agar: Growth at 2 to 3 days at
latter name having priority.
Nitrites usually produced from nitrates. 28° C. scant to fair, soft and butyrous or
waxy and nodular, off-white to cream-
Temperature relations: Growth at 28° to colored; at 14 days, abundant, spreading,
45° C. inclusive; scant, if any, at 50° C.; butyrous and glistening or dull, rough and
none at 52° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 4
hours. waxy, often very nodular, off-white to cream
Salt tolerance: Usually growth in glycerol to beige in color (Gordon and Smith).
broth containing 5 per cent NaCl; usually Yeast extract agar: Growth moderate to
none in 7 per cent. heavy, spreading, butyrous or dry and
Source: Isolated from smegma. waxy, usually nodular, sometimes finely
Habitat: Widely distributed in soil, dust wrinkled, off-white to cream to beige (Gor-
and water. don and Smith).
Glucose asparagine agar : At 2 weeks, mod-
3. Mycobacterium fortuitum Cruz, erate, spreading, soft, and glistening or dull
FAMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE
and waxy, off-white to cream-colored clumps, while long, thin, beaded or barred
(Gordon and Smith). rods are scattered more discretely. In cul-
Glycerol potato: Poor growth. tures the organisms have the same appear-
Broth: Thin ring pellicle; broth clear. ance. Non-motile. Acid-fast and acid-al-
Milk not coagulated. cohol-fast. Gram-positive.
Milk agar plate: No hydrolysis of casein Gelatin: No liquefaction.
(Gordon and Smith). Agar slant (slightly acid) : In five to seven
Indole not produced. days, moist, glistening, elevated colonies,
Hydrogen sulfide not produced (Penso becoming lemon-yellow.
et al.). Hydrogen sulfide production vari- Agar colonies: In 5 to 7 days, smooth,
able (Gordon and Smith, unpublished data). moist, slimy, lemon-yellow, later orange-
Acid from glucose, mannose, trehalose colored.
and occasionally mannitol. No acid from Glycerol agar colonies: In 14 to 18 days,
rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, sor- grayish white, moist, elevated with irregular
bitol, inositol, dulcitol, lactose or raffinose. margins. Old growths lemon-yellow and still
Maltose hydrolyzed by only one culture later orange-colored.
(Gordon and Smith). Dorset's and Petroff's egg media: Similar
Starch is hydrolyzed (Gordon and Smith). to growth on glycerol agar but more
Succinate and malate used as sole sources luxuriant.
of carbon; citrate used by all but one culture Broth and glycerol broth: Growth is dif-
(Gordon and Smith). fuse; no pellicle formed.
Tyrosine not decomposed (Gordon and Litmus milk: Acidified and coagulated.
Smith). Indole not produced.
Benzoate not utilized (Gordon and Arabinose and fructose are utilized; sor-
Smith). bitol and galactose are not utilized (Gordon,
Nitrites usuallj^ produced from nitrates. Jour. Bact., 34, 1937, 617)
Temperature relations: Growth at 28° to Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
35° C.; variable at 10° C.; most cultures Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
grow at 40° C.; growth, if any, scant at Optimum temperature, between 18 and
45° C. Does not survive 60° C. for 4 hours 20° C. Fails to survive 60° C. for 1 hour;
(Gordon and Smith). fails to grow at 45° C. (Gordon, Jour. Bact.,
Salt tolerance: Usually growth in broth 34, 1937, 617).
containing 5 per cent NaCl; usually none Pathogenicity: Experimentally infects
in 7 per cent (Gordon and Smith). salt-water fish, goldfish, frogs, mice and
Pathogenicity: Guinea pigs, rabbits and pigeons but not rabbits or guinea pigs.
mice resistant to massive doses of j^oung Source: Isolated from areas of focal ne-
cultures (Cruz). Local lesions produced in crosis of the liver of sergeant majors (Abri-
lymph glands and kidneys of mice, guinea defduf mauritii), croakers {Micropogon
pigs, rabbits, monkeys and calves (Penso undulatus) and sea bass (Centropristes
et al.). striatus) .
Source : Several strains were isolated from Habitat: Causes spontaneous tuberculo-
lymph glands of cattle by F. D. Minett, from sis in salt-water fish.
human abscesses by Cruz, from a systemic,
nodular infection of Gia by Darzins. 5. Mycobacterium thamnopheos Aron-
Habitat: Found in soil and infections of son, 1929. (Jour. Inf. Dis., 44, 1929, 215.)
humans, cattle and cold-blooded animals. tham.no'phe.os. Gr. noun thamnus a
bush; Gr. noun ophis, opheos a snake; M.L.
4. Mycobacterium niarinum Aronson, mas.n. Thamnophis bush snake, a genus of
1926. (Jour. Inf. Dis., 39, 1926, 315.) snakes; M.L. gen. noun thamnopheos of the
ma.ri'num. L. adj. marinus of the sea, bush snake.
marine. Original description supplemented by ma-
In lesions, short, thick, uniformly staining terial taken from Bynoe (Thesis, McGill
organisms are seen frequently occurring in University, Montreal, 1931).
700 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Slender rods, 0.5 by 4 to 7 microns, fre- garter snake and possibly other cold-
quently slightly curved, beaded and barred blooded vertebrates.
forms often occur. Non-motile. Acid-fast in
cultures of 4 days or older, in younger cul- 6. Mycobacterium platypoecilus Baker
248.)
tures some organisms are not acid-fast. Not and Hagan, 1942. (Jour. Inf. Dis., 70, 1942,
alcohol-fast. Gram-positive.
Gelatin stab: Growth occurs along the pla.ty.poe'ci.lus. M.L. mas.n. Platy-
line of inoculation. No liquefaction. poecilus a genus of platyfishes.
Agar colonies: 0.5 to 1 mm in diameter, Rods resembling those of the tubercle
irregular, raised, moist and glistening. bacillus; not usually pleomorphic. Strongly
Glycerol agar: Spreading, raised, dry, acid-fast.
pale pink to buff growth. Glycerol egg medium: Primary growth on
Glycerol broth : A thin pellicle appears in this medium only after 3 weeks of incuba-
5 to 6 days, gradually becomes thicker and tion at 25° C. Smooth, moist colonies be-
falls as a sediment. coming dry, wrinkled, grayish white and
Dorset's egg medium: Raised, moist, waxy with age. Cultures grown in the
pinkish growth after 10 days, later becom- presence of light are deep orange in color.
ing salmon-colored. Glycerol phosphate agar: Growth of sub-
Loeffler's serum: Small, raised, convex, cultures slow. Appearance same as on
dry growth. glycerol egg medium.
Litmus milk: Alkaline. Sohngen's medium: No growth.
Glycerol potato: Raised, hemispherical, Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C.
dry and granular growth.
No growth at 37° C.
Indole not produced. Source: Isolated from the organs of a
Fructose, mannitol and trehalose are small, tropical platyfish, Platypoecilus ma-
utilized; arabinose, sucrose, galactose and culatus.
sorbitol not utilized (Gordon, Jour. Bact., Habitat: Found in skin ulcers, liver,
54, 1937, 617). spleen, gills and kidneys of diseased platy-
Nitrates reduced by 1 strain but not by 2 fish.
strains tested (Aronson). Nitrates slightly
reduced (Gordon). Nitrates not reduced 7. Mycobacterium ulcerans MacCal-
(Bynoe). lum, 1950. (A new mycobacterial infection
Temperature relations: Fails to survive of man, MacCallum, Tolhurst, Buckle and
60° C. for 1 hour, fails to grow at 45° C. Sissons, Jour. Path, and Bact., 60, 1948, 93;
(Gordon) ; good growth at 25° C., no growth MacCallum, in Fenner, Med. Jour. Austral.,
at 37° C. (Aronson); optimum for growth, 2, 1950, 817; also see Fenner and Leach,
25° C., range, 10° to 35° C. (Bynoe). Austral. Jour. Exp. Biol, and Med. Sci., 30,
Range of pH, 6.6 to 7.8 (Aronson); opti- 1952, 1; and Fenner, ibid., 11.)
mum, between 7.3 and 8.0, range 5.0 to 11.0 ul'ce.rans. L. part. adj. ulcerans making
(Bynoe). sore, causing to ulcerate.
Pathogenicity: Experimentally produces Description taken from MacCallum et
generalized tuberculosis in snakes, frogs, al. {op. cit., 1948, 93).
lizards and fish but not pathogenic for Rods, 0.2 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns from cul-
guinea pigs, rabbits or fowls. tures, somewhat longer from tissues. Acid-
Variation: According to Bynoe and fast and acid-alcohol-fast, frequently
Wyckoff (Amer. Rev. Tub., 29, 1934, 389), beaded.
S and R forms may be distinguished by Egg yolk agar colonies: Primary cultures
colony structure and individual cell ar- after 9 weeks are 2 to 3 mm in diameter,
rangement. round, smooth, low convex, opaque white to
Source: Isolated from the lungs and livers pale cream-colored. Subcultures appear in
of garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis). 2 to 3 weeks, the colonies similar to those of
Habitat: Present as a parasite in the the primary culture.
FAMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE
701
Petragnani's medium: Primaiy growth Source: Isolated from ulcerative skin
visible in 4 weeks as minute, transparent, infections in man.
dome-shaped colonies; in older cultures Habitat : The apparent cause of skin ulcers
colonies are low convex to flat with irregular in man. Transmissible to rats and mice.
outline and rough surface, lemon to mus-
tard-yellow. 8. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Zopf,
Dorset's egg medium: Scanty growth, the 1883) Lehmann and Neumann, 1896.
colonies resembling those on Petragnani's (Tuberkelbacillen, Koch, Berl. klin. Wochn-
medium, but there is little or no pigment. schr., 19, 1882, 225; Bacterium tuberculosis
Glycerol broth: Growth onh' when colony Zopf, Die Spaltpilze, 1 Aufl., 1883, 67; Tu-
fragments are used as the inoculum, form- berkelbacillen, Koch, Mitteil. a. d. kaiserl.
ing white, irregular, floating balls; no pellicle Gesundheitsamte, 2, 1884, 6; Bacillus tuber-
formed. culosis Schroeter, in Cohn, Kryptogamen-
Glycerol: Low concentrations in most Flora V. Schlesien, 3, 1886, 164; Human
media enhance growth, especially in the tubercle bacilli, Th. Smith, Trans. Assoc.
later stages of growth. Am. Phys., 11, 1896, 75; Lehmann and Neu-
Optimum temperature, between 30° and mann, Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 363;
33° C. Very limited growth at 25° and 37°, Mycobacteritim txibercxdosis tj^pus humanus
and no growth at 41° C. Lehmann and Neumann, ibid., 4 Aufl., 2,
Pathogenicity: Causes skin ulcers in man 1907, 550; Mycobacterium tuberculosis var.
which are characterized by indolent exten- hominis Bergey et al.. Manual, 4th ed.,
sion from areas of inconspicuous induration 1934, 536.)
to involve large areas. Rats and mice are tu.ber.cu.lo'sis. L. dim. noun tuberculum
infected experimental!}' ; guinea pigs, rab- a small swelling, tubercle; Gr. suffix -osis
bits, fowls and lizards are resistant. E.xperi- characterized by; M.L. fern. gen. n. tubercu-
mentally inoculated rats develop hemorrha- losis of tuberculosis.
gic necrotic lesions surrounded bj' zones of Common name: Human tubercle bacillus.
cellular accumulations consisting of leuco- Original description supplemented by
cytes, lymphocytes and macrophages. There material taken from Topley and Wilson
are no giant cells. The necrotic and cellular (Princip. of Bact. and Immun., London,
zones show large clumps of acid-fast bacilli 2nded., 1936,315).
in the extra-cellular spaces and in macro- Rods, ranging in size from 0.3 to 0.6 by
phages. 0.5 to 4.0 microns, straight or slightly
Antigenic structure: In complement fixa- curved, occurring singly and in occasional
tion tests with sera of rabbits immunized threads. Sometimes swollen, clavate or even
with human, bovine and murine types of branched. Stain uniformly or irregularly,
tubercle bacilli, Mycobacterium ranae and showing banded or beaded forms. Acid-fast
M. phlei, the heat-killed, washed bacilli and acid -alcohol -fast. Gram-positive.
serving as antigens, M. ulcerans was found to Growth in all media is slow, requiring
be antigenicallj' distinct from the other several weeks for development.
pathogenic species of Mycobacterium tested. This bacterium contains mycolic acid
This conclusion was supported by skin sen- (Stodola, Lesuk and Anderson, Jour. Biol.
sitivity reactions in guinea pigs (Fenner Chem., 1S6, 1938, 505). The acid-fast mycolic
and Leach, op. cit., 30, 1952, 1; and Fenner, acid combines more firmly with carbol-
op. cit., 30, 1952, 11). auramin than with carbol-fuchsin, and this
Distinctive characters: Acid-fast bacilli; apparently accounts for the increased sensi-
grows at 33° but not at 37° C; produces tivity of fluorescence microscopy for this
necrotic and ulcerative lesions in man, rats bacterium (Richards, Science, 93, 1941, 190;
and mice without giant-cell formation; Richards, Kline and Leach, Amer. Rev.
antigenically distinct from the other Tuberc, U, 1941, 255).
pathogenic species of Mycobacterium. Glycerol agar colonies: Raised, thick.
'02
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
cream-colored, with a nodular or wrinkled pigs but not for rabbits, cats, goats, oxen or
surface and irregular thin margin. domestic fowls.
Nutrient broth without glycerol: No Antigenic structure: By agglutination,
growth. absorption of agglutinins and complement
Dorset's egg, Lowenstein, Petragnani, fixation, a distinction may be made between
Woolsey colonies: Similar to those on glyc- the human and bovine species and Mycobac-
erol agar, but growth is more rapid and terium avium, but it has been impossible to
luxuriant. distinguish by these means between the two
Variation in colony structure of the hu- mammalian species (Tullock et al.. Tuber-
man and the bovine species has been de- cle, 6, Oct. -Dec, 1924, 18, 57 and 105;
scribed by several authors, e.g. Petroff et Wilson, Jour. Path, and Bact., 28, 1925, 69;
al. (Jour. E.xp. Med., 60, 1934, 515), Birk- Griffith, Tubercle, 6, May, 1925, 417; Rice
haug (Ann. Inst. Past., 57, 1933, 428), Kahn and Reed, Jour. Immunol., 23, 1932, 385;
et al. (Jour. Bact., 25, 1933, 157), Uhlenhuth Kauffman, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 114, 1932, 121).
and Sieffert (Zeit. Immun., 59, 1930, 187), Tuberculins prepared from the human and
Reed and Rice (Canad. Jour. Res., 5, 1931, the bovine species are ordinarily indistin-
HI), Smithburn, (Jour. Exp. Med., 63, 1936, guishable in their action, but Lewis and
95) and Shaffer (Jour. Path, and Bact., 40, Seibert (Jour. Immunol., 20, 1931, 201)
1935, 107). Several of these authors have detected a difference by cross anaphylactic
found associated variation in cell structure reactions.
and in virulence, though Boquet (Compt. Distinctive characters: Mycobacterium
rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 103, 1930, 290), tuberculosis produces generalized tuberculo-
Birkhaug (Ann. Inst. Past., 49, 1932, 630) sis in experimentally inoculated guinea pigs
and others have failed to find differences in but not in rabbits, voles or fowls. Mycobac-
virulence. Reed and Rice (Jour. Immunol., terium bovis produces generalized tuberculo-
23, 1932, 385) found the S form to contain an sis in guinea pigs, rabbits and voles but not
antigenic substance lacking in the R form. in fowls. Mycobacterium microti produces
Glycerol broth: After 6 to 8 weeks, thick generalized tuberculosis in voles but not in
white to cream-yellow, wrinkled pellicle guinea pigs, rabbits or fowls. Mycobacterium
extending up the sides of the flask; no tur- avium produces generalized tuberculosis in
bidity; granular or scaly deposit. fowls but not in guinea pigs or voles. Growth
Dubos' tween-albumin broth: Diffuse of the human form is enhanced by the addi-
growth visible in a few days and extensive tion of glycerol to most media. Growth of
in 7 to 10 days. In undisturbed cultures the bovine and murine forms is not enhanced
growth tends to settle but is readily dis- by glycerol. The human form generally
persed. Virulent strains tend to grow in develops a creamy to yellow or faint red pig-
serpentine, cord-like forms in which the ment especially on media containing serum;
bacilli show a parallel orientation. Avirulent the bovine and murine forms are not pig-
forms show a more uniformly diffuse growth mented.
(Dubos and Middlebrook, Amer. Rev. Tu- Comments: Griffith (Lancet, 1, 1916-17,
herc, 56, 1947,334). 721; Jour. Path, and Bact., 21, 1924, 54) has
Glucose, fructose, arabinose and galactose found aberrant mammalian types, particu-
are utilized; sucrose and lactose are not larly in skin lesions of both man and ox,
utilized (Merrill, Jour. Bact., W, 1930, 235, which are, in certain characteristics, inter-
based on the examination of one strain). mediate between the human and the bovine
Optimum temperature, 37° C. species. He finds no evidence, however, that
Optimum pH, between 7.4 and 8.0 (Ishi- the one species may change into the other.
mori, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 102, 1924, 329); be- Source : Isolated from tuberculous lesions
tween pH 6.0 and 6.5 (Dernby and Naslund, in man.
Biochem. Zeit., 132, 1922, 392). Habitat: The cause of tuberculosis in
Pathogenicity: Produces tuberculosis in man.
man, monkey, dog and parrot. Experi-
mental y, itis highly pathogenic for guinea 9. Mycobacterium bovis Bergey et al.,
FAMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE
703
1934. (Bovine tubercle bacilli, Th. Smith, animals. More highly pathogenic for ani-
Trans. Assoc. Am. Phys., 11, 1896, 75; also mals than is the human species.
see ibid., IS, 1898, 417; and Jour. Exp. Med.,
3, 1898, 451; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ty- 10. Mycobacterium microti Reed, nom.
pus bovinus Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt. nov. (Vole bacillus. Wells, Lancet, 1, 1937,
Diag., 4 Aufl., 2, 1907, 550; Mycobacterium 1221 ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. muris
tuberculosis var. bovis Berge}' et al., Manual, Brooke, Amer. Rev. Tuberculosis, 43, 1941,
4th ed., 1934,537.) 806; Vole tubercle bacillus, Griffith, Jour.
bo'vis. L. noun bos the ox; L. gen. noun Hyg., 4^, 1942, 527; Mycobacterium muris
bovis of an ox.
Smith et al., in Zinsser's Textb. of Bact.,
Common name: Bovine tubercle bacillus. 9th ed., 1948, 483; not Mycobacterium muris
Original description supplemented by ma- Simmons, Jour. Inf. Dis., 41, 1927, 13.)
terial taken from Topley and Wilson (Prin- mic.ro'ti. M.L. mas.n. Microtus a genus
cip. of Bact. and Immun., London, 2nd ed., that includes the vole; M.L. gen.noun
1936, 315). microti of Microtus.
Rods which are shorter and plumper than Common name: Vole bacillus.
those of the human species. Range in size Description taken from Brooke {op. cit.,
from 1.0 to 1.5 microns. Very short forms are 1941, 806).
frequently intermixed with somewhat larger Rods in cultures average 0.4 by 2.5 mi-
forms. Stain regularly or irregularly. Acid- crons and in tissues, 0.4 by 3.6 microns.
fast and acid-alcohol-fast. Gram-positive. Ovoid to spherical forms occasionally occur
Less easily cultivated than is the human among the rods. In infected lymph nodes,
species. rods 8 to 10 microns long are occasionally
seen. Therefore resembles other mammalian
Glj'cerol agar colonies: Small, irregular,
with granular surface; no pigment. acid-fast species, but in general longer and
Dorset's egg, Lowenstein, Petragnani, thinner. Irregular shapes are frequently
Woolsey colonies: -Similar to those on glyc- found in tissues: S-shaped, hook-shaped,
erol agar, but growth is more rapid and colo- semicircular or circular. Acid-fast and acid-
nies are somewhat larger. alcohol-fast.
For variation in colony structure, see Growth in all media is slow; requires 4 to
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 5 weeks on favorable media before colonies
Glycerol broth: After 8 weeks, thin, gray- are visible to the naked eye.
white film, slightly nodular; no turbidity; Whole egg medium colonies: After 4 to 6
slight, granular deposit. weeks, small, granular, with irregular mar-
Dubos' tween-albumin broth: Growth gins; on further growth the colonies become
similar to that of M. tuberculosis. larger and more irregular. On moist media
Optimum temperature, 37° C. the consistency is creamj' and on dry media,
Optimum pH, between 5.8 and 6.9 (Ishi- butyrous to friable.
mori, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 102, 1924, 329); be- Egg yolk-saline medium (3:1) : Growth on
tween 6.0 and 6.5 (Dernby and Naslund, this medium is superior to that on Lowen-
Biochem. Ztschr., 132, 1922, 392). stein's, Dorset's egg or Dorset's egg plus
Pathogenicity: Produces tuberculosis in extract of M. phlei. Growth is enhanced by
the addition of 10 per cent CO2 to the at-
ox, man, monkey, goat, sheep, pig, cat, par-
mosphere.
rot, cockatoo and possibl}^ some birds of
Nutrient broth without glycerol: Film-
pre^^ Experimentally it is highly patho- like colonies on the surface: fine deposit.
genic for rabbits and guinea pigs, slightly Glycerol : Primary growth does not occur
pathogenic for dogs, horses, rats and mice;
on any media containing glycerol. On sub-
not pathogenic for fowls. culture, growth occurs but is not enhanced
Antigenic structure: See M. tuberculosis. by the presence of glycerol.
Source: Isolated from tubercles in cattle. Distinctive characters: Slow growth,
Habitat: The cause of tuberculosis in slower than that of the human or bovine
cattle. Transmissible to man and domestic forms; growth in nutrient broth without
704 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
glycerol; experimentally produces general- These also differ in chemical and physical
ized tuberculosis in voles but not in guinea properties. The smooth form exhibited the
pigs or rabbits. greatest degree of virulence, the flat smooth
Source : Isolated from naturally occurring a lower virulence, while the chromogenic
tuberculosis in the field vole, Microtus agres- smooth and the rough were relatively be-
tis, and the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareo- nign. Some authors have failed to demon-
lus. strate this difference in virulence. The
Habitat: The cause of generalized tuber- above description applies primarily to the
culosis in voles; transmissible to guinea smooth form.
pigs, rabbits and calves, causing localized Broth: After 4 weeks, very slight viscous
infections. to granular bottom growth; no pellicle, no
turbidity.
11. Mycobacterium avium Chester, Glycerol broth : After 4 weeks, diffuse, tur-
1901. (Tuberculose des oiseaux, Strauss and bid growth with a viscous to granular de-
Gamaleia, Arch. Med. exp. et Anat. path.,
1891; Bacillus der Hiihnertuberculose, Maf- Coagulated beef serum: After 4 weeks,
posit.
fucci, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 11, 1892, 449; Bacillus thin, effuse, grayish yellow growth with
tuberculosis gallinarum Sternberg, Man. of smooth surface.
Bact., 1893, 392; Mycobacterium tuberculosis Glycerol beef serum: After 4 weeks, lux-
aviiim Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt. Diag., uriant, raised, confluent, yellow to orange-
1 Aufl., 1, 1896, 370; Chester, Man. Determ. yellow or occasionally pale pink growth
Bact., 1901, 357; Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a smooth glistening surface.
typus gallinaceus Lehmann and Neumann, Glycerol potato: After 4 weeks, luxu-
Bakt. Diag., 4 Aufl., 3, 1907, 553.) riant, raised, confluent growth with smooth
to nodular surface.
a'vi.um. L. noun avis a bird; L. gen.pl.
noun avium of birds. Litmus milk: Growth, but no change in
Common name: Avian tubercle bacillus. the milk.
Original description supplemented by Fructose, arabinose and sucrose are uti-
material from Topley and Wilson (Princip. lized; glucose is slightly utilized; galactose
of Bact. and Immun., London, 2nd ed., 1936, and lactose are not utilized (Merrill, Jour.
315). Bact., £0, 1930, 235, based on the examina-
Rods resembling those of the bovine type tion of one strain).
of tubercle organism.
Optimum temperature, 40° C; range 30°
Agar: After 4 weeks, slight, effuse, trans- to 44° C. (Bynoe, Thesis, McGill Univer-
lucent growth with fine, granular surface. sity, Montreal, 1931).
Glycerol agar colonies : After 3 to 4 weeks, Optimum pH, between 6.8 and 7.3 (By-
raised, regular, hemispherical, creamy or noe, loc. cit.).
white colonies. Pathogenicity: Produces tuberculosis in
Dorset's egg slants: After 4 weeks, con- domestic fowls and other birds. In pigs it
fluent, slightljr raised growth with smooth, produces localized and sometimes dissemi-
regular surface. nated disease. Experimentally in the rabbit,
Glycerol egg slants : After 4 weeks, luxuri- guinea pig, rat and mouse it may proliferate
ant, raised, confluent, creamy to yellow without producing macroscopic tubercles —
growth with perfectly smooth surface. tuberculosis of the Yersin type. Man, ox,
Winn and Petroff (Jour. Exp. Med., 57, goat, cat, horse, dog and monkey are not in-
1933, 239), Kahn and Schwartzkopf (Jour. fected.
Bact., £5, 1933, 157), Birkhaug (Ann. Inst. Antigenic structure: By agglutination,
Past., 54, 1935, 19), Reed and Rice (Canad. absorption of agglutinins and complement
Jour. Res., 5, 1931, HI) and others have fixation, Mycobacterium avium maj' be dis-
shown variation to follow the course de- tinguished from other members of the genus
scribed for many species. Winn and Petroff (Tullock et al.. Tubercle, 6, 1924, 18, 57 and
have separated four colonial types: smooth, 105; Wilson, Jour. Path, and Bact., ^8,
flat smooth, rough, deep j^ellow smooth. 1925, 69; Mudd, Proc. Soc. E.xp. Biol, and
FAMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE 705
Med., 23, 1925, 569; and others). Furth cilli or other dead acid-fast bacteria (Bo-
(Jour. Immunol., 12, 1926, 273) and Shaffer quet, Ann. Inst. Past., 37, 1928, 495). In a
(Jour. Path, and Bact., 40, 1935, 107) on this few instances cultures have been acclima-
basi.s divided Mycobacterium avium into 1 or tized to a synthetic medium free from added
2 subgroups. dead bacteria (Dunkin, Jour. Comp. Path,
Distinctive characters: Tubercle bacilli and Therap., ^6, 1933, 159; Watson, Canad.
pathogenic for fowls but not for guinea pigs Pub. Health Jour., 26, 1935, 268).
or rabbits; culturally distinguished from Colonies on glycerol agar containing heat-
the mammalian types by the absence of killed Mycobacterium phlei: After 4 to 6
pellicle formation in fluid media and the weeks, just distinguishable, dull-white,
habit of growth on most solid media; anti- raised, circular.
genically distinguished from other species. Colonies on Dorset's glycerol egg medium
Source: Isolated from tubercles in fowls; containing heat-killed M. phlei: After 4 to 6
widely distributed as the causal agent of weeks, minute, dull-white, raised, circular,
tuberculosis in t>irds and less frequently in with a thin, slightly irregular margin. Older
pigs- colonies become more raised, radially
Habitat: The cause of tuberculosis in striated or irregularly folded and dull
chickens. Transmissible to pigeons, other yellowish white.
birds, mice, rabbits and pigs. Dorset's glycerol egg medium containing
sheep's brain and heat-killed M. phlei:
12. Mycobacterium paratuberculo-sis Growth slightly more luxuriant than that
Bergey et al., 1923. (Darmtuberculose bacil- described immediately above.
len, Johne and Frothingham, Deutsch. Glycerol broth containing heat-killed M.
Ztschr. f. Tiermed., 21, 1895, 438; Pseudo- phlei: Thin surface pellicle which later be-
tuberkulose bacillen. Bang, Berl. tierarztl. comes thickened and folded.
Wochschr., 22, 1906, 759; Bacillus of Johne's Dorset's synthetic fluid containing heat-
Disease, M'Fadyean, Jour. Comp. Path., killed M. phlei: Growth as in glycerol broth
20, 1907, 48; also see Twort, Proc. Roy. with Mycobacterium phlei.
Soc, B, 83, 1910, 156; Bergey et al.. Manual, Pathogenicity: Produces Johne's disease,
1st ed., 1923, 374; Mycobacterium enteritidis chronic diarrhoea, in cattle and sheep. Ex-
Lehmann and Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 7 perimentally produces a similar disease in
Aufi., 2, 1927, 755; Bacterium paratuberculo- bovine animals, sheep and goats. Guinea
sis Meissner and Berge, in Kolle and Wasser- pigs, rabbits, rats and mice are not affected.
man, Handbuch d. path. Mikroorganismen, Very large doses in laboratory animals pro-
3 Aufl., 6, 1927-29, 788; Mycobacterium duce slight nodular lesions comparable with
johnei Francis, Jour. Comp. Path., 53, 1943, those pi'oduced by M. phlei.
140.) Antigenic structure: Johnin, prepared as
pa.ra.tu.ber.cu.lo'sis. Gr. pref. para is tuberculin, gives positive reactions in
beside, related; M.L. noun tuberculosis cattle with Johne's disease. According to
tuberculosis; M.L. fem.n. paratuberculosis M'Fadyean et al. (Jour. Comp. Path, and
tuberculosis-like, paratuberculosis. Therap., 29, 1916, 62), tuberculous animals
Common name: Johne's bacillus. may also give a reaction. Plumb (Den Kong.
Description taken from M'Fadyean (op. Vet. Landboh0jskole Arssk., 1925, 63) has
cit., 1907, 48) and Twort and Ingram (A shown that a reaction may be produced in
Monograph on Johne's Disease, London, animals sensitized to avian tuberculin and
1913). that avian tuberculin causes a reaction in
Plump rods, 1 to 2 microns in length, some animals infected with Johne's bacillus.
staining uniformly, but occasionally the Distinctive characters: Small acid-fast
longer forms show alternately stained and bacilli which produce characteristic lesions
unstained segments. Non-motile. Acid-fast. in cattle; grow only in the presence of dead
This organism is difficult to cultivate, acid-fast bacilli.
and, in primary cultures, it has been grown Comment: The organism isolated from a
only in media containing dead tubercle ba- similar disease in sheep is probably identi-
TOG ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
cal with this species, although it is more rosy, 9, 1941, 275) found that acid-fast
difficult to cultivate (Dunkin and Balfour- cultures of this type were recoverable only
Jones, Jour. Comp. Path., 48, 1935, 236). from lesions located proximally with respect
Source: Isolated from the intestinal mu- to open ulcers in the skin.
cous membrane of cattle suffering from Description of organisms seen in leprosy
chronic diarrhoea. Apparently an obligate tissue from Hansen {op. cit., 1874, 1) and
parasite. Topley and Wilson (Princip. Bact. and Im-
Habitat: The cause of Johne's disease, a mun.. London, 2nd ed., 1936, 316).
chronic diarrhea in cattle. Found in the in- Rods, 0.3 to 0.5 by 1.0 to 8.0 microns,
testinal mucosa. with parallel sides and rounded ends, stain-
ing evenly or at times beaded. When numer^
13. Mycobacterium leprae (Hansen, ous, as from lepromatous cases, they are
1874) Lehmann and Neumann, 1896. (Bacil- generally arranged in clumps, rounded
lus leprae Hansen, Norsk. Mag. Laegevi- masses or in groups of bacilli side by side.
densk., 9, 1874, 1; also see Arch. f. path. Strongly acid-fast. Gram-positive.
Anat. u. Physiol., 79, 1879, 32; Nord. Med. Pathogenicity: The communicability of
Ark., 12, 1880, 1; and Quart. Jour. Micro. leprosy from man to man is accepted
Sci., £0, 1880, 92; Lehmann and Neumann, (Rogers and Muir, Leprosy, 2nd ed., Balti-
Bakt. Diag., 1 Aufl., 2, 1896, 372). more, 1940, 260 pp.). Experimental trans-
lep'rae. Gr. noun lepi-a leprosy; M.L. mission to humans or to animals has not
gen. noun leprae of leprosy. been successful.
Common name: Leprosy bacillus or Han- Source: Found in human leprous lesions.
sen's bacillus. In the lepromatous form of the disease,
Though not yet cultivated in vitro, these bacilli are so abundant as to produce
bacilli were the first to be recognized as a stuffed-cell granulomas; in the tuberculoid
cause of human disease (Hansen, op. cit., and neural lesions they are rare.
1874). The bacilli occur in enormous num- Habitat: Obligate parasite in man. Con-
bers in lepromatous (nodular) cases of fined largely to the skin (especially to
leprosy (Hansen's disease) and very convex and exposed surfaces) , testes and to
sparsely in the tuberculoid or neural forms. peripheral nerves. Probably do not grow in
Bacteriological identification depends on: the internal organs.
(a) acid-fast staining and (b) failure of the
organism to multiply in bacteriological 14. Mycobacterium lepraemurium
media or in laboratory animals. Heated sus- Marchoux and Sorel, 1912. (Bacillus der
pensions of the bacilli (obtained from Rattenlepra, Stefansky, Cent. f. Bakt., I
nodules) produce a positive lepromin reac- Abt., Orig., 33, 1903, 481; Mycobacterium
tion in 75 to 97 per cent of normal persons leprae murium (sic) Marchoux and Sorel,
and of tuberculoid cases of leprosy but Ann. Inst. Past., 26, 1912, 700.)
usually produce no reaction in lepromatous lep.rae.mu'ri.um. Gr. noun lepra leprosy;
individuals (Mitsuda: See Hayashi, Int. L. noun mus the mouse; L. gen. noun muris
Jour. Leprosy, 1, 1933, 31-38). The failure of of the mouse; M.L. noun lepramuris leprosy
lepromatous persons to respond to injected of the mouse; M.L. gen. pi. noun lepraemu-
leprosy bacilli constitutes a criterion for rium of leprosy of mice.
testing the validity of the acid-fast micro- Common name: Rat leprosy bacillus.
organisms which can at times be recovered Rods, 3 to 5 microns in length, with
from leprous tissues by inoculation of bac- slightly rounded ends. When stained, the
teriological media. cells often show an irregular appearance.
Many organisms have been isolated from Strongly acid-fast. Gram-positive.
leprous tissues, some of which are acid-fast Like the human leprosy bacillus, this or-
and which have been styled Mycobacterium ganism has not been cultivated in vitro, but
leprae. The strains which have been ade- it can be passed experimentally through
quately studied have proven to fall into the rats, mice and hamsters.
saprophytic groups. Hanks (Int. Jour. Lep- Distinctive characters: The heat-killed
FAMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE 707
cells produce lepromin reactions in lepro- leprosy-like acid-fast bacilli that have not
matous humans. The bacilli from lesions are yet been cultivated on artificial media,
not bound together in clumps, rounded Source: An endemic disease of rats in
masses and palisades as in human lesions. various parts of the world, having been
For further details, see review by Lowe found in Odessa, Berlin, London, New
(Internat. Jour. Leprosy, 5, 1937, 310 and South Wales, Hawaii, San Francisco and
463). elsewhere.
Comment: Nodular diseases of the skin Habitat: The natural disease occurs
of other animals have been described, e.g. a chiefly in the skin and lymph nodes, caus-
disease of the buffalo in India and of the ing induration, alopecia (loss of hair) and
frog in South America, which are caused by eventually ulceration.
* Prepared by Miss Lois Nellis, Hobart College, Geneva, New York, from a translation
made by Prof. S. A. Waksman, Rutgers University, New Bnmswick, New Jersey, Decem-
ber, 1954.
t Key based on a table by Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk,
U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 123.
708 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
orange, depending on the medium; cells 0.3 cap.su.la'tus. L. noun capsula a small
to 0.9 micron in diameter. chest; M.L. adj. capsulatus encapsulated.
After one j^ear of cultivation in peptone Original description supplemented bj^
broth, strains Nos. 43 and 45 dissociated to material from Krassilnikov (Guide to the
form mycobacterial strains which were Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
closely related to each other. Cells were rod- Moskau, 1941, 127).
shaped, 0.8 by 0.5 to 2.5 microns, curving Cells rounded, irregular in size, 0.7 to 1.0
and branching, changing to cocci in 3 to 5 micron in diameter, frequently occurring in
days. Enlarged cells were formed on cer- short chains of 3 to 7 cells. Cells surrounded
tain media. These showed no differences in by a thick, slimy capsule. Chains sometimes
fermentative capacity as compared with the form side branches. Not acid-fast. Gram-
original culture. Krassilnikov regards these
positive.
organisms as closely related to Mycobac- Colonies : Rose or pale rose, slimy, spread-
terium brevicale on the basis of appearance of ing. No soluble pigment.
cells, pigmentation of colonies and physio- Physiological properties and fermentative
logical properties. Krassilnikov (loc. cit.) capacity are not different from those of
recognizes as a subspecies Mycococcus tetra- Mycococcus ruber.
genus. Comment : One of the two strains isolated,
Source: Isolated from soil at Yershovo No. 53, dissociated into strains with smooth
Station, Russia. colonies and rod-shaped cells, 0.7 by 1.5
Habitat: Infrequently found in soil. to 5.5 microns, without a slimy capsule.
Fermentative capacity no different from
2a. Mycococcus ruber subsp. tetragenus that of the original culture. Krassilnikov
Krassilnikov, 1938. (Ray Fungi and Related regards this strain as closely related to
Organisms, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Mycobacterium planum on the basis of its
Moskau, 1938, 121.) cultural, morphological and physiological
tet.ra'ge.nus. Gr. pref. tetra four; Gr. v. properties.
gennaio to produce; M.L. adj. tetragenus Krassilnikov (loc. cit.) regards this or-
produced in fours. ganism as a subspecies of Mycococcus muco-
sus.
Original description supplemented by
material from Krassilnikov (Guide to the Source: Isolated from soil.
Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Habitat: Infrequently found in soil.
Moskau, 1941, 126).
3a. Mycococcus capsulatus subsp. niucosus
Cells coccoid, occurring in tetrads formed
Krassilnikov, 1938. (Ray Fungi and Related
by the multiplication of two different
Organisms, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
branches; occasionally combined into Moskau, 1938, 349.)
parallel chains. Both types are consistently
found on synthetic agar. mu.co'sus. L. adj. mucosas slimy, mu-
cous.
Colonies: Red; slightly enlarged; weak
shine. Original description supplemented by
material from Krassilnikov (Guide to the
Physiological and cultural characteristics
Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
are, in general, not different from those of Moskau, 1941, 127).
Mycococcus ruber.
Cells occur in tetrads in one plane, occa-
Comment: Krassilnikov regards this or- sionally forming short, parallel chains and
ganism as a form of Mycococcus ruber. Two
strains have been isolated. joining chains, surrounded by a thin, slimy
Source: Isolated from soil. capsule. There are also cells which form
individual cases of branching rods. Resting
Habitat: Infrequently found in soil. cells are found.
Cultural and physiological characters are
3. Mycococcus capsulatus Krassilni- not different from those of Mycococcus cap-
kov, 1938. (Microbiologia (Russian), 7, Part sulatus.
1, 1938, 349.) Comment: Krassilnikov regards this or-
i<AMILY I. MYCOBACTERIACEAE
711
ganism as a member of the genus Mycococcus Milk: Coagulation and peptonization.
on the basis of the resting cells and branch- Acid from glucose.
ing rods; it resembles a tetracoccus on the Starch: No hydrolysis.
basis of the characteristic cell groupings. Citric and acetic acids are utilized as
It differs from Mycococcus capsulatus in sources of carbon.
that the capsules form on practically all Source: Isolated from soil of Zabolgia,
media. Russia.
Source: Isolated from soil of the Quy- Habitat: Infrequently found in soil.
bishev Agricultural Institute.
Habitat: Infrequently found in soil. 6. Mycococcus citreus Krassilnikov,
1938. (Microbiologia (Russian), 7, Part I,
4. Mycococcus luteus Krassilnikov, 1938, 349.)
1938. (Microbiologia (Russian), 7, Part I, cit're.us. L. adj. citreus of the citrus tree;
1938, 349.) M.L. adj. citreus lemon-yellow.
lu'te.us. L. adj. luteus yellow. Original description supplemented by ma-
Original description supplemented by terial from Krassilnikov (Guide to the Ac-
material from Krassilnikov (Guide to the tinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 127).
Moskau, 1941, 217). Cells extremely variable in size: in the
Cells coccoid, ovoid or irregular, 0.5 to same culture are found cells from 0.2 mi-
0.8 micron in diameter, united somewhat cron and smaller up to 1.0 micron in
into short rods. After 5 to 7 days there are diameter. Cells are frequently round, single
found enlarged, lemon-shaped, spherical or united into short chains of two or three
cells up to 1.5 microns in diameter; they are cells. Protoplasm is light and uniform. Rod
later destroyed and disappear. In old cul- forms up to 1.5 microns in length are occa-
tures there are resting cells with thicker sionally seen in liquid media; branched
protoplasm; they reproduce like the spores forms are observed in hanging drop prepa-
of an actinomycete. In liquid media, some rations. Resting forms are found in old
strains form individual short rods, 0.7 by cultures.
1.0 micron, which branch infrequently. Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction.
Gelatin: No liquefaction by two strains, Colonies: Yellow-green and lemon-
weak liquefaction by one. colored; smooth; waxy.
Colonies: Bright yellow, sometimes Milk: Peptonization and coagulation.
golden or brown. No soluble pigment. Sucrose is inverted.
Milk: No coagulation; no peptonization. Acid from glucose, fructose and sucrose.
Sucrose is weakly inverted. Nitrites produced from nitrates by most
Acid from glucose and fructose; no acid strains.
from sucrose. Starch: Active hj^drolysis.
Citric and acetic acids are not utilized as No growth on organic acids.
sources of carbon.
No growth on paraffin.
No growth on paraffin. Comment: Ten cultures were isolated, all
Source: Isolated from soil.
of which differed from each other in in-
Habitat: Infrequently found in soil.
tensity of pigment and in certain physio-
logical properties. Krassilnikov regards
5. Mycococcus flavus Krassilnikov, 1941.
these differences as insufficient to separate
(Guide to the Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad.
them into distinct species or even strains.
Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 127.)
One culture, isolated in the Institute of
fla'vus. L. adj. flavus yellow.
Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences
Morpholog}^ same as that of Mycococcus
luteus. under the name Micrococcus, was found to
Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction. be Mycococcus citreus.
Colonies: Brownish yellow; no soluble Source: Isolated from soil.
pigment. Habitat: Found in soil rather frequently.
712 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
lar to each other. It is noteworthy that two man and Henrici. This culture was secured
of the red chromogenic species of Mj/cococcws by Breed from the Krdl collection in 1923
described above show a tetrad arrangement and differs from a culture (No. 2682) carried
of cells. for a time in the Nat. Coll. Type Cultures
Gordon (personal communication, 195-4) in London that came from the Amer. Mus.
reports that she finds an apparently authen- Nat. Hist. Coll. (Culture 184), origin un-
tie culture of Rhodococcus rhodochrous Zopf known,
to be identical with Nocardia corallina Waks- Habitat : Water.
spores. Aerobic. Gram-positive. The colonies are similar in gross appearance to those of
the genus Mycobacterium. Paraffin, phenol and m-cresol are frequently utilized as a source
of energy.
In their early stages of growth on culture media (liquid or solid), the structure of no-
cardias is similar to that of actinomycetes in that they form a typical mycelium; hyphae
branch abundantly, the branching being true. The diameters of the hyphae vary between
0.5 and 1 micron, usually 0.7 to 0.8 micron, according to the species. The mycelium is not
septate. However, the further development of nocardias differs sharply from that of ac-
tinomycetesthe
: filaments soon form transverse walls and the whole mycelium breaks up
into regularly cylindrical short cells, then into coccoid cells. On fresh culture media, the
coccoid cells germinate into mycelia. The whole cycle in the development of nocardias con-
tinues for 2 to 7 days. Most frequently the coccoid cells are formed on the third to fifth day,
but in certain species (e.g., Nocardia rubra) they can be found on the second day.
Numerous chlamydospores may be found in older cultures of nocardias. They are formed
in the same way as the chlamydospores in true fungi: the plasma inside the filaments of
pinger (Beitr. Path. Anat. u. AUg. Path., 9, 1891, 287-328) whose observation has not been
corroborated. Nocardia-like motile organisms were later mentioned by Rullman (quoted
by von Magnus, Undersgelser over en Gruppe Actinomyceter isolerede fra Mennskets Sva-
elg., Thesis, 1936, Univ. Copenhagen), Schurmayer (Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 37, 1900,
49-61, 101-106), Luginger (Montash. f. Prakt. Tierheilk., 15, 1904, 289-336) and Hunte-
miiller (Beitr. Path. Anat. u. Allg. Path., 69, 1921, 110-121). Luginger's observation is par-
ticularly interesting because it refers to a microaerophilic organism. In no case was the
presence of flagella demonstrated, and the statements seem to have attracted little atten-
tion. Colien (Jour. Bact., SO, 1935, 301-322) saw a stage of cocci motile by a single flagellum
in what appears to have been a non-acid-fast Nocardia, and Topping (Zent. f . Bakt., II Abt.,
97, 1937, 289-304) and 0rskov (Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 98, 1938, 344-357) found instances of
motility among nocardias as well as coryneform bacteria from soil. The forty strains stud-
ied by Topping included acid-fast as well as non-acid-fast forms and showed both granular
and turbid growth in liquid media. Stained preparations showed the presence of flagella:
polar or short and lateral on longer branched cells.
One of 0rskov's motile strains was examined by Jensen and was found to agree essentially
with Nocardia citrea (Krassilnikov) Waksman and Henrici. It produced a soft, lemon-yellow
growth on nutrient agar and a diffuse turbidity in broth. The cells were Gram-positive but
not acid-fast (fully decolorized by 5 per cent sulfuric acid in 10 seconds). Nitrate was re-
duced to nitrite, starch was hydrolj^zed, gelatin was slowly liquefied and casein was very
slowly digested. Direct microscopic examination showed well developed initial mycelia
with mere traces of aerial hyphae. The mycelial structure persisted for a considerable time
below the agar surface, but after 24 to 40 hours some of the surface hyphae began to divide
into rod-shaped cells that were very actively motile ; this was best seen when a drop of wa-
ter and a coverslip were placed on top of the agar colonies. In broth cultures the motility
was much less obvious. Staining of the motile cells showed one to four (or more) stout fla-
gella. Single flagella were often attached to the corner of the cell. Rods with both polar and
lateral flagella were sometimes seen, but not branched flagellated filaments as pictured by
Topping.
Motility may not be common among the nocardias (it was not observed in the numerous
strains studied by von Magnus (op. cit., 1936), Krassilnikov (Proaktinomitseti., Bull. Acad.
Sci., U.S.S.R., S6r. Biol. No. 1, 1938, 138-182), Erikson (Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 3, 1948, 23-54)
or previously by the present writer), but its existence, at least in Nocardia, is indisputable
and this really is not surprising in view of the numerous observations on motility in the •
closely related coryneform bacteria (Jensen, Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 6, 1952, 77-90). The
species in the order Actinomycetales cannot any longer be regarded as constantly non-mo-
tile."
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE 715
the mycelium condenses into elongated portions. In older cultures of nocardias many coc-
coid cells are changed into resistant cells. The latter are larger than the vegetative coccoid
cells; the plasma of these cells is thicker than the plasma of vegetative cells; on fresh media
they germinate like the spores of actinomycetes; they form 2 to 3 germ tubes. Besides the
cells mentioned, numerous involution forms can often be found in older cultures of nocar-
dias; the cells are thin, regularly cylindrical or coccoid and are often transformed into a
series of spherical or elliptical ampules and a club-like form (2 to 3 microns and more).
The multiplication of nocardias proceeds by fission and budding; occasionally they form
special spores. Budding occurs often. The buds are formed on the lateral surface of the
cells; when they have reached a certain size, they fall off and develop into rod-shaped cells
or filaments. The spores are formed by the breaking up of the cell plasm into separate por-
tions usually forming 3 to 5 spores; every portion becomes rounded, covered with a mem-
brane and is transformed into a spore; the membrane of the mother cell dissolves and dis-
appears. The spores germinate in the same way as those of actinomyces. They form germ
tubes which develop into a mycelium.
The colonies of nocardias have a paste-like or mealy consistency and can easily be taken
up with a platinum loop; they spread on glass and occasionally render the broth turbid.
The surface colonies are smooth, folded or wrinkled. Typical nocardias never form an aerial
mycelium, but there are cultures whose colonies are covered with a thin coating of short
aerial hyphae which break up into cylindrical oidiospores.
Examination by fluorescent microscopy after treatment with carbol-auramin and decolor-
izing with NaCl-HCl-ethyl alcohol can reveal acid-fast species or their e.xudates (Richards,
Stain Technol., 18, 1943, 91).
Many species of nocardias form pigments; their colonies are of a blue, violet, red, yellow
or green color; more often the cultures are colorless. The color of the culture serves as a
stable character.
Krassilnikov (Ray fungi and related organisms, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau,
1938) divides the genus into two groups: 1) Well developed aerial mycelium; substrate my-
celium seldom produces cross-walls; the threads break up into long, thread-like rods;
branches of the aerial mycelium produce segmentation spores and oidiospores; the latter
are cylindrical with sharp ends; no spirals or fruiting branches. This group is the same as
group B of Jensen (op. cit., 1931, 345). 2) Typical forms; mycelium develops only at early
stages of growth, then breaks up into rod-shaped and coccoid bodies; smooth and rough
colonies, dough-like consistency; never form an aerial mycelium; similar to bacterial colo-
nies; aerial mj^celium may form around colonies. This genus can also be divided, on the
basis of acid-fastness, into two groups: Group 1) Partially acid-fast organisms which are
non-proteolj^tic, non-diastatic and utilize paraffin; usuallj^ yellow, pink, or orange-red in
color. Group 2) Non-acid-fast organisms which are diastatic, largely proteolytic and do
not utilize parafiin; yellow, orange to black in color.
The type species is Nocardia farcinica Trevisan.
I. Partially acid-fast* organisms with strongly refractive cells; non-proteolytic and gen-
erally non-diastatic; constantly capable of utilizing paraffin.
A. Initial mj^celium fully developed, well branching, dividing into rods and generally
into cocci.
1. Vegetative mycelium soft, without macroscopically visible aerial mycelium.
a. Vegetative mycelium yellow, orange or red.
b. Pathogenic.
1. Nocardia farcinica Trevisan, 1889. pinger, Beitr. z. path. Anat., 9, 1891, 287;
(Bacille du farcin, Nocard, Ann. Inst. Blanchard, in Bouchard, Traite Path. Gen.,
Past., 3, 1888, 293; Trevisan, I generi e le 3, 1895, 811.)
specie delle Batteriacee, Milan, 1889, 9.) as.ter.o.i'des. Gr. adj. asteroides star-
like.
far.ci'ni.ca. L. v. farcio to stuff; L. noun
farciminum a disease of horses; Fr. farcin Straight, fine mycelium, 0.2 micron in
farcy or glanders; M.L. adj. farcinicus re- diameter, which breaks up into small,
lating to farcy. coccoid conidia. Acid-fast.
This description is based on a study of a Gelatin stab: Yellowish surface growth.
culture believed to be Prof. Nocard's origi- No growth in stab. No liquefaction.
nal culture (American Type Culture Collec- Synthetic agar: Thin, spreading, orange
tion No. 3318). This culture agrees in its growth. No aerial mycelium.
characteristics with those of a second cul- Starch agar: Restricted, scant, orange
ture isolated and identified by Dr. C. P.
Fitch at the New York State Veterinary growth.
Plain agar: Much folded, light yellow
College, Ithaca, New York (ATCC No. growth, becoming deej) yellow to yellow-
3399). ish red.
Branched filaments, 0.25 micron in di- Glucose broth: Thin, yellowish pellicle.
ameter. Markedly acid-fast. Litmus milk: Orange-colored ring. No
Gelatin colonies: Small, circular, trans- coagulation. No peptonization.
parent, glistening. Potato: Growth much wrinkled, whitish
Gelatin stab: No liquefaction. becoming yellow to almost brick-red.
Agar colonies: Yellowish white, irregular, No soluble pigment formed.
refractive, filamentous. Proteolytic action doubtful.
Agar slant: Grayish to yellowish white Starch not hydrolj^zed.
growth, surface roughened. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Broth: Clear; granular sediment, often Aerobic.
with gray pellicle.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Litmus milk: Unchanged. Transmissible to rabbits and guinea pigs
Potato: Abundant, dull, crumpled, whit- but not to mice.
ish yellow growth. Comment: A number of strains of acid-
No soluble pigment formed. fast actinomycetes isolated from human
Proteolytic action absent. lesions have deviated in certain particulars
Starch not hydrolyzed. from the description of Nocardia asteroides,
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. but not sufficiently to warrant separation as
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. species. Baldacci, e.g., recognizes and
Optimum temperature, 37° C. names three varieties of this species (Myco-
Source: Isolated from cases of bovine pathologia, 1, 1938, 68).
farcy. Source: Isolated from a cerebral abscess
Habitat: Associated with a disease in in man.
cattle resembling chronic tuberculosis. Habitat: Also found in conditions re-
Transmissible to guinea pigs, cattle and sembling pulmonary tuberculosis.
sheep but not to rabbits, dogs, horses or
monkeys. 3. Nocardia polychroiiiogenes (Vallee,
1903) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Strepto-
2. Nocardia asteroides (Eppinger, 1891) thrix polychromogenes Vallee, Ann. Inst.
Blanchard, 1895. (Cladothrix asteroides Ep- Past., 17, 1903, 288; Proactinomyces poly-
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE 719
chmmogenes Jensen, Proc. Linnean Soc. New Bynoe (Thesis, McGill University, Mon-
So. Wales, 56, 1931, 79 and 363; Waksman treal, 1931), Jensen (op. cit., 1932, 369) and
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 897.) Erikson (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 3, 1949,
363).
po.ly.chrom.o'ge.nes. Gr. adj. pobj
many; Gr. noun chromus color; Gr.v. gen- Long, curved, irregular and branching
naeo to produce; M.L.adj. polychromogenes filaments or rods, 0.8 to 1.0 by 2 to 16 mi-
producing many colors. crons, or occasionally longer. Few chains or
Description taken from Jensen (op. cit., clumps are formed. In older cultures shorter
1931). rods or cocci are generally formed. Readily
Long, wavy filaments, 0.4 to 0.5 by 70 to stained. Not acid-fast. Acid-fast cell ele-
100 microns, extensively branched but with- ments predominate during periods of maxi-
out septa. Older cultures consist entirely of mum growth and free air supply (Erikson).
rods 4 to 10 microns in length, frequently in Gram-positive.
V, Y or smaller forms. Still older cultures Gelatin colonies: Round, convex, whitish,
consist of shorter rods and coccoid forms. smooth, shining, edges slightly arborescent.
Gram-positive, frequently showing bands Deep colonies: Burrs, with slightly irreg-
and granules. ular processes.
Gelatin stab: Thin, yellowish growth Gelatin stab: Convex, whitish, smooth,
along the stab with thin, radiating fila- resinous, filiform, erose.
ments. Surface growth flat, wrinkled, red. Nutrient agar: Soft cream to pink growth
No liquefaction. (Erikson).
Nutrient agar: Scant, orange-red growth. Synthetic agar: Growth colorless and
Glucose agar: After 3 to 4 days, raised, thin, producing an initial mycelium, the
flat, glistening, rose-colored growth. After hyphae dividing rapidly into short rods;
1 to 3 weeks, becoming folded and coral-red. addition of 0.01 per cent MnS04 stimulates
Glucose broth: After 3 to 4 days, turbid; production of pale pink pigment (Erikson).
after 2 to 3 weeks an orange, flaky, sediment. Broth: Turbid with broken white scum
No surface growth. or clear with granular suspension.
Milk: Growth starts as small orange- Dorset's egg medium: Spreading, smooth,
colored surface granules. After 1 to 2 weeks moist, salmon-colored growth.
a thick, soft, orange-colored sediment Loefiler's medium: Scant, smooth, moist,
forms. light buff-colored growth.
Optimum temperature, between 22° and Glycerol potato: Dry, rough, crumpled,
25° C. pink to buff -colored growth.
Distinctive characters: Differs from No- Litmus milk: Grayish pellicle; slightly
cardia corallina in the formation of very long alkaline.
filaments and in filiform growth in gelatin No acid from sucrose, lactose, maltose or
stabs.
Source : Isolated from the blood of a horse glucose.
Phenol and naphthalene are utilized as
and from soil in France and Australia. sources of energy.
Habitat: Soil.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
4. Nocardia opaca (den Dooren de Optimum temperature, 30° C.
Jong, 1927) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. Optimum pH, between 6.8 and 7.3.
(Mycobacterium opacum den Dooren de Distinctive characters: Differs from No-
Jong, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 71, 1927, 216; cardia corallina and Nocardia polychromo-
Proactinomyces opacus Jensen, Proc. Linn. genes in that the cells are much longer than
Soc. New So. Wales, 57, 1932, 369; Waksman those of the former and much shorter than
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 897.) those of the latter. Grows in smooth convex
o.pa'ca. L.adj. opacus shaded, dark. surface colonies and burr-like deep colonies.
Description taken from Gray and Thorn- Source: Twenty-four strains were isolated
ton (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928, 86), from soils in Great Britain.
720 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Habitat: Probably sparingly distributed Source : Six strains were isolated from soils
in soils. in Great Britain.
Habitat: Presumably soil.
5. Nocardia erythropolis (Gray and
Thornton, 1928) Waksman and Henrici, 6. Nocardia leishmanii Chalmers and
1948. {Mycobacterium erythropolis Gray and Christopherson, 1916. (A new acid-fast
Thornton, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 73, 1928, streptothrix, Birt and Leishman, Jour.
87; Proactinomyces erythropolis Jensen, Hyg., £, 1902, 120; Chalmers and Christo-
Proc. Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 57, 1932, pherson, Ann. Trop. Med. and Parasit., 10,
371; Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 1916, 255.)
6th ed., 1948, 898.) leish.ma'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun leishmanii
e.ry.thro'po.lis. Gr. adj. erythrus red; of Leishman; named for W. B. Leishman,
Gr.noun polis a city; M.L.noun erythropolis one of the two who first isolated this or-
red city.
Original description supplemented by ma- ganism.
Description taken from Erikson (Med.
terial taken from Bynoe (Thesis, McGill Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 27).
University, Montreal, 1931). Initial cells frequently swollen, large and
Long, uneven-sided rods and filaments, irregular, aggregated in short chains and
curved and branching, 0.8 by up to 11.0 then branching out into regular, narrow
microns. Coccoid forms not formed. Stains filaments; at margin of colony on synthetic
readily. Not acid-fast. Gram-positive. glj'cerol agar may be seen comparativelj'
Gelatin colonies: After 12 days, round, long, thick segments with accompanying
flat, white, shining; edge entire. Deep fringe of normal hyphae; later, entire
colonies: Round, smooth. colonies asteroid in appearance, very fine
Gelatin stab: After 8 to 14 daj's, growth and close, angular branching, with aerial
convex, white, smooth, shining; radiate hyphae situated singly; aerial mycelium
from center; borders cleft. Line of puncture generally abundant with irregularly cylin-
filiform, erose. drical conidia. Slightly acid-fast. The
Agar colonies: Round, 2 to 3 mm in diam- latter property must have been attenuated
eter, convex, watery white; edge entire. during artificial cultivation, for the or-
Deep colonies: Lens-shaped. ganism is reported as markedly acid-fast
Agar slant: Filiform, flat, watery growth; by the original isolators.
edge undulate. Gelatin: Small, pink colonies in depths of
Broth: Growth slight; turbid. stab. No liquefaction.
Dorset's egg medium: After 2 weeks, Glucose agar: Rounded, elevated colo-
growth raised, moist, finely granular, flesh- nies with paler frosting of aerial mycelium;
colored; irregular margin. growth becoming piled up; aerial mycelium
LoefBer's medium: After 7 days growth
sparse.
Glycerol agar: Small, round, pink colo-
as on Dorset's egg medium, but pink.
Glycerol potato: After 7 days, flat, dry, nies, tending to be umbilicated and piled
rough, orange-colored. up; stiff, white aerial spikes.
Litmus milk: Pale pink pellicle. Coon's agar: Small, round, colorless colo-
No acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose or nies; stiff white aerial spikes; later a pink
glycerol. tinge.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Potato agar: Minute, colorless, round
Phenol is utilized. colonies; small raised patches of white aerial
Optimum temperature, 25° C. mycelium.
Optimum pH, between 6.8 and 8.0. Dorset's egg medium: Colorless, confluent
Distinctive characters: Differs from growth studded with little wart-like projec-
Nocardia coeliaca and Nocardia actino- tions bearing stiff aerial spikes; growth be-
morpha in the filiform growth and absence comes pinkish with a white aerial my-
of liquefaction of gelatin. Long rods and celium; later, growth drab gray; medium
filaments. discolored.
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE
721
Serum agar: Minute, round, colorless round pink colonies partly covered with
colonies with pinkish tinge in confluent, white aerial mycelium.
raised patch. Potato agar: Extensive, thin growth, pink
Inspissated serum: Small, round, pale in raised patches, covered by white, aerial
pink colonies; umbilicated and raised up. mycelium; later aerial mycelium also be-
Broth: Liberal growth, white flocculent comes pink.
colonies; later pink surface colonies. Starch agar: Minute, colorless colonies
Sj^nthetic sucrose solution: Colorless, covered by white, aerial mycelium.
flocculent sediment; thin, colorless pellicle. Blood agar: Minute, round, colorless
Milk: Surface growth; white aerial my- colonies aggregated in broad, pink zones;
celium; solid coagulum; later partly pep- paler aerial mycelium. No hemolysis.
tonized with pink aerial mj'^celium. Dorset's egg medium: Few, colorless
Litmus milk: Pink surface growth; colonies, some pink; white aerial mycelium;
aerial mj'celium; milky opaque after 40 later, growth becoming dull pink, irregular,
days. with scant white aerial mj^celium.
Carrot plug: Small, irregularly round, Ca-agar: Minute, colorless colonies; white
raised colonies, colorless, covered with stiff aerial mycelium; later a pinkish tinge.
aerial spikes; later buff-colored, convo- Serum agar: Small, round, pink colonies
luted and ribbed growth with small patches frosted over with thin, white, aerial my-
of white, aerial mycelium; aerial mycelium celium.
pink in two months. Inspissated serum: No growth.
Source: Isolated from a fatal case of lung Broth: Superficial pellicle composed of
disease and pericarditis in man. pink colonies with white aerial mycelium;
Habitat: Human infections so far as moderate, flocculent sediment.
known. Glucose broth: Small sediment of fine
flocculi; later pellicle composed of small
7. Nocardia caprae (Silberschmidt, 1899) pink colonies; superficial skin entire and
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Streptothrix salmon-colored in 16 days.
caprae Silberschmidt, Ann. Inst. Past., 13, Synthetic glycerol solution: Round, pink,
1899, 841 ; Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, disc-like colonies on surface and tenuous,
6th ed., 1948, 899.) white, wispy growth in suspension and sedi-
cap'rae. L. noun capra a she-goat; L. ment; after 20 days, surface colonies bearing
gen. noun caprae of a she-goat. white aerial mycelium extending 2 cm up
Description taken from Erikson (Med. tube.
Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 26). Synthetic sucrose solution: Minute, white
Initial cells only slightly enlarged; early colonies in suspension and sediment in 3
development of aerial hyphae while sub- days; thin, dust-like pellicle in 10 days;
stratum threads are still short; frequent some surface colonies with white aerial
slipping of branches; aerial mycelium abun- mycelium in 17 days.
dant on all media with tendency to form co- Milk: Red surface skin; solid coagulum.
herent spikes; mycelium not very polymor- Litmus milk: Red surface growth; no
phous, but occasional, thicker segments change in liquid; after 4 weeks, liquid de-
appear. Slightly acid-fast. colorized, opaque.
Gelatin: Extensive dull growth with Potato plug: Abundant growth; small
small, raised patches of pink, aerial myce- colonies, mostly confluent, entirely covered
lium; later ribbon-like, depressed. No lique- with pale pink aerial mycelium; growth be-
faction. comes membranous, considerably buckled;
Glucose agar: Irregular, bright pink later superficial colonies with pink aerial
growth tending to be heaped up; later abun- mycelium on liquid at base of tube; bottom
dant masses frosted over with thin, white, growth of round white colonies.
aerial mycelium. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Glycerol agar: Abundant growth; small Source: Isolated from lesions in goats.
•22
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Habitat: Found in infections of goats so and zonate at top of slant, white aerial
far as known. mycelium, surface and bottom growth on
liquid.
8. Nocardia pretoriana Pijper and Pul- Source : Isolated from a case of mycetoma
linger, 1927. (Jour. Trop. Med. and Hyg., of the chest wall in a South African native.
30, 1927, 153.) Habitat: Found in human infections so
far as known.
pre.to.ri.a'na. M.L. adj. pretorianus
pertaining to Pretoria; named for Pretoria,
South Africa. 9. Nocardia vaccinii Demaree and
Description taken from Erikson (Med. Smith, 1952. {Actinomyces sp. Demaree,
Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, Phytopath., 37, 1947, 438; Demaree and
30). Smith, Phytopath., 4^, 1952, 249.)
Minute, fiat colonies are formed consisting vac.cin'i.i. M.L. noun Vaccinium generic
of angularly branched filaments and bearing name of the blueberry; M.L. gen. noun
a few short, straight aerial hyphae; later the vaccinii of Vaccinium.
growth becomes spreading and extensive, Rods and filaments, 0.4 to 0.8 micron in
the slipping of the branches is well marked diameter, granular when stained, eventually
and the aerial hyphae are divided into breaking up into bacillary forms. A few cells
cylindrical conidia. Slightly acid-fast. are acid-fast. Presence of fat was demon-
Gelatin: A few, colorless flakes. No lique- strated bystaining with Sudan black B.
faction. Gelatin: Dry, ribbon growth; no hydroly-
Glucose agar: Pale buff, umbilicated and sis.
piled up colonies. Agar: Poor, slow, granular, gray growth
Glycerol agar: Piled up pink mass; very which is sometimes pinkish in old cultures.
scant, white aerial mycelium at margin. Synthetic agar: Scant, gray growth.
Ca-agar: Yellowish, wrinkled, coherent Starch agar: Dry, ribbon, pinkish to
growth with white aerial mycelium on apices orange growth.
and at margin. Potato-yeast-mannitol agar: Abundant,
Coon's agar: Colorless, mostly submerged fluffy, gray to orange growth.
growth; scant white aerial mycelium. Milk: Dry, raised, gray growth with
Dorset's egg medium: A few, round, color- orange spots. Casein not hydrolyzed.
less colonies in 3 days; after 3 weeks, irregu- Potato: Slow, spreading, raised, gray
lar, raised, pink mass; warted appearance;
moderate degree of liquefaction. growth.
On a basal agar with ammonia as a source
Serum agar: Raised, convoluted, slightly of nitrogen, acid was produced from glu-
pinkish growth. cose, sucrose, glycerol and mannitol; reac-
Inspissated serum: No growth. tions variable with arabinose and xylose;
Broth: Moderate quantity of flakes and no growth on lactose or sorbitol.
dust-like surface growth. Starch is hydrolyzed.
Synthetic sucrose solution: A few color- Citrates utilized to a limited extent.
less flakes on the surface; lesser bottom Paraffin is utilized.
growth. Nitrites slowly produced from nitrates.
Milk: Yellowish surface growth; solid Optimum temperature, between 25° and
coagulum in one month; later, partly di- 28° C; inhibited at 32° C; no growth or
gested, pale pink growth up the wall of the
tube. very scant growth at 37° C.
Antagonistic properties : None.
Litmus milk: Colorless surface growth; Distinctive characters: Resembles No-
liquid blue; becomes hydrolyzed and de- cardia 7ninima but diff'ers from it in the
colorized. following respects: utilizes glycerol and
Potato plug: Small, raised, pale pink mannitol and sometimes arabinose and
colonies with white aerial mycelium; after xylose; reduces nitrates to nitrites; utilizes
2 months, plug and liquid discolored, growth citrates and causes formation of bud-pro-
dull buff, dry and convoluted at base, round liferating galls on blueberry plants.
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE 723
Source: Original isolate, BG 19, came from an extensive mycelium of long, richly-
a bud-proliferating gall on a blueberry branching hyphae, 0.4 to 0.5 micron in
plant. diameter. After 5 to 6 days at room tempera-
Habitat: Found on blueberry plants so ture, numerous end-branches swell to about
far as known. double thickness, become more refractive,
exhibit fine incisions along their external
10. Nocardia piilnionalis (Burnett, contours and divide into ovoid, spore-like
1910) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Actino- elements, 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.2 to 1.5 microns.
myces pulmonalis Burnett, Ann. Rept. N.Y This process of division starts at the tips
State Vet. Coll., 1909-1910, 167; Waksman of the swollen branches and proceeds basi-
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 901.) petally until most of the hyphae appear di-
pul.mo.na'lis. L. noun pulmo the lung; vided. Primary septa have not been seen in
L. gen. noun pulmonis of the lung; M.L. adj. the hyphae. A similar process of division
pulmonalis pertaining to the lung. takes place in liquid media, where also the
Gram-positive mycelium breaking up filaments often fall into fragments of vari-
readily into oval-shaped conidia. Acid-fast, able length. The spore-like elements, but
especially in early stages of growth. not the undivided filaments, are markedly
Gelatin: Small, whitish, spherical col- acid-fast. Acid-fastness is observed in cer-
onies, edges of colony becoming chalky tain stages, notably in the early stages of
white. Limited liquefaction. growth and in the coccus forms (Erikson,
Agar: Moist, raised growth in the form of loc. cit.). The aerial mycelium consists of
small, spherical colonies. rather short, straight, not very much
Glucose agar: Dull, whitish, convoluted branched hyphae, 0.4 to 0.6 micron in di-
growth. ameter, which never show any differentia-
Broth: Delicate, translucent film on sur- tion into spores.
face, becoming corrugated with some whit- Gelatin: No liquefaction.
ish, spherical colonies in medium. Sucrose agar: Very scant growth. Thin,
Milk: Colonies on the surface of the me- colorless veil, sometimes with a trace of
dium; milk is coagulated in a few days, later white aerial mycelium.
digested. Glucose agar: Fair growth. Vegetative
Potato: Luxuriant growth in the form of mycelium flat, growing into medium; pale
small, translucent, round colonies which ochre-yellow to orange, w'ith raised out-
become lemon-yellow; later, growth be- growths on the surface. Growth of a crumbly
comes convoluted or folded with chalky consistency. Scant, white, aerial mycelium.
white aerial mycelium, color of plug brown- Nutrient agar: Slow but good growth.
ish. Vegetative mycelium superficial, somewhat
Non-pathogenic for rabbits or guinea raised, ochre-yellow, hard, but with a loose,
pigs. smeary surface. Aerial mycelium scant,
Aerobic. small white tufts. No pigment.
Source: Isolated from the lungs of a cow. Liquid media (milk, broth, synthetic solu-
Habitat: Found in bovine infections so far tions) :Small, round granules of various
as known. yellow to orange colors, firm, but can be
crushed into a homogeneous smear. In old
11. Nocardia paraffinae (Jensen, 1931) broth cultures a thick, hard, orange to
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Proactino- brownish surface pellicle is formed.
myces paraffinae Jensen, Proc. Linn. Soc. Milk: No coagulation or digestion.
New So. Wales, 66, 1931, 362; Waksman and Potato: Fair growth. Vegetative myce-
Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 901; also lium granulated, first pale-yellow, later
see Erikson, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., S, 1949, deep ochre-yellow to orange. Scant, white,
366.) aerial mycelium. No diffusible pigment.
Sucrose not inverted.
pa. raf.fi 'nae. M.L. noun paraffina paraf-
fin; M.L. gen. noun paraffinae of paraffin. Starch not hydrolyzed.
In agar media the organism initially forms Cellulose not decomposed.
724 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
14. Nocardia globerula (Gray, 1928) Optimum pH, between 6.8 and 7.6.
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Mycobacterium Distinctive characters: This organism re-
globendum Gray, Proc. Roy. Soc. London, sembles most closely Nocardia coralUna. It
B, 102, 1928, 265; Proactinomijces globerulus is distinguished by producing a more watery
Reed, in Manual, 5th ed., 1939, 838; Waks- type of surface growth, more nearly entire
man and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, deep colonies and more particularly by the
903.) production of indigotin from indole.
Source: Isolated from soil in Great
glo.be'ru.la. L. noun globus a globe; M.L. Britain.
dim. adj. globerulus globular.
Habitat: Presumably soil.
Original description supplemented by
material taken from Bynoe (Thesis, McGill
University, Montreal, 1931). 15. Nocardia salmonicolor (den Dooren
Curved rods and filaments, 1 by 2 to 9 de Jong, 1927) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
{Mycobacterium salmonicolor den Dooren de
microns, with many coccoid cells, especially
in old cultures. Rods and filaments are fre- Jong, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 71, 1927, 216;
quently irregularly swollen. Capsules may Proactinomyces salmonicolor Jensen, Proc.
Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 57, 1932, 368;
be present. Not acid-fast. Gram-positive.
Gelatin: After 19 days, surface colonies Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed.,
irregularly round, 1 to 2 mm in diameter, 1948, 904; also see Erikson, Jour. Gen.
Microbiol., S, 1949, 364.)
conve.x, light buff, smooth, shining; edge
entire. Deep colonies: Round, with entire sal.mo.ni'co.lor. L. noun salmo salmon;
edge. L. gen. noun salmonis of a salmon; M.L. adj.
salmonicolor salmon-colored.
Gelatin stab: After 8 days, nailhead, ir-
regularly round, convex, pinkish white, On glucose-asparagine-agar after 18 to 24
smooth, shining growth; line of stab erose. hrs., long branching rods are formed, 1.0 to
Agar: After 4 days surface colonies irregu- 1.3 microns in diameter, with small refrac-
larly round, 3 to 5 mm in diameter, convex, tive granules of aerial mycelium, sometimes
white, smooth, shining; edge undulate, stretching into quite long filaments; after
2 to 3 days small definite mycelia are pres-
erose. After 7 daj^s, more convex and of a
watery appearance. Deep colonies: After 4 ent, and after 5 to 6 days these have largely
divided into short rods and cocci; the col-
days, lens-shaped.
Agar slant: After 3 days, filiform, flat, onies have the same burr-like appearance as
watery; edge irregular. those of Nocardia corallina. Many cells at
the edge of the colonies show, after 3 to 4
Dorset's egg medium: After 2 weeks, days, club- or pear-shaped swellings, up to
spreading, raised, moist, orange-colored
2.5 to 3.0 microns in diameter; after 5 to 6
growth.
days, many of these swollen cells are seen to
Loefller's medium: Growth as on Dorset's germinate with the formation of two more
egg medium, but salmon-colored. slender sprouts. On some media a few short,
Nutrient and peptone broth: Turbid with undivided aerial hyphae appear which may
viscous suspension. actually form a thin white frosting over the
Litmus milk: Alkaline.
pink growth. Acid-fastness is found among
Glycerol potato: After 24 hours, filiform, the earlier stages of growth in some of the
moist, smooth, pale pink growth. strains on some media.
Indole not produced. Gelatin: At 20° to 22° C, scant, arbores-
Indole agar: Blue crystals of indigotin cent growth in stab; small, wrinkled orange,
formed. surface colony. No liquefaction.
I2Q ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Glucose-asparagine-agar: Good growth, Manual, 5th ed., 1939, 835; Waksman and
restricted, rather flat; edges lobate; surface Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 904.)
warty, glistening, at first pale orange, later rub.ro. per. tinc'ta. L. adj. ruber red; L.
ochre-yellow; consistency crumbly. After 5 prefix per very; L. part. adj. tinctus dyed,
to 6 weeks the growth is paler with many colored; M.L. adj. rubropertinctus heavily
small, round, raised, yellow, secondary dyed red.
colonies. Original description supplemented by ma-
Agar: Rich, salmon-pink to yellow, soft terial taken from Hefferan (op. cit., 1904,
growth. 460) and from Jensen (Proc. Linn. Soc. New
Glucose-nutrient agar: Excellent growth, So. Wales, 49, 1934, 32).
spreading, flat, dense; edges lobate; surface Small rods, 0.3 to 0.9 by 1.5 to 3.0 microns.
folded, glistening, yellow, gradually chang- Cells in 18- to 24-hour agar culture in beauti-
ing to deep orange-red. ful angular arrangement, after 2 to 3 days
Nutrient broth: Fair growth; thin pel- nearly coccoid, 0.6 by 0.8 micron. Ten-
licle; granular sediment, at first cream- dency for branching on glycerol agar after
colored, later red; broth clear at first, 2 to 3 days, but branching does not occur
slightly turbid after 3 weeks. commonly though granules of aerial myce-
Milk: Good growth; pellicle of small, lium are sometimes seen (Jensen). Non-
cream-colored granules after 2 days ; later a motile. Not acid-fast (Grassberger).
thick orange sediment. Not coagulated but Acid-fast (Hefferan). Variable (Jensen).
appears slightly cleared after 5 weeks, the Gram-positive.
reaction becoming alkaline. Gelatin colonies: Irregular with crenate
Potato. Good growth, raised, warty, margin and folded surface. Coral-red.
crumbly, glistening, at first buff, changing Gelatin stab: Surface growth like the
to orange and finally to almost blood-red. colonies. Growth in stab at first thin, then
Indole not produced. granular to arborescent with chromogene
No acid from glucose or glycerol. sis. No liquefaction.
Sucrose not inverted, although it is read- Agar colonies: Small, granular, becoming
ily utilized with sodium nitrate as a source pink to red depending on composition of
of nitrogen.
Starch not hydrolyzed. agar.
Agar slant: Dry, lustreless (R) to glisten-
Paraffin readily utilized as a source of ing (S), pink to vermilion-red.
carbon. Broth: Faint, uniform turbidity with
Phenol not utilized. salmon-pink pellicle (in scales) which is re-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. newed on surface as it settles to form a red
Nitrate, ammonium salts, asparagine and sediment (Hefferan, Jensen).
peptone are utilized almost equally well Litmus milk: Thick, fragile, dull coral-red
with glucose as source of carbon, although surface scales and sediment. Unchanged
the growth is most rapid with peptone. (Hefferan) to alkaline and somewhat viscid
No growth in oxygen-free atmosphere. after 3 to 4 weeks (Jensen).
Relationships to other species: Closely Potato: Slow but excellent intensive red
related to Nocardia corallina. growth becoming dull orange (Jensen).
Source: Isolated from soil from Rotham- Benzine, petroleum, paraffin oil and par-
sted, England, by means of an ethylamine- affin are utilized as sources of energy; no
enriched medium, at 37° C. action on manganese dioxide (Sohngen,
Habitat: Probably soil. Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 40, 1914, 554).
Nitrites not produced from nitrates; ni-
16. Nocardia rubropertincta (Hefferan, trates, ammonia and asparagine are almost
1904) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Butter- as good sources of nitrogen as peptone
bacillus, Grassberger, Miinch. med. Wochn- (Jensen).
schr., 46, 1899, 343; Bacillus rubropertinctus Aerobic to facultatively anaerobic.
Hefferan, Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 11, 1904, sen).
Grows well between 20° and 37° C. (Jen-
460; Proactinomyces rubropertinctus Reed, in
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE 727
Dorset's egg medium: Raised, smooth, Glycerol agar: Small, pink, coiled masses
moist, verrucose, buff -colored growth. with thin, white, aerial mycelium.
Loeffler's medium: After 10 daj^s, slight Potato agar: No growth.
growth, dry, granular, pale buff-colored. Coon's agar: Colorless growth with
Broth: Turbid. liberal, white, aerial mycelium.
Litmus milk: Slightly alkaline after 5 to 7 Dorset's egg medium: Small, irregularly
days. raised and coiled dull pink mass.
Glycerol potato: After 2 days, dry, Serum agar: Very poor growth.
crumpled, orange, becoming brown after Inspissated serum: Scant, colorless, flaky
about 10 da3^s. growth; later a minute tuft of pale pink,
No acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose or aerial mycelium.
glycerol. Broth: Moderate, flaky growth.
Phenol is utilized. Synthetic sucrose solution : Poor growth, a
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. few flakes on the surface and a few at the
bottom.
Optimum temperature, between 22° and
25° C. Milk: No change.
Optimum pH, between 7.6 and 8.0. Potato plug: Dry, raised, convoluted,
Distinctive characters: Differs from the pink growth with white aerial mycelium in
previously described members of the genus one month; dull, pink, brittle surface
in the absence of chromogenesis. Forms colonies with paler aerial mycelium float-
hollow lobes in deep gelatin cultures. Cells ing coherently on liquid at base in 2 months.
are rods, seldom filaments. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Source : Isolated from soil in Great Britain Source: Isolated from a case of mj^ce-
and Australia. toma of the foot in South Africa.
Habitat: Presumably soil. Habitat: Found in human infections so
far as known.
19. Nocardia transvalensis Pijper and
Pullinger, 1927. (Jour. Trop. Med. Hyg., 20. Nocardia mesenterica (Orla-Jen-
30, 1927, 153.) sen, 1919) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
trans. va.len'sis. M.L. adj. transvalensis (Microbacterium mesentericum Orla-Jensen,
pertaining to the Transvaal; named for The Lactic Acid Bacteria, 1919, 181; Pro-
Transvaal, South Africa. actinormjces mesentericus Jensen, Proc. Lin-
Description taken from Erikson (Med. nean Soc. New So. Wales, 57, 1932, 373;
Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 28). Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed.,
1948, 907.)
Initial mycelium unicellular, but with
the central branch frequently broader and me.sen.te'ri.ca. Gr.noun mesenterium
showing dense, granular refractile contents; the mesentery; M.L. adj. mesentericus per-
small colonies quickly covered with aerial taining to the mesentery.
Extensive mycelium composed of richly
mycelium, the straight aerial hyphae in
some cases becoming clustered into irregular branching hyphae of a somewhat variable
diameter, 0.4 to 0.8 micron; no aerial
spikes; colorless drops are exuded and a pink
hyphae are seen. With increasing age the
coloration produced in the densest part of
hyphae divide into fragments of varjang
the growth on synthetic glycerol agar. size and shape, partly diphtheroid rods,
Angular branching with division of the sub- but no real cocci. There is, particularly in
stratum filaments can be seen, the aerial richer media, a tendency to form large,
hyphae also being irregularly segmented. swollen, fusiform to almost spherical cells,
Acid-fast. up to 3.5 microns in diameter. These may
Gelatin: Poor growth; there are a few stain intensely with carbol fuchsin; when
irregular colorless flakes. No liquefaction. transferred to fresh media, they germinate
Agar: No growth. and produce a new mycelium.
Glucose agar: Raised, granular, pink Gelatin: Good growth; finely arborescent,
colonies with white aerial mycelium. cream-colored growth in the stab; raised,
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE
729
folded, pale-yellow, surface colony. No al'bi.cans. L. part. adj. albicans white-
making.
liquefaction.
Glucose-asparagine-agar: Fair growth, On solid media the hj'phae break up into
narrow, raised, granular, very pale j-ellow, rod-shaped cells 0.6 to 0.7 by 12 to 25, some-
glistening; condensation water clear, with times up to 50, microns. Cells straight or
small granules. At 30° C. there is only scant slightly curved and branching. No aerial
growth consisting of small, irregular, white mycelium observed except surface layer of
granules growing deeply down into the agar. sporophores, which produce a velvety ap-
Glucose-nutrient-agar: Good growth, re- pearance. Multiplication is by fission, seldom
stricted, with undulate edges, surface with by budding. Gram-positive.
high transverse folds, cream-colored; the Gelatin: No liquefaction.
consistency^ is firm and cartilaginous after 2 Agar colonies: Smooth, shiny; good
days, later looser and more brittle. Growth
growth.
Broth: Poor growth; faintly turbid;
at 28° to 30° C. rather scant; smooth, soft,
glistening, cream-colored smear. settles on bottom and leaves a surface ring.
Sabouraud's agar: Excellent growth, No true mycelium produced. Cells rod-
spreading, at first flat and smooth, pale shaped, 5 to 10, seldom 15 to 20, microns.
straw-yellow, perfectly hard and cartilagi- Milk: No change.
nous, later raised and strongly folded, of a Sucrose inverted.
loose, curd-like consistency, bright lemon- Starch hydrolyzed.
yellow. Growth at 28° to 30° C. only fair, No growth on cellulose.
restricted, folded, cream-colored, soon be- Utilizes glycerol well but not paraffin.
coming soft and smeary. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Broth: Good growth; voluminous, flaky, Nitrate utilized as a source of nitrogen.
whitish sediment; broth clear. Source: Isolated from soil.
Potato: Scant growth; restricted, soft, Habitat: Soil.
cream-colored smear.
Milk: At 28° to 30° C., small cream- 22. Nocardia flava (Krassilnikov, 1938)
colored granules along the tube; the milk Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Proactino-
undergoes no visible changes within 4 myces flavus Krassilnikov, Bull. Acad. Sci.
weeks. No proteolytic action. U.S.S.R., No. 1, 1938, 139; Waksman and
Indole not produced. Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 908.)
Sucrose is inverted. fla'va. L. adj. flavus yellow.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Cells at first filamentous, 0.7 to 0.8 mi-
Cellulose not decomposed. cron in diameter; after 2 to 3 days, cells
Nitrites produced from nitrates. broken into long rods and then into cocci
No growth in oxygen-free atmosphere. 0.7 micron in diameter. No spores, although
Nitrogen is utilized as sodium nitrate, some strains form chlamydospores. Cell
ammonium phosphate and asparagine, al- multiplication is by fission, cross-wall for-
though these are inferior to peptone as mation and rarely by budding. Not acid-
sources of nitrogen. fast. Gram -positive.
Source: Isolated from fermented beets. Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Habitat: Found in fermented vegetable Agar colonies : Pigment bright yellow or
materials. gold-colored on synthetic media, dirty
yellow on meat peptone media. Pigment
not soluble in medium. Surface of colony
21. Nocardia albicans (Krassilnikov, somewhat shiny or rough and folded, of a
1941) Waksman, 1953. {Proactinomyces albi- dough-like consistency.
cans Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actino- Synthetic agar colonies: Bright yellow
mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., or gold.
Moskau, 1941, 71; Waksman, in Waksman Meat peptone media: Dirty j-ellow pig-
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their mentation.
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 146.) Milk: No peptonization or coagulation.
'30 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
23. Nocardia viridis (Krassilnikov, 1938) 25. Nocardia madurae (Vincent, 1894)
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Proactino- Blanchard, 1896. (Streptothrix madurae Vin-
myces viridis Krassilnikov, Bull. Acad. Sci. cent, Ann. Inst. Past., 8, 1894, 129; Blanch-
U.S.S.R., No. 1, 1938, 139; Waksman and ard, in Bouchard, Traite Path. G6n., 3,
Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 908.) 1896, 868.)
vi'ri.dis. L. adj. viridis green. ma'du.rae. M.L. gen.noun madurae of
Mycelial cells often branching, 0.7 to 0.8 Madura; named for Madura, India.
micron in diameter with cross-wall; after In tissues, growth in form of granules
5 to 7 days the cells break up into rods 5 to consisting of radiating actinomycosis. In
15 microns long. Cocci not observed. Cells cultures, initial branched mycelium frag-
multiply by fission, seldom by budding. menting into rod-shaped and coccoid bodies.
Spores not formed. Not acid-fast. Cells No aerial mycelium or spores. Not acid-
Gram-positive. fast.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Gelatin: Growth scant, whitish; no lique-
Colonies colored dark green. Pigment not faction.
soluble in medium, in water or in organic Gelatin colonies: Round, glistening, at
solvents. Surface of colony somewhat shiny. first white, then buff to rose or crimson.
On potato, rough, much folded, broken up Pigment production is irregular and un-
into small colonies. predictable. Occasionally a red, soluble
Milk: No peptonization or coagulation. pigment is produced. Growth eventually
Sucrose readily inverted. wrinkled. No aerial mycelium.
Starch weakly hydrolyzed. Broth: Growth occurs as a floccular sedi-
Grows well on fats and paraffin and less ment.
on wax. Milk: No change or slight, slow peptoni-
Source : Isolated from soil. zation.
Habitat: Soil. Potato: Wrinkled, friable growth; buff-
colored, sometimes red.
24. Nocardia citrea (Krassilnikov, 1938) Diastatic action questionable.
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Proactino- Not pathogenic for the usual laboratory
myces citreus Krassilnikov, Bull. Acad. Sci. animals; pathogenic for monkeys (Mus-
U.S.S.R., No. 1, 1938, 139; Waksman and grave and Clegg, Philippine Jour. Sci.,
Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 908.) Ser. B., Med. Sci., S, 1908, 470).
cit're.a. L. adj. citreus of or pertaining to Source : Isolated from a case of Madura
the citrus tree; M.L. adj. citreus lemon- foot.
yellow. Habitat: Cause of some cases of Madura
Mycelium in young cultures consists of foot.
very fine threads, 0.3 to 0.5 micron in di-
ameter. After several days the cells break 26. Nocardia nigra (Krassilnikov, 1941)
up into short rods, 0.5 by 1.5 to 5.0 microns, Waksman, 1953. (Proactinomyces niger Kras-
and into cocci, 0.3 to 0.5 micron in diame- silnikov. Guide to the Actinomycetes, Izd.
ter. Multiplies by fission and bud formation; Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 89;
spores not formed. Not acid-fast. Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier,
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics,
Colonies: Yellow-green, usually rough and Baltimore, 1953, 149; not Nocardia nigra
folded. Castellani and Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med.,
Milk: Coagulation and peptonization. 3rd ed., 1919, 1062.)
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE
731
nig'ra. L. adj. niger black. growth, centrally embedded with small,
Colonies rough, folded, shiny, of dough- round, discrete colonies at margin.
like consistency. Growth at first colorless or Dorset's egg medium: Poor growth, dull
brownish, gradually beconiing darker and, pink, spreading.
after 10 to 15 days, dark brown and even Serum agar: Confluent, granular, pink
black. Pigment, similar to melanin, not membrane.
soluble in the medium. Hyphae are thread- Broth: Pink flakes and surface growth.
like, breaking up into rods, 0.7 by 2.0 to Inspissated serum: Raised, convoluted,
10.0 microns, and cocci, 0.6 to 0.8 micron. pink mass; becoming orange and much
Aerial mycelium not formed. wrinkled with a scalloped margin.
Gelatin: No growth or liquefaction. Synthetic sucrose solution: Red granules
Agar: Poor growth. and abundant, minute, colorless colonies at
Synthetic agar: Poor growth. Many cells bottom; in 2 weeks a colorless, dust-like
are swollen to 3.0 microns in diameter. surface pellicle.
Broth; Small sediment produced. Medium Glucose broth: Abundant, pinkish, flaky
clear. surface growth, breaking up easily and sink-
Milk: No change. ing to bottom.
Potato: Good growth. Potato plug: Carrot-red, moist, thick,
Cellulose: No growth. granular growth in bands, partly raised,
Source : Isolated from soil. and with discrete round colonies; sparse,
Habitat: Soil. Rarely found. Growth colorless, very thin aerial mycelium at top
rapidly disappears on continued cultivation. of slant in 2 months.
Litmus milk: Orange-red surface and
27. Nocardia lutea Christopherson and bottom growth; liquid blue.
Archibald, 1918. (Lancet, 2, 1918, 847). Source: Isolated from actinomycosis of
lu'te.a. L. adj. luteus yellow. the lachrymal gland.
Description taken from Erikson (Med. Habitat: Unknown,
Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 30).
Initial elements swollen and segmented, 28. Nocardia blackwellii (Erikson, 1935)
giving rise to irregular, spreading, polymor- Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Actinomyces
phous colonies composed of cells of all blackwellii Erikson, Med. Res. Council
shapes and sizes with markedly granular Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 37; Waksman and
contents; later more monomorphous, the Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 910.)
filaments being arranged in angular apposi- black. wel'li.i. M.L. gen. noun blackwellii
tion. Sometimes (e.g., on synthetic glycerol of Blackwell; named for Blackwell.
agar) the segments are so granular as to ap- Description taken from Erikson (op. cit.,
pear banded. On potato agar, small, fila- 1935, 32).
mentous colonies are formed with irregular, Initial elements short and rod-like, grow-
angular branching, and which bear a few ing out into sparsely branching longer
isolated short straight aerial hyphae. forms; small, radiating colonies are pro-
Gelatin: Pale pink wrinkled growth on duced with short, straight aerial mycelia;
wall of tube; colorless, punctiform colonies frequently large, round or ovoid cells are
and stellate colonies are in the medium; no interposed in the irregularly segmented
liquefaction. chains of cells, being sometimes isolated
Agar: Abundant, coherent, moist, pink, in company with 2 or 3 short filaments and
membranous growth with round, discrete sometimes terminal.
colonies at margin; after 3 weeks, colorless, Gelatin: Few, colorless, minute colonies
fringed margin, round confluent portion. along line of inoculation; after 30 days
Glucose agar: Scant, reddish, smeary abundant, colorless colonies to 10 mm be-
growth. low surface, larger pink-yellow surface
Glycerol agar: Yellowish pink, wrinkled colonies with white aerial mycelium; no
membrane. liquefaction.
Potato agar: Coherent, pink, moist Agar: Confluent, wrinkled growth with
732 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
small, round, pinkish, discrete colonies at comes more monomorphous, and short,
margin. straight aerial hyphae are borne which pres-
Glucose agar: Abundant, pale pink ently exhibit irregular segmentation.
growth; small conical colonies, piled up, Gelatin: Few flakes. No liquefaction.
convoluted. Agar: Small, round, elevated, cream -
Glycerol agar: Extensive, granular, ir- colored colonies, umbilicated and radially
regular, thin, pinkish growth; after 40 wrinkled.
days, a few discrete colonies with de- Glucose agar: Minute, colorless colonies;
pressed margins, center piled up, pink. becoming dull pink, partly confluent and
Serum agar: Smooth, cream, umbilicated piled up; few stiff pink aerial spikes.
colonies with submerged growth extending Glycerol agar: Small, round, elevated,
into medium in scallops 5 to 8 mm deep; a cream-colored colonies; margins depressed;
pale pink mass in 2 weeks. becoming smooth, discrete, yellowish.
Potato agar: Small, round, colorless Dorset's egg medium: Scant, pinkish,
colonies covered with white aerial my- smeary growth.
celium; after 2 weeks colonies dull pink; Serum agar: Small, raised, cream-colored
submerged margins; few aerial spikes; colonies, becoming confluent and piled up.
moderate aerial mycelium at top of slant. Inspissated serum: Thick, colorless,
Broth: Flakes, later innumerable, minute ribbed membrane; no liquefaction.
colonies, some adhering to wall just above Broth: Small and larger cream-colored,
liquid level. scale-like surface colonies; abundant,
Synthetic sucrose solution: Delicate, flocculent bottom growth.
round, white colonies; later abundant Synthetic sucrose solution: Thin surface
minute colonies in suspension; thick cream pellicle; small colorless flakes; minute par-
pellicle on surface and pink grains in sedi- ticles at bottom; scant growth.
ment. Milk: Heavy yellow growth attached to
Milk: Heavy, convoluted, bright yellow walls; solid coagulum in 1 month.
surface pellicle; no coagulation. Litmus milk: Yellow surface growth;
Litmus milk: Yellow surface growth; liquid unchanged.
milky sediment; liquid unchanged. Potato plug: Coral -pink, dry, granular
Carrot plug: Small, round, smooth, growth covered to a considerable extent
cream-colored, elevated colonies in 10 days; with white aerial mycelium, piled up in
sparse, stiff, colorless aerial spikes in 16 center, discrete colonies at margin, pink
days; abundantly piled up, convoluted, surface pellicle on liquid and colorless
ochreous growth in 25 days. colonies at base.
Source: Isolated from the hock joint of a Source: Isolated from infected rabbits.
foal. Habitat: Unknown.
Habitat: Unknown.
30. Nocardia rangoonensis (Erikson,
29. Nocardia cuniculi Snijders, 1924.
1935) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino-
(Geneesk. Tijdsch. Ned. Ind., 6^, 1924, 47
and 75.) myces rangoon Erikson, Med. Res. Council
Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 37; Waksman
cu.ni'cu.li. L. noun cuniculus a rabbit; and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 911.)
L. gen. noun cuniculi of a rabbit.
Description taken from Erikson (Med. ran. goo. nen 'sis. M.L. adj. rangoonensis
Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 31). pertaining to Rangoon; named for Rangoon,
Burma.
Large, swollen cells giving rise to ramify-
ing filaments or to small chains of short, Swollen, round initial cells, giving rise
thick segments which branch out into to branching hyphae which segment and
more regular hyphae; sometimes the ir- present slipping and angular arrangement;
regular elements are beset with spiny proc- few short straight aerial hyphae, which later
esses before giving rise to typical long develop into a profusely branching, long
branching filaments; later the picture be- waving aerial mycelium. Non-acid-fast.
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE 733
white powdery aerial mycelium; later Glycerol potato: After 2 days, dry,
abundant, raised, pale pink, confluent wrinkled, pink to orange growth.
growth, discolored plug; after 2 months, No acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose
raised, buckled, pink colonies with white or glycerol.
aerial mycelium floating on liquid at base. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Source: Isolated from infected guinea pigs Phenol and naphthalene are utilized.
in Sumatra.
Habitat: Unknown. 30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25° and
fla.ves'cens. L. part. adj. flavescens be- soft and smeary. No aerial mycelium; no
coming gold-colored.
On media where a firm growth is produced, Sucrose is inverted.
pigment.
the vegetative mycelium appears as long, Starch is hydrolyzed.
branched, non-septate hyphae, 0.4 to 0.6 Cellulose not decomposed.
micron in diameter. In other media, as on Nitrates are reduced slightly or not at
nutrient agar and potato, septa are formed, all with various sources of energy.
and the mycelium appears in preparations Final reaction in glucose-NH4Cl solution,
as fragments of very variable size, partly pH 3.9 to 3.6.
resembling highly branched mycobacteria. No growth under anaerobic conditions.
In several cases — for instance on nutrient Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil.
agar at 28° to 30° C, in 5 to 6 weeks-old
cultures in glucose broth and in glucose
NH4CI solution — short elements assume 35. Nocardia gibsonii (Erikson, 1935)
swollen, fusiform to lemon -shaped forms. Waksman, 1953. {Ac.tinornijces gibsonii Erik-
The aerial mycelium consists of fairly long son, Med. Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203,
hyphae of the same diameter as the vegeta- 1935, 36; Streptomijces gibsonii Waksman
tive hyphae, not very much branched, and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 963;
without spirals, often clinging together in Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier,
wisps. A differentiation into spores is never Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Balti-
visible b.y direct microscopic e.xamination. more, 1953, 155.)
Neither is this the case in stained prepara- gib.so'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun gibsonii of
tions: here the aerial hyphae break up into Gibson; named for Prof. Gibson of Oxford.
fragments of quite variable length, from Young, growing mycelium branches pro-
1.2 to 1.5 up to 10 to 12 microns, showing fusely at short intervals; later grows out
an irregular, granulated staining. into long, frequently wavy filaments;
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. twisted hyphae also seen on water agar.
Sucrose agar: Good growth. Vegetative Power of producing aerial mycelium ap-
mycelium superficially spreading, much parently lost.
raised and wrinkled, cracking, white to Gelatin: Dull white flakes sinking as the
cream-colored, of a dry, but loose and medium liquefies; liquefaction complete in
crumbly, consistency. Aerial mycelium 12 days.
scant, thin, white. Faint yellow, soluble Agar: Small, cream-colored, depressed,
pigment after 2 to 3 weeks. partly confluent colonies, becoming an ex-
Glucose agar: Good growth. Vegetative tensive, wrinkled, cream-colored skin.
mycelium superficial, wrinkled, honey-yel- Glucose agar: Cream-colored, wrinkled,
low, of a hard and cartilaginous consistency. membranous growth.
Aerial mycelium thin, smooth, white. Yel- Potato agar: Wrinkled, glistening, mem-
low, soluble pigment. branous growth.
Nutrient agar: Good growth. Vegetative
Serum agar: Small, moist, cream-colored
mycelium raised and much wrinkled, first
colonies growing into medium.
dirty cream-colored, later dark yellowish
Dorset's egg medium: Small, round,
gray, of a soft, moist, curd-like consistency. smooth, colorless colonies with conically
No aerial mycelium. No pigment. elevated centers.
Glucose broth: Rather scant growth.
Granulated, yellowish sediment; no sur- Inspissated serum: Innumerable color-
face growth. Broth clear. No pigment. No less, pinpoint colonies with scant white
acidity. aerial mycelium at top; after 8 days, a
Milk: Coagulated and slowly redissolved coherent wrinkled skin with brownish red
with acid reaction. discoloration at reverse, medium becoming
Potato: Good to excellent growth. Vege- transparent; completely liquefied, pig-
tative mycelium much raised and wrinkled, mented brown in 15 days.
first cream-colored, later yellowish brown, Blood agar: Yellowish, confluent bands.
736 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
irregularly wrinkled, with small discrete 37. Nocardia africana Pijper and Pul-
colonies; clear hemolytic zone. linger, 1927. (Pijper and Pullinger, Jour.
Broth: Sediment of flocculi; some round Trop. Med. and Hyg., 30, 1927, 153; Strep-
and fan-shaped colonies. tomyces africanus Waksman and Henrici, in
Synthetic sucrose solution: Very delicate, Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 959.)
white flocculi. af.ri.ca'na. L. adj. africanus pertaining
Milk: Coagulated; partly peptonized. to Africa.
Potato plug : No growth. Description taken from Erikson (Med.
Starch not hydrolyzed. Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 18).
Tyrosine agar: Negative reaction. Unicellular, branching mycelium forming
Source : Isolated from the spleen in a case small, dense, pink colonies with short,
of acholuric jaundice. Injected into a straight, sparse, white aerial mycelium.
monkey from which it was then reisolated. Gelatin: Irregular pink flakes. No lique-
Habitat: Found in human infections so faction.
far as known. Agar: A few, flat, pink, discoid colonies.
Glucose agar: Minute, red, discrete, round
36. Nocardia fructifera (Krassilnikov, colonies and piled up, paler pink mass with
1941) Waksman, 1953. (Proactinomyces fruc- thin white aerial mycelium.
tiferi (sic) Krassilnikov, Guide to the Acti- Glycerol agar: After 2 weeks, small,
nomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., heaped-up, colorless masses with pink tinge
Moskau, 1941, 78; Waksman, in Waksman around the colorless colonies; margin de-
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their pressed; after 3 weeks, abundant, piled up,
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 155.) pale pink growth.
fruc.ti'fe.ra. L. part. adj. fructifenis Ca-agar: After 1 week, small, round,
fruit-bearing. colorless colonies with red centers ; margins
Mycelium septate, hyphae breaking up submerged; after 2 weeks, growth bright
into rods and in some cultures into cocci. cherry-red, confluent, with colorless margin.
Aerial mycelium well developed, whitish Dorset's egg medium: Small, colorless
to rose-colored. Sporophores long. Straight blister colonies, partly confluent; become
or weakly wavy, but not spiral-shaped. wrinkled and depressed into medium; slight
Oidiospores cylindrical, elongated, 0.7 by liquefaction.
1.5 microns. Not acid-fast. Gram-positive. Serum agar: Irregularly round, raised,
Colonies not compact, mostly dough-like wrinkled, colorless colonies; becoming dry,
in consistency, smooth or rough. pink and flaky; later piled up, brownish,
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. friable.
Agar: Aerial mycelium weakly developed Inspissated serum: After one week,
or entirely absent. smooth, round, colorless colonies with sub-
Synthetic agar: Rose-colored to bright merged margin, in confluent patches pink
red and even red-orange growth. Pigment and pitted into medium; after 2 weeks, me-
not soluble in medium.
dium broken up, slight liquefaction; after 3
Milk: Coagulated and weakly peptonized. weeks, liquid dried up, colonies umbilicated,
Sucrose is inverted.
raised, dry and friable.
Starch weakly hydrolyzed.
Broth: Small pink colonies embedded in
Cellulose: Poor growth.
coherent flocculent mass.
Fats: Good growth.
Comment: This species is considered as a Synthetic sucrose solution: Small pink
granules in sediment after 1 week; colonies
typical transition point between Strepto-
of medium size, coherent, after 3 weeks.
myces ruber and Nocardia rubra (Krassilni-
kov, op. cit., 1941, 78). Potato agar: Bright red growth, small
Source: One strain was obtained as a mu- round colonies with colorless submerged
tant of Nocardia rubra. Another strain was
margins and piled up patches with stiff',
changed, after 8 months of cultivation, into sparse, white aerial mycelium.
a typical Streptomyces. Litmus milk: Bright red surface growth;
Habitat: Unknown. liquid unchanged after one month; liquid
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE 737
opaque reddish purple after 2 months; hy- onies dense, button-shaped, with narrow
drolyzed, clear wine-red after 3 months. fringed margin.
Antagonistic properties: Positive. Broth: Small, minute, pink, clustered
Source : Isolated from a case of mycetoma colonies.
of a foot in South Africa. Synthetic sucrose solution: Small, pink
Habitat: Unknown. colonies in sediment; later minute colonies
adhering to side of tube.
38. Nocardia pelletieri (Laveran, 1906) Milk: Soft curd; half -digested; peptoniza-
tion complete in 20 days.
Pinoy, 1912. (Micrococcus pelleiieri Lixvemn,
Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 61, 1906, 340; Litmus milk: Pink surface growth, semi-
Oospora pelletieri Thirou.x and Pelletier, solid, no color change; after 20 days, coagu-
lum cleared, liquid purple.
Bull. Soc. path, exot., 5, 1912, 588; Pinoy,
Potato plug: After one month growth
in Thiroux and Pelletier, ibid., 589; Strep-
tomyces pelletieri Waksman and Henrici, in sparse, yellowish pink, irregularly piled up,
Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 960.) portions with scant white aerial mycelium;
after 6 months abundant, highly piled-up,
pel.le.ti.e'ri. M.L. gen. noun pelletieri of small, rounded pink masses; scant white
Pelletier; named for M. Pelletier, the first to
isolate this species. aerial mycelium persistent.
Description taken from Erikson (Med. Relationships to other species: Thiroux
Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 21). and Pelletier (Bull. Soc. path, exot., 5, 1912,
Mycelium composed of slender, straight 585) considered that their cultures resem-
and not very long filaments, forming small, bled Nocardia madtirae, but they grew the
dense, pink colonies with a few short, organism only on Sabouraud's gelatin, on
straight, isolated aerial branches. which it appeared in a constantly red, easily
Gelatin: Slight liquefaction; few pink detachable form. Nocardia indica was re-
flakes; later almost completely liquefied. garded as identical by Pinoy, although in
Agar: Minute, colorless colonies and the original description by Laveran the
organism was called Micrococcus pelletieri,
piled-up, pale pink masses.
Glucose agar: Poor growth; a few minute owing to the fact that no mycelium was
pink colonies. seen, merely coccoid bodies. Nocardia
genesii Froes (Bull. Inst. Past., 29, 1931,
Glj^cerol agar: Poor growth; a few moist
pink colonies. 1158) is described as closely allied, the dis-
tinction being founded upon the fact that
Ca-agar: Colorless, small colonies; after
the red grains were smaller in size and much
1 week, confluent skin, pink, buckled; me-
dium discolored later. more numerous, but no cultural details are
Coon's agar: Poor growth, cream-colored given.
Source: Isolated from a case of crimson-
with pink center, mostly submerged.
Potato agar: Colorless blister colonies; grained mycetoma in Nigeria (E. C. Smith,
Trans.
157). R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg., 22, 1928,
after 3 weeks, colonies larger, showing con-
centric zones, submerged margins and oc-
casional zone or tuft of white aerial my- Habitat: L^nkiiown.
celium, pinkish coloration.
Dorset's egg medium: Abundant, wrin- 39. Nocardia niaculata (Millard and
kled, pink skin with small discrete colonies Burr, 1926) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
at margin in six days; later surface rough, {Actinomyces maculatus Millard and Burr,
mealy; considerable liquefaction in 17 days. Ann. Appl. Biol., 13, 1936, 580; Proactino-
Serum agar: Moist, cream-colored growth myces maculatus Umbreit, Jour. Bact., 38,
tending to be heaped up; discrete colonies 1939, 84; Waksman and Henrici, in Manual,
at margin; becoming umbilicated. 6th ed., 1948, 913.)
Inspissated serum: Round, moist, color- ma.cu.Ia'ta. L. i)art.adj. tnaculatus
less colonies.
spotted.
Blood agar: At first a few pinhead, cream- Filamentous organisms possessing a
colored colonies, no hemolysis; later col- ough, shiny colony which is cartilaginous.
738 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
rarely producing an aerial mycelium, though regularly coiled larger mass; no liquefac-
in certain strains it may occur frequently. tion.
Retains the mycelium form for long periods. Broth: Salmon-pink flakes in sediment
Not acid-fast. and colonies on surface; after 2 weeks,
Gelatin: Liquefaction. abundant growth and discoloration of
In the young colony an orange-yellow to medium.
orange-red, intercellular pigment is pro- Glucose broth: Thin, pink, superflcial
duced on all media, which may or may not pellicle, easily breaking up, and small flakes
change to black as the culture ages. in sediment; after 2 weeks abundant growth
Milk: No digestion. extending up tube.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Synthetic sucrose solution: Colorless to
Paraffin not utilized. pink colonies in superficial pellicle and
Source: Isolated from soil. minute, round, white colonies coherent in
Habitat: Soil. loosely branching mass in sediment.
Milk: Bright orange growth; medium un-
40. Nocardia rhodnii (Erikson, 1935) changed.
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actinomyces Potato agar: Abundant, pink growth,
rhodnii Erikson, Med. Res. Council Spec. piled up; scant stiff white aerial mycelium
Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 37; Waksman and Hen- at top of slant.
rici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 914.) Source: Isolated from the reduvid bug,
rhod'ni.i. M.L. mas.n. Rhodnius generic Rhodnius prolixus.
name of an insect; M.L. gen.noun rhodnii of Habitat: Presumably insects.
Rhodnius.
In early stages, the minute colonies are 41. Nocardia gardneri (Waksman, 1942)
composed of hyphal segments arranged in Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actinomycete,
angular apposition, the aerial mycelium Gardner and Chain, Brit. Jour. Exp. Path.,
being short and straight. Later the growth £3, 1942, 123; Proactinomyces gardneri Waks-
becomes extensive and spreading, made up man, in Waksman, Horning, Welsch and
partly of long, genuinely branching fila- Woodruff, Soil Sci., 54, 1942, 289; Waksman
ments and partly of short segments exhibit- and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 914.)
ing slipping branching, each giving rise to gard'ne.ri. M.L. gen.noun gardneri of
aerial hyphae. After 2 weeks the angular Gardner; named for Prof. A. D. Gardner,
branching is very marked, delicate spread- one of the two who first isolated this or-
ing herring-bone patterns being formed.
Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction; pale pink ganism.
Branching mycelium. Gram-positive.
colonies in superficial pellicle and sediment. Gelatin: Cream-colored surface ring.
Coon's agar: Colorless, pinpoint colonies. Rapid liquefaction. Green to greenish brown
Czapek's agar: Minute, colorless, round soluble pigment gradually diffuses through
colonies. the liquefied portion.
Glucose agar: Abundant, coral -pink, con- Nutrient agar: Cream-colored, elevated,
voluted, piled-up growth. lichenoid growth, soft, not leathery; no
Glycerol agar: Extensive growth, dull aerial mycelium; very faint brownish pig-
pink colonies round and umbilicated, be- ment.
coming piled-up and deeper coral; later Glucose agar: Brownish, lichenoid
partly submerged. growth, with wide, cream-colored edge;
Dorset's egg medium: Salmon-pink, white to grayish aerial mycelium gradually
granular membrane; later piled up. covering surface. Reverse of growth yellow-
Serum agar: Extensive, reddish, confluent ish; no soluble pigment.
mass, granular, tending to be piled up; the Glucose-asparagine agar: Aerial mycelium
medium around the growth shows reddish develops slowly.
coloration in 2 weeks. Tr3'ptone broth: Growth occurs as small
Inspissated serum: Smooth, round, pale pellets at the base of the flask; later, a thin
pink colonies, centrally depressed and ir- surface pellicle appears which consists of a
FAMILY II. ACTINOMYCETACEAE
739
branching mycelium. Black pigment slowly Synthetic glycerol solution: Light white
produced. fluffy colonies, minute and in clusters.
Litmus milk: Unchanged. Inspissated serum: Innumerable, color-
Potato: Barnacle-like, brownish, spread- less, pinpoint colonies; scant white aerial
ing growth; no aerial mycelium. Medium mycelium; after 15 d&ys colonies large,
brownish around growth. hollow on reverse side; margin depressed;
Indole not produced. no liquefaction.
No acid from glucose, lactose, maltose, Dorset's egg medium: Minute, cream-
mannitol, sucrose or dulcitol. colored, elevated colonies, becoming golden
Good growth at 25° C. Slow growth at brown, raised, convoluted.
37° C. Milk: Coagulated; brownish surface ring.
Distinctive character: Produces an anti- Litmus milk: No change in reaction.
biotic substance (proactinomycin) upon Potato plug: Yellowish growth in thin
synthetic and organic media which is pri- line, terminal portion tending to be piled
marily active against various Gram-positive up; scant white aerial mycelium at top of
bacteria. slant; after 12 days, growth abundant,
Source: Isolated as an air contaminant at golden brown, confluent, partly honey-
Oxford, England. combed, partly piled up.
Habitat: Unknown. Starch not hydrolyzed.
Tyrosine agar: Reaction negative.
42. Nocardia fordii (Erikson, 1935) Source: Isolated from a human spleen in a
Waksman, 1953. (Actinomyces fordii Erik- case of acholuric jaundice.
son, Med. Res. Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, Habitat: Unknown.
1935, 15 and 36 ; Streptomyces fordii Waksman
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 958; 43. Nocardia kuroishi Uesaka, 1952.
Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier, (Jour. Antibiotics (Japanese), 5, 1952, 75.)
Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Bal- ku.ro. i'shi. Etymology Japanese, mean-
timore, 1953, 159.) ing uncertain.
for'di.i. M.L. gen. noun fordii of Ford; Mycelium gives a weak acid-fast reaction,
presumably named for the surgeon who first but the separated cells, 0.8 by 1.3 microns,
secured the culture. are not acid-fast.
Filaments of medium length, no spirals or Aerial mycelium: Abundant, branching
markedly wavy branches. Short, straight, hyphae slightly curved at first, later turning
sparse aerial mycelium. Small ovoid conidia around each other; cells refractive. Gran-
on potato agar and starch agar. ules soon become visible.
Gelatin : No visible growth, slight soften- Gelatin: Yellowish brown growth sinking
ing in 20 daj^s; half-liquefied after 40 days. into medium. No aerial mycelium. Yellowish
Agar: Small, creamy golden, ring-shaped brown, soluble pigment. No liquefaction.
colonies and heaped-up patches, becoming
golden brown in color and convoluted. Synthetic glycerol agar: Thin, pale yellow
Glycerol agar: Extensive, golden brown, growth, partly covered with punctiform,
convoluted, thin layer. white aerial mycelia. Yellow pigment.
Serum agar: Golden brown, ring-shaped Agar: Wrinkled, grayish yellow colonies.
and coiled smooth colonies; no liquefaction. No aerial mycelium. Faint, grayish brown,
Ca-agar: Yellow, scale-like, closely ad- soluble pigment.
herent colonies; scattered white aerial my- Glucose agar: Abundant growth, at first
celium. yellowish brown then reddish brown. Scant
Blood agar: Innumerable, small, yellow- white aerial mycelium at margin of colonies.
ish, ring-shaped colonies; no hemolysis. Red to wine-colored, soluble pigment.
Broth: Few flakes at first; later abundant, Synthetic solution: White, minute
coherent, puffball growth. colonies on surface. Medium becomes
Synthetic sucrose solution: Moderate brown.
sediment of minute round white colonies. Glucose broth: Red colonies, forming a
'40
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
garded as being identical (see Emmons, (Jour. Bact., 43, 1941, 193-209), acid from
Public Health Repts., U.S.P.H.S., S3, 1935, glucose, maltose, mannitol, sucrose and
1967; Rosebury, Bact. Rev., 8, 1944, 190; lactose; according to Negroni and Bon-
and others). figlioli (Physics, 15, 1939, 159), acid from
Source: Originally found in lumpy jaw of glucose, galactose, lactose, fructose, malt-
cattle. ose, raffinose, sucrose and xylose.
Habitat: Frequently found in and about Pigments: No soluble pigments on pro-
the mouths of cattle and probably other tein media. No insoluble pigments pro-
animals. Lesions may also be produced in duced by growth.
the livers, udders or other organs of cattle Egg or serum media: No proteolytic ac-
and hogs. Possibly also found in human tion.
mouths (Naeslund, Acta path. Microbiol. Litmus milk: Becomes acid but usually
Scand., ^, 1925, 110). does not clot. No peptonization. Frequently
no growth.
2. Actinomyces israelii (Kruse, 1896) No hemolysis.
Lachner-Sandoval, 1898. (Strahlenpilz, Anaerobic to microaerophilic.
Wolff and Israel, Arch. f. path. Anat., 126,
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
1891, 11; Streptothrix Israeli (sic) Kruse, in Serology: No cross agglutination between
Fliigge, Die Mikroorganismen, 3 Aufl., 2, 12 human strains and bovine strains of
1896, 56; Actinomyces israeli (sic) Lachner- Actinomyces. No cross reactions with repre-
Sandoval, Inaug. Diss., Strassburg, 1898, sentative aerobic strains.
64.) Source: Isolated from two cases of hu-
is.ra.e'li.i. M.L. gen. noun israelii of man actinomycosis: 1) a retromaxillary
Israel; named for Prof. James Israel, one tumor, 2) actinomycosis of lung and breast
of the original isolators of this organism. (Wolff and Israel).
Description taken from Erikson (Med. Habitat: From human sources (mouth,
Res. Council, London, Spec. Rept. Ser. 240, tonsillar crypts, etc.).
1940, 63 pp.).
Erect aerial hyphae are produced in an 3. Actinomyces baudetii Brion, 1942.
atmosphere of reduced oxygen tension. {Actinomyces du chien et du chat, Brion,
These hyphae are occasionally septate, but Rev. de Med. Veter., March, 1939; Actino-
no definite spores are formed. One micron myces baudeti (sic) Brion, Rev. de Med.
or more in diameter. The hyphae stain with Veter., 91, 1942, 157; Actinohacterium bau-
acid stains. Large club-shaped forms, deti Prevot, Goret, Joubert, Tardieux and
greater than 5 microns in diameter, are seen Aladame, Ann. Inst. Past., 81, 1951, 85.)
in morbid tissues. Substrate mycelium is
bau.de'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun baudetii of
initially unicellular, and the branches may Baudet; named for Dr. E. Baudet, an early
e.xtend into the medium in long filaments or student of this organism.
may, more or less quickly, exhibit fragmen- Description taken from Brion, Goret
tation and characteristic angular branch- and Joubert (Proc. VI Congress Interna-
ing. The latter resembles the similar phe- cional de Patol. Comp., Madrid, 4-11 Mayo,
nomenon found in Corynebacteriiim. 1952, i. 48).
Non-motile. Not acid-fast. Gram-positive. Granules from histological preparations
Colonies: These exhibit a considerable
degree of polymorphism, but no stable appear as tangled, radiating hyphae; the
variants have been established. Tougher ends of the hyphae are rounded and ovoid,
in texture than those of Actinomyces hovis. forming a crown. These club-shaped ends
are not more than 5 microns in diameter.
Old colonies warted in appearance. Ad-
herent to the medium. The hyphae take basic stains. Mycelia
Gelatin: Occasionally scant, flaky growth. possess slender hyphae (0.2 to 0.4 micron)
No liquefaction. with irregular diameters. Non-septate. The
Liquid media: Usually clear. ends are swollen and rounded. Copious
Acid from sugars: According to Slack branching. In artificial media the hyphae
744 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
are frequently short, rarely exceeding 20 rabbits and guinea pigs where it forms sub-
microns in length. Gram-positive. cutaneous abscesses.
Best growth is obtained in an atmosphere Distinctive characters: For some j^ears
of low oxygen tension. this organism was regarded as identical with
Gelatin: No liquefaction. Actinomyces israelii. However, recent work
Agar colonies: Dull, whitish granules by Brion et al. (loc. cit.), Brion (op. cit., 91,
adhering slightly to the medium. 1942, 157), Prevot et al. {op. cit., 81, 1951,
Liquid media: A sediment of white gran- 85) and Guyard (Thesis, Fac. de Med. et de
ules is produced. Pharm. de Lyon, No. 34, Annee Scolaire
LoefBer's blood serum: In 4 to 5 days the 1951-1952) has shown that these two or-
surface is covered with white granules which ganisms can be differentiated as follows:
are the size of a pin head. A. israelii is pathogenic for man and cattle,
Serum media: No proteolytic action. and the club-shaped bodies at the ends of
Brain extract favors growth in some the hyphae in the pus granules stain with
media. acid stains while those found in A. baudetii
Indole production slight. absorb basic stains.
Acid from glucose, sucrose and starch. Source: Isolated from various types of
Anaerobic to microaerophilic. lesions in cats and dogs.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Habitat: Cause of actinomycosis in cats
Pathogenic when inoculated into dogs, and dogs.
Strep. to. my 'ces. Gr. adj. streptus pliant, bent; Gr. noun myces fungus; M.L. mas.n.
Streptomyces pliant fungus.
Grow in the form of a much-branched mycelium with a typical aerial mycelium. Conidio-
spores are formed in chains. Aerobic. Saprophytic soil forms, less commonly parasitic on
plants or animals.
This genus can be divided, on the basis of the structure of the sporulating hyphae, into
five groups:
Group 1. Straight, sporulating hyphae, monopodial branching, never producing regular
spirals.
Group 2. Spore-bearing hyphae arranged in clusters.
Group 3. Spiral formation in aerial mycelium; long, open spirals.
Group 4. Spiral formation in aerial mycelium; short, compact spirals.
Group 5. Spore-bearing hyphae arranged on mycelium in whorls or tufts.
The type species is Streptornyces albiis (Rossi-Doria emend. Krainsky) Waksman and
Henrici.
11. Soluble brown pigment only occasionall}^ produced; growth usually colorless;
odor very strong.
73. Streptomyces odorifer.
C. No soluble pigment produced in organic media.
1. Proteolytic action strong.
a'. Growth yellowish to orange-brown.
b^ Aerial mycelium white to rose-colored.
74. Streptomyces roseoflavus.
h^. Growth only on potato and serum yellowish; aerial my-
celium white.
75. Streptomyces putrificus.
a*. Growth yellowish green to citron-yellow; aerial mycelium white
to yellow to pinkish.
76. Streptomyces citreus.
a'. Growth golden yellow to orange-colored; soluble pigment yel-
low to orange; growth may also be red-brown and pigment
orange.
77. Streptomyces fulvissimus.
a*. Growth colorless to cream-colored; aerial mycelium scant,
white.
78. Streptomyces chrysomallus.
bi. Pigment on nutrient agar faint yellowish.
79. Streptomyces gougerotii.
h^. No soluble pigment; forms oidiospores.
80. Streptomyces farinosus.
b^ Pigment on synthetic media yellowish.
81. Streptomyces albidus.
a*. Growth white to cream-colored; aerial mycelium flesh-colored
to light cinnamon-colored.
82. Streptomyces cinnamoneus.
a*. Growth on synthetic media dark to black to almost bluish
black; aerial mycelium white to gray.
b^ Soluble pigment produced on autolysis.
83. Streptomyces violaceoniger.
b^. No soluble pigment.
84. Streptomyces gedanensis.
aJ. Growth colorless to yellowish to olive-buff; aerial mycelium
water-green.
85. Streptomyces griseus.
a^. Growth bright orange to golden red; aerial mycelium white to
yelow. 86. Streptomyces longissimus.
a^. Growth yellow to olive-ocher; aerial mycelium mouse-gray.
87. Streptomyces olivaceus.
a^". Growth yellow; aerial mycelium scant or rose-j^ellow.
88. Streptomyces microfiavus.
a". Growth yellowish to brown to reddish brown. Aerial mj^celium
white to mouse-gray.
89. Streptomyces cacaoi.
a^2. Aerial mycelium white; conidia gray to dark gray.
90. Streptomyces marinus.
2. Proteolytic action limited.
a'. Soluble pigment produced on synthetic agar.
750 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
3. Surface growth fair on glycerol synthetic solution with some aerial mycelium.
a'. Soluble pigment (often green) produced on all solid media.
126. Sireptomyces viridogenes .
a^. Soluble pigment (yellow) produced on all synthetic media.
127. Streptomyces loidensis.
a^. Soluble pigment none or only poor; decided clot produced in
milk.
128. Streptomyces wedmorensis.
4. Surface growth scant or none, but some bottom growth on glycerol synthetic
solution.
a'. Color changes produced in brom-cresol milk.
b^ Tyrosinase-positive; no aerial mycelium on nutrient po-
tato agar.
129. Streptomyces scabies.
b^. Tyrosinase-negative; aerial mycelium produced on all
solid media.
c^. Aerial mycelium on synthetic sucrose agar abun-
dant,
d^ Growth good on egg-albumen agar with
abundant aerial mycelium.
130. Streptomyces tenuis.
d^. Growth poor on egg-albumen agar with scant
aerial mycelium.
131. Streptomyces marginatus.
c^. Aerial mycelium on synthetic sucrose agar scant;
no true aerial mycelium produced on any medium;
colonies often show dark centers.
132. Streptomyces salmonicolor.
a*. No color changes produced in brom-cresol milk.
bi. Facultatively anaerobic; no true aerial mycelium, or only
trace, produced on any medium; colonies frequently show
dark centers.
133. Streptomyces maculatus.
b^. Obligately aerobic; aerial mycelium arises centripetally
on the colonies.
134. Streptomyces coroniformis.
5. No growth on glycerol synthetic solution; starch not hydrolyzed. Growth in
brom-cresol milk good; characteristic color changes.
135. Streptomyces spiralis.
6. Other organism isolated from potato scab.
136. Streptoviyces sampsonii.
B. Grow on or isolated from sweet potatoes.
137. Streptomyces intermedins.
1. Growth on synthetic agar olive-yellow; no aerial mycelium; no soluble pigment
on potato.
138. Streptomyces ipomoeae.
2. Growth on synthetic agar cream-colored; growth on potato reddish brown with
soluble pigment purple; aerial mycelium white.
139. Streptomyces poolensis.
C. Attack or isolated from scab of mangels and sugar beets.
140. Streptomyces tumuli.
IV. Isolated from animal tissues; in the animal body, hyphae often show clavate enlarge-
ments at the ends.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 753
(Soil Sci., /, 1916, 117), Bergey et al. (Man- ,. ^'^^J Rapidly peptonized after coagula-
ual, 1st ed., 1923, 367), Duch6 (Les actino- ^^^^^ ^"T ',' T"'" Z ■^^''"^^^■
mycesdugroupe albus, Paris, 1934, 257) and ^^eHum ' """' ' ''"
Baldacci (Mycopatho
Vegetative logia,
growth: 2, 1940,
Hyphae 156).
branched, 1
Totlt^' White aerial mycelium. Growth
folded, cream-colored.
micron in diameter. Carrots and other vegetables: E.xcellent
Aerial mycelium: Abundant, white. growth (Duch6).
Hyphae 1.3 to 1.7 microns in diameter with No hydrolysis of starch in some cultures;
ellipsoidal spores (1 micron long) in coiled rapid hydrolysis in others.
754 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
milk coagulation, proteolysis and pigmenta- diameter, with short branches on synthetic
tion of aerial mycelium. (calcium malate) and non-synthetic (pep-
Source: Isolated from soil. tone-tomato paste) agars.
Habitat: Soil. Aerial mycelium: Sporogenous hyphae
1.5 microns in diameter, often spirally
4. Streptoniyces anulatus (Beijerinck, twisted; spirals usually short and loose with
1912, emend. Krassilnikov, 1941) Waksman, rarely more than 2 to 3 coils. Spores ellip-
1953. (Streptothrix annulatus (sic) Beijerinck, soidal, sometimes spherical, 0.8 to 1.5 by
Folia Microbiologica, 1, 1912, 4; Actinomyces 1.3 to 2.8 microns.
annulatus (sic) Krassilnikov, Guide to the Gelatin: Cream-colored surface ring,
Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., covered with white aerial mycelium. Rapid
Moskau, 1941, 40; Waksman, in Waksman liquefaction. Faint yellow soluble pigment.
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their Agar: Cream-colored growth. White aerial
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 40.) mycelium. No soluble pigment.
a.nu.la'tus. L. adj. anulatus furnished Synthetic agar: Thin, colorless growth,
with a ring. covered with sandy lavender to dark gray
Aerial mycelium: Whitish or light gray. aerial mycelium. Reverse light gray, later
Sphorophores produce spirals with 3 to 7 becoming grayish yellow. No soluble pig-
turns (sinistrorse) ; spores spherical, 0.7 ment.
micron in diameter. Ca-malate-glycerol agar: Abundant
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. growth, raised in center. Gray aerial myce-
Agar: White aerial mycelium, concentric lium, buff around the edges, having a fuzzy
rings less marked than those on synthetic appearance. Medium is cleared directly
agar. under the growth.
Synthetic agar: Colorless, flat growth, Starch agar: Brownish growth. Mouse-
penetrating deep into agar. White, velvety gray aerial mycelium. Reverse shows slight
aerial mycelium growing in the form of purple pigmentation in four days.
concentric rings. Glucose agar: Smooth, yellowish growth,
Milk: Coagulated, slowly peptonized. covered with white to gray aerial mycelium.
Sucrose is inverted. Yellowish soluble pigment.
Starch is hj^drolyzed. Ca-citrate-glycerol broth: Growth at
Good growth on cellulose. surface forming a thin mat of partially
Odor: Strong, earthy. sporulated, discrete, grayish white colonies.
Antagonistic properties: Highly antago- From the mat, soft, round, fuzzy, gray colo-
nistic against mycobacteria and Gram- nies drop into the medium.
positive bacteria; some strains are active Milk: Ring at the surface cream-colored
against fungi. to brownish. Coagulated; rapidly pepto-
Source: Isolated from soil. nized.
Habitat: Soil. Potato: Abundant, lichenoid, cream-col-
ored growth. Abundant, cottony, white to
5. Streptoniyces rochei Waksman, 1953. gray aerial mycelium. Color of plug becomes
{Streptoniyces rochei Berger, Jampolsky and reddish tan.
Goldberg (nomen nudum), Arch, of Bio- Strong diastatic action.
chem., 22, 1949, 477; Waksman, in Waksman Antagonistic properties: On certain com-
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their plex nitrogenous media such as those con-
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 40.) taining soybean flour or distillers' dried
ro'che.i. M.L. gen. noun rochei of Roche. solubles, the organism produces a wide
Description prepared by Julius Berger for range of antimicrobial activity. Part of
use in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actino- this is attributable to a specific antibiotic
mycetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, known as borrelidin.
1953.
Comment": Morphologically the culture
Vegetative growth: Vegetative mycelium resembles some species in the Streptomyces
characteristically fine, 0.8 to 1.5 microns in albus group, such as Streptomyces alhido-
'56
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
flavus, Streptomyces californicus and Strep- acid production from glucose is pronounced;
tomyces lipmanii, but it is not believed to be pyruvic and succinic acids have been iden-
identical with any of them. tified (Cochrane and Dimmick, Jour. Bact.,
Source: Isolated from soil. 58, 1949, 723).
Habitat: Soil. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Pigment : The most striking characteristic
6. Streptomyces coelicolor (Miiller, of this organism is a litmus-like pigment,
1908) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Strep- usually produced on potato or synthetic
tothrix coelicolor Miiller, Cent. f. Bakt., I media, which is deep blue and water-soluble
Abt., Orig., 46, 1908, 197; Waksman and at alkaline reactions (beyond pH 8.0), violet
Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 935.) around neutrality, and red (insoluble in
coe.li'co.lor. L. noun coelurn heaven, sky; water) at about pH 6.0. Conn points out
L. noun colo7- color; M.L. adj. coelicolor that the primary pigment has a spectro-
sky-colored. photometric curve almost identical with
Description by Miiller except as noted. that of azolitmin but that there are un-
Morphology of Streptomyces coelicolor has doubtedly other pigments produced, es-
not been fully described. According to pecially in the case of the strains believed
Waksman and Curtis, who described .4c- to be typical of Actinoynyces violaceus -ruber
tinomyces violaceus -ruber, this is as follows; (as previously pointed out by Waksman and
Curtis).
straight filaments with open, dextrorse
spirals. Conidia ellipsoidal or rod-shaped, Aerobic.
0.7 to 1.0 by 0.8 to 1.5 microns. Good growth at room temperature and at
Gelatin: Good growth. No pigment for- 37° C.
mation. Liquefaction fairly rapid, begin- Antagonistic properties: Some strains
ning in 4 to 7 days. produce coelicolorin and mycetin.
Agar: Good growth. Pigment lacking or Distinctive character: Litmus-like pig-
faint blue (J. E. Conn, Jour. Bact., 46, 1943, ment.
133). Comments: Because of the numerous
Synthetic agar: Thin, spreading, colorless colors and shades shown by the pigment ac-
at first, becoming red, then blue. Aerial cording to final H-ion concentration and
mycelium thin, white, powdery, becoming other less understood factors, this species
mouse-gray. may have been described under various
Asparagine agar: With glycerol as source names. On the other hand, it is entirely
of carbon, good growth, violet to deep blue, possible, as pointed out by J. E. Conn (op.
with pigment diffusing through medium; cit., 1943, 133), that careful study of the
final H-ion concentration, about pH 7.0 to pigments may show that more than one
8.0. With glucose as source of carbon, poorer species is actually involved.
growth, red, no diffusion of pigment; final Relationships to other species: Regarded
H-ion concentration, about pH 6.0 to 5.0 by Waksman and Henrici (in Manual, 6th
(Conn). ed., 1948, 935) as the same as Actinomyces
Broth: Good growth. Cretaceous layer violaceus Waksman and Curtis, Soil Science,
around edge. 1, 1916, 110 (Actinomyces violaceus -ruber
Milk: No change at 25° C. (Conn). At Waksman and Curtis, ibid., 127) and Ac-
37° C, coagulation. Peptonization begin- tinomyces tricolor Wollenweber, Arbeiten d.
ning in 3 to 5 days. Forschungsinstitut fiir Kartoffelbau, 1920,
Potato : Strong pigment production, some- 13. It is however, pointed out by Conn {op.
times greenish blue or violet, but usually cit., 1943, 133) that certain differences be-
sky-blue, diffusing through medium and tween the descriptions of Waksman and
coloring water at base of tube. Curtis and that of Muller may correspond
Blood agar: Hemolysis showing on 4th to actual chemical differences in the pig-
day. ments produced and that the organism of
Miiller reports no acid from carbohydrates Waksman and Curtis may be a separate
on organic media. In synthetic liquid media,
species.
757
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
Milk: Coagulated and rapidly peptonized. virgatus Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actino-
Sucrose rapidly inverted. mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Mos-
Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed. kau, 1941, 32; Waksman, in Waksman and
Poor growth on cellulose. Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their Anti-
Nitrites actively produced from nitrates. biotics, Baltimore, 1953, 45.)
Antagonistic properties: None; some vir.ga'tus. L. adj. virgatus of twigs, rod-
strains are weakly active. shaped.
Source: Isolated from soil. Vegetative growth: Yellow-green to cit-
Habitat: Soil. ron-yellow or pure yellow colonies; pale
green on some media. Pigment insoluble in
13. Streptomyces californicus (Waks- substrate. Some strains produce brown sub-
man and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and stance in protein media.
Henrici, 1948. (Actinomyces californicus Aerial mycelium: Weakly developed,
Waksman and Curtis, Soil Sci., /, 1916, 122; white or pale yellow. Sporophores produced
Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., in form of tufts. Oidiospores cylindrical,
1948, 936.) elongated; in some strains round-ellipsoidal.
ca.li.for'ni.cus. M.L. adj. californicus Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction.
pertaining to California; named for Cali- Milk : Rapidly coagulated and peptonized.
fornia, U.S.A. Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed.
Aerial mycelium: Filaments with long, No growth on cellulose.
narrow, open spirals. Spherical to ellipsoidal Nitrites actively produced from nitrates.
conidia. Antagonistic properties: None.
Gelatin stab: Gray, moist, abundant sur- Source: Isolated from soil.
face growth. Liquefaction in 30 days. No Habitat: Soil.
soluble pigment.
Agar: Thin, restricted, yellowish to 15. Streptomyces flaveolus (Waksman,
cream-colored growth. 1923) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino-
Sj'nthetic agar: Spreading, vinaceous- myces 168, Waksman, Soil Sci., 8, 1919, 134;
colored growth. Aerial mj-celium powder}', Acfinotnyces flaveolus Waksman, in Manual,
thin, light neutral gray. No soluble pigment. 1st ed., 1923, 368; Waksman and Henrici, in
Starch agar: Growth spreading, pink Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 936.)
center with colorless to gray margin. fla.ve'o.lus. L. adj. flavus golden yellow;
Glucose agar: Restricted, much folded, M.L. dim. adj. flaveohis somewhat yellow.
cream-colored growth with sulfur-yellow Aerial mycelium: Numerous closed and
tinge. open spirals on all media. Conidia ellip-
Glucose broth: Solid, cream-colored mass soidal.
on surface, with pink tinge. Gelatin stab: Liquefied; abundant, yel-
Litmus milk: Faint, brownish surface lowish, spreading pellicle.
growth; coagulated; peptonized in 40 days. Agar: White, glistening, wrinkled growth.
Potato: Glossy, yellow to red growth, Synthetic agar: Growth light sulfur-yel-
turning red-brown. low turning to cadmium-yellow, penetrating
Starch is hydrolyzed. deep into medium. Aerial mycelium white
Nitrites produced from nitrates. to ash-gray patches.
Aerobic. Starch agar: White, spreading growth.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Glucose agar: Restricted growth, surface
Antagonistic properties: Limited. Some folded, raised.
strains produce viomycin. Glucose broth: Thin, yellow pellicle.
Source: Isolated once from California Litmus milk: Sulfur-yellow ring; coagu-
sandy loam. lated; peptonized, with faintly alkaline
Habitat: Soil. reaction.
Potato: Abundant, wrinkled, cream-
14. Streptomyces virgatus (Krassilni- colored growth.
Starch is hydrolyzed.
kov, 1'941) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces
760 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Soluble empire-yellow pigment formed. with light brown reverse. Aerial mycelium
Nitrites produced from nitrates. powdery ash-gray to white. Yellow to yel-
Aerobic. low-brown soluble pigment.
Optimum temperature, 25° C. Synthetic agar: Abundant, crumb-like,
Antagonistic properties: Some strains smooth, brownish growth. Aerial mycelium
produce actinomycin. cottony white, later grayish or even reddish
Source: Isolated from soil. gray. Soluble light brown pigment, later
Habitat: Soil.
yellow-brown.
Glucose asparagine agar: Abundant, dif-
16. Streptomyces parvus (Krainsky, fuse, colorless growth with light yellow
1914) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino- reverse. Aerial mycelium powdery white.
myces parvus Krainsky, Cent. f. Bakt., II Soluble light yellow pigment.
Abt., 41, 1914, 622; Waksman and Henrici, Ca-malate agar: Abundant, crumb-like
in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 939.) growth with yellowish red reverse. Aerial
par'vus. L. adj. parvus small. mycelium velvety, white-gray or reddish
Vegetative growth: Golden yellow to gray. Soluble dark red-yellow pigment.
brick-red, depending on composition of Starch agar: Abundant, lichenoid growth.
medium. Aerial mycelium velvety, violet-gray. Solu-
Aerial mycelium: Poorly developed, rose- ble dark brown pigment.
white. Sporophores produce spirals. Spores Glucose agar: Abundant, diffuse, color-
spherical to ellipsoidal, 0.9 to 1.3 by 1.2 to less growth with light yellow reverse. Aerial
1.8 microns. mycelium abundant, powdery, seldom vel-
Gelatin: Yellow colonies. Slow liquefac- vety, light brown. Soluble yellow pigment.
tion. Glucose broth: Very good, colorless sur-
Ca-malate agar: Small, j'ellow colonies face growth, later producing heavy sedi-
with light yellow aerial mycelium ment. Abundant flocculent particles. Aerial
Starch agar: Same as on Ca-malate agar. mycelium cottony, grayish white, tending
Glucose agar: Same as on Ca-malate agar. later to disappear. Soluble light yellow pig-
Glucose broth: Hemispherical colonies in ment, becoming orange-yellow.
bottom of tube. Milk: Abundant, lichenoid growth. Aerial
Litmus milk : Rapidly coagulated and pep- mycelium gray to violet. Soluble dark brown
tonized. pigment. Actively peptonized.
Diastatic action good. Potato: Abundant, lichenoid growth.
Good growth on cellulose. Aerial mycelium powdery gray. No soluble
Nitrites weakly produced from nitrates.
Aerobic. Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed.
pigment.
Optimum temperature, 25° C. No growth on cellulose.
Antagonistic properties: Produces actino- Antagonistic properties: Produces anti-
mycin. biotics.
Source: Isolated from garden soil. Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil. Habitat: Soil.
growth, partly covered with white mycelium Tyrosine medium: Rapid growth on sur-
on surface of medium; soluble yellow-ochre face with whitish yellow aerial mycelium;
pigment. yellowish to orange-yellow soluble pigment.
Milk: Rapid growth becoming covered Milk: Cream-colored growth; colorless on
with whitish aerial mycelium; never fully reverse side; no aerial mycelium. Peptoniza-
covering the surface; no coagulation; pep- tion without coagulation. After 20 days the
tonization begins slowly and is completed whole milk becomes a clear yellowish liquid.
in 13 days, liquid becoming colored yellow- Coagulated serum: Clear-colored growth.
ish orange. Rapid liquefaction.
Coagulated serum: Cream-colored growth Relationship to other species: Culture
of surface becoming covered with white related to Streptomyces alboflavus and Strep-
aerial mj-celium; rapid liquefaction of tomyces albidoflavus .
serum. Source: Culture secured from the collec-
Starch medium: Cream-colored growth tion of Prof. R. Lieske.
rapidly colored with yellow aerial myce- Habitat: Unknown.
lium; after 20 days growth becomes much
folded; greenish on reverse side; slightly 24. Streptomyces flavovirens (Waks-
amber-colored in medium. man, 1923) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
Antagonistic properties: Positive. (Actinomyces 128, Waksman, Soil Sci., 8,
Comments: This species is closely related 1919, 117; Actinomyces flavovirens Waksman,
to Streptomyces albus. Develops poorly on in Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 352; Waksman and
synthetic media without asparagine. Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 940.)
Source: Isolated from dust. fla.vo.vi'rens. L. adj. flavus yellow; L.
Habitat: Unknown. p. adj. virens being green; M.L. adj. flavo-
virens being yellow-green.
23. Streptomyces lieskei (Duche, 1934) Aerial mycelium: Large masses of minute
Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Actinomyces tufts; the hyphae coarse, straight, short,
lieskei Duch6, Encyclop^die Mycologique, relatively unbranched, beaded; open spirals
Paris, 6, 1934, 289; Waksman and Henrici, may be produced in certain substances.
in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 950.) Conidia spherical, ellipsoidal to rod-shaped,
lies'ke.i. M.L. gen. noun lieskei of Lieske; 0.75 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns.
named for Prof. Rudolf Lieske of Leipzig. Gelatin stab: Yellowish green surface
Gelatin: Cream-colored growth becoming pellicle, consisting of a mass of small colo-
covered with white aerial mycelium; no nies, on the liquefied medium.
soluble pigment. Rapid liquefaction. Agar: Yellowish growth; the reverse dark
Agar: Cream-colored growth becoming in center with yellowish zone and outer
covered with white aerial mycelium; yel- white zone.
lowish soluble pigment. Synthetic agar: Growth spreading deep
Synthetic agar: Cream-colored growth into the substratum, yellowish with green-
with delayed white aerial mycelium grow- ish tinge. Aerial mycelium gray, powdery.
ing from the edge toward the center; my- Starch agar: Greenish yellow, spreading
celium later j^ellowish. Reverse of growth growth, developing deep into the medium.
yellowish to green. Dirty yellow to yellow- Glucose agar: Restricted growth, de-
green soluble pigment. veloping only to a very small extent into
Synthetic solution: Long branching fila- the medium, yellow, turning black, edge
ments 0.7 micron in diameter. Yellowish entire.
white aerial mycelium does not readily Glucose broth: Thick, sulfur-yellow pel-
produce spores; flakes drop to the bottom licle or ring.
of the tube. Litmus milk: Cream-colored to brownish
Peptone solution: Cream-colored colo- ring; coagulated; peptonized, becoming
nies on surface with flakes in the liquid faintly alkaline.
dropping to the bottom of the tube. Liquid Potato: Sulfur-yellow, wrinkled growth.
becomes yellowish in color. Starch is hydrolyzed.
^64 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
myces 161, Waksman, Soil Sci., 8, 1919, 112; griseus Duch6, Encyclop^die Mycologique,
Actinomyces erythreus (sic) Waksman, in Paris, 6, 1934, 341; Waksman, in Waksman
Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 370; Streptomyces and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
erythreus (sic) Waksman and Henrici, in Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 55.)
Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 938.) fla.vo.gri'se.us. L. adj. flamis yellow;
e.ryth'rae.us. Gr. adj. erythraeus red. M.L. adj. griseus gray ; M.L. iidj. flavogriseus
Vegetative growth: Growth spreading, yellowish gray.
with irregular margin, developing deep into Aerial mvcelium: Long, straight hj'phae
the medium. Color at first white, later turn- producing a few curling tips. Spores spher-
ing yellowish, agar around growth has a ical.
white, milky surface. Gelatin: Plocculent growth throughout
Aerial mycelium: Fine, branching; nu- medium. No soluble pigment. Slow liquefac-
merous open spirals formed as side branches tion.
of the main hyphae. Agar: Thin, cream-colored growth. Aerial
Gelatin stab: Abundant, dense, gray mycelium thin, white. No soluble pigment.
growth with pinkish tinge, chiefly on surface Synthetic agar: Limited, yellowish growth
of liquefied medium. with reverse turning black. Aerial mycelium
Agar: Cream-colored growth. thin, gray to mouse-gray.
Synthetic agar: Spreading growth with Glucose peptone agar: Yellow surface
irregular margin, developing deep into the growth with reverse tending to turn dark.
medium; color at first white, later turning Aerial mycelium abundant, mouse-gray to
yellowish; agar around growth has a white, drab. No soluble pigment.
milky surface. Aerial mycelium thick, solid, Starch agar: Very limited growth. Similar
white. to that on sj'nthetic agar.
Starch agar: Cream-colored, circular Broth: Cream-colored surface growth in
colonies, with faint greenish tinge. clumps. Aerial mycelium gray.
Glucose agar: Abundant, spreading, Milk: Cream-colored ring. No aerial
cream-colored growth, later turning brown mycelium. Very rapid peptonization.
chiefly on surface; center raised, lobate Potato: Abundant, lichenoid growth.
margin. Abundant aerial mycelium, mouse-gray to
Glucose broth: Abundant, cream-colored drab with white edge. No soluble pigment.
surface growth. Starch is hydrolyzed.
Litmus milk: Yellowish surface zone; co- Source: Isolated from volcanic soils in
agulated; peptonized, becoming alkaline. Martinique.
Potato: Wrinkled, cream-colored growth, Habitat: Presumabl}' soil.
becoming yellowish.
Starch is hydrolyzed. 34. Streptomyces diastaticus (Krain-
Soluble purple pigment formed. sky, 1914) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. (Actinomyces diastaticus Krainsky, Cent. f.
Aerobic. Bakt., II Abt., 4i, 1914, 662; also see Waks-
Optimum temperature, 25° C. man and Curtis, Soil Sci., i, 1916, 116; Waks-
Antagonistic properties: Marked. Pro- 939.) man and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948,
duces erythromycin.
Distinctive character: Similar to Strep- di.a.sta'ti.cus. Gr. adj. diastaticus sep-
tomyces erythrochromogenes except that no arative; M.L. n. diastasum the enzyme di-
brown soluble pigment is formed. astase, hence M.L. adj. diastaticus diastatic,
Source: Isolated from Californian and starch-digesting.
Hawaiian soils. Aerial mycelium: Filaments may show
Habitat: Soil. fine, long, narrow spirals. Conidia ellip-
soidal, 1.0 to 1.2 by 1.1 to 1.5 microns.
33. Streptomyces flavogriseus (Duche, Gelatin stab: Liquefaction with small,
1934) Waksman, 1953. (Actinomyces flavo- cream-colored flakes in liquid.
768 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Agar: Cream-colored growth. Thin aerial days' incubation; small amount of white
mycelium. sporulation observed in 14 days. Soluble
Sj^nthetic agar: Thin, gray, spreading brown pigment. After 21 days, odor of hy-
growth. Aerial mycelium white, becoming drogen sulfide detected. Liquefaction after
drab gray. 28 days.
Starch agar: Thin, colorless, spreading Ca-malate agar: Gray to rose-gray my-
growth. Aerial mycelium gray. celium with yellow to tan reverse. Diges-
Glucose agar: Yellowish, spreading tion of calcium malate slight at edge of
growth. No aerial mycelium. colony. No soluble pigment.
Glucose broth: Gray ring with grayish Glucose, arabinose, trehalose, xylose, su-
colonies in bottom of tube. crose, maltose, galactose, dextrin, soluble
Litmus milk: Brownish ring; coagulated; starch, mannitol, glycerol and salicin are
peptonized in 25 to 30 days, becoming used as sole sources of carbon. No growth
faintly alkaline. observed with sorbose, melezitose, dulcitol,
Potato: Abundant, wrinkled, cream- rhamnose, sorbitol, melibiose, phenol,
colored growth with greenish tinge. raffinose or lactose.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Milk: At 36° C, becomes alkaline (pH
Brown to dark brown soluble pigment 8.4). Soft, rennet curd, formed after 48
formed. hours, is completely peptonized in 12 days.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Potato: Light gray, spreading, wrinkled
Aerobic. growth. Deep brown pigment diffused
throughout.
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Antagonistic properties: Limited. Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
Source: Isolated from soil. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Habitat: Soil. Optimum temperature, I C.
Antagonistic properties Produces
35. Streptomyces canescens Hickey et cosin.
al., 1952. {Streptomijces canescus (sic) Source : Isolated from a contaminated
Hickey, Corum, Hidy, Cohen, Nager and fungus plate.
Kropp, Antibiotics and Chemotherapy, 2, Habitat: Unknown.
1952, 472.)
ca.nes'cens. L. part. adj. canescens be- 36. Streptomyces finiicarius (Duch^,
coming white, or hoary. 1934) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Actino-
Aerial mycelium: At first white, becom- myces fimicarius Duche, Encyclop^die My-
ing, on sporulation, gray-white to gray. cologique, Paris, 6, 1934, 346; Waksman and
Conidiophores straight or curved, not form- Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 940.)
ing any spirals, richly septate. Spores fi.mi.ca'ri.us. L. noun fim us dung, ma-
globose, 1.0 to 1.3 by 1.3 to 2.6 microns. nure; L. adj. cams dear, loving; M.L. adj.
Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction. fimicarius dung-loving.
Gelatin: Punctiform colonies with whitish
Sabouraud's agar: Growth first white,
dull-shiny, spreading, translucent with tan aerial mycelium; reddish soluble pigment.
reverse. After 7 days' incubation, growth Liquefaction.
beaded, slightly wrinkled at base of the Agar: Cream-colored growth with white
slant, grayish white; reverse tan to amber. aerial mycelium; reverse side, yellowish.
Amber pigment diffused throughout me- Asparagine agar: Cream-colored growth
dium. After 14 days aerial mycelium faintly with whitish aerial mycelium; reverse side
greenish. cream-colored to slight ochre.
Bennett's agar: Circular colonies, effuse Synthetic agar: Yellowish masses of
to conve.x, edge filamentous; powdery; vary- growth with j^ellowish white aerial my-
ing from gray-white to gray. Reverse brown. celium; reverse side orange-colored; faint
No soluble pigment. yellowish soluble pigment.
Egg medium: Tan, very wrinkled surface Asparagine solution: Vegetative filaments
growth. No sporulation observed after 10 0.5 to 0.6 micron long; branching aerial
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 769
mycelium, 0.8 to 1.0 micron, forming nu- Ca-malate agar: Crumb-like, colorless to
merous conidia; flaky growth produced on yellowish growth. Aerial mycelium pow-
bottom; surface growth becomes covered dery gray-white. Soluble 3'ellowish brown
with a white aerial mycelium; reverse side,
brownish red. pigment.
Glucose asparagine agar: Thin, colorless
Synthetic solution: Cream-colored, punc- growth with j'ellowish reverse. Aerial my-
tiform growth with yellowish aerial myce- celium powdery gray-white. Soluble brown-
lium; no soluble pigment. ish pigment.
Peptone solution: Whitish growth that Starch agar: Lichenoid, colorless growth.
flakes throughout liquid; yellowish pigment. Aerial mycelium powdery white. No solu-
TjTOsine medium: White growth with l)le pigment.
yellowish reverse; yellowish soluble pig- Glucose agar: Effused, crumb-like, j-el-
ment. lowish brown growth. Aerial mycelium
Milk: Colorless growth becoming covered powdery graj'-white. Soluble light brown
with whitish aerial mycelium; slow pep-
tonization of milk which becomes rose- pigment.
Glucose broth: Fine sediment with some
colored, finally changing to brownish red. flakes; later a colorless ring on surface. No
Potato: Cream-colored to j-ellowish aerial mycelium and no soluble pigment.
growth with whitish aerial mycelium; red- Milk: Brownish to orange growth. Aerial
dish brown pigmentation of plug. mycelium velvety gray-white. Peptonized.
Coagulated serum: Cream-colored growth Potato: Heavy, brownish yellow growth.
with whitish aerial mycelium; rapid lique- Aerial mycelium powdery. Faint reddish
faction of serum. pigment around growth.
Distinctive characters : Abundant growth Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
upon neutral and acid media; whitish aerial No growth on cellulose.
mycelium; marked odor; soluble brownish Odor: Typical earthy.
red pigment. Antagonistic properties: Produces picro-
Relationships to other species : This spe- mycin.
cies seems to form the transition type be- Source: Isolated from soil.
tween the Streptomyces albus group and the Habitat: Soil.
Streptomyces chrotnogenes group.
Source: Isolated from manure. 38. Streptomyces achromogenes Ok-
Habitat: Found abundantly in manure. ami and Umezawa, 1953. (Okami and Ume-
zawa, in Umezawa, Takeuchi, Okami and
37. Streptomyces felleus Lindenbein, Tazaki, Jap. Jour, of Med. Sci. and Biol.,
1952. (Streptomyces felleus Brockmann and 6, 1953, 266.)
Henkel {nornen nudum), Chem. Ber., 84, a.chro.mo'ge.nes. Gr. adj. achromus
1951, 284; Lindenbein, Arch. f. Mikrobiol., colorless; Gr. v. gennaio to produce; M.L.
17, 1952, 374.) adj . achromogenes producing no color.
fel'le.us. L. adj. felleus of gall, like gall. Aerial mj'celium: Fine branching aerial
Aerial mycelium: Hyphae long, straight, hj'phae, no spirals. Spores cylindrical.
branching. Spores spherical. Gelatin: Yellowish brown, restricted
Gelatin: Colorless growth. No aerial my- growth. No aerial mycelium. Soluble,
celium. No soluble pigment. No liquefac- slightly brown pigment. Yevy weak lique-
tion. faction.
Agar: Colorless diffuse growth with Agar: Wrinkled, elevated, colorless to
brownish yellow reverse. No aerial myce- brownish growth. No aerial mycelium. No
lium. Soluble light brownish yellow pig- soluble pigment.
ment. Glucose asparagine agar: Yellowish
Synthetic agar: Effused, smooth growth brown, restricted growth with brown re-
with yellow-brown reverse. Aerial mj^celium verse. Scant yellowish white aerial myce-
velvety gray -white. Soluble yellowish brown lium. Slightly brown soluble pigment may
pigment. be weakly produced.
770 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
bacteria and which is identical with acti- 43. Streptomyces resistomycificus Lin-
thiazic acid or thiozolidone. denbein, 1952. {Streptomyces resistomycificus
Relationships to other species: Resembles Brockmann and Schmidt-Kastner {nomen
Streptomyces roseochromogenes in the color nudum), Naturwiss., 38, 1951, 479; Linden-
of the growth and in the slow or no lique- bein, Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 17, 1952, 376.)
faction of coagulated serum or gelatin. S. re.sis.to.my.ci'fi.cus. L. v resisto to
roseochromogenes differs from this species resist; Gr. mas.n. myces fungus; L. v. facio
in that it forms numerous open spirals and to make; L. comb. adj .ending -ficxis pro-
produces nitrite. ducing; M.L. adj. resistomycificus making re-
Source: Isolated as strain No. 154 T-3 sistant to a fungus; producing resistomycin.
from soil at Kanegasaki, Iwate Prefecture. Aerial mj-celium: Hyphae long with curl-
Habitat: Soil. ing tips. Spores short, ellipsoidal. Pigment
of mycelium becomes pink to pink-gray.
42. Streptomyces olivochromogenes Gelatin: Dark brown growth. Aerial
(Bergey et al., 1925) Waksman and Henrici, mycelium powdery, white-gray. Soluble
1948. {Actinomyces chromogenus 205, Waks- chestnut-brown pigment. Liquefaction.
man, Soil Sci., 8, 1919, 106; Actinomyces Agar: Crumb-like growth. Aerial myce-
olivochromogenus (sic) Bergey et al.. Man- lium powdery blue-gray. Soluble dark brown
ual, 2nd ed., 1925, 368; Streptomyces olivo-
chromogenus (sic) Waksman and Henrici, pigment.
Synthetic agar: Crumb-like, dark brown
in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 941.) growth. Aerial mycelium velvety chalk-
o.li.vo.chro.mo'ge.nes. L. noun oliva an white, later ash-gray. Soluble red-brown
olive; Gr. noun chroma color; Gr. v. suffix
-genes producing; M.L. adj. olivochromo- pigment.
Glucose asparagine agar: Crumb-like
genes producing an olive color. growth with light brown reverse. Aerial
Aerial mycelium: Filaments with numer- mycelium velvety ash-gray. Soluble yellow-
ous close spirals. Conidia ellipsoidal. brown pigment.
Gelatin stab: Cream-colored, spreading Ca-malate agar: Strong, crumb-like
surface growth. Rapid liquefaction. growth with dark brown reverse. Aerial
Agar: Wrinkled, brown growth, becom- mycelium velvety ash-gray. Soluble ash-
ing gray-green.
Synthetic agar: White, spreading growth. gray pigment.
Starch agar: Lichenoid growth with red-
Aerial mycelium ash-gray with brownish dish brown reverse. Aerial mycelium vel-
tinge. vety gray-white, later becoming red-gray.
Starch agar: Transparent, spreading Soluble pigment lacking or uniformly red-
growth. dish brown.
Glucose agar: Abundant, natal-brown to Glucose agar: Crumb-like growth with
almost black growth, entire margin. dark brown reverse. Aerial mycelium vel-
Glucose broth: Thin, brown growth; flaky vety chalk-white. Soluble reddish to dark
sediment. brown pigment.
Litmus milk: Dark brown ring; coagu- Glucose broth: Floating, large, light yel-
lated; peptonized, becoming alkaline. low colonies. Aerial mycelium cottony
Potato: Small, wrinkled, black colonies. white to red. Soluble light yellow pigment.
Soluble brown pigment formed. Milk : Lichenoid growth with dark brown
Starch is hydrolyzed. reverse. Aerial mycelium velvety chalk-
Nitrites produced in trace amounts from white, later yellowish red. Soluble dark
nitrates. brown pigment. Sometimes weakly pep-
Aerobic. tonized.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Potato: Brownish black growth. Aerial
Antagonistic properties : Positive. mycelium powdery, reddish white. Soluble
Source: Isolated from soil. dark brown pigment.
Habitat: Soil. Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 773
Carrot plug: Cream-colored to faint agar to which 0.2 per cent glycine or aspara-
brownish growth. No aerial mycelium. No gine is added. The spores are coccoid to
pigment. ellipsoidal, 0.7 to 1.1 bj' 1.1 to 1.6 microns.
Odor: Very characteristic soil odor. Gelatin: Cream-colored to brown growth.
Antagonistic properties: Has a marked Rapid liquefaction. Soluble dark brown
antagonistic effect on Gram-positive and
Gram-negative bacteria, much more on pigment.
Agar: Moderate, cream-colored growth.
the former than on the latter, as well as on No aerial mycelium. Soluble light yellow-
actinomj'cetes. It is also active against brown pigment.
fungi, which vary in degree of sensitivity. Synthetic agar: Sparse, white growth.
Produces actinomycin, a specific bacterio- Aerial mycelium white. No soluble pigment.
static and bactericidal substance (Waks- No sporulation.
man and Woodruff, Jour. Bact., J^0, 1940, Glucose asparagine agar: Moderate
581). growth. Aerial mycelium powdery white.
Source: Isolated from soil on Escherichia No pigment. No sporulation.
coZi-washed-agar plate, using living cells of Ca-malate agar: Moderate, white growth.
E. coli as the only source of available nu- Aerial mycelium white. No soluble pigment.
trients. No sporulation.
Habitat: Soil. Oatmeal agar: Luxuriant, brown growth.
Aerial mycelium abundant, fluffy, white.
49. Streptomyces griseocarneus Bene- No soluble pigment. No sporulation.
dict et al., 1950. (Streptomyces griseo-carneus Milk: Dark brown to black growth. Solu-
(sic) Benedict, Stodola, Shotwell, Borud ble brown pigment. Not coagulated; rapidly
and Lindenfelser, Science, 112, 1950, 77;
peptonized.
also see Benedict, Lindenfelser, Stodola Potato: Lu.xuriant, spreading, cream-
and Traufler, Jour. Bact., 62, 1951, 487; and colored growth. Aerial mycelium gray.
Grund}', Whitman, Hanes and Sylvester, Soluble light brown pigment turning dark
Antibiotics and Chemotherapj', 1, 1951, brown after 30 days' incubation.
309.) Starch is hydrolyzed.
gri..se.o.car'ne.us. M.L. adj. griseus Glucose, dextrin, starch, glycerol, cal-
gray; L. adj. carneus pertaining to flesh, cium malate and sodium succinate are
flesh-colored; M.L. adj. griseocarneus gray- rapidly utilized as carbon sources. Mannose,
ish flesh-colored. maltose, inositol and sodium acetate are
Vegetative growth: Good, with mono- assimilated slowly. Xylose, galactose, sor-
podial branching. bose, sucrose, cellobiose, melibiose, lac-
Aerial mj-celium: Two types: On some tose, mannitol, sorbitol, sodium citrate and
media, powdery, suggestive of sporulation, potassium sodium tartrate are not utilized.
but no spores are produced; this type of (NH4)2HP04 , urea, asparagine, glycine
mycelium usually becomes gray with con- and arginine are nitrogen sources which
tinued incubation. On other media, the support moderate to rapid growth. Sodium
aerial mycelium forms a rather fluffy, white
nitrate supports slow growth. Tryptophane,
mat; it turns slightly pink when sporulation
occurs. No spirals have been observed. None tyrosine and methionine are not satisfac-
of the common media will induce sporula- tory nitrogen sources.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
tion. It occurs best after 10 to 14 days'
incubation on a carbon-free salt agar to Antagonistic properties: Produces hy-
which 0.5 per cent soluble starch has been droxystreptomycin .
added. Inositol and mannose will also sup- Source: Simultaneously isolated from
port sporulation, but they are not as satis- Japanese soil by Benedict and from soil
factory carbon sources for this purpose as from one of the gardens of Abbott Labs.,
starch. The only other medium on which North Chicago, Illinois.
spores are found is nitrogen-free synthetic Habitat: Soil.
776 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
50. Streptoniyces viridoflavus Waks- yellow, becoming gray with age. Soluble
man and Taber, 1953. (Waksman and Taber, grown pigment.
in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomy- Glucose-nutrient agar: Heavy lichenoid
cetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, growth, yellowish brown to olive-brown.
1953, 66.) Yellowish to gray aerial hyphae are abund-
vi.ri.do.fla'vus. L. adj. viridis green; L. ant and appear later, covering the whole
adj. flavus yellow; M.L. adj. viridoflavus surface of growth with a mat. May produce
greenish yellow. a soluble brownish pigment.
Vegetative growth: Abundant, lichenoid Broth: Colorless clumps of growth on
growth on most media, j^ellow-green, turn- bottom of container. Soluble brown pig-
ing olive-green to almost brown. Soluble ment; ability to produce pigment may be
pigment variable. Hyphae on surface of lost on cultivation.
agar 0.7 micron in diameter; in shake flasks, Milk: Light yellow to brown surface
0.7 to 0.8 micron; some submerged hyphae ring. Not coagulated, gradually peptonized.
thicker, reaching 1.6 microns in diameter. Potato: Lichenoid, brownish to greenish
Single spores formed at end of submerged yellow to dark olive-green growth. Aerial
sporulating lateral branches. Spores form hyphae absent or formed as thin, yellowish
early, germinate readily, even while ap- layer on drier portions of growth. May pro-
parently attached to hyphae. duce a soluble dark brown pigment.
Aerial mycelium: Hyphae formed in fas- Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
cicles, greenish yellow, turning gray. Tends Limited growth on cellulose; cellulose
to lose ability to produce aerial mycelium. not decomposed.
Tufts of hyphae with some curling of tips Carbon sources: With yeast extract-min-
produced on certain media (glucose-aspara- eral agar there was no growth over con-
gine agar). On glucose-asparagine agar, trol on sucrose, lactose or rhamnose; good
spores produced in chains in whorls. Spores growth on mannose and glucose.
not formed on nutrient or glucose-nutrient Antagonistic properties: Produces anti-
agar. biotic substances, one of which is candi-
Gelatin: Limited growth in form of sur- cidin-like material.
face ring, canary-yellow. No pellicle. Solu- Comments : Several strains of this organ-
ble brown to dark brown pigment; ability nism have been isolated. They differ in their
to produce pigment may be lost on cultiva- pigmentation on gelatin and in the relative
tion. Slight liquefaction. abundance of aerial mycelium.
Agar: Thin, moist, gray to light green, Source: Isolated from soil.
isolated colonies with green to almost bluish Habitat: Soil.
tinge at bottom of slant where colonies are
confluent. White to gray, non-sporulating 51. Streptoniyces globosus (Krassilni-
aerial mycelium appearing much later. No kov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. (Actinomyces
soluble pigment. globosus Krassilnikov, Guide to the Acti-
Synthetic agar: Limited, cream-colored nomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
to yellowish green growth. Generally no Moskau, 1941, 58; Waksman, in Waksman
aerial mycelium. Hyphae penetrate deep and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
into agar. No soluble pigment. Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 68.)
Glucose asparagine agar: Moist, flat, yel- glo.bo'sus. L. adj. globosus round, spheri-
low to yellow-green colonies growing deep cal.
into medium. Aerial hyphae frequently Vegetative growth: Dark brown colonies
abundant, grayish yellow to sulfur-yellow, producing brown pigment which diffuses
later overgrown by white sporulating hy- into medium.
phae. May produce a soluble, faint yellow Aerial mj'celium: Dark gray, fine velvety.
pigment. Sporophores straight, short. Spores spheri-
Yeast-glucose agar: Heavy lichenoid cal.
growth, dark brown to olive-green. Aerial Gelatin: Weak liquefaction.
hyphae pale to grayish yellow to greenish Milk: Peptonized.
FAMILY III. STEEPTOMYCETACEAE 777
brown and red reverse. Aerial mycelium such antibiotic, designated as streptothri-
velvety chalk-white. Soluble chestnut- cin, is active both in vitro and in vivo against
brown pigment. various Gram-positive and Gram-negative
Glucose broth: Sedimentary light yellow bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes. Certain
growth. No aerial mycelium. Soluble brown- other strains produce an antiviral agent,
ish yellow pigment. ehrlichin.
Milk: Good growth with dark brown re- Source: Isolated once from orchard soil.
verse. Aerial mycelium chalk-white, later Habitat: Soil.
ash-gray. Soluble dark brown pigment. Not
peptonized. 61. Streptomyces venezuelae Ehrlich
Potato: Good growth. Aerial mycelium et al., 1948. (Streptomyces No. 844, Prid-
chalk-white. No soluble pigment. ham and Gottlieb, Jour. Bact., 56, 1948,
Starch is hydrolyzed. 107; Ehrlich, Gottlieb, Burkholder, Ander-
467.) son and Pridham, Jour. Bact., 56, 1948,
Good growth on cellulose.
Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil. ve.ne.zu.e'lae. M.L. noun Venezuela
Venezuela; M.L. gen. noun venezuelae of
60. Streptoniyces lavendulae (Waks- Venezuela.
man and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Hen- Vegetative growth: Hj-phae colorless,
rici, 1948. (Actinomyces lavendulae Waks- monopodial branches, 0.9 to 1.8 microns in
man and Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 126; diameter.
Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., Aerial mycelium: Straight or slightly
1948, 944.) and irregularly curved, 1.0 to 1.8 microns
la.ven'du.lae. Med.L. noun lavendula in diameter, lavender under microscope,
lavender; Med.L. gen. noun lavendulae of gray to light tan or pink without magnifica-
lavender color. tion. Spores ellipsoidal to oblong, 0.4 to
Aerial mycelium: Hyphae coarse, branch- 0.8 by 0.7 to 1.6 microns.
ing. Spirals close, 5 to 8 microns in diame- Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction. Soluble dark
ter. Conidia ellipsoidal, 1.0 to 1.2 by 1.6 to
2.0 microns. pigment.
Synthetic agar: Light lavender-colored
Gelatin stab: Creamy to brownish surface
growth. Liquefaction. growth.
Starch agar: White to lavender growth.
Agar : Gray, wrinkled growth. Glucose agar: Soluble dark pigment.
Synthetic agar: Thin, spreading, color- Dorset's egg medium: White to gray
less growth. Aerial mycelium cottony,
growth.
white, becoming vinous-lavender. Loeffler's serum: Dark brown growth.
Starch agar: Restricted, glistening, trans- Tyrosine agar: Reaction positive.
parent growth. Xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, d-glucose,
Glucose broth: Abundant, flaky sedi- d-mannose, d-fructose, d-galactose, cello-
ment. biose, starch, dextrin, glycerol, acetate,
Litmus milk: Cream-colored ring. No citrate, succinate and salicin support good
coagulation; peptonized, with strong al- growth. Slight or no growth with d-ribose,
kaline reaction. sucrose, raffinose, inulin, erythritol, dulci-
Potato: Thin, wrinkled, cream-colored to tol, mannitol, sorbitol, inositol and malate.
yellowish growth. No growth with formate, oxalate, tartrate,
Starch is hydrolyzed. salicylate, phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol or p-
Soluble brown pigment formed. cresol.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Milk: Peptonized. Soluble dark pigment.
Aerobic. Potato: Abundant, gray growth.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Antagonistic properties: Certain strains Antagonistic properties: Produces chlor-
of this organism produce antibiotics. One amphenicol, a neutral compound active
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
781
against various Gram-positive and Gram- Ca-malate agar : Abundant, cream-colored
negative bacteria, rickettsiae and the larger growth. White aerial mycelium becoming
viruses. tinged with grayish lavender. No soluble
Comment : The type culture of this species
was found in the culture bureau of Parke, pigment.
Starch agar: Thin colorless growth with
Davis and Company, Detroit, No. 04745. A aerial mycelium rose- to lavender-colored.
culture of this organism described by Oatmeal agar: Abundant, cream-colored
Umezawa and Maeda as a variety of Strep- growth, turning golden brown. Abundant
tomyces phaeochromogenes is regarded by light rose aerial mycelium, turning lavender
Waksman as identical with this species. and gray. Soluble pale j-ellow pigment,
(See Waksman, in Waksman and Leche- turning light brown.
valier, Actinomycetes and Their Anti- Broth: Thin, cream-colored surface ring;
biotics, Baltimore, 1953, 73.) a few flakes on bottom. Soluble brownish
Source: Isolated from soil in mulched field
near Caracas, Venezuela. pigment.
Milk: Brown growth. Milk becomes dark
Habitat: Soil. gray-brown or black. Not coagulated;
slowly peptonized.
62. Streptomyces virgiiiiae Grundy et Potato: Abundant, spreading, brownish
al., 1952. (Grundy, Whitman, Rdzok, Hanes growth. Aerial mycelium grayish lavender.
and Sylvester, Antibiotics and Chemo- Browning of potato.
therapy, 2,1952, 399.) Starch is hydrolyzed.
vir.gi'ni.ae. M.L. noun Virginia Virginia; Glucose, mannose, galactose, maltose,
M.L. gen. noun virginiae of Virginia. starch, glycerol, sodium acetate and so-
Vegetative growth: Cream-colored to dium citrate are utilized. Xylose, lactose,
light brown on complex media; soluble, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol and potassium
light brown, diffusible pigment. On syn- sodium tartrate are not utilized.
thetic media white to cream-colored growth Nitrites weakly produced, if at all, from
with pink or grayish lavender aerial myce- nitrates.
lium. Undulating mycelium about 1 micron
in diameter with short, thinner side 30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 28° and
branches. Antagonistic properties: Produces acti-
Aerial mycelium: Long, grayish pink or thiazic acid.
lavender aerial hj-phae. Most of the sporu- Source: Isolated from soil near Roanoke,
lating hyphae straight, occasionally a spiral Virginia.
is observed at or near the tip of the hypha. Habitat: Soil.
Spirals vary from tightly closed knots to
loose, open spirals. Spores cylindrical, 0.75 63. Streptomyces reticuli (Waksman
to 1.0 by 1.1 to 1.5 microns. and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Henrici,
Gelatin: Gray to brownish surface pel- 1948. (Actinomyces reticuli Waksman and
licle. Aerial mycelium thin, white. Soluble
Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 118; Waksman and
brown pigment extending as far as liquefied
Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 944.)
zone. Slow liquefaction.
Agar: Sparse, white growth, turning re.ti'cu.li. L. dim. noun reticulum a small
net; L. gen. noun reticuli of a small net.
cream-colored. White aerial mycelium,
Aerial mycelium: Whorls; spirals formed
turning light grayish lavender when sporu-
lation occurs. No soluble pigment. on glucose agar are sinistrorse. Conidia
Synthetic glucose agar: Sparse, cream- spherical, 1.0 to 1.4 microns in diameter.
colored growth. Aerial mycelium light Gelatin stab: Liquefaction, with small,
grayish lavender. No soluble pigment. brown flakes.
Glucose asparagine agar: Sparse, cream- Agar: Gray, wrinkled growth, becoming
colored growth. No aerial mycelium. No brownish.
sporulation. No pigmentation. Synthetic agar: Colorless growth, with
■82
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
yellowish tinge, becoming brownish, spread- Glucose agar: Good, dark brown growth.
ing. Aerial mycelium thin, white, cottony. White aerial mycelium. Soluble brown pig-
Starch agar: Brownish gray growth. ment.
Glucose agar: Restricted, brownish Milk: Poor growth. Not peptonized.
growth; center raised. Potato: Poor, waxy, wrinkled, brown
Glucose broth: Sediment consisting of growth. No aerial mycelium. Dark brown
large colonies.
Litmus milk: Reaction unchanged; co- pigment.
Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
agulated; peptonized. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Potato: Gray growth with black center. Antagonistic properties : Produces a basic
Starch is hydrolyzed. antibiotic, netropsin.
Dark brown pigment formed. Source: Isolated from soil near Hudson,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. New York. Cultural characteristics de-
Aerobic. scribed are those of isolate No. 2937-6. A
Optimum temperature, 25° C. culture has been deposited with the Fer-
Antagonistic properties: Some strains mentation Division of the Northern
produce neomycin or a neomycin-like sub- Regional Research Laboratory, Peoria, Illi-
stance.
2268. nois, permanent collection number NRRL-
Source: Isolated from upland and adobe
soils in California. Habitat: Soil.
Habitat: Soil.
65. Streptomyces verticillatus (Kriss,
64. Streptomyces netropsis Finlay and 1938) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces verti-
Sobin, 1952. (U. S. Pat. 2,586,762, Feb. 19, cillatus Kriss, Microbiologia, 7, 1938, 111;
1952.) Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier,
ne.trop'sis. Gr. neut.n. netruni spindle; Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Balti-
Gr. fem.n. opsis appearance of something; more, 1953, 75.)
M.L. adj. netropsis spindle-like. ver.ti.cil.la'tus. L. mas.n. verticillus a
Vegetative growth : Slightly elevated with whorl; M.L. adj. verticillatus whorled.
rough surface and smooth edge and with Vegetative growth: Colorless or slightly
brown reverse. brownish, smooth or rough colonies.
Aerial mycelium: White. Sporophores on Aerial mycelium: Characteristic primary
tips of short hyphae in form of whorls or whorl; formation of straight sporophores.
terminal clusters of short hyphae. Conidia Spores cylindrical, oblong, 0.8 by 1.0 to 1.9
short, cylindrical, 0.7 by 1.3 microns. microns.
Gelatin: Moderate surface growth. White Gelatin: Rapid liquefaction.
aerial mycelium. Soluble dark brown pig- Agar: Brown growth with no aerial my-
ment. No liquefaction. celium. Soluble brown pigment.
Agar: Moderate to good light brown Synthetic agar: Well developed, velvety
growth. White aerial mycelium. Soluble aerial mycelium, at first white, later dark
light brown pigment. gray or gray-green.
Synthetic agar: Thin, pale olive-buff Milk: Coagulated and peptonized.
growth. Aerial mycelium pale vinaceous Potato: Soluble brown pigment.
fawn. No soluble pigment. Sucrose is inverted.
Glucose asparagine agar: Moderate, Starch is hydrolyzed.
wrinkled growth. White aerial mycelium. No growth on cellulose.
Soluble brown pigment. Nitrites rapidly produced from nitrates.
Ca-malate agar: Moderate, cream to Antagonistic properties: Weak.
buff growth. White aerial mycelium. No Relationships to other species: Strepto-
soluble pigment. myces verticillatus viridans is described as a
Starch agar: Moderate thin growth with substrain.
pale olive-buff reverse. White aerial myce- Source: Isolated from rhizosphere of
lium. No soluble pigment. wheat, Transvolga region, U.S.S.R.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 783
Nitrites produced in trace amounts from Ann. d. 1st. d'Ig. sper. d. Univ. di Roma,
nitrates. 1, 1891, 419; Actinomyces niger Krassilnikov,
Aerobic. Guide to the Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad.
Optimum temperature, 25° C. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 53; Waks-
Antagonistic properties: Weakly antago- man, in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actino-
nistic. Some strains produce actinomycin. mycetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore,
Comment: Represents a large group of 1953, 78.)
closely related forms. ni'ger. L. adj. niger black.
Source: Isolated from soil. Vegetative growth: Not compact, of soft
Habitat: Soil. consistency, lumpy, dark colored. In old
cultures, the mycelium is readily disinte-
69. Streptomyces ruber (Krainsky, grated into fine particles that can serve for
1914) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino- reproduction.
myces ruber Krainsky, Cent. f. Bakt., II Aerial mycelium : Produced only on potato
Abt., 41, 1914, 662; also see Waksman, and synthetic agar. Sporophores produced
Soil Sci., 8, 1919, 149; not Actinomyces ruber only seldom; form open spiral with 3 to 5
Sanfelice, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., turns. Spores ellipsoidal.
36, 1904, 355; Waksman and Henrici, in Gelatin: No liquefaction in 30 days.
Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 946.) Agar: Black growth. Soluble brown pig-
ment.
ru'ber. L. adj. ruber red.
Aerial mycelium: Straight, branching, Synthetic agar: Black growth. Aerial
radiating. A few spirals may be formed. mycelium dark gray. No soluble pigment.
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction, with yellow Starch agar: No growth.
flakes. Sucrose not inverted.
Agar: Restricted, elevated, wrinkled, Milk: No change.
olive-green growth. No growth on cellulose.
Synthetic agar: Abundant, spreading, Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
red growth. Aerial mycelium abundant,
cottony, chrome-orange. 30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25° and
Starch agar: Abundant, spreading, red Antagonistic properties: None.
growth. Comment : This is a very unstable species
Glucose agar: Restricted, abundant, and rapidly dies out. It easily mutates, giv-
entire, coral-red growth. ing rise to colorless cultures, producing no
Glucose broth: Red ring, with spongy aerial mj'celium.
colonies on the surface. Source: Isolated from soil.
Litmus milk: Dark ring with red tinge; Habitat: Soil.
coagulated; peptonized, with alkaline re-
action. 71. Streptomyces alboniger Hesseltine
Potato: Elevated, wrinkled, greenish et al., 1953. (Hesseltine, Porter, Deduck,
growth. Hauk, Bohonos and Williams, Mycologia,
Soluble brown pigment formed. 1953; quoted from Waksman, in Waksman
Starch is hydrolyzed. and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 78.)
Aerobic. al.bo'ni.ger. L. adj. albus white; L. adj.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. niger black; M.L. adj . alboniger white-black.
Antagonistic properties: Strongly effec- Description prepared bj^ Hesseltine et al.
tive against various bacteria. for use in Waksman and Lechevalier, Ac-
Source: Isolated from soil. tinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Balti-
Habitat: Soil. more, 1953.
Vegetative growth: Moist, colorless to
70. Streptomyces niger (Rossi-Doria, yellowish, to dark brown or black.
1891, emend. Krassilnikov, 1941) Waksman, Aerial mycelium: White to pale olive-buff.
1953. {Streptotrix (sic) nigra Rossi-Doria, Irregularly branched sporophores, erect to
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 785
flexuous. Spores catenulate, ellipsoidal, 0.8 Blood agar: Dark cream-yellow growth.
by 1.25 microns. Hemolysis strong.
Gelatin: Fair growth. White aerial my- Glucose, maltose and glj'cerol are utilized.
celium. Soluble light yellow pigment. Lique- Arabinose, xylose, rhamnose, fructose,
faction. galactose, mannitol, sorbitol, lactose, su-
Agar: Poor, moist, smooth, colorless crose, raffinose and inulin are not utilized.
growth. No aerial mycelium. Milk: Slight, brown growth. Aerial
Synthetic agar: Poor, white growth. mycelium white: Soluble yellowish brown
White aerial mycelium. No soluble pigment. pigment. Peptonized.
Starch agar: Good growth. White to pale Carrot: Slight, wrinkled, brownish cream
olive-buff aerial mycelium. Soluble black growth. Aerial mycelium j-ellowish white.
pigment. Brown pigment.
Glucose agar: Blackish gray growth. Egg: Greenish yellow growth, without
White aerial mycelium. Soluble, blackish aerial mycelium and with spreading reddish
gray pigment. violet pigment.
Milk: White surface ring with yellow- Starch is hj^drolyzed.
green to light yellow-brown l)elow surface. Tyrosinase not produced.
White aerial mycelium. Slowly peptonized. Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Potato plug: Moist yellow growth. White Antagonistic properties: Produces an
aerial mycelium. Soluble, dark, greenish antiviral agent, abikoviromycin.
black pigment. Source: Strain Z-1-6 was isolated from
Starch is actively hydrolyzed. garden soil from Abiko, Chiba Prefecture.
No growth on cellulose. Habitat: Found in garden soils.
Antagonistic properties: Produces puro-
mycin, an antibiotic active against certain 73. Streptomyces odorifer (Rullmann,
protozoa and certain Gram-positive bac- 1895, emend. Lachner-Sandoval, 1898) Waks-
teria. man, 1953. {Cladoihrix odorifera Rullmann,
Source: Isolated from soil. Inaug. Diss., Munich, 1895; see Cent. f.
Habitat: Soil. Bakt., I Abt., 17, 1895, 884; and Cent. f.
Bakt., II Abt., 2, 1896, 116; Actinomyces
72. Streptoniyces abikoensis Umezawa odorifer Lachner-Sandoval, Ueber Strahlen-
et al., 1951. (Streptomtjccs abikoensum (sic) pilze, 1898, 65; Waksman, in Waksman and
Umezawa, Tazaki and Fukuyama, Jap. Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
Med. Jour., 4, 1951, 331; also see Okami, Antibiotics. Baltimore, 1953, 79.)
Jour. Antibiotics (Japanese), 5, 1952, 479.) o.do'ri.fer. L. adj odorifer fragrant.
a.bi.ko.en'sis. M.L. adj. abikoensis per- Vegetative growth: Colorless, folded.
taining to Abiko; named for Abiko, Japan. Aerial mycelium: Well developed, white
Vegetative growth: In separate colonies or light gray. Sporophores long, straight,
with very thin yellow aerial mycelium. Sub- branching. Spirals formed according to
merged mycelium yellow or yellowish original report (none observed by Waksman,
brown. Soluble yellowish brown pigment. loc. cit.). Spores spherical.
Aerial mycelium: Microscopically short, Gelatin: Cream-colored surface ring.
unbranched, bearing a straight conidia Aerial mycelium thin, white. No soluble
chain. pigment. Slow liquefaction.
Gelatin: Cream or brown growth. Soluble Agar: Folded, brown growth. Aerial my-
brown pigment. Crateriform liquefaction. celium white around edge. Faint soluble
Agar: Isolated colonies; growth cream, brown pigment.
with triangular hole in the center. No aerial Synthetic agar: Cream-colored growth
mycelium. Soluble brown pigment. with trace of brown. Aerial mycelium heavy,
Loeffler's coagulated serum: Cream cream-colored.
growth. No aerial mycelium. No hydrolysis. Starch agar: Cream-colored to brown
Brown pigment. growth. Aerial m3'celium abundant, cream-
786 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
colored to straw-colored. No soluble pig- idly coagulated and peptonized, the medium
ment. becoming strongly alkaline.
Glucose agar: Cream-colored to brownish Potato: Yellow mass without aerial my-
growth. Aerial mycelium abundant, cream- celium. No soluble pigment.
colored. Faint soluble brownish pigment. Fair growth on cellulose paper; cellulose is
Broth: Colorless surface film. Aerial my- decomposed.
celium heavy, cream-colored. No soluble Nitrites produced from nitrates.
pigment. Antagonistic properties : Produces a basic
Milk: Colorless to brownish surface ring. antibiotic, flavomycin, similar to neomycin.
No aerial mycelium. Not coagulated; pep- Comment: Culture similar to that of
tonized. Streptomyces microflavus.
Potato: Folded, brownish growth. Aerial Source: Isolated from garden soil from
mj^celium cream-colored. Faint, soluble Chiba and Hiroshima.
pigment. Habitat: Soil.
Sucrose is inverted.
Starch is actively hydrol.yzed. 75. Streptomyces putrificus (Nicolai-
Good growth on cellulose. eva, 1915) Waksman, 1953. [Actinomyces
Paraffin and fats support good growth. puirificus Nicolaieva, Arch. Biol. Nauk, 18,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. 1915, 240; Streptomyces putrificans (sic)
Odor: Strong, characteristic of soil. Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier,
Antagonistic properties: Some strains Actinomj^cetes and Their Antibiotics, Bal-
give positive effects, others are negative. timore, 1953, 81.)
Source : Isolated from sputum in a case of pu.tri'fi.cus. L. V. putrefacio to make
chronic bronchitis. rotten; M.L. adj. putrificus making rotten.
Habitat: Unknown. Vegetative growth: Colorless.
Aerial mycelium: White.
74. Strep tomyces roseoflavus Arai, Agar: Grayish growth covered with white
1951. (Jour. Antibiotics (Japanese), 4, 1951, aerial mycelium. No soluble pigment.
215; see Biol. Abst., 21, 1953, No. 1867.) LoefHer's serum: Yellow growth. No aerial
ro.se. o.fia'vus. L. fem.n. rosa a rose; L. mycelium. Serum liquefied and colored
adj . jlavus yellow; M.L. adj . roseoflavus rose- j'ellowish brown.
yellow. Glucose broth: Yellow soluble pigment.
Vegetative growth: Large, flat colonies; Milk: Heavy pellicle, covered with white
vegetative mycelium limited to medium. aerial mycelium. Gradually peptonized
Aerial mycelium: White to rose-colored, without previous coagulation.
producing numerous spirals. Spores ellip- Potato: Folded, sulfur-j-ellow growth.
soidal to oblong, 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 1.8 Aerial mycelium chalk-white. No soluble
microns.
Gelatin: Strong liquefaction. Orange- pigment.
Proteins energetically decomposed with
brown colonies at bottom of liquefied zone. the production of bad-smelling products,
No soluble pigment. hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.
Agar: Much-folded, white-gray to golden Odor: Strong, putrefactive.
j^ellow growth. White to rose-colored aerial Relationships to other species : Similar to
mycelium, limited to center of colonies. Actinomyces albus Krainsky but differs
Sjmthetic agar: Colorless to j-ellowish from it in that it putrefies proteins with
growth, penetrating deep into medium. the production of gases.
Powdery, white to .yellow-rose aerial my- Source : Isolated from surface water near
celium. St. Petersburg.
Starch agar: Golden yellow growth with Habitat: Unknown.
whitish aerial mycelium.
Glucose agar: Colorless to yellowish white 76. Streptomyces citreus (Krainsky,
growth with rose-colored aerial mj^celium. 1914) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino-
Milk: Cream-colored surface ring. Rap- myces citreus Krainsky, Cent. f. Bakt., II
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 787
Abt., 41, 1914, 662; also see Waksman and smooth, yellowish brown to red-brown;
Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 99; not Actinomyces no aerial mycelium; no pigment; gelatin
citreus Gasperini, Cent. f. Bakt., 15, 1894, completely liquefied in 10 to 12 days.
684; Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th Agar: Good growth; vegetative mycelium
ed., 1948, 946.) raised, finely wrinkled, deep red-brown; no
cit're.us. L. adj. citreus of the citrus tree; aerial mycelium; brownish yellow pigment.
M.L. adj. citreus lemon-yellow. Synthetic agar: Good growth (one strain
Aerial mycelium: Filaments with long, very scant), vegetative mycelium flat,
narrow open spirals. Conidia spherical to narrow, first light golden, later deep orange
ellipsoidal, 1.2 to 1.5 by 1.2 to 1.8 microns. to red-brown; aerial mycelium scant, some-
Gelatin stab: Yellowish, restricted sur- times almost absent, first white, later light
face growth. Liquefaction in 35 days. grayish brown; pigment very characteristic,
Agar: Restricted, cream-colored growth. bright golden to orange.
Synthetic agar: Abundant, spreading, Glycerol agar: Good growth; vegetative
raised, wrinkled, citron-yellow growth. mycelium narrow, raised, smooth, golden
Aerial mycelium covering surface, citron- to dark bronze; aerial mycelium scant, in
yellow. patches, white to light cinnamon-brown;
Starch agar: Abundant, yellowish green pigment intensely golden to orange.
growth. Starch-casein agar: Good growth; vegeta-
Glucose agar: Extensive, glossy, olive- tive mycelium spreading, folded, yellowish
yellow, entire growth; center elevated. brown; aerial mycelium abundant, smooth,
Glucose broth: Thin, wide, yellow ring; lead-gray; pigment dull yellow to orange.
flaky sediment. Potato: Good growth; vegetative my-
Litmus milk: Cream-colored surface celium raised, much wrinkled, rust-brown;
growth; coagulated; peptonized, becoming aerial mycelium absent or traces of white;
alkaline. pigment gray to faint lemon-yellow.
Potato: Yellowish growth, aerial my- LoefBer's blood serum: Vegetative my-
celium white. celium red-brown; no aerial mycelium;
The pigment formed is not soluble. yellowish pigment; no liquefaction.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Distinctive characters: The characteristic
Nitrites produced in trace amounts from golden pigment is formed in nearly all media
nitrates. in which the organism grows, but it becomes
Aerobic. most typical and attains its greatest bright-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. ness in synthetic agar media; it has indi-
Antagonistic properties: Negative. cator properties, turning red in strongly
Source: Isolated from soil. acid solutions. The species is easily recog-
Habitat: Soil. nized on agar plates by its bronze-colored
colonies surrounded by haloes of bright
77. Streptoinyces fulvissimus (Jensen, yellow pigment.
1930) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Ac- Source: Very common in Danish soils.
tinomyces fulvissitnus Jensen, Soil Sci., SO, Habitat: Soil.
1930, 66; Waksman and Henrici, in Manual,
6th ed., 1948, 946.) 78. Streptomyces chrysomallus Lind-
ful.vis'si.mus. L. sup. adj. Jxdvissimus enbein, 1952. {Streptomyces chrysomallus
very yellow. Brockmann, Grubhofer, Kass and Kalbe
Vegetative growth: Mycelium without (nomen nudum), Chem. Ber., 84, 1951, 260;
any special characteristics. 369.)
Lindenbein, Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 17, 1952,
Aerial mycelium: Hyphae short, straight,
often trifurcated, 1.0 to 1.2 microns broad; chry.so'mal.lus. Gr. adj. chrysomallus
no spiral formation; branches of hyphae with golden wool.
break up into conidia, 1.0 to 1.2 by 1.2 to Vegetative growth: Soft on all media.
1.5 microns. Long, branched hyphae with numerous
Gelatin: Vegetative mycelium narrow. staining granules.
788 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Aerial mycelium: Hj^phae long, sporulat- from whom the original culture was ob-
ing, producing no spirals, Spores ellipsoidal tained.
or spherical. Aerial mycelium: Hyphae short, gnarled.
Gelatin: Heavy, light to dark yellow sur- Spores ellipsoidal.
face growth. Aerial mycelium powdery, Gelatin: Heavy surface growth. Cream-
white. Soluble yellow-brown to deep brown colored colonies developing slowly with
pigment in liquefied portion. Strong lique- faint aerial mycelium; no pigment; lique-
faction. faction rapid.
Agar: Poor, shiny, golden yellow growth. Agar: Cream-colored growth forming
Aerial mycelium thin, powdery. Soluble concentric rings with age, with brownish
golden yellow pigment. reverse; faint yellow soluble pigment. Aerial
Synthetic agar: Crumb-like, light yellow mycelium thin, white.
growth. Aerial mycelium powdery, white. Synthetic agar: Slow growth as puncti-
Soluble golden yellow pigment. form colonies; cream-colored with smooth
Glucose asparagine agar: Smooth, almost edge; no aerial mycelium; no soluble pig-
ment.
colorless to j^ellowish growth. Aerial my-
celium powdery, white. Soluble faint yellow Glucose agar: Colorless to yellowish
pigment. growth. Aerial mycelium thin, white. No
Ca-malate agar: Thin, smooth, colorless soluble pigment.
to faintly yellowish growth. Aerial my- Peptone broth: Cream-colored ring on
celium powdery, grayish white. surface of medium with flakes throughout
Starch agar: Thin, colorless growth. the medium; no soluble pigment. Aerial
Aerial mycelium powdery, white. No soluble mycelium white.
pigment. Synthetic solution: Submerged mycelium
Glucose agar: Yellowish growth with tinge in the form of flakes, later forming a surface
of orange. Aerial mycelium powdery, gray- pellicle; no soluble pigment.
ish white. Soluble light yellow to golden Tyrosine medium: Good growth with
yellow pigment. white aerial mycelium; no soluble pigment.
Glucose broth: Heavy yellowish surface Coagulated serum: Cream-colored growth
growth; submerged flakes yellowish. Soluble covered with white aerial mycelium; rapid
golden yellow pigment. liquefaction of serum.
Milk: Abundant, colorless growth with Milk: Cream-colored surface growth.
light yellow reverse. Aerial mycelium Aerial mycelium white, thin. Rapidly pep-
cottony, snow-white becoming yellowish. tonized.
Actively peptonized. Slight acidity. Potato: Slow growth of a greenish tinge;
Potato: Heavy, yellow growth becoming Aerial mycelium thin, white. No soluble
brownish yellow or orange. Aerial mycelium
cottony white to yellowish white. pigment.
Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed.
Starch is actively hydrolyzed. Nitrates not reduced.
Poor growth on cellulose. Antagonistic properties: Active against
Antagonistic properties: Produces actino- fungi.
mycin C (actinochrj^sin). Relationships to other species: Inter-
Source: Isolated from soil. mediate between Streptomyces albus with its
Habitat: Soil. abundant aerial mycelium and Actinomyces
almquistii with its very scant aerial my-
79. Streptomyces gougerotii (Duche, celium.
1934) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Actino- Source: Culture obtained from the col-
myces gougeroti (sic) Duche, Encyclopedie lection of Prof. Gougerot.
Mycologique, Paris, 6, 1934, 272; Strep- Habitat: Unknown.
tomyces gougeroti (sic) Waksman and Hen-
rici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 947.) 80. Streptomyces farinosus (Krassilni-
gou.ge.ro'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun gougerotii kov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces
of Gougerot; named for Prof. Gougerot, farinosus Krassilnikov, Guide to the Ac-
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 789
tinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Potato: Flat, colorless growth. Aerial
Moskau, 1941, 51; Waksman, in Waksmari mycelium white. No soluble pigment.
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their Starch is actively hydrolj'zed.
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 84.) Good growth on cellulose.
fa.ri.no'sus. L. adj. /amiosws mealy. Nitrites slowly produced from nitrates.
Vegetative growth: Colorless, smooth or Odor: Strong, earthy.
rough colonies. Antagonistic properties: Strong.
Aerial mycelium: Powdery white on some Relationships to other species: Closely
media. Sporophores straight or wavy, singly related to Streptomyces albus but differs
or in clumps, forming no spirals. Organism from it by its more delicate growth and by
produces segmented spores or oidiospores, its reverse that is often yellowish brown.
cylindrical, 0.6 to 0.8 by 1.2 to 1.7 microns. Also related to Streptomyces microflavus
Some form ellipsoidal or even spherical Krainsky but differs from Krainsky's or-
spores produced by swelling of cylindrical ganism in that its growth is never rose-yel-
forms. low and by its abundant growth on potato.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Source: The original culture was obtained
Synthetic agar: Aerial mycelium poorly under the name of Actinomyces microflavus
developed and spotty. (not Actinomyces microflavus Krainsky)
Milk: Coagulated and rapidly peptonized. from the Baarn Culture Collection.
Potato: Colorless growth. Aerial my- Habitat: Unknown.
celium poorly developed.
Sucrose readily inverted by most strains. 82. Streptomyces cinnamoneus Bene-
Starch is actively hydrolyzed. dict, 1953. {Streptomyces cinnamoneus Bene-
Some strains grow on cellulose. dict, Dvonch, Shotwell, Pridham and Lin-
Nitrites weakly produced from nitrates. denfelser {nomen nudum), Antibiotics and
Antagonistic properties: None or verj' Chemotherapy, 2, 1952, 591; Benedict, in
weak. Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes
Source: Isolated from soil. and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 85.)
Habitat: Soil. cin.na.mo'ne.us. Gr. neut.n. cinnamon
cinnamon; M.L. adj. cinnamoneus pertain-
81. Streptomyces albidus (Duche, 1934) ing to cinnamon.
Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces albidus Description prepared by R. G. Benedict
Duche, Encyclop^die Mycologique, Paris, for use in Waksman and Lechevalier, Ac-
6, 1934, 266; Waksman, in Waksman and Le- tinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Balti-
chevalier, Actinomycetes and Their Anti- more, 1953.
biotics, Baltimore, 1953, 84.) Vegetative growth: Large colonies with
al'bi.dus. L. adj. albidus white. irregular margins.
Aerial mycelium: Whitish but not snow- Aerial mycelium: White, graduallj- chang-
white. Sporophores long, open spirals. ing to flesh color. No spirals. Spores globose,
Spherical to ellipsoidal spores. Soluble pig- 0.6 micron in diameter.
ment produced in synthetic and other Gelatin: White flocculent growth. No
media. aerial mycelium. No soluble pigment. Rapid
Gelatin: Cream-colored growth. No sol- liquefaction.
uble pigment. Rapid liquefaction. Agar: Cream to light lemon-j^ellow
Agar: Colorless growth with slightly growth. No aerial mycelium.
greenish reverse. Aerial mj^celium white. Synthetic agar: Colorless to white to
Soluble yellowish pigment. cream-colored growth. Aerial mycelium
Synthetic agar: Colorless growth; some white to light cinnamon.
drops of colorless guttation. Aerial my- Starch: Colorless to brownish growth.
celium white. Yellowish pigment. Aerial mycelium white.
Milk: Cream-colored growth. Weakly co- Glucose agar: Colorless growth with light
agulated, rapidlj' peptonized. Cheesy odor. greenish yellow to dull yellowish orange
'90
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
reverse. Aerial mycelium white to cinna- dium, turning almost black. Odor fairly
mon. strong. Microscopically, two types of my-
Oatmeal agar: Tough, leathery, yellow- celium are found: the thin, branching fila-
ish green to cream-yellow growth. Aerial ments of the substratum, and the thick
mycelium floccose, pale violet to faint filaments of the aerial mycelium. The aerial
cinnamon. Tan to white exudate. mycelium does not fragment very rapidly,
Glucose broth: White to lime-green ring. producing a few conidia, spherical and
No aerial mj'celium. ellipsoidal, 1.2 to 1.5 by 1.2 to 2.3 microns.
Milk: Light brown ring. Limited, white These often occur in chains.
aerial mycelium. Rapidly peptonized with Synthetic solution: Colonies large, 2 to 3
alkaline reaction. mm in diameter, appearing at the bottom
Potato : Grayish white to yellow-green to and surface of the solution, but none
light brown growth. Aerial mycelium light throughout the medium. Colonies bluish in
gray to gray. No soluble pigment. color, w'ith a regular margin. Medium not
Carrot: White to cream-colored growth. colored.
Aerial mycelium cretaceous. No soluble Potato plug: Growth at first very slight,
pigment. but after 48 hours develops into a yellowish
Xjdose, fructose, inositol, starch, de.xtrin, gray continuous thick smear which later
galactose and maltose are utilized. Arabi- turns brown, with a white aerial mycelium
nose, rhamnose, dulcitol and salicin not covering the growth. Medium not colored.
utilized. Antagonistic properties: None; certain
Starch is hydrolyzed. strains show activity.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Source: Isolated once from the upland
California soil.
Optimum temperature, between 25° and
37° C. Habitat: Soil.
Antagonistic properties: Produces cin-
namj'cin, a polypeptide antibiotic. 84. Streptomyces gedanensis (Lohlein,
Relationships to other species : Resembles 1909) Miiller, 1950. {Streptothrix gedanensis
Streptomyces griseocarneus. I, Scheele and Petruschsky, Verhandl. d.
Source: Isolated from Japanese soil. Kongr. f. innere Med., 1897, 550; Strepto-
Habitat: Soil. thrix gedanensis Lohlein, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 63,
1909, 11; Miiller, Medizinische Mikro-
83. Streptomyces violaceoniger (Waks- biologie, 4 Aufl., 1950, 294.)
man and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Hen- ge.da.nen'sis. M.L. neut.n. Gedanum the
rici, 1948. (Actinomyces violaceus-niger city of Danzig (Gdan'sk) on the Baltic Sea;
Waksman and Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 111; M.L. adj. gedanensis pertaining to Danzig.
Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., Aerial mycelium: Short, gnarled hyphae;
1948, 947.) spores short, ellipsoidal to spherical.
vi.o.la.ce.o'ni.ger. L. adj. violaceus Gelatin: Thin, flaky growth. No soluble
violet; L. adj. niger black; M.L. adj. viola- pigment. Rapid liquefaction.
ceoniger violet-black. Agar: Thin, colorless growth. No aerial
Gelatin: Gray growth, with no produc- mycelium. No soluble pigment.
tion of aerial mycelium. Gelatin around Synthetic agar: Dark to almost black
colony rapidly liquefied, but without any growth with dark reverse. Aerial mycelium
change in color. abundant, mouse-gray. No soluble pigment.
Synthetic agar: Colony at first dark Starch agar: Yellowish to cream-colored
gray, turning almost black, 2 to 4 mm in growth. Aerial mycelium light gray.
diameter. Surface glossy, much folded with a Glucose agar: Cream-colored growth be-
very thin gray margin. A white to gray coming black with light margin. Aerial
aerial mycelium is produced after the colony mycelium abundant, mouse-gray.
has developed well. A bluish black pigment Broth: Flaky growth on bottom of tube.
is produced at a later stage of its growth. Milk: Cream-colored surface ring. Not
The pigment slowly dissolves in the me-
peptonized.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
791
Potato: Lichenoid, cream-colored to streptomycin, is active against a large num-
brownish growth. No aerial mycelium. No ber of bacteria and actinomycetes but not
soluble pigment. against fungi and viruses. Some strains pro-
Starch is actively hydrolyzed. duce grisein. Others form candicidin.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. Distinctive characters: This species is dis-
Source: Isolated from the sputum of a tinguished byWaksman from Streptomyces
patient with chronic lung disease. globisporus (No. 3) primarily on the basis
Habitat: Unknown. of the yellow-green to gray color of the
aerial mycelium on most media, and on the
85. Streptoinyces griseus (Krainsky, ability to coagulate milk and to hydroh'ze
1914) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Actino- starch rapidly.
myces griseus Krainsky, Cent. f. Bakt., II Comments: The original de.scription of
Abt., 41, 1914, 662; Waksman and Henrici, this organism by Krainsky (op. cit., 1914,
in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 948; also see Waks- 662) mentions spiral formation in the sporo-
man, Reilly and Harris, Jour. Bact., 56, phores; the cultures subsequently isolated
1948, 259.) and described by Waksman and Curtis
gri'se.us. M.L. adj. griseus gray. {op. cit., 1916, 119) and Waksman, Reilly and
Vegetative growth: Colonies smooth or Harris {op. cit., 1948, 259) were not shown to
folded, colorless, later turning olive-buff. exhibit spiral forms. In other characteri.stics
Aerial mycelium: Abundant, powderj^, these cultures resembled the original
water-green. Sporophores produced in description. The description of Streptomyces
tufts. Spores spherical to ellipsoidal, 0.8 by griseus presented here is based largely on the
0.8 to 1.7 microns. description of the culture isolated by Waks-
Agar: Abundant, cream-colored, almost man and Curtis. Waksman does not feel that
transparent growth. Aerial mycelium pow- the differences among these various isolates
dery, white to light gray. No soluble pig- are sufficient to justify separation into more
ment. than one species.
Gelatin stab: Greenish yellow or cream- Krassilnikov (Guide to the Bacteria and
colored surface growth with brownish tinge. Actinomj'cetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
Rapid liquefaction. Moskau, 1949, 93 and 98) regards the organ-
Synthetic agar: Thin, colorless, spread- ism isolated and described by Krainsky as
ing growth, becoming olive-buff. Aerial different from the organisms isolated later
mycelium thick, powdery, water-green. by Waksman et al., the distinction being
Starch agar: Thin, spreading, transparent made on the appearance of the sporophores.
growth. Krassilnikov regards the organisms exhibit-
Glucose agar: Growth elevated in center, ing spiral formation as Actinomyces griseus
radiate, cream-colored to orange, erose Krainsky; those without spiral formation
margin. as Actinomyces globisporus Krassilnikov.
Glucose broth: Abundant, 3-ellowish pel- The streptomycin-producing strain is re-
licle with greenish tinge, much folded. garded as a subspecies of the latter species
Litmus milk: Cream-colored ring; coagu- rather than of the former.
lated with rapid peptonization, becoming Source: Isolated from garden soil; later
alkaline. from soils, river muds and the throat of a
Potato: Yellowish, wrinkled growth cov- chicken.
ered with white, powderj^ aerial mycelium. Habitat: Presumably soil.
The pigment formed is not soluble.
Starch is hydrolyzed. 86. Streptomyces longissimus (Kras-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. silnikov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces
Aerobic. longissimus Krassilnikov, Guide to the
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R.,
Antagonistic properties: Strongly antago- Moskau, 1941, 38; Waksman, in Waksman
nistic. DifYerent strains of this organism and Lechevalier, Actinomj^cetes and Their
produce different antibiotics. One of these, Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 87.)
'92 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
spiral formation; spirals long and open, not liquefaction, beginning after about ten days
compact. at 20° to 23° C.
Gelatin: P^locculent growth. No aerial Broth: Strong white pellicle. White tufts
mycelium. Rapid liquefaction. No pigment may develop at sides of tube beneath sur-
production. face of liquid.
Agar: Brown-colored growth covered with Milk: Alkaline within one week; com-
tiny patches of ivorj^-colored aerial mj^ce- pletely peptonized, usually within one
lium.
month at 25° to 30° C.
Synthetic agar: Same as on glucose agar. Indole not produced. Indigotin not pro-
Potato: Abundant brownish growth with duced from indole.
white to mouse-gray aerial mycelium. Hydrogen sulfide vigorously produced.
Glucose agar: Thin yellowish growth, Acid from galactose, glucose, fructose,
later turning reddish brown; no soluble pig- mannose, cellobiose, lactose, maltose, su-
ment; light gray to mouse-gray mj'celium crose and glycerol. Arabinose, xylose, rham-
with white edge. Tj'pical odor of strepto- nose and sorbitol utilized without acid
myces . production. No growth in raffinose, salicin,
Strong proteolytic enzymes acting on inulin, dulcitol, inositol, ethyl alcohol or
casein and gelatin. ethylene glycol.
Strong diastatic action; no sugar or dex- Acetylmethylcarbinol not produced.
trin left in 1 per cent starch solution after a Starch vigorously hydrolyzed.
few days. Cellulo.se not hydrolyzed.
Limited reduction of nitrate. Chitin and alginic acid are attacked.
Antagonistic properties: Certain strains Seaweed gells: Agar slowly digested;
produce an antibiotic designated as cacao- softened, not liquefied. Growth on agar in
mycetin. culture dish surrounded by rather wide,
Source: Three strains were isolated from gently sloping depression. Gelase field rela-
cacao beans in Nigeria. There were slight tively wide with distinct margin. Irish moss
differences among the three strains; the and Hypnea gels also slowly digested.
above description is of Strain I. Acetic, citric, lactic, propionic, succinic
Habitat: The cacao bean so far as known. and iso-valeric acids utilized. Butyric,
gluconic, maleic, malonic and oxalic acids
90. Streptomyces marinus (Humm and not utilized.
Shepard, 1946) Waksman, comb. nov. (Acti- Aspartic acid, cystine, glutamic acid,
nomyces marinus Humm and Shepard, glycine, 1-leucine and tyrosine utilized as
Duke Univ. Marine Sta. Bull., 3, 1946, 77.) sources of both nitrogen and carbon, dl-
ma.ri'nus. L. adj. marinus marine, of the Alanine and d-arginine utilized only as
sea. nitrogen sources. Creatine and dl-/3-phenyl-
Vegetative growth: Mycelium sparingly alanine not utilized. Glucosamine-HCl
branched, dense, entangled. Growth on agar utilized as source of nitrogen and carbon.
moderately rapid, reaching a diameter of Ammonia, nitrite or nitrate utilized as
one cm or more after about ten days. My- nitrogen sources. Ammonia produced from
celium frequently forms concentric rings in nitrate, asparagine, peptone and glutamic
response to alternate periods of light and acid. Urea used as nitrogen source with
darkness. No soluble pigments. production of small amounts of ammonia.
Aerial mycelium: White; conidia medium Nitrites usually not produced from ni-
gray to dark gray. Aerial hyphae somewhat trates. In some media, slight nitrite is pro-
irregular in diameter, 0.8 to 1.4 microns. duced after ten days' incubation, especially
Conidia spherical to ellipsoidal, 0.8 to 1.2 if glucose is present.
microns in diameter, in chains, sometimes Catalase-positive.
forming loose spirals. Conidia typically Aerobic.
appear after three days as a dark gray area
in center of each colony. 30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25° and
Gelatin: Growth arborescent. Stratiform Good growth in media prepared with dis-
794 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
tilled water and in all salinities through 6 Aerial mycelium: Slightly wavy filaments
per cent (sea salt) ; optimum apparently with tendency to form spirals. Conidia
about 3 per cent. Greater salinities inhibit ellipsoidal, 1.0 to 1.5 by 1.2 to 1.8 microns.
development of aerial hyphae. Gelatin stab: Cream-colored surface
Source: Isolated from blackish sand from growth. Liquefaction.
the intertidal zone of a beach in North Agar: Grows only in depth of medium.
Carolina. Synthetic agar: Colorless growth, be-
Habitat: Found in marine sediments. coming brown, smooth, glossy. Aerial my-
celium in white patches over surface.
91. Streptomyces novaecaesareae Waks- Starch agar: Restricted, gray growth,
man and Henrici, 1948. (Actinomyces becoming brown.
violaceus-caeseri Waksman and Curtis, Soil Glucose broth: Small, grayish colonies in
Sci., 1, 1916, 111; Waksman and Henrici, in depth.
Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 951.) Litmus milk: Cream-colored ring, soft
no.vae.cae.sa're.ae. M.L. noun Nova coagulum in 12 days; slow peptonization,
Caesarea (the State of) New Jersey; M.L. becoming strongly alkaline.
gen. noun novaecaesareae of New Jersey. Potato : Growth somewhat wrinkled, gray,
Aerial mycelium: Filaments with both becoming brown.
straight and spiral aerial hyphae; spirals Brown, soluble pigment formed.
dextrorse. Conidia ellipsoidal to elongate. Starch is hydrolj^zed.
Gelatin stab: Small, cream-colored sur- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
face colonies with slow liquefaction. Aerobic.
Agar: Thin, cream-colored growth. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Synthetic agar: Gray growth, becoming Antagonistic properties: Positive.
bluish, glossy, much wrinkled. Aerial Source: Isolated several times from adobe
mycelium appears late; white. and upland soils in California.
Starch agar: Restricted, circular, bluish Habitat: Soil.
violet colonies.
Glucose agar: Restricted, gray growth, 93. Streptomyces gelaticus (Waksman,
becoming red. 1923) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino-
Glucose broth: Fine, colorless, flaky sedi- myces 104, Waksman, Soil Sci., 8, 1919, 165;
ment. Actinomyces gelaticus Waksman, in Manual,
Litmus milk: Gray ring; coagulated; slow 1st ed., 1923, 356; Waksman and Henrici, in
peptonization, becoming faintly alkaline. Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 952.)
Potato: Growth cream-colored, wrinkled, ge.la'ti.cus. L. part. adj. gelatus frozen,
turning yellowish. congealed, jellied; M.L. adj. gelaticus re-
Soluble purple pigment formed. sembling hardened gelatin.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Aerial mycelium: Branching, with open
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Aerobic. spirals.
Gelatin stab: Liquefied with cream-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. colored flaky sediment.
Antagonistic properties: Negative.
Source: Isolated once from upland Agar: Wrinkled, cream-colored growth
California soil. only on the surface.
Habitat: Soil. Synthetic agar: Colorless, spreading
growth chiefly deep into the medium. Aerial
mycelium thin, white, turning grayish.
92. Streptomyces exfoliatus (Waks-
man and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Hen- Starch agar: Thin, spreading, cream-
rici, 1948. (Actinomyces exfoliatus Waksman colored growth.
and Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 116; Waksman Glucose agar: Abundant, spreading, white
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 951.)
growth.
Glucose broth: Thin, cream-colored pel-
ex.fo.li.a'tus. L. part. adj. exfoliatus
stripped of leaves. licle; slight flaky sediment.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
795
Litmus milk: Pinkish ring; coagulated; man and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Hen-
peptonized with distinctly alkaline reaction. rici, 1948. {Actinomyces rutgersensis Waks-
Potato: Abundant growth, much wrin- man and Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 123;
kled, greenish, becoming black with yellow- Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed.,
ish margin. 1948, 952.)
Soluble brown pigment formed. rut.ger.sen'sis. M.L. adj. rutgersensis
Starch is hydrolyzed. pertaining to Rutgers; named for Rutgers
Nitrites produced in slight amounts from University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
nitrates. Aerial mycelium: Branching filaments
Aerobic. with abundant open and closed spirals;
Optimum temperature, 25° C. hyphae fine, long, branching. Conidia
Antagonistic properties: Positive; some spherical and ellipsoidal, 1.0 to 1.2 microns,
strains show no activity. with tendency to bipolar staining.
Source: Isolated from soil. Gelatin stab: Cream-colored, spreading
Habitat: Soil. surface growth. Liquefied.
Agar: Thin, wrinkled, cream-colored
94. Streptoniyces glaucus (Lehmann
and Schutze, 1912, emend. Krassilnikov, growth.
Synthetic agar: Growth thin, colorless,
1941) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces glaucus spreading, becoming brownish to almost
Lehmann and Schutze, in Lehmann and black. Aerial mycelium thin, white, becom-
Neumann, Bakt. Diag., 5 Aufl., 2, 1912, 641; ing dull gray.
Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actinomycetes, Starch agar: Gray, spreading growth.
Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, Glucose agar: Abundant, brown myce-
46; Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier, lium, becoming black with cream-colored
Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Balti- margin.
more, 1953, 9L) Litmus milk: Cream-colored ring; coagu-
glau'cus. Gr. adj. glaucus bright bluish lated; slow peptonization, becoming alka-
green or gray. line.
Aerial mycelium: Well developed, cot- Potato: Abundant, white-gray, much
tony, at first white then turning green, simi- folded growth.
lar to green Penicillia. Sporophores form The pigment formed is not soluble.
compact spirals with 3 to 5 turns. Spores Starch is hydrolyzed.
ellipsoidal to spherical, 1.0 by 0.8 microns. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. Aerobic.
Agar: Heavy growth covered with green
aerial mycelium. Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Antagonistic properties: Limited.
Synthetic agar: Colorless growth. Soluble Source: Isolated many times from a
brown pigment. variety of soils.
Milk: Slowly peptonized, with prior co- Habitat: Common in soil,
agulation bysome strains.
Potato: Heavy growth, covered with vel- 96. Streptoniyces halstedii (Waksman
vety, green aerial mycelium.
and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Henrici,
Sucrose weakly inverted.
Starch is actively hydrolyzed. 1948. {Actinomyces halstedii Waksman and
Good growth on cellulose. Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 124; Waksman and
Paraffin: Good growth. Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 953.)
Nitrites produced from nitrates. hal.ste'di.i. M.L. gen. noun halstedii of
Antagonistic properties: All strains Halsted; named after Prof. Halsted of Rut-
strongly antagonistic. gers University.
Source: Isolated from soil. Aerial mycelium: Branching mycelium;
Habitat: Soil. hyphae with close spirals. Conidia ellip-
soidal or rod-shaped, 1.0 to 1.2 by 1.2 to 1.8
95. Streptoniyces rutgersensis (Waks- microns.
796 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction, with small with production of a dark brown to almost
cream-colored masses in bottom of tube. black pigment.
Agar: Restricted, wrinkled, cream-coloi-ed Potato: No growth, or only faint dark
growth. gray aerial mycelium.
Synthetic agar: Growth abundant, heavy, Sucrose weakly inverted.
spreading, raised, light, becoming dark, Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
almost black. Aerial mycelium white, turn- No growth on cellulose.
ing dull gray. Antagonistic properties: None.
Starch agar: Abundant, brownish, glossy Source: Isolated from soil.
growth. Habitat: Soil.
Glucose agar: Growth spreading, color-
less, wrinkled, center elevated, edge lich- 98. Streptoniyces lipmanii (Waksman
enoid, becoming brown. and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Henrici,
Glucose broth: Small, colorless colonies 1948. {Actinomyces li-pmanii Waksman and
in bottom of tube. Curtis, Soil Sci., 7, 1916, 123; Waksman and
Litmus milk: Cream-colored ring; coagu- Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 952.)
lated; peptonized, becoming alkaline. lip.ma'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun lipmanii of
Potato: Growth abundant, moist, wrin- Lipman; named for Prof. J. G. Lipman of
kled, cream-colored with green tinge. the New Jersey Agr. Exp. Station.
The pigment formed is not soluble. Aerial mycelium: Straight, branching
Starch is hydrolyzed. mycelium and hyphae. Conidia ellipsoidal,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. 0.8 to 1.1 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns.
Aerobic. Gelatin stab: Liquefaction, with cream-
Optimum temperature, 37° C. colored, flaky sediment.
Antagonistic properties: Strongly an- Agar: Yellow, glossy, radiately wrinkled
tagonistic; some strains show only anti-
fungal activity; some strains produce growth.
Synthetic agar: Growth abundant, raised,
magnamycin. colorless, becoming light brown and wrin-
Source: Lsolated many times from the kled. Aerial mycelium white, turning gray.
deeper soil layers. Starch agar: Transparent growth, be-
Habitat: Common in subsoil. coming dark with age.
Glucose agar: Light yellow, irregular,
97. Streptoniyces funiosus (Krassilni- spreading growth.
kov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. (Actinomyces Glucose broth: White ring, with abun-
fumosus Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actino- dant, colorless flaky sediment.
mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Litmus milk: Cream-colored ring; coagu-
Moskau, 1941, 58; Waksman, in Waksman lated; peptonization with alkaline reaction.
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their Potato: Abundant, cream-colored, wrin-
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 92.) kled growth.
The pigment formed is not soluble.
fu.mo'sus. L. adj. fumosus full of smoke, Starch is hydrolyzed.
smoky.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Aerial mycelium: Sporophores straight;
Aerobic.
spores cylindrical, 0.7 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns,
later round. Optimum temperature, 25° C.
Antagonistic properties: Good, though
Gelatin: Liquefaction. some strains show no activity.
Agar: Dark brown growth; aerial my- Source : Isolated many times from a vari-
celium white. Medium brown-colored.
ety of soils.
Synthetic agar: Dark brown growth. Pig- Habitat: Common in soil.
ment not soluble. Aerial mycelium well
developed, cottony, dusty colored, occa- 99. Streptoniyces hygroscopicus (Jen-
sionally gray-white. sen, 1931) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
Milk: Not coagulated; slowly liquefied {Actinomyces hygroscopicus Jensen, Proc.
FAMILY ni. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
797
Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 56, 1931, 257; Distinctive character: In this species, the
Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., aerial mycelium (which in other actinomy-
1948, 953.) cetes is strikingly hydrophobic) on certain
hy.gro.scop'i.cus. Gr. adj. fiyynis moist; media (glucose or glycerol asparagine agar)
Gr. noun scopiis watcher; M.L. adj. hygro- becomes moistened and exhibits dark, glis-
scopicus detecting moisture or covered with tening patches. These patches, when
moisture. touched with a needle, prove to be a moist,
Vegetative growth: Hyphae 0.6 to 0.8 mi- smeary mass of spores. This characteristic
cron in diameter. feature is not equally distinct in all strains.
Aerial mycelium: Hyphae long, tangled, Source: Seven strains were isolated from
branched, 0.8 to 1.0 micron in diameter. soils.
Spirals numerous, sinistrorse, narrow, usu- Habitat: Soil.
allj^ short, only 1 or 2 turns, closed, typically
situated as dense clusters on the main stems 100. Streptomyces longisporoflavus
of the aerial hyphae. Spores ellipsoidal, (Krassilnikov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. (Ac-
0.8 to 1.0 by 1.0 to 1.2 microns. tinomyces longisporus flavus Krassilnikov,
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. No pigment Guide to the Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad.
produced. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, 30; Waks-
Agar: Good growth; raised, wrinkled, man, in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actino-
glossy, cream-colored; later yellowish gray mycetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore,
with yellowish brown reverse. Occasionally 1953, 94.)
a scant white aerial mj^celium. lon.gi.spo.ro.fla'vus. L. adj. longus long;
Sucrose agar: Good to abundant growth. Gr. noun spora a seed; M.L. fem.n. spora a
Vegetative mycelium heavy, superficially spore; L. adj. flavus 3'ellow; M.L. adj.
spreading, folded, glossy surface, white to longisporoflavus long-spored, yellow.
cream-colored, later sulfur-yellow to yellow- Vegetative growth: Yellow, lemon-yellow
ish gray, with golden to light orange reverse. or dirty yellow, seldom golden yellow
Soluble pigment of the same color. Aerial colonies. Pigment not soluble. Some strains
mycelium scant, thin, white or absent. have a greenish tinge, depending on the
Glucose agar: Good growth; granulated, composition of the medium.
cream-colored to straw-yellow, later dull Aerial mycelium: Well developed, velvety,
chrome-yellow to brownish orange. Aerial whitish yellow to brownish yellow. Sporo-
mycelium thin, smooth, dusty, white to pale phores produce long, open spirals. Spores
yellowish gray, after 1 or 2 weeks more or cylindrical or elongated, 1.0 to 1.5 by 0.7
less abundantly interspersed with small, microns; some with rounded ends and swol-
moist, dark violet-gray to brownish patches len in center.
which gradually spread over the whole sur- Gelatin: Liquefaction in 10 to 15 days.
face. Light yellow soluble pigment. Milk: Coagulated; slowly peptonized.
Potato: Fair growth. Vegetative my- Sucrose not inverted.
celium raised, wrinkled, cream-colored, Starch is weakly hj'drolyzed.
later yellowish gray to dull brownish. No growth on cellulose.
Aerial mycelium absent or trace of white. Nitrites actively produced from nitrates.
Milk: Completely digested in 3 to 4 weeks Antagonistic properties: Weakly antago-
nistic.
at 30° C. without any previous coagulation.
The reaction becomes faintly acid (pH 6.0 Source: Isolated from soil.
or less). Habitat: Soil.
Sucrose is inverted.
Starch is hydrolj^zed. 101. Streptomyces candidus (Krassil-
Cellulose is decomposed readily by some nikov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. (Actinomyces
strains. candidus Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actino-
Nitrates not reduced with sucrose as mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Mos-
source of energy. kau, 1941, 49; Waksman, in Waksman and
Antagonistic properties: Positive. Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
■98
ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 94; not Litmus milk: Pinkish ring. No coagula-
Streptothrix Candida Petruschky, Verhandl. tion. Peptonized, becoming alkaline.
d. Kongr. f. innere Med., 1898.) Potato: Moist, cream-colored, wrinkled
can'di.dus. L. adj. candidus very white.
growth.
The pigment formed is not soluble.
Vegetative growth; Organism grows well
on various media. Starch is hydrolyzed.
Aerial mycelium: Sporophores long, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
straight or wavy, but never forming spirals. Aerobic.
Spores cylindrical, elongated, 0.7 by 1.5 to Optimum temperature, 37° C.
2.0 microns; on maturing, some become Antagonistic properties: Positive.
more rounded. Source: Isolated once from orchard soil.
Gelatin: Slow liquefaction. Habitat: Soil.
Agar: Lichenoid or smooth growth. Aerial
mycelium whitish. 103. Streptomyces flocculus (Duche,
Synthetic agar: Well developed, colorless 1934) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. {Acti-
colonies. No soluble pigment. Aerial mycel- nomyces flocculus Duche, Encyclopedie My-
ium cottony white. cologique, Paris, 6, 1934, 300; Waksman
Milk: Weakly coagulated and pep- and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 955.)
tonized. floc'cu.lus. L. noun ^occMS a flock of wool;
Sucrose is inverted. M.L. dim. adj. flocculus somewhat like a
Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed. flock of wool.
Good growth on cellulose. Vegetative growth: Velvety surface with
Nitrites produced from nitrates. cottony or floccose edge.
Antagonistic properties: Weak. Gelatin: Very limited growth. Slow lique-
Source: Isolated from soil. faction.
Habitat: Soil. Agar: Cream-colored growth, later
covered with white aerial mycelium; no
102. Streptomyces alboflavus (Waks- soluble pigment.
man and Curtis, 1916) Waksman and Hen- Glucose asparagine agar: Weak growth;
rici, 1948. {Actinomyces alboflavus Waksman limited cream-colored colonies hardly
and Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, 120; Waks- raised above the surface of the medium;
man and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, occasionally abundant growth is produced
954.) with white aerial mycelium and colorless on
al.bo.fla'vus. L. adj. albus white; L. reverse side.
adj. flavus yellow; M.L. adj. alboflavus Synthetic agar: Cream-colored growth,
whitish yellow. later covered with white aerial mycelium;
Aerial mycelium: Straight, branching no soluble pigment.
mycelium, with very little tendency to form Glucose asparagine solution: Branching,
spirals. Very few ellipsoidal conidia formed. immersed filaments, 0.8 micron in diam-
Gelatin stab: Abundant, colorless surface eter aerial
; mycelium 1 .0 by 1 .2 microns with
growth. Liquefaction occurs in 35 days. numerous conidia; flakes settle to the bot-
Agar: Restricted, cream-colored growth. tom of the tube.
Synthetic agar: Growth glossy, colorless, Peptone solution: Pointed colonies;
spreading, becoming yellowish. Aerial cream-colored on surface of medium.
mycelium white, powdery, with yellow- Tyrosine medium: Whitish growth with-
tinge.
Starch agar: Thin, yellowish, spreading out any pigment.
growth. Milk: Rose-colored growth; slow pep-
tonization.
Glucose agar: Growth restricted, much-
Potato : Punctiform growth covered with
folded, creamy with sulfur-yellow surface.
Glucose broth: White, cylindrical colonies white aerial mycelium; faint yellowish
on surface, later flaky mass in bottom of
tube. pigment.
Coagulated serum: Cream-colored
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 799
growth; fine white aerial mycelium; slow tral gray aerial mycelium. No soluble pig-
liquefaction of serum. ment.
Source: Culture obtained from Mr. Glucose broth: Surface colonies coalesc-
Malengon, an inspector in Morocco. ing, white, powdery. Liquid clear, not
Habitat: Unknown. pigmented. Small amount of flaky sediment
Optimum temperature, 25° C. nudum), Chem. Ber., 84, 1951, 700; Linden-
Antagonistic properties: Highly antago- bein. Arch. f. Mikrobiol., 17, 1952, 371.)
nistic. Produces an antibacterial agent, pur.pur.as'cens. L. part. adj. purpuras-
neomycin, and an antifungal agent, fradicin. cens making purple.
Source: Isolated once from adobe soil Vegetative growth: Usually heavy, red
in California. to carmine-red to almost purple.
Habitat: Soil. Aerial mj'celium: Cottony, white. Spirals
observed in 6 days, but they may be lacking
106. Streptomyces albosporeus (Krain- altogether.
sky, 1914) Waksman and Henrici, Gelatin: Heavy, light brown surface
1948. {Actinomyces albosporeus Krainsky, growth. Aerial mycelium cottony, white.
Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 41, 1914, 649; also Soluble red-brown pigment. Rapid lique-
see Waksman and Curtis, Soil Sci., 1, 1916, faction.
99; Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th Agar: Light brown growth with dark
ed., 1948, 954.) brown reverse. Aerial mycelium velvety,
al.bo.spo're.us. L. adj. alhus white; gray.
Or. noun spora a seed; M.L. noun spora a Synthetic agar: Tj'pical carmine-red
spore; M.L. adj. albosporeus white-spored. growth. Aerial mycelium cottony, chalk-
Aerial mycelium: Hyphae straight, white. Soluble brown-red pigment.
branching, with occasional spirals. Spores Glucose asparagine agar: Carmine-red
spherical or ellipsoidal, 0.8 to 1.2 by 1.0 to growth. Aerial mycelium cottony, white.
1.8 microns. Soluble orange pigment.
Gelatin stab: Yellow growth, changing Ca-malate agar: Carmine-red growth.
to red, wuth hyaline margin. Liquefaction Aerial mycelium chalk-white. Soluble brick-
in 35 days. red pigment.
Agar: Minute, cream-colored colonies. Starch agar: Lichenoid, light carmine-
Synthetic agar: Spreading growth, color- colored growth. Aerial mycelium white. No
less with pink center, becoming brownish. soluble pigment.
Aerial mycelium white, covering the whole Glucose agar: Lichenoid, red to red-brown
surface. No soluble pigment. growth. Aerial mycelium cottony, chalk-
Starch agar: Growth thin, spreading, white. Soluble light brown pigment.
transparent, with red tinge. Glucose broth: Heavy pellicle with
Glucose agar: Growth spreading, red, limited bottom growth, carmine-red, later
wrinkled, radiate, entire. copper-red. Aerial mycelium powdery,
Glucose broth: Pinkish surface ring. chalk-white. Soluble carmine-red pigment.
Litmus milk: Scant, pink ring. Not coagu- Milk: Lichenoid, red to dark brown
lated, not peptonized. growth. Aerial mycelium velvety to cottony,
Potato: Growth thin, spreading, wrin- white. No proteolysis.
kled, gray, becoming brown with greenish Potato: Very good, brownish to reddish
tinge. growth. Aerial mycelium velvet}^ white.
The pigment formed is not soluble. No soluble pigment.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Very good, white to red growth on cel-
lulose.
Aerobic.
Antagonistic properties: Produces rhodo-
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
Antagonistic properties: Positive. mycin.
Source: Isolated from soil. Comment: On continued growth on syn-
Habitat: Soil. thetic media, the culture may lose the prop-
erty to produce the typical pigment; it can
be regained, however, by growing on organic
media.
107. Streptomyces purpurascens Lin-
denbein, 1952. {Streptomyces purpurascens Source: Isolated from soil.
Brockmann, Bauer and Borchers (nomen Habitat: Soil.
FAMILY III. STKEPTOMYCETACEAE
801
108. Streptomyces longispororuber M.L. neut.dim.n. oidium a small egg, a type
(Krassilnikov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. (Ac- of fungus spore; Gr. noun spora a seed;
tinomyces longisporus ruber Krassilnikov, M.L. noun spora a spore; M.L. adj. oidio-
Guide to the Actinomj'^cetes, Izd. Akad. sporus oidium-spored.
Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskaii, 1941, 22; Waks- Vegetative growth: Red or rose to pale
man, in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actino- rose colonies. Pigment not soluble.
mycetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, Aerial mycelium: Poorly developed,
1953, 99.) covering medium with velvety rose-white
lon.gi.spo.ro.ru'ber. L. adj. longus long; color. Sporophores straight or wavy, never
Gr. noun spora a seed; M.L. noun spora a forming spirals; they are short or long,
spore; L. adj. ruber red; M.L. adj. lon- frequently forming broom-shaped struc-
(jispororuber long-spored, red. tures. Oidiospores produced by segmenta-
Vegetative growth: Dark red to purple- tion of sporophores. Spores 1.0 by 1.0 to 1.8
red to light rose colonies. Little pigment microns, frequently appearing as double
diffuses into media except those containing cocci.
fat. Certain strains secrete a soluble brown Gelatin: Weakly developed aerial myce-
substance in protein-containing media. lium, frequently lacking. Hyphae short,
Aerial mycelium: Weakly developed, covering colony like a rose-white velvet;
whitish to rose-white. Sporophores in some frequently occurs in spots or is absent.
strains well developed, velvety, long, Weak liquefaction.
straight, seldom forming open spirals. Milk: Not coagulated; peptonized.
Spores cylindrical to elongated, 0.7 by Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
1.0 to 1.5 microns, with sharply cut ends; a No growth on cellulose.
few are slightly swollen, becoming ellip- Nitrites produced from nitrates.
soidal or spherical, 1 micron in diameter. Antagonistic properties: None.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Relationships to other species: Resembles
Sj'nthetic agar: Light red to pale rose Streptomyces ruber and Streptomyces lon-
growth. Pigment not soluble.
gispororuber.
Milk: Weakly coagulated; peptonized. Source: Some strains were obtained as
Starch is hydrolyzed, sometimes slowly. variants of Nocardia rubra.
No growth on cellulose by some strains; Habitat: Presumably soil.
others grow weaklj'.
Nitrites produced from nitrates by some 110. Streptomyces melanocyclus (Mer-
strains. ker, 1911) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
Antagonistic properties: Strongly antago- {Micrococcus melanocyclus Merker, Cent. f.
nistic to a number of bacteria. Bakt., II Abt., 31, 1911, 589; Waksman and
Comment: This organism is very varia- Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 956.)
ble, especially regarding the production of me.la.no.cy'clus. Gr. adj. melas, melanis
aerial mj-celium. black; Gr. noun cyclus a circle; M.L. noun
Relationships to other species : Related to melanocyclus the black circle.
Streptomyces ruber, except for the cylindrical Vegetative growth: Much-folded.
spores. Aerial mycelium: Dark brown. Spores
Source: Isolated from soil. spherical, 0.9 micron in diameter. Produces
Habitat: Soil.
red pigment as well as soluble brown sub-
stance, as a result of which culture and
109. Streptomyces oidiosporus (Kras- substrate become red-brown to almost black
silnikov, 1941) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces with a shade of red.
oidiosporus Krassilnikov, Guide to the Gelatin colonies: Growth poor.
Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Gelatin stab: Rapid liquefaction.
Moskau, 1941, 23; Waksman, in Waksman Ca-malate agar: Colonies small, flat,
and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their orange-red. Aerial mycelium black, occur-
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 99.) ring along the edges.
o.i.di.o'spo.rus. Gr. neut.n. oum egg; Glucose agar: Same as on Ca-malate agar.
802 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
powdery and white. No coagulation and no also listed as a strain that lost the capacity
digestion. Sometimes slightly reddish solu- to produce aerial mycelia.
ble pigment. Source: Isolated from soil.
Potato: Coral-pink growth; aerial myce- Habitat: Soil.
lium powdery, white. Plug changes slightly
to brown. No soluble pigment. 114. Streptomyces thermophilus (Gil-
Carrot: Dark reddish orange growth; bert, 1904) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
aerial mycelium powdery, white. Plug (Actinomyces thermophilus Gilbert, Ztschr.
changes very slightly to dark color. f. Hyg., 47, 1904, 383; not Actinomyces
Egg: Colorless growth, changing to coral- thermophilus Berestnew, Inaug. Diss.,
pink. Aerial mycelium powdery, white. Moskow, 1897; Waksman and Henrici, in
Glycerol and glucose, but not other car- Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 956.)
bohydrates, are utilized. ther.mo'phi.lus. Gr. noun therme heat;
Tyrosinase not produced. Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. thermo-
Starch is not hydrolyzed. philus heat-loving.
Nitrates not reduced. Description taken from Waksman, Um-
Antagonistic properties: Produces an an- breit and Cordon (Soil Sci., 47, 1939, 49).
tiviral agent, abikoviromycin. Aerial mycelium: Hyphae straight, co-
Source: Isolated from soil. nidia formed.
Habitat: Soil. Gelatin: Liquefaction. No pigment.
Agar: No pigment formed.
113. Streptomyces viridis (Lombardo- Synthetic agar: At 28° C, deep colorless
Pellegrino, 1903, emend. Krassilnikov, 1941) growth, thin white aerial mycelium; no
Waksman, 1953. {Streptothrix viridis Lom- soluble pigment.
bardo-Pellegrino, Riforma Med., 19, 1903, Starch agar: Yellowish growth with
1065; also see Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Ref., white-gray, powdery aerial mycelium.
35, 1904, 761; Actinomyces viridis Sanfelice, Milk: Proteolysis.
Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 36, 1904, 355; Potato plug: Yellowish growth with no
Krassilnikov, Guide to the Actinomycetes, aerial mycelium, the plug usuallj' being
Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1941, colored brown.
34; Waksman, in Waksman and Lechevalier, Starch is hydrolyzed.
Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Aerobic.
Baltimore, 1953, 101.) Temperature relations: Optimum, 50° C.
vi'ri.dis. L. adj. viridis green. Good growth at 28° C. Usually no growth
Vegetative growth: Green to dark green at 60° C. Some strains are incapable of
on all media. No soluble pigment. growing at 28° whereas others seem to grow
Aerial mycelium: Well developed on all well even at 65° C.
media, cottony, whitish to grayish. Sporo- Antagonistic properties: Some strains
phores long or short, straight, forming no produce the antibiotic thermomycin.
spirals but frequently producing broom- Source: Unknown.
shaped clumps. Spores cylindrical, 0.7 to Habitat: Found in soil, hay and composts.
0.8 by 1.0 to 1.5 microns.
Gelatin: No liquefaction in 13 to 15 days. 115. Streptomyces thermiodiastaticus
Milk: Not coagulated; not peptonized. (Bergey et al., 1923) Waksman, 1953.
Starch is not hydrolyzed. (Var. a, Bergey, Jour. Bact., 4, 1919, 301;
No growth on cellulose. Actinomyces thermodiastaticus Bergey et al..
Nitrites weakly produced from nitrates. Manual, 1st ed., 1923, 370; Waksman, in
Antagonistic properties: None; certain Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes
strains give positive activity. and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 102.)
Comments: According to Krassilnikov ther.mo.di.a.sta'ti.cus. Gr. fem.n.
(op. cit., 1941, 34), Streptomyces lipmanii therme heat; Gr. adj. diastaticus diastatic;
and Streptomyces verne represent strains of M.L. adj. thermodiastaticus (probably in-
this species; Streptomyces viridis sterilis is tended to mean) thermophilic and diastatic.
804 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
growth. Aerial mycelium white to drab. throughout medium; aerial mycelium scant,
Soluble, cinnamon-buff to brown pigment. white.
Nutrient potato agar: Wrinkled, gray to Glucose broth: Flocculated growth,
grayish-olive growth. Trace of aerial myce- mostly at bottom. No aerial mycelium.
lium. Soluble, deep golden brown pigment. Soluble golden brown pigment.
Glycerol synthetic solution: Growth in Milk: Good growth. Not coagulated and
form of compact colonies at bottom and not hydrolyzed.
along sides of tube with some on surface, Potato: Mouse-gray growth. Aerial my-
colored salmon to brown. Scant drab aerial celium on dried portions of growth scant,
mycelium. Soluble, buff to golden pigment. white to mouse-gray. Black pigment around
Glucose broth: Sponge-like growth at
bottom of tube. Soluble deep, golden brown growth.
Starch is hydrolyzed.
pigment. Tyrosinase reaction: Strongly positive.
Potato: Wrinkled, gray to orange to Nitrites produced from nitrates.
brown growth. Aerial mj'celium gray to Source: Isolated from a small, partly
olive-buff. Plug gray to brown. ruptured potato scab.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Habitat: Found in potatoes so far as
Tyrosinase reaction: Positive. known.
Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
Fair growth at 37.5° C. 120. Streptomyces carnosus (Millard
Source : Isolated from limed soil and from and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Actino-
the common scab of a potato. myces carnosus Millard and Burr, Ann. Appl.
Habitat: Soil and potatoes so far as Biol., 13, 1926, 601; Waksman, in Waksman
known. and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 105.)
119. Streptomyces fimbriatus (Millard car.no'sus. L. adj. carnosus pertaining to
and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Actino- flesh.
myces fimbriatus Millard and Burr, Ann. Vegetative growth: Good, wrinkled
Appl. Biol., 13, 1926, 601; Waksman, in growth on synthetic and organic media.
Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes Aerial mycelium: White to gray. Spores
and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 104.) cylindrical, 0.75 by 1.0 micron.
fim.bri.a'tus. L. adj. fimbriatus fibrous, Gelatin: Growth covered with aerial
fringed. mycelium, white in center, gray in margin.
Vegetative growth: Chocolate-colored. Rapid liquefaction.
Aerial mycelium: Mouse-gray. Sporo- Synthetic sucrose agar: Pale smoke-gray
phores form spirals with 3 or more turns. growth, covered with abundant, gray aerial
Spores cylindrical to ellipsoidal, 0.9 by 0.9 mycelium. Colorless guttation drops appear
to 1.2 microns. over the whole surface.
Gelatin: Good growth with white aerial Synthetic glucose agar: Pale olive-gray
mycelium. Soluble reddish pigment. Slow- growth, covered with abundant, white to
liquefaction. gray aerial mycelium. Soluble, ivory-yellow
Synthetic sucrose agar: Gray growth. to cartridge -buff pigment.
Aerial mycelium abundant, white to gray, Nutrient potato agar: Heavy, lichenoid,
with a few specks of white. Soluble, cream- gray-colored growth. Aerial mycelium
colored pigment. scant, white to gray; property lost on culti-
Synthetic glucose agar: Very good growth. vation. Light golden to brown pigment.
Aerial mycelium white to mouse-gray. Glycerol synthetic solution: Whitish to
Nutrient potato agar: Gray to blackish, gray, discrete colonies, clinging to side or
flat colonies with raised center; a few specks bottom of tube. Aerial mycelium scant,
of white aerial mycelium. Soluble, golden pale gray.
l)rown pigment. Glucose broth: Whitish, sponge-like
Glycerol synthetic solution: Numerous masses, sinking to bottom of tube.
colonies covering surface of medium and Milk: Good surface growth. No aerial
806 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
with abundant, white to green to olive-buff Potato: Good, wrinkled growth covered
aerial mj'celium. Soluble, brownish to black with abundant, white to yellowish to olive -
pigment. buff aerial mycelium. Soluble, gray to
Nitrites produced from nitrates. brown pigment.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Starch is hydrolyzed.
Grows well at 37.5° C. Tyrosinase reaction: Negative.
Comment: According to Krassilnikov, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Streptomyces flavus, Streptomyces margina- Grows well at 37.5° C.
tus, Streptomyces praefecundus , Streptomyces Source: Isolated from a large, ruptured
tenuis and Streptomyces loidensis represent potato scab.
merely strains of this species. Habitat: Found in potatoes and soil so
Source: Isolated from a small, unruptured far as known.
potato scab.
Habitat: Found in potatoes so far as 126. Streptomyces viridogenes Waks-
known. man, 1953. (Actinomyces viridis Millard and
Burr, Ann. Appl. Biol., IS, 1926, 601; not
125. Streptomyces praefecundus (Mil- Actinomyces viridis Sanfelice, Cent. f. Bakt.,
lard and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Ac- I Abt., Grig., 36, 1904, 355; Waksman, in
tinomyces praefecundus Millard and Burr, Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes
Ann. Appl. Biol., 13, 1926, 601; Waksman, and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 109.)
in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomy- vi.ri.do'ge.nes. L. adj. viridis green;
cetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, Gr. v.suffix -genes producing; M.L. adj. viri-
1953, 108.) dogenes green-producing.
prae.fe.cun'dus. L. adj. praefecundus very Aerial mycelium: Long, straight fila-
fruitful. ments. Spores spherical, 0.9 micron.
Aerial mycelium: Spores ellipsoidal, 0.8 Gelatin: Grayish growth with scant, white
by 0.85 micron. to gray, aerial mycelium. Soluble light
Gelatin: Good surface growth covered golden brown pigment. Rapid liquefaction.
with aerial mycelium. Light pink to dark Agar: Lichenoid, cream-colored growth.
golden brown soluble pigment. Rapid lique- No aerial mycelium. No soluble pigment.
faction. Sj^nthetic sucrose agar: Abundant growth
Synthetic sucrose agar: Good, cream- covered with olive-grayish aerial mycelium.
colored growth covered with abundant, Soluble greenish yellow to blackish green
cottony, olive-buff aerial mycelium. Soluble
cream-colored pigment. pigment
Synthetic . glucose agar: Smooth, raised,
Synthetic glucose agar: Pale olive-gray olive-buff growth. Abundant aerial myce-
growth covered with abundant, smooth, lium, light gray to deep mouse-gray. Solu-
olive-buff aerial mycelium. Soluble, light ble yellowish to greenish yellow pigment.
golden to buff pigment. Glucose agar: Gray to black growth.
Potato agar: Lichenoid, gray growth. Aerial mj'celium gray. Soluble dark brown
Aerial mycelium smooth, white to yellowish.
Soluble golden brown pigment. pigment.
Starch agar: Gray to brown growth.
Glycerol synthetic solution: Heavy sur- Aerial mycelium thin, white.
face growth covered with white to olive-buff Broth: Thin surface growth and flaky,
aerial mycelium. Soluble pigment none or cream-colored growth in bottom. No solu-
very slightly green. ble pigment.
Glucose broth: Masses throughout me- Glycerol synthetic solution: Flaky, white
dium flaky, whitish. Aerial mycelium abun- to vinaceous growth in medium and on
dant, pale olive-buff. Soluble, light golden surface. Aerial mycelium gray.
brown pigment. Glucose broth: Growth on surface and at
Milk: Good surface growth covered with base good, flakj'. Aerial mycelium gray to
scant, white aerial mycelium. Coagulation mouse-gray. Soluble vinaceous to cinnamon-
followed by peptonization. colored pigment.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 809
sca'bi.es. L. noun scabies scab. Source: Isolated from potato scab le-
Vegetative growth: Folded, compact sions.
yellowish to yellow-brown; soluble, brown Habitat: Cause of potato scab; found in
pigment. soil.
Aerial mycelium: White, cottony or vel-
vety; wavy or slightly curved hyphae show 130. Streptoinyces tenuis (Millard and
a few spirals. Spores cylindrical, 0.8 to 1.0 Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces
by 1.2 to 1.5 microns. tenuis Millard and Burr, Ann. Appl. Biol.,
Gelatin stab: Cream-colored surface 18, 1926, 601; Waksman, in Waksman and
growth, becoming brown. Slow liquefac- Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
tion. Yellowish soluble pigment. Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, HI.)
Agar: Circular, entire colonies, smooth, te'nu.is. L. adj. tenuis slender.
becoming raised, lichenoid, wrinkled, white Aerial mycelium: Irregularly branched.
to straw-colored, opalescent to opaque. Spores cylindrical, 0.82 by 0.87 micron.
No aerial mycelium. Deep golden brown Gelatin: Pale gray growth covered with
soluble pigment. scant, white aerial mycelium. Soluble yel-
Synthetic agar : Abundant, cream-colored, low pigment. Rapid liquefaction.
wrinkled, raised growth. Aerial mycelium Synthetic sucrose agar: Growth pene-
white, scarce. trates deep into substratum. Thin, fiat,
Starch agar: Thin, transparent, spreading yellowish drab surface growth. Aerial my-
growth. celium deep olive-buff. Soluble, pale orange-
Glucose agar: Restricted, folded, cream- yellow pigment.
colored, entire growth. Synthetic glucose agar: Thin, flat growth
Glucose broth: Ring in form of small covered by olive-buff aerial mycelium. Sol-
colonies, settling to the bottom. uble green pigment.
Litmus milk: Brown ring with greenish Potato agar: Wrinkled, grayish grow^th.
tinge; coagulated; peptonized with alka- Aerial mycelium white to vinaceous-fawn-
line reaction. colored. Soluble, golden brown pigment.
Potato: Gray, opalescent growth, be- Glycerol synthetic solution: White, flak}-
coming black, wrinkled. Brown plug. growth mostly at bottom. Aerial mycelium
Brown soluble pigment formed. scant, olive-buff.
Starch is hydrolyzed. Glucose broth: Whitish surface and bot-
Strong tyrosinase reaction. tom growth. Aerial mycelium abundant,
Nitrites produced from nitrates. w^rinkled, olive-buff. Soluble, golden brown
Aerobic.
Optimum temperature, 37° C. Milk: Good growth covered with white
pigment.
Antagonistic properties: Certain strains aerial mycelium. Coagulated, followed by
give positive effects, others negative. incomplete peptonization.
Comments: The potato scab organism, Potato: Good growth covered with deep
like other acid-fast organisms, can be se- olive-buff aerial mycelium. Soluble, gray to
lectively impregnated with carbol-auramin olive to black pigment.
and when exposed to ultraviolet radiation Starch is hydrolyzed.
fluoresces bright yellow. This technic con- Tyrosinase reaction: Negative.
firms Lutman's conclusion that the hyphae Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
are intercellular and grow within the mid- Source: Isolated from medium-sized,
dle lamellae (Richards, Stain Tech., 18, ruptured potato scab.
1943, 91-94). Habitat: Found in potatoes so far as
Relationships to other species: Sfrepto- known.
myces clavifer, Streptoinyces spiralis, Sirepto-
myces carnosus, Streptoinyces sampsonii and 131. Streptoniyces niarginatus (Mil-
many other species or strains are closely lard and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Ac-
related to this organism. tinomyces marginatus Millard and Burr,
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
811
Ann. Appl. Biol., 13, 1926, 601; Waksman, L. gen. noun salmonis of a salmon; L. fem.n.
in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomj'- color color; M.L. adj. salnionicolor salmon-
cetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, colored.
1953, 112.) Vegetative growth: Hyphae minute.
mar.gi.na'tus. L. part. adj. marginntus Aerial mycelium: Poorly developed or
margined. absent entirely. Sporophores straight or
Aerial mycelium: Abundant, gray to form open spirals. Spores spherical or ellip-
yellow to olive-buff. Sporophores simple. soidal, 0.4 to 0.8 by 0.5 to 0.8 micron.
Spores spherical, 0.8 by 0.87 micron. Gelatin: Poor growth. Slow liquefaction.
Gelatin: Thin, pale olive-gray growth Synthetic sucrose agar: Minute, gray to
covered with abundant, pale gray to olive- pinkish colonies. No aerial mycelium. No
buff aerial mycelium. Soluble buff pigment. soluble pigment.
Synthetic sucrose agar: Thin, echinate Synthetic glucose agar: Gray to purplish
growth covered with abundant, olive-buff growth. No aerial mycelium. Faint, golden
aerial mycelium. Cream-colored pigment. soluble pigment.
Synthetic glucose agar: Thin, yellowish Potato agar: Wrinkled, pinkish growth.
growth covered with white to buff aerial Glycerol synthetic solution: Poor, flaky
mycelium. Soluble buff pigment. growth at bottom of tube.
Potato agar: Heavy, gray growth covered Glucose broth: Growth in form of sponge-
with white to whitish yellow aerial myce- like mass.
lium. Soluble, light, golden brown to deep Milk: Fair surface growth. Coagulated;
golden brown pigment. slowly peptonized.
Glycerol synthetic solution: Flaky growth Potato: Restricted, wrinkled, raised,
at base and on surface. Aerial mycelium ocher-red to brown growth. Plug pigmented
drab-gray.
scant, olive-buff.
Glucose broth: White, spongy mass at Starch is hydrolyzed.
surface and on bottom, covered with white Tyrosinase reaction: Negative.
to yellow aerial mycelium. Soluble, light Nitrites produced from nitrates.
golden brown pigment. Grows well at 37.5° C.
Milk: Good, flocculated growth. Aerial Source: Isolated from sour soil.
mycelium white. Coagulation followed by Habitat: Soil.
peptonization.
Potato: Good, raised growth covered 133. Streptomyces maculatus (Millard
with abundant, buff to olive-buff aerial and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Actino-
mycelium. Plug at first gray, later becom- myces maculatus Millard and Burr, Ann.
ing black. Appl. Biol., IS, 1926, 601; Waksman, in
Starch is hydrolyzed. Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes
Tyrosina.se reaction: Negative. and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 113.)
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
ma.cu.la'tus. L. part. adj. maculatus
Grows well at 37.5° C.
Source : Isolated from a small, unruptured spotted.
Vegetative growth: Dark green. Hyphae
potato scab.
Habitat : Potato so far as known. extremely fine.
Aerial mycelium: Poorly developed; only
on certain media as a fine gray cover.
132. Streptomyces salnionicolor (Mil-
lard and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Ac- Sporophores short, straight. Spores spheri-
tinomyces salnionicolor Millard and Burr, cal, 0.5 to 0.6 micron. Chlamydospores
Ann. Appl. Biol., 13, 1926, 601; Waksman, produced.
in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomy- Gelatin: Poor growth. Slow liquefaction.
cetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, Synthetic sucrose agar: Round, flat,
1953, 113.) pale gray to pinkish colonies, later showing
sal.mo.ni'co.lor. L. mas.n. salmo salmon; dark green centers. No aerial mycelium.
812 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
and Burr, 1926) Waksman, 1953. (Actino- inst. fiir Kartoffelbau, 1920, 16; Waksman,
myces sampsonii Millard and Burr, Ann. in Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomy-
Appl. Biol., IS, 1926, 601; Waksman, in cetes and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore,
Waksman and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes 1953, 116.)
and Their Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 115.) in.ter.me'di.us. L. adj. intermedius in-
termediate.
samp.so'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun sampsonii
of Sampson; named for a person, Sampson. Vegetative growth: Green-colored colo-
Original description supplemented by nies. Soluble green pigment. On continued
observations made bj^ Waksman and Gor- cultivation, green color tends to become
don. cream-colored to brownish.
Aerial mycelium: Long branching aerial Aerial mycelium: Light gray to gray.
hyphae. Spores cylindrical, 0.5 by 0.8 to Sporophores straight, frequently arranged
1.0 micron. Spores ellipsoidal to spherical in clumps. Spores elongated, 0.7 by 0.9 to
(Waksman and Gordon). 1.0 micron.
Gelatin: Scant, gray surface growth. A Gelatin: Thin, colorless to faintly brown
trace of whitish aerial mycelium. Rapid growth, dropping to bottom. No soluble
liquefaction. pigment. Slow liquefaction.
Synthetic sucrose agar: Good, wrinkled, Agar: Much-folded, cream-colored
pale gray to white growth. Aerial mycelium growth. Aerial mycelium in upper portion
very scant, white. Soluble, green to buff of slant white. Soluble, faintly golden pig-
pigment. ment.
Synthetic glucose agar: Good, wrinkled, Synthetic agar: Slightly folded, cream-
white to gray growth. Aerial mycelium colored to brown growth. Aerial mycelium
scant, white. Soluble, yellow to brownish thin, white.
pigment. Starch agar: Same as on synthetic agar.
Glycerol synthetic solution: No growth. Glucose agar: Good, brownish growth.
Glucose broth: Good surface and bottom Aerial mycelium heavy, cream-colored.
growth as well as many colonies clinging to No soluble pigment.
side of tube. Aerial mycelium white. Broth: Thin, colorless film dropping to
Milk: Good, whitish surface growth. No bottom. No aerial mycelium. No soluble
aerial mycelium. Not coagulated; not pep-
tonized. Rapid peptonization (Waksman pigment.
Milk: Heavy, cream-colored surface
and Gordon). growth. No aerial mycelium. Not coagu-
Potato: Wrinkled, grayish growth. Aerial lated; slowly peptonized.
mj^celium white. Soluble, golden brown Potato: Folded, brown growth. Trace of
pigment. None observed (Waksman and white aerial mycelium in upper, drier por-
Gordon). tions of growth. No soluble pigment.
Starch is not hydrolyzed. Starch is rap- Sucrose slowly inverted.
idly hjdrolyzed (Waksman and Gordon). Starch is actively hydrolyzed.
Tyrosinase reaction: Negative. Nitrites weakly produced from nitrates.
Nitrites produced from nitrates. Antagonistic properties: Positive.
Optimum temperature, 28° C. Source: Isolated from the soil of potato
Source: Isolated from a medium-sized, fields near Berlin.
ruptured potato scab. Habitat: Soil.
Habitat: Unknown.
138. Streptomyces iponioeae (Person
137. Slreploniyces inlerinediiis (Krii- and Martin, 1940) Waksman and Henrici,
ger, 1890, emend. Wollenweber, 1920) Waks- 1948. {Actinomyces ipomoea (sic) Person
man, 1953. (Oospora intermedia Kriiger, and Martin, Phytopath., SO, 1940, 313;
Berichte der Versuchsstat. f. Zuckerrohrs, Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed.,
Kergok-Legal, 1890; Actinomyces inter - 1948, 958.)
medius Wollenweber, Arb. d. Forschungs- i.po.moe'ae. ML. noun. Ipomoea generic
814 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
name of the sweet potato; M.L. gen. noun Starch agar: Restricted, cream-colored
ipomoeae of Ipoinoea.
Conidia on glucose-casein agar: Ellipsoi- growth.
Glucose agar: Growth abundant, light
dal to elliptical, 0.9 to 1.3 by 1.3 to 1.8 mi- brown, glossy, raised center, entire.
crons. Glucose broth: Thin, brownish ring.
Gelatin: After 25 days at 20° C, scant Litmus milk: Brownish ring; coagulated;
growth, no aerial mycelium; no soluble peptonized, with strongly alkaline reaction.
pigment; liquefaction. Potato: Thin, reddish brown; medium
Agar: Moderate growth in the form of becomes purplish.
small, shiny, crinkled colonies both on the Faint trace of soluble brown pigment.
surface and imbedded in the medium, sil- Starch not hydrolyzed.
ver-colored. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Synthetic agar: Abundant growth, mostly Aerobic.
on surface of medium, moderately wrinkled,
Optimum temperature, 37° C.
olive-yellow. Antagonistic properties: Positive.
Starch agar: Growth moderate, smooth, Source: Isolated from a sweet potato
deep in medium, ivory-colored. Aerial
mycelium white with patches of bluish "pox."
Habitat: Unknown.
green. No soluble pigment. Complete hy-
drolysis after 12 days. 140. Streptoniyces tumuli (Millard and
Milk: Growth in form of ring; hydroly- Beeley, 1927) Waksman, 1953. {Actinomyces
sis, without visible coagulation. tumuli Millard and Beeley, Ann. Appl.
Potato: Growth moderate, light brown, Biol., 14, 1927, 296; Waksman, in Waksman
shiny, wrinkled. No aerial mycelium. No and Lechevalier, Actinomycetes and Their
soluble pigment. Antibiotics, Baltimore, 1953, 117.)
Starch is hydrolyzed. tu'mu.li. L. mas.n. tumulus a mound; L.
No growth on cellulose. gen. noun tumuli of a mound.
Nitrites are produced from nitrates. Gelatin: Beaded growth. No aerial my-
Antagonistic properties: Positive. celium. No soluble pigment. Rapid lique-
Source: Isolated from diseased sweet- faction.
potato (Ipomoea sp.) tubers and small Agar: Good, lustrous, slimy, gray growth.
rootlets from several localities in Louisiana. No aerial mycelium. No soluble pigment.
Habitat: Found in sweet potatoes so far Synthetic agar: Gray growth penetrating
as known. into the medium, later becoming darkly
opaque. Aerial mycelium arises on center
139. Streptoniyces poolensis (Tauben- of growth, at first white, later becoming
haus, 1918) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. pale gray. Surface of growth covered with
{Actinomyces poolensis Taubenhaus, Jour. colorless drops leaving small, black craters.
Agr. Res., 13, 1918, 446; Waksman and Hen- No soluble pigment.
rici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 949.) Glucose agar: Wrinkled, pale gray growth.
poo.len'sis. M.L. adj. poolensis pertaining White aerial mycelium arising in concentric
to Poole; named for Prof. R. F. Poole, a rings around a dark bare center. Soluble,
plant pathologist. olive-colored pigment.
Description taken from Waksman (Soil Broth: Large, spherical, white colonies.
Sci., 8, 1919, 140). No soluble pigment.
Aerial mycelium: Fine, branching; spirals
Milk: Good growth. No aerial mycelium.
usually not seen. Conidia ellipsoidal.
Gelatin stab: Liquefaction, with small, Coagulated; slightly peptonized.
brownish flakes in fluid. Potato: Heavy, slimy, black growth. No
Agar: Yellowish, translucent growth. aerial mycelium. Plug becoming grayish
Synthetic agar: Thin, colorless, spread- brown.
ing growth. Aerial mycelium white to gray. Starch is hydrolyzed.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 815
Glucose-peptone medium: Numerous col- disappears and large radial grooves appear
onies covering surface. Soluble brownish in most colonies in 3 weeks.
pigment weakly produced. Glucose agar: Smooth, round, cream-
Milk: Slow growth. Aerial mycelium colored colonies, margin depressed, centers
white. No soluble pigment. At 25° C, not elevated, hollow on reverse side; later a
coagulated; at 37° C, coagulated after 20 coherent membranous growth, piled up,
days. Not peptonized. No change in reac- yellowish.
tion. Glycerol agar: Small, round, cream-
Nitrites produced from nitrates. colored, glistening colonies, heavy texture,
Proteolysis: No action on coagulated margins submerged; later, colonies umbili-
serum. cated, tending to be piled up; after 6 weeks,
Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for guinea growth very much convoluted and raised,
pigs and rabbits. Not pathogenic for dogs broad submerged margin, slightly reddish
after laboratory growth. medium.
Source : Isolated from cases of dog septi- Coon's agar: Small, radiating, white
cemia (thoracic, abdominal and brain le- colonies, growth mostly submerged.
sions). Ca-agar: Small, colorless membranous
Habitat: Found in dogs, guinea pigs and growth with undulating margin; later, cen-
rabbits so far as known. trally depressed into medium.
Potato agar: Poor growth, small, color-
143. Streptomyces upcottii (Erikson, less blister colonies, medium slightly dis-
1935) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (A new colored.
pathogenic form of Streptothrix, Gibson, Dorset's egg medium: Round, flat, color-
Jour. Path, and Bact., 23, 1920, 357; Actino- less, scale-like colonies, some marked by
myces upcottii Erikson, Med. Res. Council concentric rings and slightly hollowed in
Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 36; Waksman center; growth becomes yellow-brown.
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 961.) Serum agar: Large colonies (3 to 4 mm
up.cot'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun upcottii of in diameter), colorless, granular, centrally
Upcott; named for Dr. Harold Upcott, the elevated, depressed at margin, resembling
surgeon who first secured this organism. limpets.
Description taken from Erikson (op. cit., Blood agar: Large drab heavily textured
1935, 22). colonies; no aerial mycelium; no hemolysis.
Vegetative growth: Filaments charac- Broth: Large coherent mass composed of
teristically long, straight, much interwoven fluffy colonies.
and ramified; typical unicellular mycelium, Synthetic sucrose solution: Fair growth,
usually forming medium to large heavy minute white colonies.
cartilaginous colonies. Carrot plug: Colorless, spreading, moist,
Aerial mycelium: A very slight transient wrinkled growth in six weeks; later a dull
aerial mycelium appeared on one agar slope, greenish brown, moist, very much wrinkled
but this has not been repeated on any slide and depressed skin.
microculture on any medium. Slightly acid- Source : Isolated from the spleen in a case
fast. of acholuric jaundice.
Gelatin: Abundant flocculent growth Habitat: Unknown.
along streak, round cream-colored colonies
on surface. Partly liquefied in 14 days;
complete liquefaction in 2 months. 144. Streptomyces hortonensis (Erik-
son, 1935) Waksman and Henrici, 1948.
Agar: Smooth, shining, round, cream-
colored colonies, margin submerged, scant {Actinomyces horton (sic) Erikson, Med. Res.
white aerial mycelium in one week; colonies Council Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 36;
large (up to 10 mm in diameter), centers Waksman and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed.,
elevated, greenish tinge, very sparse aerial 1948, 962.)
mycelium in two weeks ; the aerial mycelium hor.to.nen'sis. M.L. adj. hortonensis per-
817
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
taining to Horton; named for the Horton 145. Streptomyces beddardii (Erikson,
War Hospital, Epsom, England. 1935) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Aciino-
Vegetative growth: Typical germination myces beddardii Erikson, Med. Res. Council
into very slow -growing unicellular myce- Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 36; Waksman
lium composed of long, slender, straight, and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 963.)
branching filaments. bed.dar'di.i. M.L. gen. noun beddardii
Aerial mycelium: Very sparse, straight of Beddard; presumably named for the
aerial mycelium produced only once on po- surgeon who first secured this organism.
tato. Non-acid-fast. Vegetative growth: Rapidly growing,
Gelatin : Round cream-colored colonies on dense, spreading mycelium composed of
surface and a few mm below. No liquefac- very long, slender filaments, many wavy or
tion. closely coiled, particularly on glucose agar;
Agar: Very slow growth, a few smooth spirals less marked or lacking on poorer
cream-colored coiled colonies in 19 days; nutritive media like synthetic glycerol agar
after 2 months, liberal, irregular, convo- or water agar.
luted growth. Aerial mycelium: Sparse, short, straight
Glucose agar: Coiled and heaped up on synthetic glycerol agar, much slower
cream-colored translucent masses; after 2 and more plentiful on glucose agar; later
months, growth rounded, elevated, ridged shows long, very fine spirals breaking up
outwards from hollow center. into small ellipsoidal conidia; aerial hyphae
Glycerol agar: Coiled, colorless, lustrous straighter and more branched with shorter
patches, isolated colony with central de- conidiophores on starch agar. Non-acid-
pression. fast.
Serum agar: Poor growth, small amor- Gelatin: Dull white flakes sinking to
phous cream-colored mass. bottom as medium liquefies; liquefaction
Inspissated serum: Intricately coiled complete in 8 days.
cream-colored growth. No liquefaction. Agar: Colorless, coherent, wrinkled,
Broth: Flakes. membranous growth with submerged mar-
Synthetic sucrose solution: Poor growth, gin; after 3 months, medium discolored,
a few flakes. scant white aerial mycelium at top.
Synthetic glycerol solution: Delicate Glucose agar: Wrinkled membranous
white flocculi at base. growth; after 2 months, scant white aerial
Litmus milk: Green surface growth,
mycelium.
liquid hydrolyzed, partly clear purple; Glycerol agar: Small, cream-colored, dis-
later decolorized, brown. crete colonies becoming confluent, under
Potato agar: Colorless blister colonies in surface much buckled.
one week; dull green heaped and coiled Potato agar: Moist, cream-colored skin,
mass after 3 weeks; medium becomes convoluted, closely adherent.
.slightly discolored. Ca-agar: Extensive, moist, cream-colored,
Potato plug: After 3 weeks, abundant, wrinkled, membranous growth.
colorless, umbilicated, round colonies, Coon's agar: Scant, cream-colored, mem-
some coiled in raised masses; later, liberal branous growth.
olive-green growth, piled up, dense, velvety Starch agar: Spreading, colorless growth,
gray green aerial mycelium at top of slant, considerable white aerial mycelium.
small round fluffy white colonies in liquid Blood agar: Hemolysis. Growth in uni-
at base. formly striated colorless bands, occasional
Source: Isolated from pus containing round colonies at margin.
typical actinomycotic granules from pa- Donset's egg medium: Extensive, very
rotid abscess. wrinkled, membranous growth, surface
Habitat: Found in human infections so bright yellow. After 2 months, considerable
far as known. liquefaction.
818 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
Serum agar: Wrinkled, glistening, cream- nies becoming confluent, white aerial my-
colored, membranous growth. celium.
Inspissated serum: Colorless smeary Potato agar: Extensive growth covered
growth, reverse becoming transparent, by white powdery aerial mycelium; large
starting to liquefy at base; completely colorless exuded droplets.
liquefied and brown in 12 days. Wort agar: Heavy brownish lichenoid
Broth: Suspended and sedimented color- colony; after 30 days, a white aerial my-
less flocculi, some small round colonies. celium.
Synthetic sucrose solution: Abundant Ca-agar: Dull cream-colored scaly
white colonies in coherent mass near bot- growth, covered by chalky white aerial
tom of tube; large shell -shaped masses. mycelium.
Synthetic glycerol solution: At first, a Coon's agar: Extensive growth, white
few round white colonies in suspension; aerial mycelium in annular arrangement.
later, large branched feathery mass at Synthetic agar: Small colonies covered
bottom. with white aerial mycelium.
Milk: Coagulated; later peptonized. Blood agar: Many large colonies, cream-
Litmus milk: Medium deep blue, be- colored, tough, smooth, glistening, with
coming hydrolyzed to clear purple. margin depressed; no hemolysis.
Potato plug: Colorless moist membranous Serum agar: Moist, cream-colored honey-
growth with scant white aerial mycelium at combed skin, scant white aerial mycelium.
top of plug. Dorset's egg medium: Closely adherent
Starch is hydrolyzed. scale-like colonies, centrally elevated, with
Tyrosine agar: Reaction negative. white aerial mycelium.
Source: Isolated from human spleen in a Inspissated serum: Rapid spreading
case of splenic anemia. growth, discrete round colonies at margin,
Habitat: Unknown. completely covered with white aerial my-
celium, colorless transpired drops; slight
146. Streptomyces kimberi (Erikson, softening at base.
1935) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino- Broth: Small round colonies in sediment
myces kimberi Erikson, Med. Res. Council in 2 days; supernatant colonies with white
Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 36; Waksman aerial mycelium and large hollow flakes in
and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 964.) sediment in 15 days; occasional reddish
kim'be.ri. M.L. gen. noun kimberi of brown coloration.
Kimber; presumably named for the surgeon Synthetic sucrose solution: Round white
who first secured this organism. colonies at bottom; later small stellate
Vegetative growth: Mycelium of long, colonies in suspension and a few superna-
straight, profusely branching filaments tant with white aerial mycelium.
forming circumscribed colonies on all media. Synthetic glycerol solution : Round white
Aerial mycelium: Abundant production
colonies at bottom; later coherent mulberry-
of short, straight and branched aerial my- like mass composed of fluffy round portions ;
celium; small round conidia. Non-acid-fast. after 15 days, irregular wispy flocculi and
Gelatin: Liquefaction. Smooth shining
large coherent mass.
colonies becoming powdery white with
Milk: Coagulation; no peptonization;
aerial mycelium, floating on liquefied me- initial pinkish brown ring descends until
dium. No pigmentation. medium is dark brown throughout (2
Agar: Smooth round moist cream-colored months).
colonies, 1 mm in diameter; after 17 days, Litmus milk: Blue coloration, hydrolyzed
white powdery aerial mycelium. to clear purple in 2 months.
Glucose agar: Discrete cream-colored Starch not hydrolyzed.
colonies becoming confluent, white aerial Tyrosine agar: Reaction negative.
mycelium. Source: Isolated from a blood culture of
Glycerol agar: Moist cream-colored colo- a woman with acholuric jaundice.
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE 819
ynyces panja (sic) Erikson, Med. Res. Coun- changed; after 2 months, mostly digested,
cil Spec. Kept. Ser. 203, 1935, 36; Waksman residue coagulum light purple.
and Henrici, in Manual, 6tli ed., 1948, 966.) Source: Isolated from an ulcer of the
pan'jae. M.L. gen. noun panjae of Panja; abdominal wall from a patient in Calcutta.
named for Dr. Panja, who first secured this Habitat: Unknown.
organism.
Vegetative growth: Unicellular mycelium 149. Streptoiiiyces willniorei (Erikson,
with slender, branching filaments; very 1935) Waksman and Henrici, 1948. (Actino-
small, round colonies. viyces willmorei Erikson, Med. Res. Council
Aerial mycelium: No aerial mycelium Spec. Rept. Ser. 203, 1935, 36; Waksman
visible on any medium, but occasional and Henrici, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 966.)
isolated aerial branches. Non-acid-fast. will.mo're.i. M.L. gen. noun willmorei of
Gelatin: Complete liquefaction in 4 days. Willmore; named for the surgeon who first
Agar: Colorless irregularly piled up con- secured this organism.
voluted growth; after 1 month, easily de- Vegetative growth: Germination usual,
tachable, brownish. but growing unicellular mycelium fre-
Glucose agar: Small colorless coiled mass quently branches at very short intervals,
in 1 week; heaped up green growth in 2 presenting peculiar clubbed and budding
weeks . forms with occasional separate round swol-
Glycerol agar: Poor growth, scant color- len cells which may represent the cystites
less patch. of other writers. The filaments are charac-
Ca-agar: Colorless to pink spreading teristically long, homogeneous, and much
growth with minute discrete colonies at interwoven.
margin; after 2 weeks, bright red mass, Aerial mycelium: Profuse in most media,
buckled and shining, colorless submerged with a marked tendency to produce loose
margin. spirals (water and synthetic glycerol agar)
Coon's agar: Small submerged colorless with chains of ellipsoidal conidia. Thick
growth. aerial clusters may also be formed.
Potato agar: Small elevated convoluted Gelatin: Minute colorless colonies; lique-
colorless masses with purple tinge in center. faction.
Dorset's egg medium: Small round tough Agar: Heavy folded colorless lichenoid
colorless colonies, margin well embedded; growth, rounded elevations covered with
after 3 weeks, colonies elevated, warted, white aerial mycelium; later, submerged
darkened, medium discolored and broken; margin, round confluent growth, aerial
slight degree of liquefaction, medium dark mycelium marked in concentric zones.
brown. Glucose agar: Colorless wrinkled con-
Serum agar: Colorless, glistening, piled fluent growth with smooth entire margin,
up, convoluted mass. large discrete colonies like flat rosettes;
Inspissated serum: Small round blister after 4 months, scant white aerial mycelium.
colonies and irregularly convoluted patches Glycerol agar: Round smooth cream-
deeply sunk in pitted medium; after 2 colored colonies, heavy texture, margin
weeks, medium transparent, slight degree submerged, stiff sparse aerial spikes; after
of liquefaction. 3 weeks, colonies large (up to 10 mm in di-
Broth: Flakes and minute colorless ametr).
colonies.
Ca-agar: Spreading colorless growth,
Glucose broth: Poor growth, scant flakes,
pitting medium, submerged undulating
pinkish. margin; very scant white aerial mycelium.
Synthetic sucrose solution: Pinkish floc-
culi; after 3 weeks, moderate growth, mi- Coon's agar: Opaque white growth ex-
nute colorless colonies. tending irregularly (up to 3 mm) into me-
Milk: Coagulation; pale green surface dium, margin smooth and submerged,
growth; mostly digested in 2 weeks. center raised, greenish tinge covered with
Litmus milk: Soft coagulum, color un- white aerial mycelium; after 3 weeks, mar-
FAMILY III. STREPTOMYCETACEAE
821
gin green, central mass covered by gray to regain the capacity to produce aerial
aerial mycelium. mycelium.
Potato agar: Fair growth, partly sub- Such cultures represent many species.
merged, covered with grayish white aerial Their growth is moi'e commonly colorless,
mycelium; medium becomes discolored. but sometimes pigmented, smooth or lich-
Blood agar: Heavilj^ textured small drab enoid, leathery, compact, with shiny surface.
colonies, aerial mycelium microscopical; Some produce a soluble brown pigment. This
no hemolysis. was recognized by Krassilnikov, who desig-
Dorset's egg medium: Large, round, nated such cultures as Actinomyces albus
colorless, scale-like colonies, radially sterilis and A. viridis sterilis, similar to the
wrinkled; growth brownish, medium dis- formation of Fungus sterilis. He isolated
colored in 2 weeks. from the soil about 100 such cultures. These
Serum agar: Smooth colorless discoid were divided into three groups:
colonies; marked umbilication after 2 1. Strongly proteolytic cultures capable
weeks. of liquefying gelatin in 3 to 5 days, of pep-
Broth: Large fluffy white hemispherical tonizing milk in 6 to 10 days, with or without
colonies, loosely coherent. preliminary coagulation, of hydrolyzing
Synthetic sucrose solution: A few large starch with varying degrees of rapidity, of
round white colonies with smooth partly inverting sugar. No growth on cellulose.
zonate margins, lightly coherent in sedi- Strongly antagonistic.
ment; later smaller colonies in suspension 2. Gelatin slowly liquefied, in 15 to 30
attached to side of tube. days, or not at all in that time; milk coagu-
Milk: Coagulation; one-third peptonized. lated and peptonized simultaneously;
Carrot plug: Colorless raised colonies starch hydrolyzed with varying degrees of
with powdery white aerial mycelium; after rapidity or not at all. No growth on cellu-
1 month, very much piled up, aerial myce- lose. Weak antagonistic properties.
lium gray; after 2 months, superabundant 3. Milk coagulated, due to acidification,
growth around back of plug, confluent, but not peptonized. No antagonistic effects.
greatly buckled, all-over gray aerial my- Waksman (in Waksman and Lechevalier,
celium. Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics, Balti-
Antagonistic properties : Positive. more, 1953, 20) has used for these groups
Source: Isolated from a case of strepto- such names as Streptomyces sterilis albus,
thricosis of liver (Willmore, Trans. Roy. Soc. Streptomyces sterilis ruber, Streptomyces
Trop. Med. Hyg., 17, 1924, 344). sterilis viridis, Streptomyces sterilis flavus,
Habitat: Unknown. etc. to designate variant forms of cultures
which have lost the capacity to produce
150. Sterile (non-conidia -forming) aerial mycelium. In his collection many of
.species. the cultures that originally produced aerial
In view of the fact that various species of mycelium have lost this capacity and could,
Streptomyces are able to lose the capacity therefore, no longer be considered as typi-
to produce aerial mycelium, either on con- cal. For example Streptomyces griseus, a
tinued cultivation or by a sort of mutation, vigorously growing culture capable of pro-
cultures are obtained which may be mis- ducing streptomycin, yielded a mutant
taken for nocardias. They can be recognized, which no longer produces aerial mycelium,
however, by the structure of their vegeta- nor is it able to produce streptomycin.
tive mycelium and by their cultural and On the other hand, certain nocardia-like
organisms have been isolated from natural
physiological properties, such as forma- substrates which, on continued cultivation
tion of soluble pigments, liquefaction of on artificial media, gave rise to variants
gelatin, hydrolysis of starch, inversion of which produced sporulating aerial hyphae.
sucrose, coagulation and peptonization of This is true, for example, of the culture
milk. Occasionally some are able to revert designated by Gause as Proactinomyces
to the typical streptomycete condition or cyaneus-antibioticus and thought to be iden-
822 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
tical with Beijerinck's Actinococcus cya- forms of Streptomyces, whether they are
neus. Beijerinck believed in a close relation- natural mutants, or whether, as Gause be-
ship between his cultures and that of Strep- lieved, Streptomyces can be a mutant of
tomyces coelicolor Miiller. Whether these Nocardia (Proactinomyces) , remains to be
cultures are naturally occurring sterile determined.
tvveen 30° and 35° C. Thermal death point Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
of mycelium, 70° C. in 2 to 5 minutes. Spores Aerobic.
resist 80° C. for 1 to 5 minutes. Source: Isolated from soil.
Source : Isolated from the air. Habitat: Found in soil.
Habitat: Found in soil, lake mud and
other substrates. 4. Micromonospora globosa Krassil-
nikov, 1938. (Ray Fungi and Related Organ-
2. Micromonospora fusca Jensen, 1932. isms. Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau,
(Proc. Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 57, 1932, 1938, 134; also see Microbiology, U.S.S.R.,
178.) 8, 1939, 179.)
fus'ca. L. adj. fuscus dark, tawny. glo.bo'sa. L. adj. globosus spherical, glo-
Vegetative growth: On glucose-aspara- bose.
gine agar, heavy, compact, orange, rapidly Vegetative growth: Rugose, at first very
changing to deep brown and nearly black. compact, later acquiring a pasty consis-
Deep brown soluble pigment. tency, adhering but slightly to the medium.
Aerial growth: Moist, glistening, grayish The color of the cultures varies from light
to brownish black spore layer. yellow to orange-red. During fruit-bearing,
Gelatin: Weak liquefaction. Soluble pig- the colonies are covered with a brownish
ment very slight. black tarnish of conidia.
Grows in liquid media as small, brown Aerial growth: Conidia are formed at the
granules and flakes. ends of short branches, one on each branch.
Milk: Slowly digested; not coagulated; Individual branches with conidia resemble
slight grayish brown discoloration. grape vines. The conidia are spherical, 1.0
Sucrose is inverted. to 1.3 microns; they arise by the swelling of
Starch is hydrolyzed. the branch tips. The swellings become
Cellulose is attacked to a slight extent. round, acquire the shape of spheres which,
Nitrate reduction variable. as the formation of the conidia proceeds,
Aerobic. are divided from the branch by a transverse
Antagonistic properties: Produces micro- septum.
monosporin. Gelatin: Liquefaction.
Source: Isolated from soil. Milk: Coagulated, peptonized.
Habitat: Found in soil. Sucrose is inverted.
Starch is hydrolyzed.
3. Micromonospora parva Jensen, 1932. Cellulose not decomposed.
(Proc. Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 57, 1932, Nitrites produced from nitrates.
177.) Aerobic.
par'va. L. adj. parvus small. Source: Isolated from soil.
Vegetative growth: Scant growth on glu- Habitat: Soil.
cose-asparagine agar; vegetative mycelium
thin, spreading widely into the agar, almost 5. Micromonospora coerulea Jensen,
colorle.ss to pale pink or orange. 1932. (Proc. Linn. Soc. New So. Wales, 57,
Aerial growth: Sporulation scant, giving 1932, 177.)
rise to thin, grayish, moist crusts on the coe.ru'le.a. L. adj. coeruleus dark blue,
surface. Spores ellipsoidal, occurring in a azure.
gray-colored mass. Vegetative growth: Slow growth on glu-
Gelatin: Liquefaction. cose-asparagine agar. Mycelium dense,
Milk: Unchanged; maj^ be coagulated greenish blue. Insoluble pigment. Colonies
then slowly redissolved with a faintly acid pigmented only on free admission of oxygen.
reaction. Surface of colonies hard and glossy.
Sucro.se not inverted. Aerial growth: Thin, white veil on surface
Starch is hydrolyzed. resembling aerial mycelium but without
Cellulose not decomposed. aerial spores.
824 ORDER V. ACTINOMYCETALES
heat; Gr. adj. philus loving; M.L. adj. thal- days at 37° C; excellent growth in 2 daj^s
pophilus warmth-loving. at 50° C.
Vegetative growth: Grows well on organic Source: Isolated from soil and high-tem-
and synthetic media, except on potato, at perature composts.
50° C. Growth is colorless with yellow pig- Habitat: Presumably widely distributed
mentation inedges; color changes to orange in soil.
with age of culture. Soluble, wine-colored
to light rose pigment produced in yeast- 3. Thermoactinomyces monosporus
glucose agar. (Lehmann and Schiitze, 1908) Waksman,
Aerial mycelium: Well developed, white, 1953. (Actinomyces monosporus Lehmann
powdery, with tendency to form "fairy and Schiitze, in Schiitze, Arch. f. Hyg., 67,
rings" on some media. Sporulating hyphae 1908, 50; Thermoactinomyces monospora
very short, 0.6 to 1.0 micron in length. (sic) Waksman, in Waksman and Lecheva-
Spherical conidia, 0.8 to 1.5 microns in di- lier, Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics,
ameter, are produced singly on the short Baltimore, 1953, 130.)
sporophores or are entirely sessile. mo.no'spo.rus. Gr. adj. monus single; Gr.
Gelatin: Liquefaction. fem.n. spora a seed; M.L. fem.n. spora a
Synthetic sucrose agar: Abundant, color- spore; M.L. adj. monosporus single-spored.
less growth. Powdery white to light gray Vegetative growth: Grows well in various
aerial mycelium. media. Growth yellowish, compact, smooth
Glucose-asparagine agar: Colorless or lichenoid. Hyphae about 1.0 micron in
growth with reverse white to yellow to light diameter.
brown. White, powdery aerial mycelium. Aerial mj'celium: Well developed, cover-
Considerable development of "fairy rings" ing the whole growth, grayish green. Good
in aerial mycelium. sporulation on hay infusion-peptone agar;
Glycerol agar: Cream-colored vegetative somewhat less on glycerol-peptone and lac-
growth; white aerial mycelium. tose-peptone agars; none on peptone-glu-
Yeast-glucose agar: Good, colorless cose agar. Ellipsoidal spores, 1.0 to 1.4 by
growth, pigmented yellow at edges, color 1.5 to 1.8 microns; produced singly on sim-
turning orange in older cultures. Lichenoid, ple, short sporophores.
white aerial mycelium. Soluble, wine to Gelatin: Liquefaction.
rose pigment. Blood serum: Good, smooth growth. Se-
Potato agar: Limited vegetative growth, rum liquefied.
penetrating deep into medium. Limited, Milk: Not coagulated.
powdery, white aerial mycelium. Potato: No growth.
Milk: Coagulated with limited peptoniza- Optimum temperature, between 37° and
tion.
55° C; grows poorly at 27° and not at all
Starch is rapidly hydrolyzed.
at 60° C.
Nitrites weakly produced from nitrates. Source: Isolated from self-heated hay.
No growth at 28° C; good growth in 4 Habitat: Presumably soil.
material is crushed, break off and resemble with radial grooves gradually sloping into
Nocardia. Odor as on Czapek agar. the submerged margin. Surface moist-ap-
Potato glucose agar: Growth good to very pearing and glossy. Color of center apricot-
good. Central area with coarse convolutions orange to Sayal brown surrounded by an
or large bumps and irregular ridges sepa- ochraceous salmon or light ochraceous sal-
rated by radial grooves which slope to the mon margin. Sporangia are usuallj^ on the
smooth distinct margin. Surface glossy. smooth areas, none being found on the ele-
Apricot-orange to russet, becoming bay in vated parts; they are formed on palisade
old cultures. Produces a diffusible pigment
which darkens the agar. Sporangia are hj'phae.
Distinctive characters: This species is
formed on the margin of some cultures but
are absent in most of them. Palisades are characterized by the predominantly spher-
formed. ical sporangia usually on long unbranched
Nutrient agar: Growth fair. Center stalks, the rather poor and usually flat
slightly elevated and with a wide flat mar- growth on Czapek agar, and the very dis-
gin. Color ochraceous orange to cinnamon- tinct palisade hyphae on this medium. The
rufous. Sporangia very rarely formed. Pali- dark brown diffusible pigment on potato
sade hyphae usually not distinct. glucose agar is also characteristic.
Source: Isolated from a small pinch of
Krainsky's glucose asparagine agar:
Growth good to very good, consisting of dry soil (coll. no. P15) collected by Lieu-
a central area of elevated, fine convolutions, tenant W. Lane Barksdale in the Philippine
radial ridges or bumps and a smooth area Islands, 1945.
or on short lateral branches, a few to many Potato glucose agar: Growth usually
sporangia on one hypha; they are formed good, 1.0 to 1.8 cm in diameter after
in the hj^phal tufts and mounds until the 2 months; center elevated with irregular
latter may be almost solid masses of spor- bumps and ridges; margin flat and even
angia. The sporangia are white in small with surface of agar. Color at first creamy,
groups, pink in large masses and spherical, becoming tawny and then Carob brown or
measuring 7 to 19 microns in diameter on Kaiser brown, after which white floccose
leaves, most measuring 8 to 9 microns. spots of hyphae appear, usually spreading
Shortly after their formation, spores are to cover the entire culture. Sporangia are
visible as a single coil in each sporangium; usually formed in vast numbers, the white
when completely formed, they are irregu- areas becoming rosy pink as the sporangia
larly arranged. Immersion of the mature mature; the pinkish areas are frequently
sporangium in water brings about the swell- minutely pocked. Surface moist at first,
ing of an intersporal substance; this swelling appearing dry and floccose as aerial hyphae
causes the wall and the spores to push out and sporangia are formed. Agar colored
on one side forming a cone-shaped projec- reddish brown with a vinaceous tinge.
tion about half as long as the diameter of Agar: Growth fair, 0.7 to 1.3 cm in diame-
the sporangium. The spores are forcibly ter after 2 months; central region elevated
ejected through an opening in the cone; into irregular ridges which merge, towards
they are spherical, 1.8 to 2.0 microns in the outside, into radial ridges and grooves
diameter, possess a shiny globule and are sloping abruptly to the narrow, flat border;
non-motile. The sporangial wall persists for margin lobed. Usually cream-buff, rarely
several hours after spore discharge. In addi- buffy brown. Surface usually glossy, some-
tion to sporangia, conidia are formed in times powdery with aerial hyphae which
coils somewhat as in Streptomyces , though may be united to form many upright fasci-
the coils are much less conspicuous. cles. Sporangia absent.
Czapek agar: Growth fair, about 0.7 to Krainsky's glucose asparagine agar:
1.2 cm in diameter after 6 weeks; usually Growth poor, 0.3 to 0.7 cm in diameter;
flat, level with agar surface; concentric slightly elevated and minutely ridged, slop-
zonation distinct or absent; central region ing to the fimbriate margin. Surface of cen-
usually compact with a broad fringed border tral region minutely powdery with aerial
and a tasseled edge. Surface glossy or pow- hyphae. White. Sporangia absent.
de^3^ Color usually white, sometimes pink- Emerson's agar: Growth good, about 2 cm
ish buff or cream-buff. Sporangia, absent in diameter after 6 weeks, composed of a
to fairly abundant, are always formed some whitish central area, 4 to 6 mm wide, made
distance above the surface of the agar. In up of elevated, irregular bumps and ridges
some cultures coils are formed which break which abruptly change into radial ridges
up into conidia as in Streptomyces. Palisades and grooves sloping down to a flat, white
are absent. border, 1 to 2 mm wide and composed of
Peptone Czapek agar: Growth good, a- minute, concentric circles of white hyphae.
bout 1.5 to 2.0 cm in diameter after 6 weeks; Ridges and grooves vinaceous brown, some-
flat or with a few low radial or irregular times covered with a whitish down. Margin
ridges and grooves; margin fringed or en- smooth or scalloped, ending abruptly. Sur-
tire; aerial hyphae often formed in white face dry. Sporangia formed abundantly,
concentric rings, sometimes as a white bor- appearing first in the center as the white
der and sometimes giving a powdery ap- changes to pink. Agar colored pale vina-
pearance to the normally glossy surface. ceous brown.
Olive-buff to deep olive-buff. Sporangia Habitat: Found in vegetable garden soil,
very rare. Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
ORDER VI. CARYOPHANALES PESHKOFF, 1940.
* Revised by Prof. Robert S. Breed, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, May, 1955;
revision based on a manuscript supplied by Prof. Michael A. Peshkoff, Institute of Cytol-
ogy, Acad, of Sci., Moscow, U.S.S.R., April, 1947.
830
FAMILY I. CARYOPHANACEAE 831
Ca.ry.o'pha.non. Gr. nouncaryum nut, kernel, nucleus; Gr. adj. phanus bright, conspicu-
ous; M.L. neut.n. Caryophanon that which has a conspicuous nucleus.
During active growth, the large filamentous and bacillary structures are essentially tri-
chomes containing packed, discoid, protoplasmic units separated by internal crosswalls.
The unstained trichome has the appearance of alternating light and dark bands. Trichomes
may form long, unsheathed filaments. Spherical, single-celled structures are commonly
seen. Kelley (Thesis, Ohio State Univ., 1952) states that the internal crosswalls are
complete and that the chromatinic material is either disc-shaped or spherical depending
upon the shape of the cell. Found in fresh cow dung.
The type species is Caryophanon latum Peshkoff.
vated in England by Pringsheim and Rob- Similar to the species described above,
inow and in Idaho (U. S. A.) by Weeks and but more slender. Diameter, 1.5 microns.
Kelley. This species may be a variety of Cary-
Habitat: Apparently widely distributed ophanon latum as the trichomes of the latter
in fresh cow dung and presumably found are frequently no broader than 1.5 microns
in the dung of other herbivorous mammals. after cultivation on artificial media.
Growth on cow manure extract agar and
2. Caryophanon tenue Peshkoff, 1940. yeast extract agar at pH 7.8 to 8.0.
(Compt. rend. (Doklady) Acad. Sci., Source: Isolated from fresh cow manure.
U.R.S.S., Nouvelle S6r. 25, 1939, 244; Jour. Habitat: Apparently widely distributed
Gen. Biol. (Russian), /, 1940, 597.) in fresh cow dung and presumably found in
ten'u.e. L. adj. tenuis slender. the dung of other herbivorous mammals.
1. Lineola longa Pringsheim, 1950. (Li- no analogy can be drawn to false branching.
neola longa Pringsheim and Robinow (nomen Non-sporeforming. Gram-negative.
provisorium) , Jour. Gen. Microbiology, 1, Acetate peptone yeast extract agar col-
1947, 267; Pringsheim, ibid., 4, 1950, 198.) onies: Large, fiat, patch-like, irregularly
lon'ga. L. adj. longus long. shaped, semi-confluent; edges fringed.
Rods, 1.4 to 1.6 by 10 to 50 (mostly 25 to Small, medusa-head colonies form from
40) microns, containing Feulgen-positive single organisms; later these colonies be-
bodies which impart a coenocytic appear- come bluish white against a dark back-
ance to the cells. Peritrichous. Trichomes ground and produce a watered silk effect.
are motile, quite rigid, slightly and irregu- Young growths appear as parallel and
larly curved and may be more than 200 mi- straight threads which later break up to
crons long; non-motile trichomes of much form bundles. Through intercalary elonga-
greater length may be found. All but the tion, isolated trichomes form coiled aggre-
shortest trichomes are subdivided by con- gations connected by almost straight sec-
strictions which later develop into cross- tions.
walls, consequently forming new cells. Mul- Agar .stab : Growth on or near the surface.
tiplication does not occur in the absence ot Broth : Liquid media support growth only
fatty acids. Branching is infrequent and when supplemented with extracts of dung,
consists of two, three or even more single soil or other growth-promoting substances.
rods or short chains attached near the site Non-motile growth quite evident near the
of constriction. Although the branches are surface. If growth is not too meager, a ring
seemingly unconnected to the main axis. is formed just below the meniscus; this ring
* Prof. Peshkoff has concluded (March, 1957) that the genus Lineola shows so many dif-
ferences from the other genera of the order Caryophanales that it should be placed else-
where, perhaps in a new order.
FAMILY I. CARYOPHANACEAE 833
is easily detached and falls to the bottom and no more than two are found at one joint.
at the slightest disturbance. When growth Cell division occurs by constriction with a
is rapid and motility strong, a homogeneous subsequent formation of cross-walls. In the
turbidity is produced. absence of fatty acids multiplication does
Growth not appreciably quicker at 25° not occur. Non-sporeforming. Gram-nega-
tive.
to 27° C. than at 18° to 20° C; growth re-
tarded at 32° C. Acetate peptone yeast extract agar col-
Source: Isolated from an infusion of cow onies: Large and curly with wavy or lobed
dung from Cambridge, England. edges. Small colonies are iridescent, resem-
Habitat: Found in cow dung and decaying bling mother-of-pearl. Young growths ap-
plant material. pear as irregularly undulating, snake-like
threads which develop into small, narrow,
2. Lineola articulata Pringsheim, 1950.
elongated colonies; later these become V-,
(Lineola articulata {nomen nudum) Prings- X- or Y-shaped and develop into increas-
heim, Bact. Rev., IS, 1949, 72; Pringsheim,
ingly regular patches.
Jour. Gen. Microbiology, ^, 1950, 198.)
Agar stab : Growth on or near the surface.
ar.ti.cu.la'ta. L. part. adj. articulatus Broth: Usually filled with evenly distrib-
jointed.
Rods 1.4 to 1.6 by 10 to 50 (mostly 30 to uted, rarely non-motile trichomes; settling
occurs only in ageing cultures.
40) microns, coenocj'tic in appearance. Pe-
ritrichous. Trichomes are motile, flexuous Growth not appreciably quicker at 25°
at the joints connecting the individual rods to 27° C. than at 18° to 20° C; growth not
and attain a length of up to 160 microns. retarded at 32° C.
Branching is rather frequent, the branches Source: Isolated from water with plant
being at times so long as to be indistinguish- debris from the New Forest.
able from the main trichome. The branches Habitat: Found in water and in nature
appear to be unattached to the main axis where plant material is decaying.
1. Simonsiella muelleri Schmid, 1922. ble this number. Miiller (op. cit., 1911, 227)
(Scheibenbakterien, Miiller, Miinchen. med. reported dark granules in the middle of
Wochnschr., 58, 1911, 227; Simonsiella Mul- each segment, but Simons (op. cit., 1922, 507)
leri (sic) Schmid, in Simons, Cent. f. Bakt., maintains that these "granules" are merely
I Abt., Orig., 88, 1922, 504.) artifacts. Non-motile. Stains very weakly
muel'le.ri. M.L. gen. noun muelleri of with safranin.
Miiller; named for Reiner Miiller, a German Saprophytic.
bacteriologist. Habitat: Found in normal buccal cavities.
Cells, 0.4 to 0.7 by 2.0 to 3.0 microns, ar-
ranged side by side in chains. Chains, 2.0 2. Simonsiella crassa Schmid, 1922.
to 3.2 by 3.0 to 16.0 microns, with rounded (Schmid, in Simons, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt.,
ends, divided into segments which contain Orig., 88, 1922, 509.)
four cells or four cell pairs, sometimes dou- cras'sa. L. adj. crassus thick.
834 ORDER VI. CARYOPHANALES
at various loci on the long axes of the tri- Abt., Orig., 88, 1922, 508 and 509; and Hoc-
chomes. Motile strains possess peritrichous quette, Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 113,
flagella. 1933, 779).
Anaerobic, although probably micro- Habitat: Found in the alimentary tracts
aerophilic (see Simons, Zent. f. Bakt., I of various animals.
ni'ti.dus. L. adj. nitidus shining, glitter- Cells colorless, granular, 2.0 to 3.0 by 3.5
ing. microns. Trichomes are non-branching and
Cells very distinct, the length equal to grow indefinitely. At various places in the
the breadth of the trichome. Trichomes trichomes some cells are thicker than oth-
very long, transparent, usually grow in twos ers, and occasionally debris is seen alongside
or fours, pointed at the origin, rounded at
the trichomes, resulting from the rupture
the termination, 5 by 2083 microns. Spore-
like bodies, formed within the cells, are thereof. Each cell has a spore, round to ellip-
soidal, obliquely situated within the cell.
usually solitary, oblique, oval and amor-
phous, 2.0 by 3.5 microns. At first the spores are quite small and stain
Source: Found in the intestine of the intensely by cold staining techniques. Later
milliped (Julus marginatus) . the spores become more voluminous and,
Habitat: Found in considerable quantity when completely mature, are no longer
with a profusion of Enterobryus elegans from stained without heat. The sporulation of a
the mucous membrane of the posterior por- given cell occurs independently of that of
tion of the rectum of Julus marginatus. any other cell in the same trichome.
4. Arthromitus batrachorum Collin, Source : Found in the rectum of a frog tad-
1913. (Arch. Zool. Exper. et G6n., 51, 1913, pole {Alytes sp.) and from the alimentary
63.) tracts of toad tadpoles {Bufo calamita).
Habitat: Found in the intestinal tract of
ba.tra.cho'rum. Gr. noun batrachus frog;
L. gen. pi. noun batrachorum of frogs. amphibians so far as is known.
Genus II. Coleomitvis Duboscq and Grasse, 1930.
(Arch. Zool. Exper. et G^n., 70, 1930, Notes et Revue, 28.)
Co.le.o.mi'tus. Gr. noun coleus sheath; Gr. noun mitus thread; M.L. mas.n. Coleomitus
sheathed thread.
Long trichomes, divided by partitions. Bacillary elements in basal region. Ovoid or ellip-
soidal spores in other parts of the trichome originate by transformation from these bacil-
lary elements through sporoblasts.
The type species is Coleomitus pruvotii Duboscq and Grasse.
1. Coleomitus pruvotii (Duboscq and crons wide, length variable, up to 320 mi-
Grasse, 1929) Duboscq and Grasse, 1930. crons. Bacillary elements are 3 to 4 microns
(Coleonema pruvoti (sic) Duboscq and long; elements up to 6 microns long with a
Grasse, Arch. Zool. Exper. et G^n., 68, 1929, chromatic granule or disc in the middle of
Notes et Revue, 14; Coleomitus pruvoti (sic) the body also occur. Spores ellipsoidal, 0.8
Duboscq and Grass^, ibid., 70, 1930, N. et to 0.9 by 1.7 to 2.0 microns, all containing
R., 28.) an eccentrically placed granule of volutin.
pru.vo'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun pruvotii of Source: Found in the intestine of a ter-
Pruvot; named for Pruvot. mite (Kalotermes sp.) from the Loyalty
Trichomes, with hyaline sheath, 1.3 mi- Islands.
ORDER VII. BEGGIATOALES BUCHANAN, Ordo Nov.
Beg.gi.a.to.a'les. M.L. fem.n. Beggiatoa type genus of the order; -ales ending to denote
an order; M.L. fern. pi. n. Beggiatoales the Beggiatoa order.
Cells occur mostly in trichomes in three of the families and singly in the fourth family.
When in contact with a substrate, the motile organisms glide over the surface or show a
slow, rolling, jerky type of motion. No flagella or other organs of locomotion are known.
Non-motile trichomes may also occur. The trichomes may show bending and flexing. With
respect to gliding and oscillating, the trichomes function as distinct units except in the
genus Bacloscilla, where the trichomes show bending at the joints between the cells. Multi-
plication isby transverse fission throughout the entire length of the trichomes or of the
singly occurring cells; gonidia occur in one family, Leucoirichaceae. Do not possess chloro-
phyll or phycocj^anin. Under favorable environmental conditions, sulfur globules, some-
times in accompaniment with calcium carbonate crystals, may be found in or on the cells.
Found in fresh-water (with or without hydrogen sulfide) and marine habitats, in soil and
in decomposing organic matter, especially algae.
(Migula, Arb. Bakt. Inst. Karlsruhe, 1, 1894, 238; in part, Leuco-Thiohacteria Bavendamm,
Die farblosen und roten Schwefelbakterien, Pflanzenforschung, Heft 2, 1924, 102.)
Beg.gi.a.to.a'ce.ae. M.L. fem.n. Beggiatoa type genus of the family; -aceae ending to
denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Beggiatoaceae the Beggiatoa family.
* Prepared by Prof. R. E. Buchanan, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, October, 1955.
t Prepared by Prof. R. E. Buchanan, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, October, 1955.
837
838 ORDER VII. BEGGIATOALES
The individual cells, generally not visible without staining, occur in trichomes; within
the trichomes the cells are arranged in chains. The trichomes show a gliding motion when
in contact with a substrate; they also show flexing movements. When grown in the presence
of hydrogen sulfide, the trichomes contain sulfur globules. The structure of these organ-
isms is very similar to that of the Oscillatoriaceae, but the cells are devoid of chlorophyll
and phj^cocyanin. Special reproductive structures are unknown.
In proposing the family name Beggiatoaceae for the two genera of this subgroup known in
1894, Migula {op. cit., 1894, 238) remarked that "it would be best to combine them with the
Oscillatoriaceae and classify them among the Schizophyceae" . The same authority (in Engler
and Prantl, Die natiirl. Pflanzenfam., 1, la, 1895, 41) has stated: "Also in view of their in-
ternal structure the species of Beggiatoa are so similar to those in the genus Oscillaria that
they can hardly be separated generically". Since then, the close relationship between the
colorless sulfur bacteria occurring in trichomes and the blue-green algae of the family Os-
cil atoriaceae has become even clearer. A particularly important line of evidence is supplied
by the discovery of sulfur bacteria paralleling each of the major genera of the Oscillatoria-
ceae. Taxonomically these organisms could readily be classified as colorless members of the
class Schizophyceae, for many species of Oscillatoria live in the same environments as do
those of Beggiatoa, and some grow in the presence of hydrogen sulfide and contain sulfur
granules. However, the Beggiatoaceae are, in this Manual, retained with the bacteria
(Schizomycetes) for practical reasons: they have been so included in the past, they are not
included in modern treatises on the blue-green algae, they show close kinship to other or-
ganisms commonly included in the bacteria, and they grow under natural conditions in
close association with such organisms.
Studies on the physiologies of the organisms of this family and of the related Oscilla-
toriaceae are needed.
thrix. Found in both fresh-water and marine environments containing hydrogen sulfide or
soluble sulfides.
In Beggiafoa the species so far recognized have been differentiated on the basis of the
diameters of the trichomes. The range of sizes for the several species appears, in most cases,
to be quite arbitrary, especially in view of the existence of practically all intermediate di-
ameters. In previous editions of the Manual, certain fresh-water forms were sometimes
regarded as distinct from the salt-water forms of the same size. However, as their habitats
have been found to be not mutually exclusive (Bavendamm, Die farblosen und roten Schwe-
felbakterien, Pflanzenforschung, Heft 2, 1924, 104), these organisms are now regarded as a
single species irrespective of their habitat. Pure-culture studies may establish more satis-
factory methods of differentiation of the species of this genus.
The type species is Beggialoa alba (Vaucher) Trevisan.
1. Beggiatoa alba (Vaucher, 1803) Tre- 1827) Rabenhorst, 1865. {Oscillatoria arach-
visan, 1845. (Oscillatoria alba Vaucher, His- noidea Agardh, Regensburger Flora, 1827,
toire des Conferves d'eau douce, 1803, 198; 634; Rabenhorst, Flora europaea algarum,
Beggiatoa punctata Trevisan, Prospetto della 1865, 94.)
Flora Euganea, 1842, 56; Trevisan, Nomen- a.rach.no.i'de.a. Gr. adj. arachnoides
clator Algarum, 1845, 58.) cobweb-like; M.L. adj . arachnoideus cobweb-
al'ba. L. adj. albiis white. like.
Trichomes, 2.5 to 5.0 (most commonly Trichomes, 5 to 14 microns in diameter,
3.0) microns in diameter, of uniform width. of uniform width. Segments 5 to 7 microns
The segments, 3.0 to 9.0 microns long, are in length; segmentation generally observa-
practically square shortly after division; ble only after special staining or removal of
segmentation is difficult to detect in tri- sulfur globules. Terminal cells are rounded,
chomes containing many sulfur globules. Habitat: Found in both fresh-water and
Terminal cells are rounded. marine environments containing hydrogen
Habitat: Found in both fresh-water and sulfide,
marine environments containing hydrogen
sulfide. Ubiquitous. Probably the most 3. Beggiatoa leptomitiformis Trevisan,
common of the sulfur bacteria which occur 1842. (Prospetto della Flora Euganea, 1842,
in trichomes. 56.)
lep.to.mi.ti.for'mis. M.L. noun Lep-
2. Beggiatoa arachnoidea (Agardh, lomitus a genus of bacteria; L. noun forma
840 ORDER VII. BEGGIATOALES
shape; M.L. adj. leptomitiformis Leptomi- condition, they are of uniform width; bulg-
tus-like. ing of the sides occurs under unfavorable
Trichomes, 1.0 to 2.5 microns in diameter, conditions. Trichomes clearly segmented.
of uniform width. Segments 4.0 to 8.0 mi- Segments 5.0 to 13.0 (average, 8.5) microns
crons in length; segmentation observable in length. Terminal cells are rounded or
only after removal of sulfur globules. Ter- tapered.
minal cells are usually rounded. Habitat : Apparently restricted to marine
Habitat : Found in fresh-water and marine environments containing hydrogen sulfide.
environments containing hydrogen sulfide. Frequently found on decaying marine algae.
Thi.o.plo'ca. Gr. noun thium sulfur; Gr. noun -plocc a twining, a braid or twist; M.L.
fem.n. Thioploca sulfur-braid or -twist.
Trichomes are of Beggiatoa-VikQ appearance but occur in parallel or braided bundles en-
closed by a common, wide slime-sheath. The latter is frequently incrusted on the outside
with detritus. Within the sheath the individual trichomes are motile in the manner of Beg-
giatoa; the trichomes are segmented, the terminal segments often tapering.
Closely resembles the genera Hydrocoleus and Microcolens among the Oscillatoriaceae.
It is doubtful whether the members of the genus Thioploca are true colorless sulfur bac-
teria; most investigators of these forms have reported a greenish blue coloration of the
trichomes. Only the regular occurrence of sulfur droplets in trichomes taken from their natu-
ral habitat stamps the organisms as sulfur bacteria. In view of the close relationship of the
Beggiatoaceae to the blue-green Oscillatoriaceae, this is, however, a minor issue.
Four species have been described to date. Three correspond, with respect to the indi-
vidual trichomes, to Beggiatoa arachnoidea, Beggiatoa alba and Beggiatoa leptomitijormis
respectively; the fourth appears to be a combination of the first and third of the above-
mentioned species of Beggiatoa in a common sheath. This occurrence of two distinct species
of Beggiatoa in a common sheath makes the genus a doubtful taxonomic entity.
The type species is Thioploca schmidlei Lauterborn.
1. Thioploca schmidlei Wislouch, 1912. sheath is variable. The trichomes are seg-
(Ber. d. deut. bot. Ges., 30, 1912, 470.) mented, each segment measuring 5 to 8
schmid'le.i. M.L. gen. noun schmidlei of microns in length.
Schmidle. Source: Identified from various localities
Individual trichomes, 5 to 9 microns in in Central Europe,
diameter, occur in a common, mucilaginous Habitat: So far reported only in fresh-
sheath, 50 to 160 microns in diameter. The water mud containing hydrogen sulfide and
number of trichomes embedded in one calcium carbonate.
842 ORDER VII. BEGGIATOALES
2. Thioploca ingrica Wislouch, 1912. sulfur droplets; the segments are 1 to 2 mi-
(Ber. d. deut. bot. Ges., 30, 1912, 470.) crons long.
Source: Identified from various localities
in'gri.ca. M.L. adj. ingricus pertaining
to Ingria; named after Ingria, an ancient in Central Europe.
district of Leningrad, Russia. Habitat : Found in fresh-water and marine
Individual trichomes, 2.0 to 4.5 microns mud containing hydrogen sulfide.
in diameter, occur in a mucilaginous sheath
up to 80.0 microns in diameter. The number 4. Thioploca mixta Koppe, 1923. (Arch.
of trichomes embedded in one sheath is f. Hydrobiol., U, 1923, 630.)
variable. The trichomes are segmented, each mix'ta. L. part. adj. mixtus mixed.
segment measuring 1.5 to 8.0 microns in Individual trichomes of two clearly differ-
length. ent sizes, the one 6 to 8 microns and the
Source: Identified from various localities other about 1 micron in diameter, occur in
in Central Europe. a common, mucilaginous sheath usually
Habitat: Found in fresh-water and ma- about 50 microns thick. The number of tri-
rine mud containing hydrogen sulfide. chomes embedded in one sheath is variable.
The wider trichomes are clearly segmented,
3. Thioploca minima Koppe, 1923.
(Arch. f. Hydrobiol., 14, 1923, 630.) the segments measuring 5 to 8 microns in
length; in the narrower trichomes, segmen-
mi'ni.ma. L. sup. adj. minimus least, tation is visible only after removal of the
smallest.
Individual trichomes, 0.8 to 1.5 microns sulfur droplets, each segment measuring 1
in diameter, occur in a common, mucilagi- to 2 microns in length.
nous sheath up to 30.0 microns in diameter. Source: Identified only from Lake Con-
The number of trichomes embedded in one stance.
sheath is variable. Segmentation is gen- Habitat: Found in fresh-water mud con-
erally observable only after removal of the taining hydrogen sulfide.
5. Thiothrix longiarticulata Klas, free of sulfur are often found, thus giving
1936. (Arch. f. Protistenk., 88, 1936, 126.) a ringed appearance to the trichomes. Old
lon.gi.ar.ti.cu.la'ta. L. adj. longus long; trichomes may show special thickening and
L. part. adj. articulatus jointed; M.L. adj. distortion, but this is not characteristic of
longiarticulatus long-jointed. the species.
Trichomes, 3.3 to 6.6, most frequently Source: Described as white, floating
4.2, microns in diameter, of uniform width, specks in a glass jar containing sea water in
occurring in dense, felted masses. The seg- which algae were rotting; the water was
ments are long, measuring 19 to 33, mostly obtained from the harbor at Trieste.
26, microns in length. Motile segments not Habitat: Found in sea water containing
3^et reported. Sulfur droplets usually ab- hydrogen sulfide and decomposing organic
sent in the proximity of cross-walls. matter (algae).
Source: Described only once from the
effluent of sulfur springs at the seashore 7. Thiothrix marina Molisch, 1912.
near Split, Yugoslavia. (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 33, 1912, 58.)
Habitat: Found in marine environments
ma.ri'na. L. adj. marinus marine.
containing hj^drogen sulfide. The trichomes, about 1.0 (0.8 to 1.3) mi-
cron in diameter and of uniform width, are
6. Thiothrix anulata Molisch, 1912. relatively slender and short in comparison
{Thiothrix annulata (sic) Molisch, Cent. f. with those of Thiothrix anulata Molisch;
Bakt., II Abt., S3, 1912, 58.) they measure from 130 to 300, rarely as much
a.nu.la'ta. L. adj. anulatus furnished with as 500, microns in length.
a ring. Comment: This may be the form of Thio-
Trichomes 3 to 4, occasionally up to 5, thrix tenuis reported by Bavendamm (Die
microns in diameter, being thinner at the farblosen und roten Schwelfelbacterien,
base (2 microns) and at the tip (1.8 mi- Pflanzenforschung, Heft 2, 1924, 107) as
crons). The trichomes are very long and found in sea water.
may reach a length of 5 mm or even longer; Source: Found in a deep, cylindrical,
they are found attached to detritus in the glass vessel in which the aquatic phanero-
sea water. The segments are only about 1 gam Zostera sp. was rotting. From the har-
micron in length. The included sulfur gran- bor at Trieste. The threads formed a felted
ules are very small and numerous; in old film over the surface.
trichomes the granules become so massed Habitat: Found in sea water containing
that they are no longer recognizable as dis- hydrogen sulfide and decomposing organic
tinct granules. Narrow bands which are matter.
* Prepared by Mr. Erwin F. Lessel, Jr., Cornell University, Geneva, New York. Re-
viewed by Prof. E. G. Pringsheim, Pflanzenphysiologisches Institut, Gottingen, Deutsch-
land, October, 1955.
FAMILY II. VITREOSCILLACEAE 845
on rich media, drop-like colonies, resembling those of many bacteria, are formed. Do not
possess chlorophyll or phycocyanin. Closely resemble some of the Beggiaioaceae, differing
primarily in that they never contain sulfur granules even when growing in an environment
conducive to the development of such granules in Beggiatoa. The trichomes resemble those
of Oscillatoria but do not possess the pigments characteristic of members of that genus. Do
not hydrolyze genuine proteins. Found on dung, in soil, in water with decaying plant mate-
rial and almost regularly in myxophycean scum on the surfaces of quiet waters.
A number of the organisms in this family have been described from microscopic studies
only, cultural investigations not having been made at the time. The true relationships of
these organisms can be clarified only by further study.
1. Vitreoscilla beggiatoides Prings- Agar: Colonies are very dense and are
heim, 1949. (Bact. Rev., 13, 1949, 70; also connected by a fine network; regular spirals
see Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 127.) are formed. On rich media the colonies be-
beg.gi.a.to.i'des. M.L. fem.n. Beggiatoa come thicker and, after some time, yellow-
a generic name; Gr. noun eidus shape, form; ish to translucent owing to autolysis of
M.L. adj. beggiatoides Beggiatoa-\ike. cells.
Cylindrical trichomes measuring about Liquid media: Growth at first filamentous
2 microns in diameter, sometimes more or and loose; later becomes flocculent.
less; length almost unrestricted, but under Casein not digested.
less favorable environments the trichomes Distinctive character: Dense colonies
may be as short as 10 microns. The tri- on agar connected by a fine network.
chomes are composed of cylindrical units Source : Isolated from dung.
showing constrictions which indicate the Habitat: Found in decomposing organic
locations of cell wall primordia. Motile. material.
Gram-negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction. 3. Vitreoscilla filiformis Pringsheim,
Agar: Growth in curls, spirals and waves 1951. (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 130.)
with loose ends. fi.li.for'mis. L. nomx filum a thread; L.
Liquid media: Growth in trichomes of low noun forma shape; M.L. adj. fliliformis
optical refraction. thread-shaped.
Casein not digested. Cylindrical trichomes, 1.2 microns in
Source : Isolated from a ditch with decay- diameter, of unlimited length, although
ing water weeds on Coldham Common, short trichomes are regularly present. Tri-
Cambridge, where it occurred together with chomes pronouncedly more elastic and of
Sphaerotilus discophorus, Beggiatoa alba and greater tensile strength than are those of
many other organisms. the other species in this genus. Both long
Habitat: Found in quiet waters rich in and short trichomes exhibit an active glid-
organic material and with black mud on the ing and swinging of the free ends. Gram-
bottom.
negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
2. Vitreoscilla stercoraria Pringsheim, Agar: Growth occurs in delicate, more or
1951. (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 136.) less circular whirls and loops.
ster.co.ra'ri.a. L. adj. stercorari^is per- Liquid media: Growth occurs near the
taining to dung.
bottom
taining or in tufts on the walls of the con-
Trichomes 1.2 to 1.5 microns in diameter,
varying in length, measuring up to 100 mi- Casein not digested.
crons. The trichomes may be composed of
Distinctive characters : Trichomes slender
rods of considerable length (12 microns and
more) or of cells which are not much longer and elastic. Growth on agar is in the form
than they are wide. Above a certain length of neatly rounded arches and loops as in
the trichomes rarely remain straight but certain species of Oscillatoria.
bend irregularly forming aggregates like Source: Isolated from a crude culture
curled hair. Motility is hesitant and slow. consisting of a grain of wheat covered with
Gram-negative. soil and water from the pond in the Cam-
Gelatin: No liquefaction. bridge Botanic Garden.
FAMILY II. VITREOSCILLACEAE 847
Habitat: Found in fertilized soil and in tain spherical granules or droplets. Verj^
polluted water. actively motile. Gram-negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
4. Vitreoscilla catenula Pringsheim, Agar: Young aggregations, composed of
1951. (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 130.) parallel trichomes, grow to form elongated,
ca.te'nu.la. M.L. noun catenula a .small slender, pointed, often Y-shaped colonies.
chain. Older colonies possess an inner concentric
Trichomes, 1.5 to 2.0 microns in diameter, structure reminiscent of brain convolu-
may be cylindrical and of almost uniform tions; flame-like processes at the edges
width. Usually there are constrictions be- grow out into long, curved and anastomos-
ing tongues from which single trichomes
tween the cells, which are then barrel-
shaped. The cells generally measure 3.0 to emerge, commencing further systems of
4.0, sometimes up to 6.0, microns in length. growth.
The trichomes may break up into short Liquid media: Trichomes form a film on
fragments or grow to some length. Motile. the glass surface or produce cotton-like
floccules; sediment eventually produced.
Gram-negative.
Casein not digested.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Distinctive characters: Grows well and
Agar: Growth in curls without loose ends,
otherwise similar to that of Vitreoscilla rapidly in liquid media. Not fastidious in
beggiatoides Pringsheim. food requirements.
Liquid media: Growth similar to that of Relationship to other species: Growth on
Vitreoscilla beggiatoides. bacteriological agar is so luxuriant that it
Casein not digested. can scarcely be distinguished from that of
Escherichia coli Castellani and Chalmers.
Distinctive characters: The bead-like
Source: Isolated from material from the
appearance of the cells is correlated with a
greater tendency to break up into shorter mill pond above Flatford Mill Field Centre,
lengths than is found in Vitreoscilla beg- England.
Habitat: Commonly found in decom-
giatoides. Verjr long trichomes are rarely
found. posing organic material.
Relationship to other species: Due to the
constrictions between the cells, the tri- 6. Vitreoscilla stricta Pringsheim, 1949.
chomes resemble those found in the blue- (Bact. Rev., 13, 1949, 72; also see Jour. Gen.
green genus Pseudanabaena, especially P. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 139.)
tenuis Koppe. stric'ta. L. part. adj. strictus drawn so as
Source: Isolated several times from to have no slack.
ditches between meadows in Cherry Hinton, Rigid trichomes, 1.6 to 1.8 microns in
Cambridge; later isolated from an infusion diameter, relatively short, measuring up
of cow dung from the same meadow. to 30 microns in length. The cells are, on
Habitat: Found in decomposing organic the average, one and one -half times as long
material. as they are wide. Terminal cells are rounded
at the tip. The trichomes bend slowly and
5. Vitreoscilla paludosa Pringsheim, only to a small extent; true locomotion has
1951. (Bact. Rev., 13, 1949, 72; also see Jour. not been observed. Generally the trichomes
Gen. Microbiol., 5, 1951, 133.) adhere to a surface with one end while the
pa.lu.do'sa. L. adj. paludosus boggy, free end slowly oscillates. Gram-negative.
marshy. Comment: This species has not been
Trichomes 1.8 to 2.0 microns in diameter grown in pure culture.
and very long, 300 and more microns in Source : Found in a pond with water fowl
length. Subdivision occurs into cylindrical, and in a pond polluted l)y cattle, both bodies
often slightly curved, cellular sections, 30 of water containing iron organisms and a
to 70 microns in length, separated by deep multitude of pigmented flagellates.
constrictions at which they readily break. Habitat : Found in fresh water containing
Branching sometimes occurs. Old cells con- decomposing organic material.
848 ORDER VII. BEGGIATOALES
Leu'co.thrix. Gr. adj. leucus clear, light; Gr. noun thrix, trichis hair; M.L. fem.n. Leuco-
thrix colorless hair.
Description as for the family.
The type species is Leucothrix mucor Oersted.
Prepared by Prof. R. E. Buchanan, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, October, 1955.
FAMILY III. LEUCOTRICHACEAE
851
1. Leucothrix niucor Oersted, 1844. contact with the surface film or with solid
(Oersted, De regionibus marinis, elementa particles by means of an inconspicuous
topographiae historiconaturalis freti Oere- holdfast; in young colonics the trichomes
sund. J. C. Scharling, Copenhagen, 1844, radiate from the solid particles in a manner
44; Chlamydothrix longissima Molisch, Cent, similar to that of Thiothrix sp. Reproduc-
f. Bakt., II Abt., 33, 1912, 60; Pontothrix tion occurs by the fragmentation of the
longissima Nadson and Krassilnikov, Compt. trichomes into gonidia.
rend. Acad. Sci. de U.R.S.S., A. No. 1, 1932, A large variety of carbohydrates and
243; also see Harold and Stanier, Bact. Rev., other simple organic compounds may serve
19, 1955, 49.) as sources of carbon and energy.
mu'cor. L. noun mucor mold; M.L. noun No growth factors are required.
Mucor a genus of molds. Strictly aerobic.
Cells short, 1 to 5 microns long, cylindri-
cal. Sulfur granules are found only on the Temperature relations: Optimum, 25° C.
exterior, never in the interior, of the cells, Maximum, 30° C.
Grows best at a salt concentration (syn-
and they occur only when the trichomes lie
near the surface of the water where there is thetic sea water) of 16 grams per liter; a
salt concentration of 3 grams per liter sup-
an abundance of oxj'gen. Trichomes are
colorless, unbranched, non-motile, occa- ports growth, but with abnormal morphol-
ogy.
sionally surrounded by a gelatinous sheath
Source: Isolated from decaying algal
2 to 6 microns wide, and very long, fre-
quently reaching a length of 0.5 cm or more; infusions. Found in the harbor at Trieste.
they are either entwined about each other Nadson and Krassilnikov (op. cit., 1932,
or occur in loosely arranged bundles of sev- 243) report this organism on Zostera marina
eral hundred or more where they lie parallel in the Bay at Sebastopol on the Black Sea.
to each other or twist like the individual Habitat: Found in fresh- and salt-water
strands of a rope. The trichomes remain in containing decomposing algal material.
A.chro.ma.ti.a'ce.ae. M.L. neut.n. Achromatium type genus of the family; -aceae ending
to denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Achromatiaceae the Achromatium family.
Large, unicellular organisms which are spherical to ovoid or shortly cylindrical with
hemispherical extremities. Movements, if any, are of a slow, rolling, jerky type and are
dependent upon the presence of a substrate; no special organs of locomotion are known.
Division of cells is by a constriction in the middle. Do not possess photosynthetic pigments.
In their natural habitat, the cells contain sulfur droplets and sometimes additional in-
clusions, such as large spherules of calcium carbonate. Found in fresh-water and marine
environments.
The organisms in the family Achromatiaceae have so far been studied exclusively as found
in their natural habitats. Pure-culture studies are greatly needed; they may show that the
peculiar calcium carbonate inclusions (not calcium oxalate as thought by Schewiakoff nor
calcium thiosulfate as believed by Hannevart) occur only under special environmental
conditions.
There is a single genus, Achromatium Schewiakoff.
* Revised by Prof. C. B. van Niel, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, California,
January, 1944; further revision, October, 1955.
852 ORDER VII. BEGGIATOALES
1. Achromatium oxaliferum Schewia- son, Bull. Jard. Imp. Bot., St. Peter.sb.,
koff, 1893. (Schewiakoff, Uber einen neuen 13, 1913, 106.)
bacterienahnlichen Organismus des Suss- o.xa.li'fe.rum. Gr. noun oxalis sorrel, a
wassers, Habilitationsschrift, Heidelberg, sour plant; M.L. noun oxalatum oxalate;
1893; Hillhousia mirabilis West and Grif- L. v.fero to carry; M.L. adj. oxaliferus ox-
fiths, Proc. Roy. Soc, B, 81, 1909, 389; Hill- alate-containing.
housia palustris West and Griffiths, Ann. Unicellular organisms varying in shape
Bot., 27, 1913, 83; Achromatium gigas Nad- from spherical or ovoid to shortly cylindri-
FAMILY IV. ACHROMATIACEAE 853
(Myxobacteriaceae (sic) Thaxter, Bot. Gaz., 17, 1892, 394; Myxobactrales Clements, The
genera of fungi. Minneapolis, 1909, 8; Jahn, Kryptogamenflora der Mark
Brief characterization of the order. The vegetative cells are flexible rods of low re-
fractility which exhibit gliding movement on solid surfaces and which multiply by binary,
transverse fission to produce a thin, flat, rapidly extending colony. Actively motile cells
at the periphery of the colony commonly occur as groups of 2 or 3 to several hundred indi-
viduals inthe form of tongue-like extensions or isolated islands whose presence is virtually
diagnostic of the order. The moving cells may pave the substrate with a thin layer of slime
on which they rest.
Resting cells are formed by all myxobacters except members of the genus Cyiophaga. In
the family Myxococcaceae the resting cell is a spherical or oval body, thick-walled and highly
refractile; in the remaining groups it is merely a shortened vegetative cell. Except in the
genus Sporocytophaga, resting cells are borne in or on spatially localized, larger structures
known as fruiting bodies. In the simplest case, the fruiting body consists of a uniform mass
of resting cells held together by slime. Some groups produce more complex fruitingstructures :
the resting cells may be enclosed in cysts and may be raised above the substrate on stalks,
either simple or branched. Fruiting bodies are usually brightly colored and often sufficiently
large to be visible to the naked eye.
The vegetative state. In the vegetative condition, m3'xobacters consist of unicellular
rods which occur in two characteristic shapes. Members of the iamily Sorangiaceae, together
with some representatives of the families Archangiaceae and Polyangiaceae, have cylindrical
vegetative cells with blunt, rounded ends; in extreme cases the cell is broader at the tips
than at the center. All other myxobacters, with the possible exception of some Cytophaga
species, have vegetative cells which taper towards the tips. The cells are not surrounded
by a demonstrable wall and, perhaps as a consequence, are flexible and very weakly re-
fractile. Division is always by binary, transverse fission. Motility is universal. Movement
occurs only in contact with a solid surface and is of the gliding type also found in the Cyano-
phyta and in filamentous, colorless organisms such as the Beggiatoaceae and Vitreoscillaceae.
There are no demonstrable means of locomotion, and the actual physical mechanism of
movement is not understood, although many authors have offered speculations, which were
recently reviewed by Meyer-Pietschmann (Arch. Mikrobiol., 16, 1951, 163). Discrete nuclear
structures similar to those of true bacteria can be demonstrated by appropriate cytological
procedures. Their appearance and behavior during division and formation of resting cells
are described and illustrated by Badian (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 7, 1930, 55), Krzemieniew-
*Revised by Professor R. Y. Stanier, Department of Bacteriology, University of Cali-
fornia, Berkeley, California, March, 1953.
854
ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES 855
ska (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 7, 1930, 507), Beebe (Jour. Bact., U, 1941, 214) and Kliene-
berger-Nobel (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 1, 1947, 33).
The myxobacterial colony, also sometimes designated as a swarm or pseudoplasmodium,
consists characteristically of a flat, thin mass of vegetative cells which spreads rapidly over
the surface of the substrate as a result of active movement from the periphery. Frequently,
but not invariably, the cells lie on a thin membrane of slime. Colonies of a more compact
nature may be produced if movement is impeded by copious slime formation or unfavorable
nutrient conditions or if growth occurs on a gel of soft enough consistency (e.g., 1 per cent
agar) to allow penetration of the cells into the substrate. In fruiting species, the fruiting
bodies are formed characteristically in the older, central portion of the colony, often in a
series of successive, concentric rings.
Resting cells and fruiting bodies. Each resting cell is produced from a single, entire,
vegetative cell. In the families Archangiaceae, Sorangiaceae and Polyangiaceae there is little
structural change: the vegetative cell merely becomes somewhat shorter and thicker. In
the famil}^ Myxococcaceae, the vegetative cell becomes converted to a mature resting cell
which is spherical or ellipsoidal and which is surrounded by a refractile, deeply staining
wall; these structures are commonly referred to as microcj'sts. In some genera the resting
cells are borne in cysts, which enclose several hundred individual resting cells within a
common membrane. Studies on the survival of the resting cells are still fragmentary. They
do not appear to possess markedly greater thermal resistance than the vegetative cells
but can survive desiccation for many years. Jahn reports germination of Polyangium fuscum
after almost 6 years and of Myxococcus fulvus after 8 years.
Except in the genus Sporocytophaga and the amicrocystogenous family Cytuphaguceae, the
resting cells are found in structures known as fruiting bodies, each formed bj' the aggrega-
tion and transformation of a large number of vegetative cells. Whereas the properties of the
vegetative cells vary little from group to group, fruiting bodies differ widely in shape, size,
structure and color; hence differentiation of families, genera and species is based largely
on this character. Unfortunately, there have been relatively few studies on the range of
variation of the fruiting structures under varying conditions of cultivation, so that the
validity of the differences which have been employed for taxonomic purposes is difficult
to assess.
Ecology. Many species of fruiting myxobacters have been described as occurring on
the dung of herbivores. The work of the Krzemieniewskis (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 5, 1927),
Mishustin (Mikrobiologia, 7, 1938, 427), Singh (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 1, 1947, 1) and others
has shown, however, that they occur in soil and can probably be regarded as characteristic
members of the soil microflora. Their frequent occurrence on dung is simply a reflection of
the fact that this material provides an exceptionallj^ favorable substrate for fructification.
No reallj' satisfactory method of estimating their numbers is available; Singh (loc. cit.)
reported from 2,000 to 76,400 myxobacters per gram of soil, but this is undoubtedly an
underestimate. Two aquatic fruiting myxobacters are known: one is parasitic on an aquatic
alga (Geitler, Arch. f. Protistenk., 50, 1924, 67), and the other is an important pathogen of
fresh-water fishes (Ordal and Rucker, Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. Med., 56, 1944, 15). Of the
non-fruiting myxobacters, some are common in soil and others are marine forms.
Nutrition and cultivation. The ability to decompose complex polysaccharides such as
cellulose, agar and chitin is characteristic of many species in the family Cytophagaceae and
the genus Sporocytophaga. A few species of fruiting myxobacters belonging to the genera
Sorangium, Polyangium and Angiococcus are known to be cellulose-decomposers. For all
these forms, the methods of isolation and cultivation are accordingly well-defined and rela-
tively simple. Most of them can be enriched from natural sources by the use of a simple
mineral base supplemented with the appropriate polysaccharide and thereafter maintained
in pure culture on .similar media (KrzemieniewskaandKrzemieniewski, Bull. Int. Acad. Pol.
Sci.Lett., Classe Sci. Math. Nat., B, 15, 1937, 11; Stanier, Bact. Rev., 6, 1942, 143; Stanier,
Jour. Bact., 53, 1947, 297). A few species appear to have complex growth factor require-
856 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
merits, so far not analj'zed, and their cultivation accordingly requires the addition of pep-
tone or yeast extract to the medium containing the specific polysaccharide which they at-
tack. The polysaccharide-decomposing myxobacteria are all mesophilic, strictly aerobic
organisms and develop best in neutral or slightly alkaline media.
For the vast majority of the fruiting myxobacters, however, the nutrient requirements
have not yet been analyzed, and cultivation of these organisms still remains a highly em-
pirical affair. The technique of enrichment developed by the Krzemieniewskis {op. cit., 5,
1927) provides the best general method for obtaining them from natural sources. Soil is
placed on blotting paper in a large Petri dish and covered with pellets of sterilized rabbit
dung. The soil is moistened with water, and the plates are incubated at 26° to 30° C. After
5 to 10 days, fruiting bodies begin to form on the surface of the dung pellets, from which
they can be picked and transferred to agar media for purposes of purification. Singh (op.
cit., 1, 1947, 1) recommends enriching by the use of non-nutrient agar, on the surface of
which a few loopfuls of the cells of a suitable true bacterium {e.g., Aerobacter sp.) are
spread in the form of a disc about 1 inch in diameter; this disc is then inoculated with soil,
compost, or a soil suspension, and the plate is incubated at 25° C. for 1 to 3 weeks. The myxo-
bacters develop at the expense of the eubacterial cells and form fruiting bodies on the sur-
face of the agar. The technique of Singh is excellent for the enrichment of a few of the more
common members of the Myxococcaceae but does not yield the wide diversity of forms ob-
tainable by the Krzemieniewskis' method.
Following these methods of enrichment, pure cultures of some species can be obtained
fairly readily by repeated transfer on solid media of various compositions. Dung extract
agar, potato extract agar and peptone agar either with or without the addition of carbo-
hydrates have proved satisfactory. Perhaps the best general method is the use of agar con-
taining a suspension of the cells of true bacteria. Many of the fruiting myxobacters are
capable of Ij'sing the cells of true bacteria and other microorganisms and of developing at
the expense of the materials so liberated (Beebe, Jour. Bact., 4-0, 1940, 155; Snieszko, Hitch-
ner and McAllister, Jour. Bact., 4^, 1941, 26). Although the vegetative development of
myxobacters on bacterial agar is usually somewhat scanty, vigorous fructification occurs,
whereas on many of the other complex media which have been employed, the ability to form
fruiting bodies may be greatly reduced or lost completely. The nature of the materials lib-
erated from lysed true bacteria which promote fructification has not been determined.
Bacterial agar has the additional advantage for purposes of purification that the growth of
true bacteria, fungi and protozoa, invariably present in the original enrichments, is much
slighter than on other complex media.
By the use of the methods described in the preceding paragraph, certain fruiting myxo-
bacters, particularly representatives of the Myxococcaceae, are readily isolated and main-
tained in pure culture. There are many species, however, which have not yet been obtained
in pure culture despite considerable efforts by a number of investigators. For Chondromyces
crocatus, the claim has been made (Pinoy, Ann. Inst. Past., 35, 1921, 487; Kiihlwein, Arch,
f. Mikrobiol., 14, 1948, 678) that growth occurs only in "symbiotic association" with other
microorganisms; this may simply reflect the ability of the species in question to lyse other
microorganisms and to obtain, thereby, nutrients not furnished by conventional complex
media.
No precise quantitative studies on the nutrition of the fruiting myxobacters have been
reported, apart from the work of the Krzemieniewskis {op. cit., 15, 1937, 11) on the cellu-
lose-decomposing Sorangium spp. and that of Noren (Svensk. Bot. Tidskr., 46, 1952, 324).
The widespread ability of these forms to destroy and to develop at the expense of true bac-
teria and fungi suggests that their chief source of food in nature may be the cells of other
microorganisms, even though growth on simpler media is sometimes possible with pure
cultures.
Relationships of the myxobacters. Thaxter {op. cit., 17, 1892, 389), whose work laid
the foundations for our knowledge of the fruiting my.xobacters, regarded these organisms
ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES 857
by Jahn (op. cit., 1924). The definition of the family Myxococcaceae is now modified to per-
mit inclusion of the non-fruiting genus Sporocytophaga, as proposed by Stanier (op. cit., 6,
1942, 143). The fifth family, Cytophagaceae (Stanier, loc. cit.), consists of myxobacters which
produce neither fruiting bodies nor resting cells.
Key to the families of order Myxobacterales.
I. Neither fruiting bodies nor resting cells produced.
Family I. Cytophagaceae, p. 858.
II. Resting cells produced.
A. Resting cells cylindrical, not spherical or ellipsoidal. Fruiting bodies produced.
1. Resting cells not contained in cysts. Fruiting bodies consist of mesenteric masses
or finger-like aggregations of resting cells.
Family II. Archangiaceae, p. 863.
2. Resting cells contained in cysts of definite shape borne on the fruiting bodies.
a. Cysts angular. Vegetative cells always thick and short, with blunt, rounded
ends.
Family III. Sorangiaceae, p. 866.
aa. Cysts rounded. Vegetative cells usually long and thin, with tapering ends.
Family IV. Polyangiaceae, p. 870.
B. Resting cells (microcysts) spherical or ellipsoidal, surrounded by a distinct wall.
Fruiting bodies formed except in the genus Sporocytophaga.
Family V. Myxococcaceae, p. 882.
Cy.to.pha.ga'ce.ae. ]\I.L. fem.n. Cytophaga type genus of the family; -aceae ending to
denote a familj^; M.L. fem.pl.n. Cytophagaceae the Cytophaga family.
Flexible, sometimes pointed rods showing gliding motility. No fruiting bodies or resting
cells (microcysts) are formed.
1. Cytophaga hutchinsonii Winograd- gine, peptone and yeast extract can serve
sky, 1929. (Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past., as nitrogen sources.
43, 1929, 578; Cytophaga strain 8, Jensen, Catalase-positive.
Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 65, 1940, Aerobic.
547; not Cytophaga hutchinsonii Imsenecki
Optimum temperature,
Source: Isolated 30° C.
from soil.
and Solntzeva, Bull. Acad. Sci. U.S.S.R.,
Ser. Biol., No. 6, 1936, 1129.) Habitat: Soil.
hut. chin. so'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun hutchin-
sonii of Hutchinson; named for H. B. Hut- 2. Cytophaga lutea Winogradsky, 1929.
chinson. (Ann. Inst. Past., J^3, 1929, 599.)
Description from Stanier (Bact. Rev., 6, lu'te.a. L. adj. luteus yellow.
1942, 191). Dimensions of the cells approximately
Flexible, singly-occurring rods, 0.3 to 0.5 those of Cytophaga aurantiaca (see below)
micron wide and 2.0 to 10.0 microns long, but rather larger and thinner and without
averaging 6.0 microns in length. Thread-like marked central swelling. Gram-negative.
or coccoid involution forms may occur in Produces a brilliant yellow pigment simi-
old cultures. Gram-negative. lar to that of Cytophaga hutchinsonii.
Produces bright yellow^, glistening, mu- This species differs only in size from Cy-
cilaginous patches on filter paper-silica gel tophaga hutchinsonii and is probabl.y a va-
or -agar plates after 3 to 5 days. The filter riety of it.
paper in these regions is eventually dis- Source: Isolated from soil.
solved, and the colony becomes translucent. Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose.
Produces bright yellow, glistening, slimy,
raised colonies on mineral glucose-agar 3. Cytophaga aurantiaca Winograd-
plates. Little movement is evident, and the sky, 1929. (Winogradsky, Ann. Inst. Past.,
colonies usually remain compact. 43, 1929, 597; probably Mycococcus cyto-
Cellulose, cellobiose and glucose are uti- phagus Bokor, Arch. Microbiol., 1, 1930, 34.)
lized. Xylose, arabinose, mannose, galac- au.ran.ti'a.ca. L. part. adj. aurans, au-
tose, fructose and mannitol are not utilized. rantis gilded; M.L. adj. aurantiacus orange-
Ammonia, nitrate, aspartic acid, aspara- colored.
860 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
Cells 1.0 micron wide at the center by 6 Source: Isolated from soil.
to 8 microns long. Except for size, very Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose.
similar to those of Cyfophnga hutchinsonii.
Gram-negative. 6. Cytophaga johnsonii Stanier, 1947.
Produces orange, mucilaginous patches (Vegetative myxobacteria, Johnson, Jour.
on filter paper-silica gel plates. Fibrolysis Bact., £4, 1932, 340; Stanier, Jour. Bact.,
is very rapid and intense. 53, 1947, 306.)
Source: Isolated from soil. john.so'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun johnsonii of
Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose. Johnson; named for Miss Delia E. Johnson,
the bacteriologist who first isolated this
4. Cytophaga rubra Winogradsky, 1929. species.
;Ann. Inst. Past., 43, 1929, 598.) Thin rods of even width and very variable
length. Dimensions 0.2 to 0.4 by 1.5 to 15.0
ru'bra. L. adj. ruber red.
Description taken from Stanier (Bact. microns. Long rods predominate in very
Rev., 6, 1942, 192). young cultures, but in most strains they
Flexible, singly occurring rods, 0.5 to 0.7 give place to shorter, sometimes almost
by 3.5 to 11.0 microns, averaging about 7.0 coccoid, elements as cultures age. Gram-
microns in length. Gram-negative. negative.
Produces diffuse, bright pink, rapidly Growth on peptone agar is smooth, glis-
spreading patches on filter paper-silica gel tening, translucent and bright yellow. Col-
or -agar plates after a few days. The patches ony form markedly modified by peptone
concentration. With low concentrations, a
are onlj- slightly mucilaginous, and dissolu-
tion of the fibers always remains incomplete. characteristically myxobacterial colony:
Produces small, pale pink, translucent thin, flat and rapidly spreading; with more
colonies with hazily defined peripheries on than 0.5 per cent peptone: raised, convex
mineral-glucose-agar plates. The maximum and confined, with entire edge.
diameter is 2 mm, and the colonies are Growth on chitin agar is flat, rapidly
sunken in the medium. spreading, translucent, pale yellow, accom-
Cellulose, cellobiose, glucose, mannose panied by dissolution of the suspended
chitin.
and xylose are utilized. Arabinose, galac-
tose, fructose and mannitol are not uti- Peptone gelatin: Scanty growth, followed
lized. by very slow liquefaction. Some strains do
Ammonia, nitrate, aspartic acid, aspara- not grow.
gine, peptone and yeast extract can serve Milk: Very slow peptonization.
as nitrogen sources. Arabinose, xylose, glucose, galactose,
Catalase-positive. mannose, lactose, sucrose, cellobiose, malt-
Strictly aerobic. ose, raffinose, starch, inulin and chitin are
utilized. Cellulose, mannitol and dulcitol
Optimum temperature, 30° C. are not utilized. Peptone and other complex
Source: Isolated from soil.
Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose. nitrogenous materials can serve as carbon
sources in the absence of carbohydrates.
5. Cytophaga tenuissima Winogradsky, Nitrate, ammonia and peptone are suit-
able nitrogen sources.
1929. (Ann. Inst. Past., 43, 1929, 599; in- Catalase not formed.
correctly spelled Cytophaga iernissima in Indole not produced.
Bergey et al.. Manual, 4th ed., 1934, 559.) Nitrate usually not reduced. One variety
te.nu.is'si.ma. L. sup. adj. tenuissimus is capable of denitrification with a vigorous
very slender. gas production from nitrate.
Dimensions of cells not given, but de- Strictly aerobic.
scribed as being extremely slender. Gram-
negative. 30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 25*^ and
Produces mucilaginous, greenish to olive Source: Isolated from soil and mud.
patches on filter paper-silica gel plates. Habitat: Soil. Decomposes chitin.
FAMILY I. CYTOPHAGACEAE
861
7. Cytophaga deprimata Fuller and dextrin and hemicellulose are utilized. Very
Norman, 1943. (Jour. Bact., 45, 1943, 566.) scant growth on cellulose may be found on
first isolation.
de.pri.ma'ta. L. part. adj. deprimatus
depressed. Ammonia, nitrate and peptone are suit-
Rod, long and flexuous with pointed able nitrogen sources.
ends, 0.3 to 0.5 by 5.5 to 10 microns, ar- Indole not produced.
ranged singly. Creeping motility on solid Nitrites not produced from nitrates.
surfaces. Gram-negative. No visible change in litmus milk.
Growth on starch agar is at first smoky Highly aerobic.
to faint yellow becoming bright yellow later.
30°Optimum
C. temperature, between 22° and
Colonies are irregular and concave in eleva-
tion. The edge spreads indistinguishably Source: Isolated from soil.
into the surrounding medium, and shallow Habitat : Soil. Decomposes organic matter.
depressions develop around the colony.
Small colonies give the plate a characteristic 9. Cytophaga krzemieniewskae Stan-
pitted appearance. ier, 1940. (Incorrectly spelled Cytophaga
Growth on cellulose dextrin agar is milky krzemieniewskii in Stanier, Jour. Bact., 40,
white. Colonies are depressed in medium. 1940, 623; Jour. Bact., 42, 1941, 532.)
Gelatin is liquefied in 4 days. krze.mi.en.i.ew'skae. M.L. gen. noun
Glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, pec- krzemieniewskae of Krzemieniewska; named
tin, starch, cellulose dextrin and hemicellu- for Helena Krzemieniewska.
lose are utilized. Very scant growth on cellu- Long, flexible rods, usually of even width
lose may be found on first isolation. with blunt ends, occasionally somewhat
Yeast extract, ammonium nitrate and pointed and spindle-shaped, 0.5 to 1.5 by 5
peptone are suitable nitrogen sources. to 20 microns. Star-shaped aggregates occur
Indole not produced. in liquid media. Creeping motility on solid
Nitrites not produced from nitrates. surfaces, non-motile in liquids.
No visible change in litmus milk. Growth on a sea-water-peptone agar
Highly aerobic. plate begins as a smooth, thin, pale pink,
Optimum temperature, between 25° and rapidly spreading swarm. After a few days,
30° C. the older portions of the swarm assume a
Source: Isolated from soil. warty appearance, due to the accumulation
Habitat: Soil. Decomposes organic mat- of cells in drop-like masses, resembling im-
ter. mature fruiting bodies but always contain-
ing normal vegetative cells. A diff'usible
8. Cytophaga albogilva Fuller and brown to black pigment which masks the
Norman, 1943. (Jour. Bact., 45, 1943, 566.) pink color of the swarm is produced after
al.bo.gil'va. L. adj. albogilvus whitish about a week. Agar is rapidly decomposed,
yellow. and ultimately liquefaction becomes al-
Long flexuous rods with pointed ends, most complete.
0.3 to 0.5 by 4.5 to 7.5 microns, arranged Sea-water-gelatin stab: Liquefaction.
singly. Creeping motility on solid surfaces. Growth in liquid media is turbid and silky
Gram-negative. with a pink sediment; the medium turns
Growth on starch agar is cream to pale dark brown or black after 1 or 2 weeks.
yellow. Colonies are small, concave and Xylose, glucose, galactose, lactose, malt-
irregularly round. Edge is entire and ir- ose, cellobiose, cellulose, alginic acid, agar
regular. and starch are utilized, but not arabinose,
Growth on cellulose dextrin agar is re- sucrose or chitin.
stricted. Colonies are pin-point, milky white Yeast extract and peptone are the only
in color, round and concave. suitable nitrogen sources known.
Gelatin is liquefied in 7 days. Weakly catalase-positive.
Glucose, galactose, lactose, maltose, su- Indole not produced.
crose, gum arable, pectin, starch, cellulose. Nitrites produced from nitrates.
802 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
of yeast extract and ferric phosphate. Good species that apparently belong here, the
growth on broth of this composition was majority of which attack cellulose: Verona
also obtained. Apparently the yeast extract (Rendiconti R. Accad. Naz. d. Lincei, 19,
supplied necessary growth substances. Ser. 6a, 1934, 731), Imsenecki and Solntzeva
Source: Isolated by streaking a piece of (Bull. Acad. Sci., U.S.S.R., Ser. Biol., No.
Dictyota dichotoma on agar containing 0.2 6, 1936, 000), Verona and Baldacci (Myco-
per cent potassium nitrate. pathologia, 2, 1939, 135; also see Boll. R.
Habitat: From seaweed. Beaufort, North 1st. Patol. d. Libro, 1, 1939, 8 pp.), Soriano
Carolina. (Rev. Argentina de Agronomia, 12, 1945,
125), Pringsheim (Jour. Gen. Microbiol.,
NOTE: Species incertae sedis. In recent 5, 1951, 145) and Kadota (Bull. Japanese
years at least fourteen additional species Soc. of Sci. Fisheries, 19, 1953, 476). Some of
have been placed in the genus Cytophaga the organisms described were found in soil
or in other genera that appear to duplicate or humus, while others were found to cause
this genus. For example Stapp and Bortels deterioration of paper or stored fish nets;
(Zent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 90, 1934, 28) have still others were found in the intestines or
described five new species of Cytophaga from feces of termites. Comparative studies must
the humus of forest soils. Similarly, the fol- be made before the true relationships of
lowing authors have described unicellular these .species can be determined.
In transmitted light one sees that the Jahn, 1924. {Polyangium flavum Kofler,
fruiting body is made up of numerous intes- Sitzber. d. kais. Akad. w^iss. Wien, math.-
tine-like convolutions closelj' appressed, nat. Klasse, Abt. I, 122, 1913, 864; Jahn,
not, however, always definitely delimited. Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die Poly-
These tubes usually have a diameter of from angiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig,
1924, 71.)
70 to 90 microns, often constricted and at-
tenuated. No membrane is present. The fla'vum. L. adj. flavus yellow or golden.
rods in the fruiting bodies are about 4 mi- Swarm stage (pseudoplasmodium) : Not
crons long and 0.8 micron wide. Upon pres- described.
sure on the fruiting bodies, the rods remain Fruiting bodies: About 0.5 mm in diame-
together in small fragments of various sizes. ter, yellow, spherical or ellipsoidal, with
Habitat: Found on rabbit dung, some- humped or padded surface. The mass of
times on roe dung. According to Jahn {loc. cells quite homogeneous; upon pressure
cit.), not particularly common. under cover glass, single sections tend to
Illustrations: Quehl (Cent. f. Bakt., II adhere. No membrane, though the rods are
Abt., 16, 1906, 16, PI. 1, Fig. 5), Jahn (Kryp- so tightly linked that when cautiously
togamenflora d. Mark Brandenburg, V, placed under a cover glass, the form of the
Pilze I, Lief. 2, 1911, 201, PI. 1, Fig. 5), Jahn fruiting body is retained. Rods 2 to 4 mi-
(op. cit., 1924, PI. 1, Fig. 4, also Fig. G, page crons.
37) and Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Source: Found by Kofler (1924) on hare
Poloniae, 4, 1926, PI. II, Fig. 23; also .see dung found in Danube meadows.
op. cit., 1927, PI. IV, Fig. 3, var. assurgens Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
and PI. IV, Figs. 1-2). ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
mals. Reported as frequent in Polish soils
2a. Archangium primigenium var. as- by Krzemieniewski (1926, 1927).
surgens Jahn, 1924. (Beitriige zur bot. Pro- Illustrations: Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc.
tistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. Born- Bot. Poloniae, 4, 1926, PI. II, Fig. 24; also
traeger, Leipzig, 1924, 69.) see ibid., 1927, PI. IV, Figs. 4, 5 and 6).
as.sur'gens. L. part. adj. assiirgens ris-
ing up. 4. Archangium serpens (Thaxter, 1892)
Size and color of the fruiting body as in Jahn, 1924. {Chondroniyces serpens Thaxter,
the species, likewise the inner structure, Bot. Gaz., 17, 1892, 403; Jahn, Beitrage zur
size and arrangement of the rods. However, bot. Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb.
the tubules which together constitute the Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, 72.)
fruiting bodies are more or less free at their ser'pens. L. part. adj. serpens creeping.
ends and stand up from the substrate. Their Swarm stage (pseudoplasmodium) : Rods
diameter is somewhat less (about 45 mi- cylindrical, 0.6 by 5 to 7 microns. Cultures
crons), they are often convoluted so that on agar develop convoluted form.
they many times appear to be constricted Fruiting body: About 1 mm in diameter,
(like pearls). recumbent, consisting of numerous loosely
Pronounced races of the species and of intertwined cj^sts, confluent in an anasto-
the variety are so different in habits that mosing coil, flesh-colored, when dry dark
they may be regarded as distinct species. red, 50 microns in diameter, bent, occasion-
Jahn believes the presence of intermediate ally somewhat broadened or constricted,
strains makes a separation difficult. branched.
Habitat: Relatively rare, being found Source: Found on decaying lichens from
only three times on rabbit dung by Kofler Cambridge, Mass.
(Sitzber. d. kais. Akad. wiss. Wien, math.- Habitat: Decaying lichens.
nat. Klasse, Abt. I, 122, 1913). Very rare Illustrations: Thaxter {op. cit., PI. 24,
in Polish soils according to Krzemieniewski Fig. 24).
(Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 5, 1927, 95).
5. Archangium thaxteri Jahn, 1924.
3. Archangium flavum (Kofler, 1913) (Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die
866 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
Ste.lan'gi.um or Ste.lan.gi'um. Gr. noun stele pillar or column; Or. noun angiutn vessel,
container; M.L. neut.n. Stelangixim columnar vessel.
Fruiting bodies are columnar or finger-like, sometimes forked, without a definite stalk,
standing upright on the substrate.
The type species is Stelangium muscorum (Thaxter) Jahn.
So.ran'gi.um. Gr. noun sorus a heap; M.L. noun sorus a fungus spore pustule; Gr. noun
angium a vessel; M.L. noun Sorangium heaped vessel.
Description as for the family. The cysts are united into rounded fruiting bodies. Eight
species have been allocated to this genus.
The type species is Sorangium schroeieri Jahn.
Key to the species of genus Sorangium.
I. Fruiting bodies not black when ripe.
A. Primary cysts absent; fruiting body shows only angular, spherical or ellipsoidal
small cysts.
1. Cysts angular.
a. Fruiting body very small (50 to 80 microns), often irregularly cerebriform;
the angular cysts often completely separated from each other and about 13
microns in diameter.
1. Sorangium schroeteri.
aa. Fruiting body composed of many small cysts.
b. Cysts orange-red in color; over 5.0 microns in diameter.
2. Sorangium sorediatum.
bb. Rusty brown color; cysts less than 3.5 microns in diameter.
3. Sorangium cellulosum.
2. Cysts spherical or ellipsoidal.
4. Sorangium spumosum.
B. Both primary and secondary cysts present.
1. Primary cysts small and numerous, about 20 microns, with definite membrane
and few angular secondary cysts.
5. Sorangium septatum.
2. Primary cysts large, with delicate, often indefinite, membrane.
6. Sorangium compositum.
II. Fruiting bodies black or brownish-black when ripe.
A. Primary cysts generally not formed.
7. Sorangium nigrum.
B. Primary cysts generally formed.
8. Sorangium nigrescens.
1. Sorangium schroeteri Jahn, 1924. regularly into well delimited portions, many
(Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die angled, usually about 12 microns in diame-
Polyangiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig, ter, and in other places into areas less well
1924, 73; regarded as a synonym of Soran- delimited and about 14 microns in diameter.
gium compositum by Krzemieniewski, Acta Resembles gelatin which has dried in a sheet
Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 5, 1927, 96.) and cracked into regular areas. Rods in
schroe'te.ri. M.L. gen. noun schroeteri of cj^sts 5 microns long. Cysts sometimes occur
Schroeter; named for Julius Schroeter. together in large numbers, covering an area
Vegetative cells: Not described. to 0.5 mm.
Fruiting bodies: Very small, circular, Source: Found by Jahn (op. a<., 1924, 73)
swollen, often kidney-shaped with brain- five times on rabbit dung in the environs of
like convolutions, usually 60 microns (oc- Berlin.
casionally 120 microns) in diameter, bright Illustrations: Jahn (ibid., PI. 2, Fig. 22).
orange-red. Surrounded by a delicate .slime
membrane about 0.7 micron thick, apparent 2. Sorangium sorediatum (Thaxter,
only with high magnifications. Divided 1904) Jahn, 1924. {Fohjangium sorediatum
secondarily into angular cysts by sutures Thaxter, Bot. Gaz., 37, 1904, 414; Jahn,
extending inward which divide the mass Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die
868 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
ondary cysts 10 to 12 microns. The Krzemie- Fig. 6) and Krzemieniewski {op. cit., 4,
niewskis (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 5, 1927, 1926, PI. Ill, Figs. 32-36; ibid., 5, 1927, PI.
96) recognize a variety, Sorangium septatum IV, Figs. 7-12; PI. V, P^igs. 13-14; PI. VI,
var. microcystum, which has secondary cysts Fig. 36).
with dimensions 3 to 8 by 4 to 10 microns.
Source: Collected twice from horse dung 7. Sorangium nigrum Krzemieniewska
in Cambridge, Mass. and Krzemieniewski, 1937. (Bull. Int.
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- I'Acad. Pol. Sci. et Lettres, Classe Sci.
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- Math, et Nat., Ser. B, 15, 1937.)
mals. Reported by Krzemieniewski {loc. ni'grum. L. adj. niger black.
cit.) as common in Polish soil. Vegetative cells: 1.1 to 1.3 by 2.5 to 5.5
Illustrations: Thaxter (op. cit., 1904, PI. microns.
27, Figs. 25-28), Jahn (Kryptogamen-flora Fruiting body: Primary cysts generally
d. Mark Brandenburg, V, Pilze I. Lief 2, not formed; when observed, appeared as
1911, 202, Fig. 2) and Krzemieniewski (Acta smoke-colored slime envelope surrounding
Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 4, 1926, PI. 27, Figs. 27- clumps of a few cysts. Secondary cysts usu-
38; also see ihid., 1927, PI. V, Fig. 15, var. ally arranged in rows within cellulose fibers,
microcystum, Fig. 16). the material of the fiber forming a common
sheath. Each individual cyst is enclosed by
6. Sorangium coniposituni (Thaxter, a cyst wall, clearly differentiated from the
1904) Jahn, 1924. {Polyangium compositiim tubular-shaped cellulose fibers. Cysts meas-
Thaxter, Bot. Gaz., 37, 1904, 413; Jahn, ure 9 to 16 by 9 to 23 microns; average 10
Beitriige zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die Poly- by 18 microns. Cyst wall moderately thick,
angiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, colorless, transparent, becoming light
74; Polyangium sorediatum Quehl, Cent. f. brown with age, and finally black.
Bakt., II Abt., 16, 1906, 17; not Polyangium Colonies: Young colonies are black in
sorediatum Thaxter, op. cit., 1904, 414.) color. On filter paper a bright orange margin
com.pos'i.tum. L. adj. compositus com- is noted, the vegetative cells of which cover
pound. the cellulose fibers. On cotton cloth the
Vegetative cells: Not described. margin is bright, dirty yellow, tinged with
Fruiting bodies: Dull yellowish orange pink. Under low-power magnification, center
changing to dark red on drying. Rounded, of the colony appears similar to matted
small, 0.5 to 1 mm, usually as a whole or fungal hyphae, due to characteristic com-
even in larger clumps surrounded by a deli- pact accumulation of cysts and cellulose
cate and evanescent membrane. In large fibers.
fruiting bodies the cysts are bound together Physiology: Cellulose fibers become swol-
in balls, 70 to 90 microns in diameter, by a len by the action of this organism and be-
delicate membrane. The balls readily fall come gray -brown with a violet tinge. Fibers
apart. Secondary cysts are angular, 7 by 11 lose the properties of cellulose and give no
microns, surrounded by a delicate orange- characteristic reactions.
red membrane about 0.4 micron in thick- Source: Isolated from soil.
ness. Length of rods in the cysts, 5 microns. Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose.
Source : Found on rabbit dung from South Illustrations: Krzemieniewskis {ibid.,
Carolina. Jahn (op. cit., 1904) found it four Plate IV, Figs. 22-26).
times on rabbit dung near Berlin, twice on
hare dung in Oberharg. 8. Sorangium nigrescens Krzemie-
Habitat: Found on decajang organic mat- niewska and Krzemieniewski, 1937. (Bull.
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- Int. I'Acad. Pol. Sci. et Lettres, Classe Sci.
mals. Common in soils of Poland according Math, et Nat., Ser. B, 15, 1937.)
to Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Pol- ni.gres'cens. L. part. adj. nigrescens be-
oniae, 5,1927). coming black.
Illustrations: Thaxter (op. cit., 1904, PI. Vegetative cells: 1.2 to 1.4 by 2.5 to 6.4
27, Figs. 29-30), Jahn {pp. cit., 1924, PI. I, microns. Younger cells somewhat shorter.
870 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
Fruiting body: Primary cysts vary in Vegetative colony: A mass of dark fruit-
size up to 200 microns in diameter, are irreg- ing bodies develops at the center of the
ular in shape and are enclosed in a colorless colony on filter paper; margin, grayish yel-
slime envelope. Formed by an accumulation low. The cellulose fibers are covered with
of secondary cysts. Secondary cysts at first vegetative cells on the outside and contain
colorless, transparent, later becoming many cells within.
brownish with a limiting membrane; the Ph3\siology: Destroys cellulose. Culti-
young cysts appear dirty yellow, the older vated six years with cellulose as a carbon
ones grayish brown to black. Secondary source.
cysts measure 5 to 12 by 6 to 15 microns; Source: Isolated from sandy soil in pine
average 6 by 10 microns. On filter paper not woods in Poland.
only well formed primary cysts are formed Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose,
but also free secondary cysts are noted em- Illustrations: Krzemieniewskis {ibid.,
bedded in the slime of the colony. PI. Ill, Figs. 17-21).
1. Polyangium vitellinum Link, 1809. cysts, milky white. Rods large, cylindrical,
(Link, Mag. d. Ges. Naturforschender rounded at either end, 0.7 to 0.9 by 4.0 to
Feunde zu Berlin, 3, 1809, 42; Myxobacter 7.0 microns.
aureus Thaxter, Bot. Gaz., 17, 1892, 403.) Fruiting body: Cysts golden yellow, usu-
vi.tel.li'num. L. noun vitellus an egg ally relatively spherical, 75 to 150 microns,
yolk; M.L. adj. vitellinus like egg yolk. occasionally 200 microns in diameter, al-
Vegetative cells: When rising to form most always surrounded by a white, slimy
ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
envelope, about 10 to 15 cysts in a mass. cysts have colorless, thin walls. Rods 0.7
Rods in the cj'sts about 3 microns in length. to 0.8 by 3.8 to 5.8 microns.
Source : Isolated from verj' wet wood and Source: Grown from soil on rabbit dung.
bark in swamps in Maine and Belmont, Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
Mass. (Thaxter, loc. cit.). Also found on ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
old wood lying in moist ditches, on old pop- mals.
lar bark which was kept in a moist dish and Illustrations: Krzemieniewski (ibid., PL
on rabbit dung. V, Figs. 22-23).
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- 4. Polyangium morula Jahn, 1911.
mals. Jahn (Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie.
(Kryptogamenflora der Mark Brandenburg,
I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. Borntraeger, V, Pilze I, 1911, 202.)
Leipzig, 1924) states that it is not common.
mo'ru.la. Gr. noun mora the black mul-
Illustrations: Thaxter (op. cit., 17, 1892,
berry; L. dim. noun moniZo a small mulberry.
PI. 25, Figs. 34-36), Zukal (Ber. d. deutsch. Vegetative cells: Not described.
Bot. Ges., 15, 1897, 542, PL 27, Figs. 6-10) Fruiting bodies: Cysts bright yellow,
and Jahn (Kryptogamenflora d. Mark Bran-
denburg, V,Pilze I, Lief 2, 1911, 199, Fig. 3; closely packed into a mulberr5'-shaped
also see op. cit., 1924, 77 and PL II, Fig. 13). sorus; cysts with thick membrane (3 mi-
crons), often made polj-gonal by pressure,
20 to 35 microns, bound together by slime.
2. Polyangium minus Krzemieniewski, The whole sorus is 100 to 200 microns broad.
1926. (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 4, 1926, 33.)
Rods in cysts about 3 microns in length.
mi'nus. L. comp.adj. minor less, smaller. Jahn states he has not studied fresh cysts.
Vegetative cells: Rods 0.4 to 0.6 by 3.0 to
7.0 microns. In the older cysts the rods are difficult to
observe.
Fruiting bodies: Cyst masses commonly
Source: Observed only once on rabbit
cover the substrate to an area of 0.5 sq. mm. dung.
Cysts are spherical or ellipsoidal, small, 20 Illustration: Jahn (Beitrage zur bot.
to 80 by 20 to 50 microns, light rose in color,
Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden, Geb.
becoming brownish, embedded in a trans- Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, PL 2, Fig. 21).
parent colorless slime. Cyst membrane light
colored, relatively thick, 0.5 to 1.0 micron,
transparent, revealing the contents. Rods 5. Polyangium cellulosum Imsenecki
in cyst 0.8 to 1.0 by 1.3 to 2.0 microns. and Solntzeva, 1936*. (On aerobic cellulose-
Source: Isolated from rabbit dung which decomposing bacteria. Akademiia Nauk,
was sterilized and placed on soil (Poland). Leningrad, Isvestiia, 1936, 1115; English
summary, 1168.)
Relativelj^ slow in appearance, only after
many days. cel.lu.lo'sum. M.L. noun cellulosum cellu-
lose.
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- Vegetative cells: Thick, bent rods with
mals. Rather rare. rounded ends, 0.8 to 1 .2 by 3.5 to 8.5 microns.
Illustrations: Krzemieniewski (ibid., PL Fruiting body: Rods at center of the col-
IV, Fig. 47-48; PL V, Fig. 49). ony are non-motile, forming large orange
aggregates, and are shorter than those at
3. Polyangium luteum Krzemieniewski, the margin: 0.7 to 0.9 by 3.4 to 5.6 microns.
1927. (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 5, 1927, 98.) Later a concentration of cells occurs. The
lu'te.um. L. adj. luteus saffron- or golden rods come closer together to form rounded
yellow. or ellipsoidal aggregates from which cysts
Vegetative cells: Not described. become delimited. The cysts are orange in
Fruiting bodies: Golden j-ellow, consist- color, 8 to 24 microns, average 20 to 25 mi-
ing of a few cysts surrounded by a common, crons in diameter. In addition to bacterial
bright yellow, very thick slime wall. The cells, droplets of fat, 1.5 to 3.5 microns, are
Translated from the original by E. V. Prostov, Iowa State College Library, Ames, Iowa.
FAMILY IV. POLYANGIACEAE
873
sometimes seen within the C3\st. When confined by an orange-colored slime mem-
treated with H2SO4 , cysts are easily broken brane or envelope. No cystophore present.
up under the cover glass. Fruiting bodies Fruiting bodies not easily broken up. Vary
are composed of climips of cysts. The fruit- in size from 80 to 240 microns.
ing bodies are ellipsoidal or pear-shaped, Vegetative colony: On silica gel with cel-
40 to 55 by 110 to 160 microns, reddish lulose, at first pale pink. After six days
brown; they are covered with a slime mem- fruiting bodies of red color appear together
brane (flakes of dried slime). Each is com- with free cysts and many non-encysted
posed of 12 to 40 cysts which become poly- shortened rods. Fruiting bodies numerous
gonal from pressure. The cysts are some- at center of colony and later form in con-
times arranged in chains. centric rings around center. Margin of col-
Resting cells: 0.7 to 0.8 by 2.2 to 3.5 mi- ony composed of vegetative cells; periphery
crons. pink. Mature colonies 2 to 5 cm in diameter,
Vegetative colony: Cysts germinate on bright red, becoming drabbish red; pigmen-
filter paper producing vegetative colonies. tation appears to be confined to limited
Colonies large, orange, moist, increasing in areas. Surface dull, moist. Margin not defi-
size. The older colonies have orange margins nite.
while the center is dark brown, correspond- Physiology: The cellulose at the center of
ing to the color of the fruiting bodies. Often the colony is completely destroyed, whereas
show several concentric rings. that under the remainder of the colony is
Physiology: Rods cover cellulose fibers, not entirely broken down.
partially or completelj^ destroying them. The author considers this a color variant
Paper becomes transparent. of Polyangium cellulosum Imsenecki and
Solntzeva.
Optimum temperature, between 18° and
22° C. Very slow growth at 30° C. Source: Isolated from the black soils of
Grows only on cellulose, not in ordinary Eastern European Russia.
media. Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose.
Aerobic.
Source: Isolated from soil.
Illustrations: Imsenecki and Solntzeva 5b. Polyangium cellulosum var. fuscxim
427.)
Mishustin, 1938. (Microbiologia, 7, 1938,
{ibid., Table II, 2, Figs. 1-5).
5a. Polyangium cellulosum var. ferru- fus'cum. L. adj. fuscus dark, tawny.
gineum Mishustin, 1938. (Microbiologia, Vegetative cells: Identical with those of
7, 1938, 427.) Polyangium cellulosum var. ferrugineum.
Fruiting body: Composed of individual
fer.ru. gi'ne.um. L. adj. ferrugineus of
the color of iron rust. cysts, each with a separate cyst wall, and
Vegetative cells: Long, flexible cells, 0.8 held together by a common slime membrane
to 1.2 by 3.0 to 5.0 microns. Become short- or envelope. Shortened, rod-shaped spores
ened and highly refractile during fruiting- enclosed within the cyst walls. Cysts form-
body formation. ing outside the large walls. Cysts forming
Fruiting bodj-: Composed of numerous outside the large masses usually rounded;
cysts having definite wall. Mass of rods has those within often polygonal or angular.
a yellowish tinge, and the cysts are colored Cysts 5 to 24 microns long, ellipsoidal or
reddish yellow. Color probably confined to egg-shaped. Encysted cells give cysts gran-
the cyst walls. Cysts round or egg-shaped, ular appearance. Ripe cj^sts brown to light
or may be angular due to pressure. Each brown in color; immature, yellow to pink.
cyst contains numerous shortened rods. Fruiting bodies pinkish yellow when young,
Cysts usually 12 to 40 microns in diameter. becoming brown when ripened. Considera-
Numerous cysts grouped into fruiting bodies ble variation in form: round, ellipsoidal or
having bright red or drabbish red color when sausage-shaped, and from 50 to 80 microns
ripe. Form of fruiting body variable: most up to several hundred microns. Outer slime
commonly rounded, ellipsoidal or biscuit- envelope often indistinct; no dried slime
shaped, sometimes sausage-shaped. Cysts noticeable between the cysts.
874 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
Vegetative colony : A faint yellow cast on 5d. Polyangium cellulosum var. luteum
427.)
Mishustin, 1938. (Microbiologia, 7, 1938,
cellulose-silica gel after 2 to 3 days. Be-
comes 3'ellow-orange to yellow-pink after
6 to 8 days, while center is brownish gray. lu'te.um. L. adj. luteus saffron-yellow.
Margin pinkish to yellow-pink. Surface dull, Vegetative cells: Similar to others of the
moist. As fruiting bodies ripen, colony be-
comes darker, finally dark brown. Reaches species.
Fruiting body: Poorly organized agglom-
diameter of 2 to 5 cm. Fruiting bodies often erations of colorless to yellow cysts en-
arranged in form of pigmented, closely set, closing sporulated cells. Cysts regularly
concentric rings. Margin of colony not egg-shaped to ellipsoidal, 8 to 20 microns in
clearly defined. Usually regularly rounded diameter; predominantly 6 to 10 microns.
or ellipsoidal. Cellulose completely de- Matured cysts loosely connected into
stroyed only at center of colony. rounded or elongate masses 40 to 80 by 100
Source: Found only once in podzol soils. to 150 microns. Ripe fruiting bodies easily
Common in black soils of Sumy Experiment pulled apart.
Station. Vegetative colony: On cellulose, colonies
Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose. regularly rounded or ellipsoidal, surface has
moist appearance. Yellowish cast 2nd or
5c. Polyangium cellulosum var. Julvum 3rd day, becoming deeper yellow. Ochre-
Mishustin, 1938. (Microbiologia, 7, 1938, yellow formations resembling fruiting bod-
427.) ies by 5 to 6 days. Manj^ free cysts at center
of colony. Later colony becomes pale dirty
ful'vum. L. adj. fulvus reddish yellow.
Vegetative cells: 0.8 to 1.2 by 3.5 to 6.0 yellow while periphery remains bright yel-
microns. low. Sometimes one or two brightly pig-
Fruiting body: Rose or pink in color, mented rings consisting of agglomerations
composed of numerous cysts. Young cysts of fruiting bodies are found in older colonies.
Mature colonies 1.5 to 3.0 cm in diameter.
yellow to yellow-orange, becoming pink,
rose or red, or pinkish yellow. Cysts same Physiology: Filter paper completely de-
shape as others of the species; 6 to 24 mi- stroyed at center of colony. Developed bet-
crons in diameter, average 10 to 12 mi- ter below pH 7 (around pH 6) than others of
crons; contain many short rods. Fruiting the species.
bodies vary in shape, often elongated, Source: Isolated from soils of the Timiria-
flagella(?) -shaped (columnar?), up to 20 to zev Agricultural Academy. Common in
25 by 350 to 450 microns. Also globular, podzol soils.
mace-shaped, etc. Usually 25 to 40 by 50 to Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose.
80 microns. Cysts enclosed by outer common
6. Polyangium simplex (Thaxter, 1893)
envelope or slime membrane. Easily broken
Thaxter, 1904. (Myxobader simplex Thaxter,
up mechanically. Bot. Gaz., 18, 1893, 29; Thaxter, ibid., 37,
Vegetative colony: On cellulose -silica gel 1904, 414.)
form a hardly visible white (colorless?)
colony at 2 days. After 6 days becomes pink sim'plex. L. adj. simplex simple.
Vegetative cells: Large, cylindrical rods,
in color. Fruiting bodies first form near
rounded at either end, 0.7 to 0.9 by 4.0 to
center. After 9 to 10 days central area red- 7.0 microns.
dish pink while periphery has yellowish Fruiting bodies: Cysts single, very large,
cast. Mature colony 2.5 to 7.5 cm in diame- 250 to 400 microns, bright reddish yellow,
ter, pink-orange color, fairly regularly
round or ellipsoidal in shape. Pigmented irregularly rounded. Rods flesh-colored in
mass. Upon pressure, adhere together in
concentric rings of fruiting bodies. sheaves.
Physiology: Cellulose entirely destroyed Source: Isolated from very wet wood and
at center of colony and often at other points. bark in swamps.
Source: Podzol soils of Timiriazev Agri-
cultural Academy. Seldom in black soils of 7. Polyangium ochraceum Krzemie-
Sumy Experiment Station. niewski, 1926. (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 4,
Habitat: Soil. Decomposes cellulose. 1926, 34.)
FAMILY IV. POLYANGIACEAE
875
o.chra'ce.um. Gr. noun ochra yellow is common on dung; it also occurs on decay-
ochre; M.L. adj. ochraceus of the color of ing lichens and on poplar bark which is kept
yellow ochre. moist.
Vegetative cells: Not described. Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
Fruiting bodies: Orange to light red in ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
the form of a single spherical or ellipsoidal mals. Quite common in Polish soils ac-
cyst 60 to 80 by 50 to 130 microns, each with cording to Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot.
a thick, yellow-brown membrane. The cyst Poloniae, 5, 1927).
content often (particularh- in the ellipsoidal Illustrations: Thaxter (Bot. Gaz., 23,
cysts) is constricted by the membrane which 1897, PI. 31, Figs. 37-39), Baur (Arch. Pro-
penetrates deeply. From the side the cyst tistenkunde, 5, 1905, PI. 4, Figs. 14, 15 and
appears to be divided. Rods in cj^sts meas- 17), Quehl (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., 16, 1906,
ure 0.5 by 4.0 to 8.0 microns. PI. 1, Figs. 8 and 16), Jahn {op. cit., 1924,
Source: Grown on sterilized rabbit dung PI. 2, Fig. 12; also Fig. A, page 9) and Krze-
on soil (Poland). mieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 4,
Illustrations: Krzemieniewski (ibid., PI. 1926, 34, PI. IV, Figs. 42-43; also var. vela-
V, Figs. 50-51). tum, PI. IV, Figs. 44-46).
8. Polyangiuin fuscum (Schroeter,
1886) Thaxter, 1904. {Cystobader fiiscus 9. Polyangiuin aureuni Krzemieniew-
Schroeter, in Cohn, Kryptogamenflora v. ska and Krzemieniewski, 1930. (Acta Soc.
Schlesien, 3, 1, 1886, 170; Thaxter, Bot. Gaz., Bot. Poloniae, 7, 1930, 255.)
37, 1904, 414.) au're.um. L. adj. aureus golden.
Separated from Pohjangium morula on the
fus'cum. L. adj. fuscus dark, tawny. basis of pigmentation.
Vegetative cells: Rods slender, elongate,
0.6 by 5.0 to 12 microns. Grows readily on Vegetative cells : Straight rods of uniform
agar, also on dung agar. Baur states rods diameter; rounded ends, 0.7 to 0.9 by 2.8 to
are 15 to 20 microns in length. 5.3 microns.
Fruiting bodies: Cysts flesh-colored when Fruiting body: Cysts reddish brown, var-
young, chestnut-brown when ripe, spher- iable in number, embedded in yellow slime
ical, about 60 microns (Thaxter, 50 to 150 to form a sorus with a common slime en-
by 50 to 70 microns) in diameter, with defi- velope. Cysts nearly spherical or slightly
nite membrane, lying in considerable num- elongate, averaging 32 by 37 microns. Cyst
bers in large sori, usually 30 to 40 sometimes wall orange-yellow, about 3 microns thick.
up to 100. The slime envelope is much more Older cysts contain shortened rods, a gran-
delicate and evanescent than that in P. vi- ular mass and a colorless or yellowish ole-
tellinum. Occasionall}^ a form is found with aginous liquid.
cysts measuring 100 microns: under these Habitat: Soil.
often lie kidney-shaped cysts even 150 mi- Illustrations: Krzemieniewski {ibid., PI.
crons in length; apparently a variety. Rods XVII, Figs. 14-17).
in cysts about 0.8 to 1.5by 3.0 to 3.5 microns.
Cysts (Baur) on dung decoction break in 10. Polyangium stellatum Kofler, 1913.
10 to 12 hours, and rods pour out, apparently (Sitzber. d. kais. Akad. wiss. Wien, math.-
passively at first. nat. Klasse, Abt. I, 122, 1913, 19.)
P. juscuyn var. velatum Krzemieniewski stel.la'tum. L. part. adj. stellatus set with
differs from the type in that the membrane stars, stellate.
is thin, separated from cysts and folded. Vegetative cells: Not described.
Source: Isolated from rabbit dung from Fruiting bodies: Cysts elongate, 80 to 120
southern California. Kofler (Sitzber. d. by 160 to 200 microns, flesh-colored when
kais. Akad. wiss. Wien. math.-nat. Klasse, young, brownish red when old; star-shaped
122 Abt., 1913, 845) also found it on rabbit with 2 to 9 rays fixed by the narrowed base
dung from Vienna. Jahn (Beitrage zur bot. upon a kind of hypothallus.
Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. Source: Found on hare dung from Vienna.
Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924) states that it Illustrations: Kofler {ibid., PI. ?, Fig. 6).
876 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
(Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die Polj^angiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, 79.)
Syn.an'gi.um. Gr. pref. syn together; Or. noun ancjium vessel; M.L. neut.n. Synangium
vessels together (clustered).
Cysts united at the base to form a large disc or rosette which is usually elevated above
the substrate on a stalk. The individual cj'^st is equipped with an apical tuft of hairs.
The type species is Synangium sessile (Thaxter) Jahn.
1. Synangium sessile (Thaxter, 1904) rise to secondary stalks which are much
Jahn, 1924. {Chrondromyces sessilis Thaxter, thinner and shorter than the primary ones
Bot. Gaz., 37, 1904, 411; Chrondromyces and which are tipped with smaller clusters.
lanuginosus Kofler, Sitzber. d. kais. Akad. Varieties: Three varieties of this species
wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Klasse, Abt. I, 122, have been named on the basis of the pres-
1913, 861; Chondromyces thaxteri Faull, Bot. ence or absence of cyst-bearing stalks: one
Gaz., 62, 1916, 226; Jahn, Beitrage zur bot. variety is described as sessile, and another
Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. as bearing a stalk of variable height (up to
Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, 79; Synangium 1 mm) which is usually unbranched; the
lanuginosum Jahn, loc. cit.; Synangium thax- third variety is intermediate between these
teri Jahn, loc. cit.) two. This differentiation in stalks is highly
ses'si.le. L. adj. sessilis sessile, stalkless. dependent upon environmental conditions.
Vegetative cells: Cylindrical rods with Cultivation : Grown in laboratory culture
blunt ends, 0.9 to 1.0 by 3.0 to 8.0 microns. on hay (Krzemieniewska and Krzemie-
Fruiting body: The cysts are joined to- niewski,Bull. Intern. Acad. Pol. Sci.Lettres,
gether at their bases to form discoid or No. 1-10, Serie B (I), 1946, 37). Pure cultures
spherical clusters containing up to 30 indi- not obtained.
vidual cj'sts, the whole being elevated on a Source: Originally isolated from decaying
stalk of variable height (up to 1 mm), which wood from Florida (Thaxter, op. cit., 1904,
is usually unbranched and bears one or two 411). Also found in the dung of herbivores
clusters at its tip. Each cyst bears an apical from Canada (Faull, op. cit., 1916, 226) and
tuft of hairs. The diameter of the cyst clus- from Austria (Kofler, op. cit., 1913, 861);
ter is highly variable (40 to 250 microns), as from soil in Poland (Krzemieniewska and
is the length of the hairs in the apical tuft Krzemieniewski, op. cit., 1946, 37).
(7 to 30 microns). The individual resting Habitat : Found on the dung of herbivores
cells within the cysts are 2.5 to 6.0 by 0.6 to and on decaying organic matter in soil.
1.0 microns. The color of developing fruit- Illustrations: Thaxter {op. cit., 1904, PI.
ing bodies is initially white, changing to 27, Figs. 14-15), Kofler {op. cit., 1913, PI. I,
j'ellow, light pink and eventually orange; Figs. 1-3), Faull {op. cit., 1916, Pis. 5 and 6),
the shade is greatly affected by environ- Jahn {op. cit., 1924, Fig. X, page 80) and
mental factors, notably humidity and tem- Krzemieniewska and Krzemieniewski {op.
perature. Sometimes the cyst clusters give cit.. Pi. 1, Figs. 1-3).
Po.dan'gi.um. Gr. noun pus, pedis a foot; Gr. noun angium a vessel; M.L. neut.n.
Podangium footed vessel.
Cysts chestnut-brown or red-brown, single on a more or less definite, white stalk.
The type species is Podangium erectum (Schroeter) Jahn.
878 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
Fruiting bodies: Cysts bright orange-red niewska and Krzemieniewski, Bull. Intern.
or red, 25 by 35 microns, elongate, rounded, Acad. Pol. Sci. Lettres, No. 1-10, S^rie B
on a white pointed stalk, rigid and persist- (I), 1946, 36.)
ent on substratum, rods also in stalk. Short- bo.le'tus. L. noun boletus a kind of mush-
ened rods in cyst 3 to 5 microns. Cysts some- room.
times pear-shaped, caducous. Vegetative cells: No description.
Source: Isolated from rabbit dung from Fruiting bodies: Cyst stalked, mush-
Massachusetts. room-like, white when immature then yel-
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- lowish flesh-colored, finally yellowish brown
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- to nut-brown; when dried, more reddish
mals. brown. Width of cyst about 100 microns,
Note: A variety of this species was origi- height 40 to 50 microns, length of white stalk
nally described as an independent species about 40 microns. Sometimes the cyst is
by the Krzemieniewskis (loc. cit.). However, smaller and spherical (50 to 60 microns in
further study of this organism by the same diameter), sometimes there is a fusion of
workers (Bull. Intern. Acad. Pol. Sci. Let- neighboring cysts, occasionally the stalk is
tres, No. 1-10, Serie B (I), 1946, 46) revealed abortive. The resting cells are 0.5 by 3.0 to
that the stalks were composite. Since the 4.0 microns and are arranged within the
cysts correspond exactly in shape, size and cyst in a characteristic manner, standing at
color to those of Podangiiim gracilipes, the right angles to the membrane; on germina-
organism is evidently a composite form of tion the membrane is left colorless and can
P. gracilipes, the stalks being partly fused. be observed to have a honey-combed struc-
Illustrations: Thaxter {op. cit., 1897, PI. ture caused by the impingement of the tips
31, Figs. 20-24), Quehl (Cent. f. Bakt., II of the oriented resting cells against it.
Abt., 16, 1906, PI. 1, Fig. 12), Jahn (op. cit., Source: From the dung of herbivores from
1924, PI. II, Figs. 19-20) and Krzemieniew- Germany and Denmark.
ski (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 4, 1926, PI. V, Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
Fig. 54). ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
mals.
4. Podangiutn boletus (Jahn, 1924) Illustrations: Jahn (op. cit., PI. 2, Figs.
Krzemieniewska and Krzemieniewski, 1946. 17-18; Fig. B, page 11; C-F, page 23; 0-Q,
(Melittangium boletus Jahn, Beitrage zur page 43; T-U, page 55) and Krzemieniewska
bot. Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. and Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Po-
Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, 78; Krzemie- loniae, 4,1926, 1, PI. V, Figs. 55-56).
Genus IV. Chondroniyccs Berkeley and Curtis, 1874-
(Berkeley and Curtis, in Berkeley, Introduction to Cryptogamic Botany, London, 1857,
313 (illustration but no description); Berkeley (description). Notes on North
American Fungi, Grevillea, 3, 1874, 97; see Berkeley and Curtis,
in Saccardo, Sylloge Fungorum, 4, 1886, 679.)
Chon.dro'my.ces or Chon.dro.my'ces. Gr. noun chondrus cartilage, gristle; Gr. noun
myces fungus; M.L. masc.n. Chondromyces cartilaginous fungus.
Cysts compactly grouped at the end of a colored stalk (cj'stophore). C3\stophore simple
or branched.
The type species is Chondromyces crocatus Berkeley and Curtis.
Source : Isolated from antelope dung from me'di.us. L. adj. medius medial, mod-
Africa; found later by Thaxter on deer dung erate.
from the Philippines and Florida. Baur Vegetative cells: Tapering rods, 0.6 to
(Arch. f. Protistenkunde, 5, 1905) found it 1.0 by 4.5 to 9.2 microns. Nearly colorless
on rabbit dung near Berlin, and Kofler (Sitz- in mass.
ber. d. kais. Akad. wiss. Wien, math.-nat. Fruiting bodies: Reddish orange cysts
Klasse, Abt. I, 122, 1913) reports it from the becoming light brown, attached to the stalk
same source near Vienna. by pedicles about 40 microns long. Cysts 28
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- to 87 by 32 to 94 microns, variable in shape,
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- predominantly flattened at the base, some-
mals. times narrowing and elongated. Resting
Illustrations: Thaxter {op. cit., 1897, PI. cells in cysts 0.7 to 1.2 by 3.5 to 5.0 microns.
30, Figs. 1-15), Quehl (Cent. f. Bakt., II Source: Isolated from soil from Poland;
Abt., 16, 1906, PI. 1, Figs. 13 and 14), Jahn also found on a fungus in Panama.
(Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die Illustrations: Krzemieniewska and Krze-
Polyangiden. Gab. Borntraeger, Leipzig, mieniewski {ibid., PL XVII, Figs. 20-22; also
1924, 199, Fig. 5) and Kuhlwein (Arch. Mi- see Bull. Intern. Acad. Pol. Sci. Lettres,
krobiol., 17, 1952, 403 (best)). 13). 1-10, S6rie B (I), 1946, PL 1, Figs. 11-
No.
6. Chondromyces pediculatus Thax-
ter, 1904. (Bot. Gaz., 87, 1904, 410.)
8. Chondromyces catenulatus Thax-
pe.di.cu.la'tus. L. dim. noun pediculus a ter, 1904. (Bot. Gaz., S7, 1904, 410.)
small foot (stalk); M.L. adj. pediculatus
having a small foot or stalk. ca.te.nu.la'tus. L. noun catena chain;
Vegetative cells: Rods 0.6 to 0.7 by 2.0 L. dim. noun catenula a small chain; M.L.
to 4.0 microns. adj. catenulatus having small chains.
Fruiting bodies: Cysts rounded to bell- Vegetative cells : Cultivated only on origi-
nal substrate. Rods 1.0 to 1.3 by 4.0 to 6.0
shaped, truncate at distal end, orange-j^el- microns.
low; when drj% orange-red, 35 to 50 microns.
Sessile on stalks 40 to 60 microns in length Fruiting bodies: Cysts light yellow-
which are arranged as an umbel on the tip orange, 18 by 20 to 50 microns in rosary-like
of the stalk. Stalk 300 to 700 microns in chains which may be branched once or twice,
length, solitary, simple, usually rather slen- sessile on a short, compact stalk, cysts sepa-
der and somewhat wrinkled. rated by shriveled isthmuses. Chains up to
Source: Isolated from goose dung from 300 microns. Stalk simple, 180 to 360 mi-
South Carolina. crons, cleft above and passing over into the
Habitat: Found in the dung of various chains, rather broad at the base and spread-
animals. ing somewhat on the substratum. The di-
Illustrations: Thaxter {ibid., PL 26, Figs. visions of the stalk are pointed, short and
7-13). slightly swollen.
Source : From decaying poplar wood from
7. Chondromyces medius Krzemieniew- New Hampshire.
1-5).
ski, 1930. (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 7, 1930, Illustrations: Thaxter {ibid., PL 26, Figs.
263.)
microcysts. Definite fruiting bodies are produced in three of the genera. In Sporocytophaga
the microcysts are produced from the vegetative cells without development of fruiting
bodies.
My.x.o.coc'cus. Gr. noun myxa mucus, slime; Gr. noun coccus berry; M.L. mas.n. Myxo-
coccus slime coccus.
Spherical spores in spherical or occasionally ellipsoidal upright fruiting bodies united by
slime.
The type species is Myxococcus fulvus (Cohn emend. Schroeter) Jahn.
crons. Jahn {loc. cit.) notes two varieties of loniae, 5,1927) states that it is rarely found
this species, one white, the other cinnabar- in Polish soils.
red. Illustrations: Thaxter {op. cit., 1897, PI.
Gelatin is quickly liquefied, completely 31, Figs. 28-29).
in 1 to 2 days, but no fruiting bodies are
formed . 3. Myxococcus virescens Thaxter, 1892.
Kofler secured good growth on Hasting's (Bot. Gaz., 17, 1892, 404.)
milk agar and determined digestion of vi.res'cens. L. part. adj. virescens becom-
casein.
ing green.
Source: Isolated by Thaxter (Bot. Gaz., Vegetative cells: Rod masses greenish
17, 1892, 403) from various decaying sub- yellow. Rods slender, irregularly curved,
stances such as lichens, paper, dung, etc. 0.4 by 3.0 to 7.0 microns. When cultivated
Found by Smith (Jour. Bot., 39, 1901, 71) on on potato agar, they tend to lose their green
rabbit dung from Wales, by Baur (Arch. f. color and become yellowish.
Protistenkunde, 5, 1905, 95) on cow and dog Fruiting body: Spherical, usually less
dungs, by de Kruyff (Cent. f. Bakt., II Abt., rounded than other species of the genus,
21, 1908, 386) on stable manure in Java, by 3'ellowish, occasionally greenish, in culture
Jahn {op. cit., 1924, 84) on almost all speci- on artificial media, easily becoming white,
mens of dung, as well as on bark, decaying 150 to 500 microns. The slime deliquesces in
wood and lichens, by Krzemieniewski (Acta continued moisture. Microcysts large, about
Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 5, 1927) in Polish soil, 2 microns.
and by Kofler (Sitzber. d. kais. Akad. wiss. Source : Isolated from hen and dog dungs
Wien, math.-nat. Klasse, Abt. I, 122, 1913) from New England. Jahn (Beitrage zur bot.
on the dung of rabbit, horse, goat, mouse, Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb.
roe and deer and on the stem of clematis Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924) states that it
and decaying leaves and in bird nest. is not very abundant on the dungs of rabbit,
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- horse, stag and black cock.
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
mals. ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
Illustrations: Cohn {op. cit., 1875, PI. 6, mals. Common in Polish soil, according to
Fig. 18), Smith {op. cit., 1901, Fig. 1), Baur Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae,
{op. cit., 1905, Figs. 1-3 and PI. 4, Figs. 1-13, 5, 1927).
16), Jahn {op. cit., 1924, Figs. L-M, page 43; Illustrations: Krzemieniewski {op. cit.,
Fig. R, page 47), Krzemieniewski {op. cit., 4, 1926, PI. 1, Fig. 9) and Badian (Acta Soc.
4, 1926, PI. 1, Figs. 7-8) and Kofler {op. cit., Bot. Poloniae, 7, 1930, 55, PI. 1, 8 Figures).
1913, 845, PI. 2, Figs. 10 and 12).
4. Myxococcus xanthus Beebe, 1941.
2. Myxococcus cruentus Thaxter, 1897. (Jour. Bact., 4^, 1941, 193.)
(Bot. Gaz., 23, 1897, 395.) xan'thus. Gr. adj. xanthus orange, golden.
cru.en'tus. L. adj. cruentus blood-red. Vegetative cells: Large, flexible, single,
Vegetative cells: Rods 0.8 by 3.0 to 8.0 Gram-negative rods with rounded ends.
microns. Not cultivated. Vary in size from 0.5 to 1.0 by 4.0 to 10.0
Fruiting body: Regularly spherical, 90 microns; average, 0.75 by 5.0 microns.
to 125 microns, blood-red. Slime forms on Fruiting body: Spherical to subspherical,
the surface a more or less definite membrane usually sessile but occasionally constricted
in which the microcysts lie. Microcysts el- at the base giving the appearance of a short
lipsoidal orirregularly oblong, 0.9 to 1.0 by stalk or foot. Mature fruiting body up to
1.2 to 1.4 microns. 300 to 400 microns in diameter, often slightly
Source: Isolated from cow dung from Ten- flattened on top or one side. Color varies
nessee. from light yellowish orange when young to
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- bright orange when mature; color constant,
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- never tending toward greenish yellow. No
mals. Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Po- outer cyst wall or limiting membrane dis-
FAMILY V. MYXOCOCCACEAE 885
cernible, the spores being imbedded in the sti.pi.ta'tus. L. noun stipes, stipitis
slime holding the mass together. Usually trunk, stalk; M.L. adj. stipitatus stalked.
single, though two or three fruiting bodies Vegetative cells: Rods 0.5 to 0.7 by 2.0 to
may become joined to form an irregular 7.0 microns or longer. Grows well on nu-
mass; each is attached to the substrate, trient agar but does not fruit readily.
however, and never bud one from another. Fruiting body: Nearly spherical, 175 mi-
Microcysts : Spherical, with thick outer crons in diameter, deliquescent, sessile on
wall or membrane. Highly refractile. 2.0 mi- a well developed, compact stalk, white to
crons in diameter, seldom larger. yellowish and flesh-colored. Microcysts
Vegetative colony: Characteristics vary 0.8 to 1.2 by 1.0 to 1.15 microns. Stalk 100
with the substrate. to 200 microns long, 30 to 50 microns wide.
On plain 1.5 per cent agar (no nutrients Source: Isolated from dung in laboratory
added): Very thin and transparent, often cultures at Cambridge, Mass., Maine and
hardly visible except by transmitted light. Tennessee.
Little or no pigmentation. Surface covered Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
with fine, more or less regularly spaced ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
ridges causing a dull macroscopic appear- mals. Common in Polish soils, according to
ance without gloss or sheen. Margin very Krzemieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae,
thin and quite regular. 5, 1927).
On rabbit dung decoction agar: Colony Illustrations: Thaxter {op. cit., PI. 31,
thicker, the surface being broken by veins Figs. 30-33) and Krzemieniewski (op. cit.,
or ridges radiating from the center. Thick 4, 1926, PI. II, Figs. 13-14).
central area often smooth and glossy while
margin much the same as that on plain agar. 6. Myxococcus ovalisporus Krzemie-
Veins or ridges extend outward from center niewska and Krzemieniewski, 1926. (Acta
in loose spiral, always in clock-wise direc- Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 4, 1926, 15.)
tion. Pigmentation, yellow to pale orange, o.va.li'spo.rus. L. noun ovum egg; M.L.
confined to thicker central portion, extends adj. ovalis oval; Gr. noun spora seed; M.L.
part way along veins to margin. noun spora a spore; M.L. adj. ovalisporus
On nutrient agar: Growth poor. Colony oval-spored.
thick, at first heavily veined, the veins later Vegetative cells: Not described.
merging to form an irregular glossy surface. Fruiting bodies; Nearly spherical, charac-
Colony remains small, pigmentation usu- teristically shortened, ellipsoidal spore
ally fairly heavy; margin thick, irregular masses of light milky yellow color; these are
to lobate. often raised on a poorly developed stalk.
Physiology: Grows well on mineral salt- This stalk always shows some bacterial
agar to which has been added dulcitol, inu- cells remaining and, with respect to this and
lin, cellulose, reprecipitated cellulose or to color, is differentiated from M. stipitatus.
starch; hydrolyzes starch; does not destroy From the base of the stalk or directly from
cellulose to any appreciable extent. Best the substrate, one or more small fruiting
growth on suspension of killed bacterial bodies develop. Microcysts are ellipsoidal,
cells in agar; suspended cells in growth area sometimes irregularly spherical, 1.0 to 1.4
lysed. Development completely inhibited by 1.3 to 1.9 microns. In culture it retains
by arabinose, largely by maltose and man- its differences from M. stipitatus. The latter
nose. sporulates best at room temperature, but
Source: Isolated from dried cow dung, M. ovalisporus sporulates best in an incu-
Ames, Iowa.
bator (presumably at 37° C).
Habitat: Decomposed bacterial cells in Source: From soil from Poland.
dung. Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat-
Illustrations: Beebe (ibid., Figs. 1-28). ter in soil.
angiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, ter in soil and in the dung of various ani-
200.) mals.
cir.rho'sus. Gr. cirrhus tawny; M.L. adj. Illustrations: Krzemieniewska and Krze-
cirrhosus tawny. mieniewski (ibid., PI. II, Fig. 19).
Vegetative cells: Rods 0.8 by 2.0 to 5.0
microns. 5. Chondrococcus hlasticus Beebe,
Fruiting bodies: Elongate, upright, thick- 310.)
1941. (Iowa State Coll. Jour. Sci., 15, 1941,
ened below, slender above, extended to a
rounded point, 50 to 100 microns long, 20 blas'ti.cus. Gr. adj. blasticus budding.
microns in diameter at base, light red to Vegetative cells: Long, slender, flexible
flesh-colored. Microcysts about 1 micron. rods, straight or curved to bent, ends
Source: Isolated once from grouse dung rounded to slightly tapered. Gram-negative.
from Massachusetts. 0.5 to 0.6 by 3.0 to 5.0 microns.
Habitat: Found in the dung of various Fruiting body: Primary: Spherical to
animals. subspherical, usuallj^ sessile but occasion-
Illustrations: Thaxter (op. cit., PI. 31, ally with a short stalk or foot; pale pink to
Figs. 25-27). bright salmon-pink; 300 to 600 microns in
diameter. No outer wall or limiting mem-
3. Chondrococcus itiegalosporus Jahn, brane evident. Develops on sterilized rabbit
1924. (Jahn, Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. dung in from 3 to 6 days at room tempera-
I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. Borntraeger, ture. Secondary: Arising as bud-like growth
Leipzig, 1924, 86.) from the primary fruiting body. Develops
me.ga.lo'spo.rus. Gr. adj. megas, megale, into irregularly shaped, finger-, coral- or
mega big; Gr. noun spora seed; M.L. noun bud-like protuberance. Seldom branched;
spora spore; M.L. adj. megalosporus large- occasionally stalked but usually sessile on
spored. primary fruiting body until latter is utilized
Vegetative cells: Not described. in formation of several secondary fruiting
Fruiting bodies: About 80 to 160 microns bodies. Deep pink to salmon-pink in color.
wide, rounded, cushion -shaped, dark flesh- Variable in size and shape; 50 to 150 by 75
colored. Microcysts 2 microns. to 225 microns. No outer wall or limiting
Source: Isolated from stag dung near membrane evident.
Berlin. Microcysts: Spherical, thick-walled,
Habitat: Found in the dung of various highly ref ractile ; 1 .2 to 1 .4 microns in diame-
animals. ter. Held together in the fruiting body by
Illustrations: Jahn (ibid., Fig. Y, i to k, the mass of slime.
page 87). Vegetative colony: Thin, colorless, trans-
parent at margin; surface broken by many
4. Chondrococcus macrosporus Krze- small ridges or veins. Center smooth,
mieniewski, 1926. (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, slightly thicker, often showing pale pink
4, 1926.) color. Fruiting bodies first form at or near
ma.cro'spo.rus. Gr. adj. macrus long, center, later distributed irregularly on other
large; Gr. noun spora seed; M.L. noun spora parts of colony. Margin composed of active
spore; M.L. adj. macrosporus long- or large- vegetative cells.
spored. Physiology: Good growth on mineral salt
Vegetative cells: Not described. agar to which has been added such complex
Fruiting bodies: Much like those in Chon- carbohydrates as dulcitol, inulin, cellulose,
drococcus coralloides, differing in color and reprecipitated cellulose or starch; starch
in size of microcysts. Microcysts 1.6 to 2.0 hydrolyzed, cellulose not destroyed ap-
microns. Fruiting body yellow or light preciably. Can utilize agar as both C and N
brown color with long branches. sources. Best growth on suspensions of
Source: Isolated first from leaves then killed bacterial cells in agar. Growth in-
from soil on rabbit dung. hibited partially or entirely by arabinose,
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- mannose or maltose.
FAMILY V. MYXOCOCCACEAE 889
Source : Isolated from goat dung and from 38, 1923, 261; Ordal and Rucker, Proc. Soc.
soil from Ames, Iowa. Exper. Biol, and Med., 56, 1944, 18; also see
Habitat: Soil. Decomposes organic mat- Fish and Rucker, Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc,
ter, especially bacterial cells in dung. 73rd Annual Vol. for 1943, 1945, 32.)
Illustrations: Beebe {ibid., PI. II, Figs. 5 co.lum.na'ris. L. adj. columnaris rising
and 6; PI. IV, Fig. 18). like a pillar.
Vegetative cells: Flexible, weakly refrac-
6. Chondrococcus cerebriforniis (Ko- tive. Gram-negative rods, 0.5 to 0.7 by 4.0
to 8.0 microns. Creeping motion observed
fler, 1913) Jahn, 1924. (Myxococcus cerebri-
on solid media, and flexing movements ob-
forniis Kofler, Sitzber. d. kais. Wiss. Wien,
served in liquid media.
math.-nat. Klasse, Abt. I, 122, 1913, 866;
Microcysts: 0.7 to 1.2 microns, spherical
Jahn, Beitriige zur bot. Protistologie. I,
to ellipsoidal.
Die Polyangiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leip-
zig, 1924, 86.) Fruiting bodies: A peculiar type of fruit-
ing body is formed in liquid media. Where
ce.reb.ri.for'mis. L. noun cerebrum brain;
L. noun/or?«« shape; M.L. adj. cerebri forijus organisms are in contact with infected tis-
brain-like. sues or with scales, columnar and some-
Vegetative cells: Rods 4 to 12 microns. times branched fruiting bodies are produced
Fruiting bodies: About 1 mm long, in which t_ypical microcysts develop in 7 to
10 days.
clumped masses with swollen upper surface,
Physiology: Growth best on 0.5 to 0.9
brain-like, violet-rose, often lead-gray.
Microcysts 1.1 to 1.6 microns. Jahn (loc. per cent agar with 0.25 to 0.50 per cent Bac-
cit.) suggests that this may be Archangium totryptone at pH 7.3. Colonies on tryptone
agar are yellow, flat and irregular; edge
gephyra.
Source: Isolated from hare dung in the uneven with swarming apparent. Gelatin
vicinity of Vienna. liquefied rapidly. Indole not produced. Ni-
Habitat: Found in the dung of various trites not produced from nitrates. Starch,
animals. cellulose and agar not attacked. Sugars not
fermented, but glucose is oxidized.
Illustrations: Kofler (op. cit., 1913, PI. 2,
Source: First described as the cause of a
Figs. 7 and 8).
bacterial disease of warm-water fishes (Da-
vis, op. cit., 1923, 261), and later in finger-
7. Chondrococcus coluinnaris (Davis, lings of the cold-water blue-black salmon
1923) Ordal and Rucker, 1944. (Bacillus (Oncorrhynchus nerka). Transmissible to
columnnris Davis, Bull. U. S. Bur. Fisheries, salmonid fishes.
(Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die Polyangiden. Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, 89.)
An.gi.o.coc'cus. Gr. noun angium vessel; Gr. noun coccus a berry; M.L. mas.n. Angio-
coccus vessel coccus.
Fruiting body consists of numerous, round (disc-shaped) cysts; cyst wall thin, micro-
cysts within.
The type species is Angiococcus disciformis (Thaxter) Jahn.
1. Angiococcus jHsciformis (Thaxter, Thaxter, Bot. Gaz., 87, 1904, 412; Jahn,
1904) Jahn, 1924. (Myxococcus disciformis Beitrage zur bot. Protistologie. I, Die Poly-
890 ORDER VIII. MYXOBACTERALES
angiden, Geb. Borntraeger, Leipzig, 1924, cel.lu.lo'sum. M.L. noun cellulosum cellu-
89.) lose.
dis.ci.for'mis. Gr. noun discus a disc; L. Vegetative cells: 0.4 to 0.5 by 1.5 to 2.0
noun forma form; M.L. adj. disciformis microns.
disc-shaped. Fruiting body: Regularly rounded (less
Vegetative cells: Rods 0.5 to 0.6 by 2.0 frequently extended or angular), 20 to 150
to 3.0 microns. microns in diameter; yellow or pink in color
Fruiting bodies: Cj^sts disc-shaped, to drabbish when old. Encysted cells sur-
crowded, sessile, attached by a more or less rounded bya colorless cyst wall or envelope.
ragged, scar-like insertion or in masses. Usually 1 to 3 short stalks, or cystophores,
Cysts yellowish when young, when old dark up to 10 microns high. Within the outer wall
are numerous cysts containing microcysts.
orange -yellow, about 10 by 35 microns. Cyst
wall distinct, thin, becoming very slightly Cysts have regularly rounded form; unpig-
wrinkled. Microcysts irregularly spherical, mented to yellow; 5 to 15 microns in diame-
embedded in viscous slime, difficult to see ter, average 6 microns. Number of cysts in
fruiting body increases with age. Size of
in the ripe cyst.
microcysts not given.
Source: Isolated from the dung of musk- Vegetative colony: Fairly rapid growth
rat and deer from Massachusetts and New on cellulo.se with silica gel. Colony has a
Hampshire. yellowish cast. Reaches diameter of 1.5 to
Habitat: Found on decaying organic mat- 2.0 cm after 6 days with center yellowish
ter in soil and in the dung of various ani- pink and margin tinged light pink. Surface
mals. Rare in Polish soils according to Krze- moist. Fruiting bodies more numerous at
mieniewski (Acta Soc. Bot. Poloniae, 6, center but distributed over entire area.
1927). Fruiting bodies do not noticeably protrude
Illustrations: Thaxter (op. cit., 1904, PI. above the surface of the colony.
27, Figs. 19-21) and Krzemieniewski (op. Physiology: Cellulose attacked but not
cit., 4, 1926, PI. II, Figs. 21 and 22). completely destroyed.
Source: Isolated from soil.
2. Angiococcus cellulosum Mishustin, Habitat : Found on decaying organic mat-
1938. (Microbiologia, 7, 1938, 427.) ter in soil.
Spo.ro. cy.to'pha.ga. Gr. noun spora seed; M.L. noun spora a spore; Gr. noun cyfus
hollow place, vessel, cell; Gr. v. phagein to devour; M.L. fem.n. Cytophaga generic name;
M.L. iem.n. Sporocytophaga the sporing Cytophaga.
Spherical or ellipsoidal microcysts formed loosely in masses of slime among the vegeta-
tive cells. Fruiting bodies absent.
The type species is Sporocytophaga myxococcoides (Krzemieniewska) Stanier.
892
FAMILY I. SPIROCHAETACEAE 893
Spi.ro. chae'ta. Gr. noun spira a coil, spiral; Gr. noun chaete hair; M.L. fem.n. Spiro-
chaeta spiral hair.
Flexible, undulating, spiral-shaped rods with or without flagelliform, tapering ends.
The protoplast is wound spirally around a well defined axial filament; there is no obvious
periplast membrane and there are no cross striations. The primary spiral is permanent.
Motility is by a creeping motion along the surface of supporting objects. Presumably Gram-
negative. Non-parasitic. Found free-living in fresh- or sea-water slime, especially in the
presence of hydrogen sulfide; common in sewage and foul waters.
The type species is Spirochaeta plicatilis Ehrenberg.
1. Saprospira graiidis Gross, 1911. (Mit- pointed ends. Spiral amplitude: 4 to 8 mi-
theil. Zool. Stat, zu Neapel, 20, 1911, 190.) crons; average number of turns: 3. There is
gran'dis. L. adj. grandis large. no evident axial filament; cross striations
Cylindrical, flexible, elastic, spiral -shaped are present. There is a distinct membrane.
rods, 1.2 by 80 microns, with obtuse ends. Multiplication is by transverse fission.
The waves are large, inconstant, shallow, Source: From oysters.
irregular, 3 to 5 in number and sometimes
almost straight. Spiral amplitude: 24 mi- 3. Saprospira lepta Dimitroff, 1926.
crons. There is no evident a.xial filament (Jour. Bact., 12, 1926, 144.)
and no crista; cross striations are present.
lep'ta. Gr. adj. leptus fine, delicate.
There is a distinct membrane but no ter- Large spirals, 0.5 by 70 microns, with
minal spiral filament and no highly motile pointed ends. Spiral amplitude: ranges
end portion. Multiplication is by transverse from 5 to 13 microns; spiral width: varies
fission. The cells undergo trypsin digestion. from 1.6 to 4.8 microns; average number of
Source: From the intestinal tract of an turns: 6. There is no evident axial filament;
oyster. cross striations are present. There is a dis-
Habitat: Found free-living in foraminif- tinct membrane. Multiplication is by trans-
erous sand. verse fission.
Comments: A variety which differs from
2. Saprospira punctuni Dimitroff, 1926. the parent strain in the shape of the ends of
(Saprospira puncia (sic) Dimitroff, Jour. the cells has been reported by Dimitroff
Bact., 12, 1926, 146.) (ibid., 145).
punc'tum. L. noun punctum a point. Source: From oysters from Baltimore,
Large spirals, 1 by 86 microns, with Maryland.
Genus III. Cristispira Gross, 1910.
(Mittheil. Zool. Stat, zu Neapel, 20, 1910, 41.)
Cris.ti .spi'ra. L. noun crista a crest; Gr. noun spira a spiral; M.L. fem.n. Cristispira
crested-spiral.
Flexuous cell bodies, in coarse spirals, 28 to 120 microns in length. Possess cross stria-
tions and a crista, or thin membrane of varying prominence, on one side of the body ex-
tending the entire length of the organism. Actively motile. Found in the intestinal tracts
of molluscs.
The type species is Cristispira balbianii (Certes) Gross.
1. Borrelia anserina (Sakharoff, 1891) Source: Isolated from the blood of in-
Bergey et al., 1925. (Spirochaeta anserina fected geese, ducks, fowls and vector ticks.
Sakharoff, Ann. Inst. Past., 5, 1891, 564; Habitat: Found as the cause of spiroche-
Spiroschaudinnia anserina Castellani and tosis of fowls.
Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med., 2nd ed., 1913,
403; Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, 2. Borrelia recurrentis (Lebert, 1874)
435.) Bergey et al., 1925. (See Obermeier, Berlin.
an.se.ri'na. L. adj. anserinus pertaining klin. Wochnschr., 1873, 152; Protomycetum
to geese. recurrentis Lebert, Ziemssen's Handbuch,
Cells, 0.25 to 0.3 by 8.0 to 20.0 microns, 3, 1874, 267; Spiroschaudinnia recurrentis
averaging about one spiral per micron. Ac- Castellani and Chalmers, Man. Trop. Med.,
tively motile by means of lashing move- 2nd ed., 1913, 398; Bergey et al.. Manual,
ments. Stain readily with aniline dyes and 2nd ed., 1925, 433.)
Giemsa's stain. re. cur. ren 'tis. L. part. adj. recurrens,
Growth occurs in Noguchi's ascitic fluid recurrentis recurring.
rabbit kidney medium. Cylindrical or slightly flattened cells,
Antigenically distinct from the species 0.35 to 0.5 by 8.0 to 16.0 microns, with
of this genus found in mammals. pointed ends. Spirals are large, wavy, in-
Pathogenic for birds but not for mammals, constant, about 5 in number. Spiral ampli-
Transmitted by the bites of ticks {Argas tude, 1.5 microns. Terminal, finely spiral
persicus, A. miniatus, A. reflexus and Or- filaments are present. Motile by means of
nithodoros moubata). an active, cork-screw motion without po-
FAMILY II. TREPONEMATACEAE 899
larity. Lashing movements are common in gators as identical with Borrelia recurrentis
drawn blood. Highly motile end portion Bergey et al.
absent. Stain with the common aniline dyes; Source: From cases of relapsing fever
violet with Giemsa's stain. Gram-negative. in Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli.
Growth occurs in ascitic or hydrocoel fluid Habitat: Found as a cause of relapsing
to which a piece of sterile rabbit kidney is fever in North Africa.
added.
Bile salts (10 per cent) : Disintegration 4. Borrelia carteri (Mackie, 1907) Ber-
of cells is complete. gey et al., 1925. {Spirochaeta carteri Mackie,
Saponin (10 per cent) : Cells are immo- Ann. Trop. Med. and Parasitol., 1, 1907,
bilized in 30 minutes, then broken up in a 157; also see Indian Med. Gazette, U, 1908,
few hours. In some cases a skeletal struc- 435.)
370; Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925,
ture remains.
Optimum pH, between 7.2 and 7.4. car'te.ri. M.L. gen. noun carteri of Carter;
Serum does not agglutinate Borrelia dut- named for R. M. Carter, who, in 1879, de-
tonii. scribed this organism in the blood of pa-
Disease in experimental animals (small tients with Indian relapsing fever.
rodents after monkey passage) is mild. Morphologically similar to Borrelia ber-
Transmission, accidental and experi- bera.
mental, is by conjunctival sac and skin Cultivation not recorded.
abrasions. Immunologically, this is probably a dis-
Arthropod vector is the louse (Pediculus tinct species. A succession of distinct ser-
humanns subsp. humanus), which exhibits ological types occurs with the relapse in a
normal transmission from the 16th to the single infection (Cunningham et al., Far
28th day. Found in ticks but not trans- Eastern Association of Tropical Medicine,
mitted by them. No evidence of hereditary Tokyo, 1925; also see Indian Journal of
transmission in the louse. Medical Research, B2, 1934-1935, 105 and
Habitat : Found as the cause of epidemic 595; and ibid., 24, 1937, 571 and 581).
relapsing fever. Transmissible to man and Carried by Pediculus humanus subsp.
monkeys and from monkej's to mice and humanus.
rats. Transmissible to monkeys, rabbits, rats
and mice.
3. Borrelia berbera (Sergent and Foley, Comment: Regarded by some investi-
1910) Bergey et al., 1925. (Spirochaeta ber- gators as identical with Borrelia recurrentis
bera Sergent and Foley, Ann. Inst. Past., Bergey et al.
S4, 1910, 337; Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., Habitat: Found as the cause of Indian
1925, 435.) relapsing fever.
ber'be.ra. M.L. adj. berberus pertaining
to the Berbers; named for the Berbers, a 5. Borrelia hispanica (de Buen, 1926)
North African tribe. Steinhaus, 1946. (Spirochaeta hispanica de
Cells are more tenuous than those of other Buen, Ann. de Parasitol., 4, 1926, 185; Stein-
relapsing-fever organisms, measuring 0.2 haus, Insect Microbiology, 1946, 453.)
to 0.3 by 12 to 24 microns. hi.spa'ni.ca. L. adj. hispanicus Spanish.
There is no record of cultivation. Transmitted by Ornithodoros erraticus
Antigenically distinct from Borrelia re- (large form).
cur rentis. Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for small lab-
Pathogenicity: Virulent for monkej's; oratory animals, especially the guinea pig.
produces non-fatal infection in rats and Habitat: Found as a cause of relapsing
mice. fever in Spain, Portugal and northwest
Possibly carried by the louse (Pedicuhis Africa.
humanus subsp. humanus).
Comment: Regarded by some investi- 6. Borrelia hcrnisii (Davis, 1942) Stein-
900 ORDER IX. SPIROCHAETALES
gators as identical with Borrelia duttonii Cells, 0.5 to 0.75 by 6.0 to 20.0 microns,
Bergey et al. with coarse and shallow spirals. The spirals
Habitat: Found as the cause of African are generally smoothly rounded and regular,
relapsing fever. tapering towards the end into a fine projec-
tion. Motile with an active serpentine and
15. Borrelia buccalis (Steinberg, 1862) rotating motion with marked flexion. Stain
Brumjit, 1922. (Spirochaeta buccalis Stein- easily with the common dyes. In stained spe-
berg, 1862, according to Hoffman and von cimens, the spirals appear irregular.
Prowazek, Cent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 41, Cultivation is uncertain.
1906, 819; Brumpt, Nouveau Traite de Mede- Non-pathogenic.
cine, Paris, 4, 1922, 495.) Source : Isolated with Treponema pallidum
buc.ca'lis. L. adj. buccalis buccal. in some cases of syphilis as originally de-
Cells 0.4 to 0.9 by 7.0 to 20.0 microns. The scribed by Schaudinn.
largest of the mouth spirochetes. Sluggishly Habitat: Found in genital mucous mem-
motile by means of serpentine, rotating and branes and in uncleanly states or in ne-
flexuous movements. Stains with aniline crotic lesions of the genitalia of man.
dyes; violet with Giemsa's stain.
Not obtained in pure culture and probably 18. Borrelia glossinae (Novy and
does not grow in any medium tried to date. Knapp, 1906) Bergey et al., 1925. {Spirillum
Habitat: Found in normal mouths; in- glossinae Novy and Knapp, Jour. Inf. Dis.,
vades lesions formed on the respiratory 3, 1906, 385; Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed.,
mucous membrane. 1925, 435.)
16. Borrelia vincentii (Blanchard, 1906) glos.si'nae. M.L. fem.n. Glossina a genus
of insects; M.L. gen. noun glossinae of Glos-
Bergey et al., 1925. {Spirochaeta vincenti sina.
(sic) Blanchard, Arch. f. Protistenk., 10, Cells, 0.2 by 8.0 microns, occurring singly,
1906, 129; Bergey et al., Manual, 2nd ed., sometimes in pairs. Generally there are 4
1925, 435.) spirals. Shorter, narrower and with more
vin.cen'ti.i. M.L. gen. noun vincentii of turns than the cells of Borrelia recurrentis.
Vincent; named for H. Vincent, a French Habitat: Found in the stomach contents
bacteriologist. of the tse-tse fly {Glossina palpalis).
Cells, 0.3 by 8.0 to 12.0 microns, with 3 to
8 irregular, shallow spirals. Motile with a
19. Borrelia brasiliensis Davis, 1952.
rapid, progressive, vibratory motion. Stain
(Jour, of Parasitol., 38, 1952, 473.)
easily with the common aniline dyes. Gram-
negative. bra. si. li. en 'sis. M.L. adj. brasiliensis
Cultivation occurs under anaerobic con- the specific epithet of the tick vector of this
ditions. Cultures may show long forms with species, Ornithodoros brasiliensis .
only a writhing motion. Transmitted by Ornithodoros brasiliensis.
Not pathogenic for laboratory animals. Pathogenicity: Characteristic relapses
Habitat: Found on normal respiratory are produced in white mice and guinea pigs.
mucous membrane; associated with a fusi- Source : Isolated from Ornithodoros brasil-
form bacillus {Fusobacterium fusiforme iensis from the state of Rio Grande do Sul,
Brazil.
Hoffman) in cases of Vincent's angina.
17. Borrelia refringens (Schaudinn and 20. Borrelia dugesii (Mazzotti, 1949)
Hoffmann, 1905) Bergey et al., 1925. {Spiro- Davis, comb. nov. {Spirochaeta dugesi Maz-
chaeta refringens Schaudinn and Hoffmann, zotti, Rev. Instit. Sal. y Enferm. Trop., 10,
Arb. a. d. kaiserl. Gesundheitsamte, 22, 1949, 277.)
1905, 528; Bergey et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., du.ge'si.i. M.L. gen. noun dugesii the spe-
1925, 436.) cific epithet of the tick vector of this species,
re.frin'gens. L. part. adj. refringens break- Ornithodoros dugesi.
ing up, refringent. Transmitted by Ornithodoros dugesi.
FAMILY II. TREPOXEMATACEAE 903
Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for white mice Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for white mice
but not for guinea pigs. but not for guinea pigs.
Source: Isohited from Or nithodoros dugesi Source: Isolated from the shrew-mouse,
in Mexico. Crocidura stampflii, in Senegal.
21. Borrelia graingeri (Heisch, 1953) 24. Borrelia dipodilli (Heisch, 1950)
Davis, comb. nov. (Spirochaeta graingeri Davis, comb. nov. {Spirochaeta dipodilli
Heisch, Parasitology, 43, 1953, 133.) Heisch, Ann. Trop. Med. and Parasit., 44,
grain'ger.i. M.L. gen. noun graingeri the 1950, 260.)
specific epithet of the tick vector of this spe- di.po.dil'li. M.L. gen. noun dipodilli of
cies, Ornithodoros graingeri. Dipodillus; M.L. mas.n. Dipodillus a genus
Transmitted by Ornithodoros graingeri. of rodents.
Pathogenicity: White rats and mice are Transmitted by Ornithodoros erraticus
mildly susceptible. Guinea pigs, a monkey (small form).
{Cercopithecus aelhiops) and a young rabbit There is no cross immunity against Bor-
were not susceptible. Causes a persistent relia duttonii, B. harveyi, B. turicatae or B.
parasitemia in cases of general paralysis crocidurae.
of man. Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for rats, mice,
Source: Isolated from Ornithodoros grain- monkeys and young rabbits but not for
geri from caves near Tiwi, about 20 miles guinea pigs; man is mildly susceptible.
south of Mombasa, Kenya. Source: Isolated from the pigmy gerbille
22. Borrelia babylonensis (Brumpt, {Dipodillus sp.) from Crescent Island on the
east shore of Lake Naivasha, Kenya.
1939) Davis, comb. nov. {Spirochaeta babylo-
nensis Brumpt, Compt. rend. Acad. Sci.,
Paris, 208, 1939, 2030.) 25. Borrelia latyschewii (Soviev, 1941)
Davis, 1948. {Spirochaeta laiyschewi (sic)
ba.by.lo.nen'sis. L. adj. babylonensis Soviev, Parasitic Diseases (U.S.S.R.), 10,
pertaining to Babylon.
Transmitted by Ornithodoros tholozani 1941, 267; Davis, Ann. Rev. Microbiology,
var. babylonensis. 2, 1948, 315.)
Pathogenic for guinea pigs. la.ty.sche'wi.i. M.L. gen. noun laty-
schewii ofLatyschew; named for Latyschew.
Comments: Originally reported as iso-
lated from Ornithodoros asperus. Later it Transmitted by Ornithodoros tartakovskyi.
was found that the ticks were not O. asperus Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for white mice
but 0. tholozani. However, as this spirochete and rabbits but not for white rats, guinea
was transmitted only by 0. tholozani col- pigs or dogs.
lected near Babylon and not by 0. tholozani Source: Isolated from the gerbilles Rhom-
from other areas, the spirochete was ac- bornbys opimus and Gerbillus eversmanni
corded specific rank and the tick was given in Fergana, Usbekistan; also found in Iran.
a varietal status, 0. tholozani var. babylonen-
sis. (See Brumpt, Precis de Parasitol., 1, 26. Borrelia hyos (King and Drake, 1915)
1949, 101.) Bergey et al., 1925. (Hog cholera virus, King
Source: Isolated from Ornithodoros tholo- and Baeslack, Jour. Inf. Dis., 12, 1913, 39;
zani var. babylonensis from a rodent burrow- Spirochaeta suis King, Baeslack and Hoff-
in the ruins of Kish near Babylon. mann, Jour. Inf. Dis., 12, 1913, 235; not
Spirochaeta suis Bosanquet, Spirochetes,
23. Borrelia crocidurae (Leger, 1917) Saunders, 1911; Spirochaeta hyos King and
Davis, comb. nov. {Spirochaeta crocidurae Drake, Jour. Inf. Dis., 16, 1915, 54; Bergey
Leger, Bull. Soc. Path. Exot., 10, 1917, 280.) et al.. Manual, 2nd ed., 1925, 436.)
cro.ci.du'rae. M.L. gen. noun crocidurae hy'os. L. noun hys, hyos the hog.
of Crocidura; M.L. fem.n. Crocidura a genus Cells 1 by 5 to 7 microns. Distinctly
of rodents. shorter and thicker than the other mem-
Transmitted by Ornithodoros erraticus bers of the genus. Motile with an active,
(small form). spinning motion, the spirals being fixed.
904 ORDER IX. SPIROCHAETALES
Growth occurs under anaerobic condi- Source: From the blood of cattle,
tions in the presence of tissue. Habitat: Found in the blood of cattle
Habitat: Found in the blood and in in- and other mammals in South Africa,
testinal ulcers and other lesions of hogs suf-
fering from hog cholera. 28. Borrelia harveyi (Garnham, 1947)
Davis, 1948. {Spirochaeta harveyi Garnham,
27. Borrelia theileri (Laveran, 1903) East African Med. Jour., ^4, 1947 (January),
^, 1948.
Bergey et al., 1925. {Spirochaeta theileri 47; Davis, Ann. Rev. Microbiology,
Laveran, Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, ^'^ har'vey.i. M.L. gen. noun harveyi of Har-
136, 1903, 939; Bergey et al., Manual, 2nd
vey; named for A. E. C. Harvey.
ed., 1925, 435.)
Arthropod vector is unknown; not trans-
thei'le.ri. M.L. gen. noun theileri of mitted by Polyplax serrata, Pedicuhis hu-
Theiler; named for A. Theiler, who discov- mamis or Ornithodoros moubata.
ered this organism in 1902 in Transvaal, There is no cross immunity with Borrelia
South Africa. duttonii or B. recurrentis.
Cells, 0.25 to 0.3 by 20.0 to 30.0 microns, Pathogenicity: Pathogenic for rats, mice
with pointed ends. and monkeys but not for rabbits or guinea
Cultivation not recorded. pigs. Produces a mild infection in man.
Immunologically distinct from the spe- Source: From the blood of a grivet mon-
cies of this genus which infect man. key {Cercopithecus aethiops centralis) cap-
Transmitted by the tick (Rhipicephalus tured in the forest of Southern Mau, Kenya
decoloratus) . Colony.
Genus II. Treponema Schaudinn, 1905.
(Schaudinn, Deutsche med. Wochnschr., SI, 1905, 1728; Spironema Vuillemin,
Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, HO, 1905, 1567.)
Tre.po.ne'ma. Gr. v. trepo to turn; Gr. noun nema a thread; M.L. neut.n. Treponema a
turning thread.
Cells, 3 to 18 microns in length, with acute, regular or irregular spirals; longer forms are
due to incomplete division. Terminal filament may be present. Some species stain only
with Giemsa's stain. Weakly refractive by dark-field illumination in living preparations.
Cultivated under strictly anaerobic conditions. Some are pathogenic and parasitic for man
and other animals. Generally produce local lesions in tissues.
The type species is Treponema pallidum (Schaudinn and Hoffmann) Schaudinn.
Key to the species of genus Treponema.
I. From human sources.
A. Do not cause pinta (spotted sickness).
1. Not normally found in the human mouth.
a. Cause definite venereal diseases,
b. Causes syphilis.
1. Treponema pallidwn.
bb. Causes yaws (tropica frambesia).
2. Treponema pertenue.
aa. Do not cause definite venereal diseases.
b. Cells possess deep spirals.
3. Treponema calligyrum.
bb. Cells possess shallow spirals.
4. Treponema genitalis.
2. Found in the human mouth.
FAMILY II. TREPONEMATACEAE
905
a. From the normal mouth cavity.
5. Treponema tnicrodenlium.
aa. From mouths affected with pyorrhea alveohiris.
6. Treponema mucosuni.
B. Causes pinta.
7. Treponema caraleum.
II. From rabbits.
8. Treponema cuniculi.
1. Treponema pallidum (Schaudiim and Habitat: The cause of yaws, tropica fram-
Hoffmann, 1905) Schaudinn, 1905. {Spiro- l)esia. Patients with the disease give a posi-
chaete pallida Schaudinn and Hoffmann, tive Wassermann test. Transmission by flies
Arb. a. d. kaiserl. Gesundheitsamte, 22, (Hippelates pallipes) in the West Indies
1905, 528; Schaudinn, Deutsche med. Woch- (Kumm and Kumm et al.) and by flies
nschr., 31, 1905, 1728.) (Musca spectanda) in Africa (Thomson and
pal'Ii.dum. L. adj. pallidus pale. Lamborn) (for references, see Hill, Bull.
Cells occur as very fine protoplasmic World Health Organiz., 8, 1953, 32 and 47).
spirals, 0.25 to 0.3 by 6.0 to 14.0 microns. 3. Treponema calligyriim Noguchi,
Spiral amplitude, 1.0 micron, regular, fixed; 1913. (Jour. Exp. Med., 17, 1913, 96.)
spiral depth, 0.5 to 1.0 micron. A terminal
spiral filament is present. Weakly refractive cal.li.gy'rum. Gr. noun callus beauty;
Gr. adj. gyrus round; M.L. adj. calHgyrus
in the living state by dark-field illumina- beautifully rounded.
tion. May appear as a series of bright dots The cells measure 0.35 to 0.4 by 6.0 to
or as a string of radiant beads with poor 14.0 microns, averaging 9.0 to 12.0 microns.
dark-field illumination. Motile by means of The spirals are regular and deep but are
a sluggish, drifting motion; stiffly flexible, more rounded than those of Treponema
rarely rotating. Stain with difficulty except pallidum. The cells are of uniform width
with Giemsa's stain by which they appear until near the extremities, which end in
pink or rose. Appear black with silver im-
pregnation methods. sharp points with delicate projections. Ac-
tively motile, chiefly rotating. Stain reddish
Cultivated with difficulty under strict
anaerobiosis in ascitic fluid with the addi- violet with Giemsa's stain.
Grows under anaerobic conditions.
tion of fresh rabbit kidney.
Non-pathogenic for monkeys and rabbits.
Trypsin digestion: The cells are resistant Source: Isolated from smegma.
for many days. Habitat: Found in the lesions and mem-
Bile salts (10 per cent) : Disintegration of branes of the pudenda.
cells is complete.
Saponin (10 per cent) : The cells are 4. Treponema genitalis Noguchi, 1923.
broken up in time. (Treponema rnimdutn Noguchi, Jour. Exp.
Habitat: The cause of syphilis in man. Med., 27, 1918, 671; not Treponema minutum
Can be transmitted experimentally to an- Dobell, Arch. f. Protistenk., 26, 1912, 151;
thropoid apes and to rabbits. not Treponema mimdum Castellani, 1916;
Noguchi, Laboratory Diagnosis of Syphilis,
2. Treponema pertenue Castellani, New York, 1923, 260.)
1905. (Jour. Trop. Med., <S, 1905, 253.) ge.ni.ta'lis. L. adj. genitalis geniiaX.
per.te'nu.e. L. adj. pertenuis very thin, The cells measure 0.25 to 0.3 by 3.0 to
slender. 14.0 microns. The spirals are round, regular
Morphologically indistinguishable from and shallow. The cells are smaller, and the
Treponema pallidum. spirals are closer together than those of
Cultivable under anaerobic conditions Treponema pallidum. Actively motile.
in the same medium used for Treponema Grows anaerobically and requires fresh
pallidum. tissue.
906 ORDER IX. SPIROCHAETALES
this relationship is still incomplete for other serologically distinct strains of leptospires iso-
lated from human and animal cases of leptospirosis.
Because leptospires cannot be satisfactorily studied by the methods used for the true
bacteria or even for other spirochetes, it has proved difficult to apply the species concept to
this important group. The differentiation of strains of leptospires is however of epidemio-
logical importance as well as of academic interest. Various schemes of differentiation have
been used, but at present the most satisfactory method is based on the antigenic constitu-
tion of the leptospires, which can be determined by agglutination-lysis and cross-absorption
tests. Complement -fixation tests have not yet been developed as a means of typing, though
they are probably of value in confirming a clinical diagnosis of leptospirosis. Neither has any
system so far been evolved of cultural or biochemical tests which could be used as a basis
for differentiation.
Building on and extending the work begun by Schiiffner and his collaborators and con-
tinued by Borg-Petersen and many other workers in this field, Wolff and Broom (Docu-
menta de Medicina Geographica et Tropica, 6, 1954, 78) compared the serological characters
of a number of strains of leptospires whose origins and subsequent histories could be fully
authenticated. These workers assembled into 'serogroups' (serological groups) serotypes
which showed marked similarities in their serological reactions. These serological groupings
quite probably have some relation to the differentiation of the organisms into species, but
Wolff and Broom consider that knowledge of the bionomics of leptospires is not yet suffi-
ciently far advanced to allow a decision to be taken regarding the criteria on which the sub-
division ofthe genus should ultimately be made. Hence, for the time being, they propose
that the term 'serotype' should be adopted to designate the basic taxon of a serological
classification based on the agglutinogens of the leptospires.
In view of the tentative nature of this classification, Wolff and Broom have retained the
specific epithets or place names which have been applied to various leptospires as a means of
designating serotypes. In this way they follow much the same custom that has been followed
by students of salmonellas.
The serological Table as prepared by Wolff and Broom is given here by permission of these
authors; complete bibliography will be found in their original paper.
List of recognized serotypes
Serotype Origin
Serogroup
Type Strain
poi
sarniin Sarmin 1930, Man, Indonesia
schiiffneri Vleermuis 90 C
1938, Cynopterus sp., Indo-
nesia
1 Strain "Wijnberg," isolated in 1926 from man in the Netherlands, is also L. ictero-
haemorrhagiae (AB).
^ Strain "Kantorowicz," isolated in 1931 from man in the Netherlands, is also L. ictero-
haemorrhagiae (A) .
3 Strain "S102," isolated in 1941 from an albino mouse in the Netherlands, is also L.
balhim.
^ Strain "3868 C" was subsequently demonstrated to be indistinguishable from strain
"3522 C."
5 The bovine strain of Bernkopf and other strains of the grippotyphosa serogroup iso-
lated in Israel are not yet definitelj^ established as serotypes distinct from serotype grippo-
typhosa. The same applies to other strains of this serogroup isolated elsewhere.
^ Strain "Swart," isolated by Walch, was lost after it was demonstrated to be indis-
tinguishable from the strain "van Tienen."
FAMILY II. TREPONEMA TACEAE
911
Alphabetical list of recognized serotypes
Serotype Synonyms Common Name of disease Important Carrier Hosts
(A) 5
ballum^
~ ~ Mus musculus spicilegus;
barigkinarig^
— — Mus musculus
—
Dog
halaviae^o Swart strain;" miiis;^'^ ory- Indonesian Weil's disease; R. norvegicus; R. ratlus brevi-
rice-field fever
caudatus; Micromys minu-
tus sorcinus; dog; cat
zeti^^ — —
benjamin^*
canicola^^
—
Mukingilwa strain'^
Canicola fever (human)
Stuttgart disease (dogs)
cynopieri" 3522 C strainjis 3868 C
— Cynopterus sp.
djasinuin"
strain"
Djasiman strain's
— Microtus spp.
—
Nzirandukula strain;'5 Bo- Mud fever; field-fever; Feld-
grippotyphosa^-'i fieber A; Schlammfieber;
vine strain;2i 6ou(s;22 je/- Pig
hardjo^^
—
feni;^^ Duyster strain^^ fi^vre des marais
— —
hebdomadis^^ Akiyami B groups Nanukayami; Akiyami B; Microtus montebelloi
seven-day fever
hyos'^ Swineherds' disease
ictcrohaemorrhagiac^^- 3» See page 913
milis^^ Weil's disease; leptospiral R. norvegicus; other species of
divided into jaundice; infectious jaun- rats and mice
subtype iderohaemor- complete biotype^ dice (human) ; yellows
(dog)
rhagiae (AB)3i
subtype icterohaemor- incomplete biotype^
rhagiae (A)=' ~ — R. brevicaudatus; R. exulans
javanica'^'^
— —
(= R. con col or)
nmnkarso^^ Marikini strain's
_ —
meda7iensis" Dog HC strains^ — — —
jnuenchen^^
— — —
naam^*
— — —
paidjan^'" — Rice-field fever —
poi^s Australis C;^i Mezzano Swineherds' disease; po-
pomona'^^ mona fever Pig; cattle
pyrogenes^^
Salinem strain
type;3s suis^'' Leptospirosis febrilis
-
saikoebing*"
- - Apodemus flavicollis; A. syl-
—
schuffneri^^
sejroc^^
90 C strain"
— Feldfieber B
Cynopterus sp.
Apodemus sylvaticus; Mus
— — musculus spicilegus
semarang*^
— — R. brevicaudatus
sentoti*
wolffii" 3705 strain"
-
1 Taylor, J., and Goyle, A. N., Indian med. Research Mem., no. 20, 1931.
2 Lumley, G. F., Med. Jour. Australia, /, 1937, 654.
3 Cotter, T. J. P., and Sawers, W. C, Med. Jour. Australia, 2. 1934, 597.
* Abe, T., Jap. Jour. Exp. Med., le, 1934, 255.
5 Gispen, R., and Schuffner, W. A. P., Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., lU, 1939, 427.
6 Koshina, M., Shiozawa, S., and Kitayama, K., Jour. Exp. Med., iS, 1925, 873.
912 ORDER IX. SPIROCHAETALES
Addendum
Details of the serological characteristics of the following were published while this sec-
tion of the Manual was in press : autumnalis, Fort Bragg (Alexander, Evans Jeffries, Gleiser
and Yager, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 86, 1954, 405); malaya, wolffii A, grippotyphosa
AB, borincana and alexi (Alexander, Wetmore, Evans, Jeffries and Gleiser Amer. Jour.
Trop. Med., 4, 1955, 4:92) ; balhwi AB (Babudieri, Rend. Istit. Sup. di Sanitd, 18, 1955, 57);
mini AB and mini A (Babudieri, Ztschr. f. Hyg., 143, 1956, 121) and celledoni (Broom and
Smith, Lancet, £, 1956, 866).
Cultures of the following are maintained at one or more of the Leptospirosis Reference
Laboratories, but they are not included among the Recognized Serotypes because full de-
tails of their serological relationships have not yet been published : bafani, kabura, ndam-
bari, kamituga and butembo (van Riel, Ann. Soc. Beige M4d. Trop., 36, 1946, 197); Robinson
and Kremastos (Smith, Brown, Tonge, Sinnamon, Macdonald, Ross and Doherty, Austral.
Ann. Med., S, 1954, 98); Leeds (Czekalowski and McLeod, Jour. Path. Bact., 67, 1954, 43);
henwlyticus (Alexander, Smith, Hiatt and Gleiser, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 91, 1956,
205); sorex (Kmety, Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 161, 1954, 382) and jez (Kmety, Csl. Hyg.,
3, 1954, 41).
FAMILY II. TREPONEMATACEAE
913
(Borrelomycetales Turner, Jour. Path, and Bact., 4^, 1935, 25; Pleuropneumoniales Tulasne
and Brisou, Ann. Inst. Past., 88, 1955, 237; Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen.
and Taxon., 5, 1955, 71; MolUcutales Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact.
Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 89.)
My.co.plas.ma.ta'les. M.L. neut.n. Mycoplasma type genus of the order; -ales ending to
denote an order; M.L. fern. pi. n. Mycoplasmatales the Mycoplasma order.
Highly pleomorphic organisms which possess a peculiar mode of reproduction (according
to some observers) characterized by the breaking up of filaments (with a more or less pro-
nounced tendency to true branching) into coccoid, filterable elementary bodies. The cell
bodies are soft and fragile; without special precautions they are often distorted or entirely
destroyed in microscopical preparations. Non-motile. Typical endospores are never pro-
duced. Gram-negative. Growth occurs in agar media, although most of the species have ex-
acting nutritional requirements. Pathogenic and saprophytic species occur.
My.co.plas.ma.ta'ce.ae. M.L. neut.n. Mycoplasma type genus of the family; -aceae end-
ing to denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Mycoplasmataceae the Mycoplasma family.
Characters as for the order.
My.co.plas'ma. Gr. mas.n. myces a fungus; Gr. neut.n. plasma something formed or
molded, a form; M.L. neut.n. Mycoplasma fungus form.
It has proved difficult to interpret properly the significance of the morphological details
and the mode of growth of these organisms. Elementary bodies have been observed both in
fluid and solid media; these elementary bodies extrude one or more filaments of varying
lengths that ramify to form an apparently unicellular, branching, mycelioid structure. At
a later stage of growth tiny endomycelial corpuscles develop in the filaments by a process
of successive condensations and constrictions, the formation of septa not being demon-
strable. The homogeneous, coenocytic filaments thus become transformed into chains of
close-set, spherical bodies which, upon fragmentation of the chains, are liberated as free
elementary bodies. These elements are extremely plastic and, under certain growth condi-
tions, may develop into peculiar forms, among which are the so-called "large bodies."
Some workers claim to have observed various other deviating growth forms, including mul-
tiplication bysimple budding. Granules may form in the large bodies and, according to
some observers, after rupture of the membrane, begin the "life cycle" anew as elementary
bodies. In contrast to this, however, there are others who regard the large bodies as repre-
senting astage of involution and degradation. The basic reproductive units, the elementary
bodies, are filterable and have a particle diameter of 125 to 250 millimicrons. Gram-negative.
Stain poorly with the ordinary bacterial stains, but fairly well with that of Giemsa. Non-
motile. Colonial growth on solid media is quite characteristic: the minute colonies have an
opaque, granular, brown or yellowish central area growing down into the agar; the central
area is surrounded by a translucent, flat zone of variable size. Certain species produce
small, black dots consisting of deposits of calcium and magnesium soaps; these occur be-
neath and around the colonies together with a crinkled, grayish film. Growth in semi-solid
or fluid media is granular or smooth and fluffy. With the exception of the saprophytic spe-
cies, all species require enrichment with serum or ascitic fluid for growth on artificial media.
Aerobic to facultatively anaerobic; certain species prefer anaerobic conditions. From human
and animal sources; one saprophytic species is known.
The type species is Mycoplasm,a mycoides (Borrel et al.) Freundt.
1. Mycoplasma niycoides (Borrel et al., structure with long filaments which measure
1910) Freundt, 1955. (Le microbe de la peri- 40 to 50 microns in length, the maximum
pneumonie, Nocard and Rou.x, Ann. Inst. being about 100 to 150 microns (0rskov,
Past., 13, 1898, 240; Asterococcus niycoides Ann. Inst. Past., 41, 1927, 413; also see Acta
Borrel, Dujardin-Beaumetz, Jeantet and Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 19, 1942, 586;
Jouan, Ann. Inst. Past., 24, 1910, 179; Nowak, op. cit., 1929, 1330; Wroblewski,
Coccobacillus niycoides peripneumoniae op. cit., 1931, 94; Ledingham, Jour. Path,
Martzinovski, Ann. Inst. Past., 25, 1911, and Bact., 37, 1933, 393; Klieneberger, Jour.
917; Micromyces peripneumoniae bovis con- Path, and Bact., 39, 1934, 409; Tang, Wei,
tagiosae Frosch, Arch. f. wissensch. u. McWhirter and Edgar, Jour. Path, and
prakt. Tierheilk., 49, 1923, 35 and 273; Bact., 40, 1935, 391; Turner, op. cit., 1935,
Mycoplasma peripneumoniae Nowak, Ann. 1; Freundt, Acta Path, et Microbiol.
Inst. Past., 43, 1929, 1349; Asteromyces peri- Scand., 31, 1952, 508). The filaments are re-
pneumoniae bovis Wroblewski, Ann. Inst. garded by other authors mainly as artifacts.
Past., 4"^, 1931, 105; Borrelomyces peripneu- Klieneberger and Smiles (Jour, of H3'g., 42,
moniae Turner, Jour. Path, and Bact., 41, 1942, 110) describe reproduction by multi-
1935, 25; Bovimyces pleuropneumoniae Sabin, plication of minute granules within large,
Bact. Rev., 5, 1941, 57; Pleuropneumonia irregularly round cells. Gram-negative.
bovis Tulasne and Brisou, Ann. Inst. Past., Horse-serum agar: Neither film nor spots
88, 1955, 237; Freundt, Internat. Bull, of are produced.
Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; also Horse-blood agar: Alpha hemolj'sis.
see Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. Rabbit-serum agar: Poor growth.
and Taxon., 5, 1955, 89.) Semi-solid media: Fluffy growth, prefer-
my.co.i'des. Gr. mas.n. myces a fungus; ably near the surface.
Gr. noun eidus shape, form; M.L. adj. my- Broth: Rather strong, generalized opacity
coides fungus -like. with a small deposit which produces silky
The cultural and biochemical characteris- swirls and threads on shaking. Cultures in
tics of this and of most of the other species broth without glucose remain viable for 45
of the genus are, to a wide extent, based on to 60 days at 37°C. Filtrates of 6-day broth
the work of Edward (Jour. Gen. Microbiol., cultures discolor suspensions of horse
10, 1954, 27). erythrocytes, presumably due to the forma-
Stable and richly branching mycelioid tion of methemoglobin.
FAMILY I. MYCOPLASMATACEAE 917
Aerobic; poor growth under anaerobic Methylene blue is reduced rather rapidly.
conditions. Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
Serologically different from Mycoplasma Ten strains investigated serologically
mycoides var. rnycoides and M. agalactiae. shared common antigens, but at least three
Comments: A closely related organism different serological types appear to exist.
was identified as the cause of an infectious Pathogenicity: Suggested as a cause of
and highly fatal oedema and cellulitis of inflammation of the genital tract, predis-
goats (Melanidi, Bull. Office Internat. des posing to infertility, although inoculation
Epizooties, Paris, 36, 1951, 363; Edward, of cultures into the uteri of heifers has so
op. cit., 1953, 873). An organism also closel.y far been unsuccessful.
related to Mycoplasma mycoides var. capri Source: Isolated from the bovine genital
in cultural, physiological and serological tract.
respects was recently isolated as the etio- Habitat: Frequent inhabitant of the bo-
logical agent of a highly fatal disease, char- vine lower genital tract, both in males and
acterized bysepticemia and arthritis, in a females.
herd of dairy goats; clinically the outbreak
was typical of neither contagious agalactia 3. Mycoplasma agalactiae (Wroblewski,
nor caprine pleuropneumonia (Cordy, Adler 1931) Freundt, 1955. (Le microbe de I'aga-
and Yamamoto, Cornell Vet., 4-5, 1955, 50). laxie contagieuse, Bridre and Donatien,
Source : Isolated from cases of contagious Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 177, 1923,
pleuropneumonia of goats. 841; also see Ann. Inst. Past., 39, 1925, 925;
Habitat: The etiological agent of conta- Anulotnyces agalaxiae (sic) Wroblewski, Ann.
gious pleuropneumonia of goats. Inst. Past., 47, 1931, 111; Borrelomyces aga-
lactiae Turner, Jour. Path, and Bact., 4-1,
2. Mycoplasma bovigenitaliuniFreundt, 1935, 25; Capromyces agalactiae Sabin, Bact.
1955. (P strains of the bovine genital tract, Rev., 5, 1941, 57; Pleuropneumonia agalactiae
Edward, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 4, 1950, Tulasne and Brisou, Ann. Inst. Past., 88,
4; Pleuropneumonia bovigenitalis Tulasne 1955, 238; Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Bact.
and Brisou, Ann. Inst. Past., 88, 1955, 238; Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; also see
Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen.
and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; also see Edward, and Ta.xon., 5, 1955, 90.)
Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and
a.ga.lac'ti.ae. Gr. noun agalactia want of
Taxon., 5, 1955, 90; Borrelomyces bovi- milk, agalactia; M.L. gen. noun agalactiae
genitalium Freundt, op. cit., 1955, 74.) of agalactia.
bo.vi.ge.ni.ta'li.um. L. noun bos, bovis Relatively stable mycelioid structure
the ox; L. neut.adj. (used as a noun) genitale with filaments of moderate length (10 to 30
genital organ; L. pi. noun genitalia the geni- microns) (Wroblewski, op. cit., 1931, 94;
talia; L. gen. pi. noun genitalium of genitalia; Ledingham, Jour. Path, and Bact., 37, 1933,
M.L. gen.pl.noun bovigenitalium of bovine 393; |Z)rskov, Acta Path, et Microbiol.
genitalia. Scand., 19, 1942, 586; Freundt, unpublished
Unstable, sparsely branching mycelioid observation). Round and oval elementary
structure with very short, almost bacillary bodies and short filaments have been dem-
filaments which usually measure 2 to 5 mi- onstrated in electron micrographs by
crons in length (Freundt, unpublished ob- Klieneberger-Nobel and Cuckow (Jour.
servation). Gram-negative. Gen. Microbiol., 12, 1955, 95). Gram-nega-
Horse-serum agar: A film and spots are tive.
produced. Horse-serum agar: A film and spots are
Horse-blood agar: Alpha hemolysis. produced by most strains.
Rabbit-serum agar: Poor growth. Horse-blood agar: Alpha hemolysis.
Semi-solid media: Fluffy growth through- Rabbit-serum agar: Poor growth.
out. Semi-solid media: Fluffy growth, prefer-
Broth: Dense, uniform opalescence. ably near the surface.
Carbohydrates not attacked. Broth: Generalized opacity. Filtrates of
FAMILY I. MYCOPLASMATACEAE 919
a predilection for the joints. Subcutaneous crons in length) to moderately long sturc-
injection produces diffuse abscesses. Intra- tures (10 to 30 microns) (Freundt, unpub-
cerebral inoculation causes encephalitis in lished observation). Gram -negative.
mice but usually no cerebral symptoms in Horse-serum agar: Neither film nor spots
rats. Intranasal instillation causes pneu- are produced.
monia in mice. Non-pathogenic for mon- Horse-blood agar: Alpha hemolysis.
keys, rabbits or guinea pigs. Rabbit-serum agar: Poor growth.
Comments : The description of this species Semi -solid media: Smooth or granular
is based on a strain isolated by Preston growth, preferably near the surface.
(Jour. Inf. Dis., 70, 1942, 180) from infected Broth: Generalized opalescence.
joints of rats. Preston's organism is gener- Acid from glucose, mannose, maltose,
ally believed to be identical with Kliene- dextrin, glycogen and starch. No acid from
berger's L4 , although it was not typed sero- fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactose, salicin,
logically. Moreover, L4 is identical with the mannitol or dulcitol.
pyogenic virus of Woglom and Warren Methylene blue is slowly reduced.
(Jour. Exp. Med., 68, 1938, 513), with L7 of Aerobic; poor growth under anaerobic
Findlay, MacKenzie, MacCallum and conditions.
Klieneberger (Lancet, 237, 1939, 7) and A thermolabile exotoxin, which causes
probably also with the organisms isolated acute necrosis of the posterior pole of the
by Beeuwkes and Collier (Jour. Inf. Dis., cerebellum in mice, is produced in vivo and
70, 1942, 1). in vitro by the American strains.
Source: Isolated from the submaxillary Serologically distinct from the other mem-
gland of a laboratory rat with eye, ear and bers of this genus. The American and Eng-
lung infections (Klieneberger, op. cit., 1938, lish strains of this species appear to be sero-
458) ; also isolated from a contaminated logically and immunologically identical.
transmissible sarcoma (Klieneberger, Jour. Pathogenicity: American strains of this
Hyg., 39, 1939, 260) and from outbreaks of organism produce "rolling disease" and
spontaneous polyarthritis in laboratory rats other nervous symptoms in young mice after
(Findlay et al., op. cit., 1939, 7; Preston, op. intracerebral, intraabdominal or intrathora-
cit., 1942, 180). cal injection; older mice sometimes develop
Habitat : From various infected lesions of a transient, non-destructive polyarthritis
rats so far as known. after intravenous injection. The English
strains are less virulent, and "rolling dis-
10. Mycoplasma neurolyticum (Sabin, ease" develops only if the organisms are
1941) Freundt, 1955. (A filterable, transmis- injected together with agar or a neurotropic
sible agent with "neurolytic" properties, virus. Other animals, with the exception of
Sabin, Science, 88, 1938, 189; also see ibid., the field-vole, are not susceptible.
575; L5 , Findlay, MacKenzie, MacCallum Source: Isolated from the brain of mice
and Klieneberger, Lancet, 235, 1938, 1511; that had developed "rolling disease" dur-
Musculomyces neurolyticus, type A, Sabin, ing the course of intracerebral passage of
Bact. Rev., 5, 1941, 24 and 57; Pleuropneu- various agents: Toxoplasma (Sabin, op. cit.,
monia cerehri-muris Tulasne and Brisou, 1938, 189 and 575), lymphocytic choriomen-
Ann. Inst. Past., 88, 1955, 238; Freundt, ingitis and probably also yellow fever virus
Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., (Findlay et al., op. cit., 1938, 1511). Later
5, 1955, 73; also see Edward, Internat. isolated on a few occasions from the brain
Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, of normal mice and almost regularly from
91.) the conjunctiva and nasal mucosa of car-
neu.ro.ly'ti.cum. Or. noun neuron nerve; riers, and from pneumonic foci of mouse
Gr. adj. lyticus able to loose; M.L. adj. lungs after nasal instillation of various ma-
neurolyticus nerve-destroying. terials (Sabin, Science, 90, 1939, 18; also see
Unstable to relatively stable mycelioid op. cit., 1941, 24; Sabin and Johnson, Proc.
structure, the filaments varying from short, Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., U, 1940, 569, and
almost bacillary forms (usually 2 to 5 mi- Sullivan and Dienes, ibid., 41, 1939, 620).
923
FAMILY I. MYCOPLASMATACEAE
Habitat: From normal and diseased mice tures in artificial media, the organisms pro-
so far as known. duced mortality and microscopic findings
in embryonated eggs that were typical for
11. INIycoplasnia gullinariini Freundt, the above agents, and suspensions prepared
1955. (A pleuropneumonia-like organism iso- from yolk sacs harvested from these em-
lated from the upper respiratory tract of a l)ryos caused sinusitis in turkeys. Lecce
fowl, Edward, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 10, and Sperling (Vet. Ext. Quart., Univ. of
1954, 52 and 53; Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Pennsylvania, No. 134, 1954, 96) were able
Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; to cultivate pleuropneumonia-like organ-
Borrelomyces (jaUinarum Freundt, ibid., isms from the tracheae of chickens which
75.) had long since recovered from symptoms of
gal.li.na'rum. L. fem.n. gallina a hen; CRD and from asymptomatic chickens that
L. fem.gen.pl.n. gallinarum of hens. had been in contact with sick birds, but they
Morphological characters not recorded for were not able to cultivate these organisms
the type strain (cf. Comments) . Gram-nega- from normal birds obtained from flocks that
tive. had never been associated with CRD. They
Horse-serum agar: A film and spots are also showed (Cornell Vet., U, 1954, 441)
produced. that pleuropneumonia-like organisms were
Horse-blood agar: Hemolysis. more commonly found in the tracheae than
Rabbit-serum agar: Good growth. in the lungs and air sacs of sick chickens.
Semi-solid media: Smooth growth White, Wallace and Alberts (Poult. Sci., S3,
throughout. 1954, 500) studied two strains of the CRD
No acid from glucose. agent and one strain of the TS agent ob-
Methylene blue is reduced rather rapidly. tained from van Roekel. Broth cultures
Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic. from the 22nd serial transfer in an artificial
Pathogenicity: Not tested for the repre- medium were inoculated into the infraorbi-
sentative strain. tal sinuses and into the tracheae of 10-week-
Comments: The coccobacillary bodies of old chickens and turkeys. The latter de-
fowl coryza described by Nelson were prob- veloped sinusitis 9 to 12 days after exposure,
ably pleuropneumonia-like organisms (Nel- and at necropsy performed one month after
son, Science, 82, 1935, 43; also see Jour. Exp. exposure, tracheitis and signs of inflamma-
Med., 63, 1936, 509 and 515; and ibid., 69, tion of the thoracic and abdominal air sacs
1939, 199). Herick and Eaton (Jour. Bact., were demonstrated. In the chickens, a catar-
50, 1945, 47) isolated a pleuropneumonia-like rhal inflammation of the nasal membranes
organism as a contaminant of a pneumonia and tracheae was observed, while there were
virus which was being passaged in chick no external symptoms of sinusitis and no
embryos; broth cultures agglutinated gross pathological changes in the air sacs.
chicken erythrocj^tes as well as those of Hemagglutination tests with broth cultures
other animals; hemagglutination inhibition and chicken and turkey erythrocytes were
tests with sera of chickens from the hatchery positive and were inhibited both by homol-
that had furnished the eggs showed an ap- ogous and heterologous sera of the infected
preciable antibody level to the organism in a birds. Sera from apparently normal birds
fairly high percentage of the chickens. Re- showed a slight inhibition. Structures simi-
port of pleuropneumonia-like organisms lar to those characteristic of the pleuro-
from egg-passage material of the agent (s) pneumonia group were demonstrated in
of a chronic respiratory disease (CRD) of electron micrographs prepared from broth
chickens and of turkey sinusitis (TS), which cultures: single elementary bodies varying
were originally regarded as viruses by van from 0.1 to 0.5 micron, and large and small
Roekel, Olesiuk and Peck (Amer. Jour. Vet. filaments, some of which contained close-set
Res., 13, 1952, 252), was made by Markham spherical bodies that were about the size
and Wong (Poult. Sci., 31 , 1952, 902) ; follow- of single cells. Strains from chickens and
ing a series of thirteen successive subcul- turkeys could not be distinguished morpho-
924 ORDER X. MYCOPLASMATALES
logically. Morton, Lecce, Oskay and Coy microns in length (Freundt, op. cit., 1954,
(Jour. Bact., 68, 1954, 697) failed to demon- 127). Spherical elementary bodies have been
strate anything but single spherical bodies demonstrated in electron micrographs by
in electron micrographs of two other strains Morton, Lecce, Oskay and Coy (Jour. Bact.,
of pleuropneumonia-like organisms also ob- 68, 1954, 697). Slender, branching filaments
tained from van Roekel. Further compara- and strings of minute cocci have been re-
tive studies are needed before the relation- ported in a non-classified strain of human
ships of the fowl pleuropneumonia-like origin by Beveridge (Med. Jour, of Aus-
organisms isolated from different sources tralia, 2,1943, 479). Gram-negative.
and in various laboratories can be deter- Horse-serum agar: Neither film nor spots
mined. Edward, in preliminary investiga- are produced.
tions, found more than one species repre- if Horse-blood
any. agar: Very slight hemolysis,
sented in strains isolated from fowls; at
least three species would appear to be repre- Rabbit-serum agar : Good growth.
sented among strains isolated from the Semi-solid media: Usually granular
continent of America (Edward, personal growth throughout the medium.
communication, 1955). Strains described by Broth: Very faint generalized opacity, if
Tahey and Crawley (Canad. Jour. Comp. any; small sediment.
Med., 18, 1954, 67) and by Gianforte, Fung- Carbohydrates not attacked.
herr and Jacobs (Poult. Sci., 34, 1955, 662) Reduction of methylene blue is slow and
differed from Mycoplasma gallinarum variable.
Freundt by fermenting glucose and other Tetrazolium salts are reduced under
sugars. anaerobic conditions.
Source: Isolated from the upper respira- Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic.
tory tract of a fowl. Serologically there are two distinct types
Habitat: Found in the normal and dis- (Nicol and Edward, op. cit., 1953, 145).
eased upper respiratory tract of fowls. Pathogenicity: Type 1 is not pathogenic
Other strains of pleuropneumonia-like or- for mice. Local abscesses are produced in
ganisms from fowls that may or may not mice on subcutaneous inoculation of type 2
belong to this species have been shown to be strains.
etiologically implicated in a chronic respira- Completely resistant to sulfathiazol, peni-
tory disease of chickens and of turkey cillin and erythromycin. Moderate sensi-
sinusitis. tivity is shown to streptomycin, and the
susceptibility to dihydrostreptomycin is
12. Mycoplasma hominis (Freundt, variable. Highly sensitive to aureomycin,
1953) Edward, 1955. (Human types 1 and 2, chloramphenicol and terramycin.
Nicol and Edward, Brit. Jour. Vener. Dis., Comments: The occurrence of pleuro-
29, 1953, 146 and 147; also see Edward, Jour. pneumonia-like organisms in the human
Gen Microbiol., 10, 1954, 54 and 55; Micro- genital tract was first demonstrated by
myces hominis, group I, Freundt, Acta Path. Dienes and Edsall in 1937 (Proc. Soc. Exp.
et Microbiol. Scand., 32, 1953, 471; also see Biol, and Med., 36, 1937, 740; also see
Atti del VI Congresso Internazionale di Dienes, ibid., 44, 1940, 468). Six strains iso-
Microbiologia, Roma, 1, 1953, 138; and Acta lated by Dienes from 1939 to 1940 were later
Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 34, 1954, 143; classified by Edward {op. cit., 1954, 54) as
Edward, in Freundt, Internat. Bull, of Bact. type 2 (now Mycoplasma hominis Edward,
Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 73; see Edward, type 2).
Internat. Bull, of Bact. Nomen. andTaxon., Source: Isolated from human male and
5, 1955, 90.) female genital tract and anal canal; also
ho'mi.nis. L. noun homo man; L. gen. noun recovered in pure cultures from the blood
hominis of man. of a patient suffering from a puerperal septi-
Unstable and sparsely branched mycelioid cemia and from the pus of a broncho-pleural
structure with very short, almost bacillary fistula in another case (Stokes, Lancet, 1,
filaments which usually measure 2 to 5 1955,276).
FAMILY I. MYCOPLASMATACEAE
925
Habitat: Frequently found as an inhabit- Edward, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 10, 1954, 54
ant of the human genital and rectal mucosa. and 55; Micromyces hominis, group II,
The etiological implications of this organism Freundt, Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand.,
in non-gonococcal urethritis and other in- 34, 1954, 143; also see Atti del VI Congresso
flammatory conditions of the lower genital Internazionale di Microbiologia, Roma, 1,
tract are still obscure. 1953, 138; Edward, in Freundt, Internat.
Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955,
13. Mycoplasma salivarium Edward, 73; see Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact.
1955. (Human type 4, Nicol and Edward, Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 90.)
Brit. Jour. Vener. Dis., 29, 1953, 148; also fer. men 'tans. L. part. adj. fermentans
see Edward, Jour. Gen. Microbiol., 10, fermenting.
1954, 55; Edward, in Freundt, Internat. Relatively stable mycelioid structure
Bull, of Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, with filaments varying from 10 to 30 microns
73; see Edward, Internat. Bull, of Bact. in length (Freundt, op. cit., 1954, 143).
Nomen. and Taxon., 5, 1955, 90.) Gram-negative.
sa.li.va'ri.um. L. adj. salivarius salivary, Horse-serum agar: A film and spots are
slimy; intended to mean of saliva.
produced.
Morphological characters not recorded. Horse-blood agar : No hemolysis.
Gram-negative. Rabbit-serum agar : Good growth.
Horse-serum agar: A film and spots may Semi -solid media: Smooth growth, pref-
or may not be produced. erably near the bottom.
Horse-blood agar: No hemolj-sis. Broth: Generalized opacity.
Rabbit-serum agar: Very good growth. Acid from glucose, fructose, galactose,
Semi -solid media: Smooth growth, best maltose, glycogen, dextrin and starch; no
near the bottom. acid from mannose, xylose, sucrose, lactose,
Glucose is not attacked.
salicin, glycerol or mannitol.
Growth is improved by the addition of Growth is usually improved by the addi-
thymonucleic acid upon primary isolation. tion of thymonucleic acid and by aerobic
Methylene blue is slowly reduced. conditions at pH 6.0 to 6.6 and by anaerobic
Anaerobic on primary isolation. conditions at pH 7.0 to 8.0.
Serologically distinct from the genital Reduction of methylene blue is rather
species. rapid.
Pathogenicity: Not tested. Anaerobic or microaerophilic; usually
Comments: Other strains isolated from
very poor growth under aerobic conditions.
the mouth and pharynx in humans by Smith Serologically distinct from Mycoplasma
and Morton (Science, 113, 1951, 623), Mor- hominis Edward and M. salivarium Ed-
ton et al. (Jour. Dent. Res., SO, 1951, 415), ward.
Dienes and Madoff (Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, Pathogenicity: May or may not be patho-
and Med., 82, 1953, 36) and by Freundt genic for mice; abscesses are sometimes pro-
(Acta Path, et Microbiol. Scand., 34, 1954, duced when inoculations of early subcul-
127) appear to differ from Mycoplasma sali- tures are made in the foot pad of mice.
varium Edward in their growth and cultural Completely resistant to sulfathiazol, peni-
properties. Additional comparative studies cillin and erythromj^cin. Moderate sensi-
are needed before the relationships of these tivity is shown to streptomycin, and the
organisms can be ascertained. susceptibility to dihydrostreptomycin is
Source: Isolated from human saliva. variable. Highly sensitive to aureomycin,
chloramphenicol and terramycin.
14. Mycoplasma fermentans Edward, Source: Isolated from human male and
1955. (G strains, Ruiter and Wentholt, Jour. female genital tract.
Invest. Dermat., 18, 1952, 322; also see Acta Habitat: Found not only in ulcerative
Dermat. Venereol., S3, 1953, 123 and 130; genital lesions associated with fusiform
human type 3, Nicol and Edward, Brit. bacilli and spirilla but also on the ap-
Jour. Vener. Dis., 29, 1953, 147; also see parently normal genital mucosa.
926 ORDER X. MYCOPLASMATALES
and have been placed in the special genus Holospora Haffkine. The spores appear to resemble
the endospores found in the genus Bacillus Cohn.
Because the majority of these intracellular parasites are so highly specialized that they,
like rickettsias and viruses, cannot be cultured outside of the cells that they parasitize, the
descriptions that have been published of these parasities were arranged in an appendix to
the order RickeUsiales in the sixth edition of the Manual (1948, p. 1121). However, these
protozoan parasites have been described by those who have studied them as being related
to quite a variety of genera of bacteria belonging in various orders of the class Schizomyceies .
Furthermore, these organisms are not in any sense of the word intermediate in character
between rickettsias and viruses, even though all are highly specialized intracellular para-
sites. For these reasons the parasites of protozoa are placed in this edition of the Manual
in an Addendum to Class II, Schizomyceies.
While onl}^ about one dozen species of these bacteria have as yet been described and
named, several additional species have been well described without having been named.
Still other species are known to exist. No special student of the group has as j^et attempted
to place these interesting organisms in relation to recognized families and genera of bacteria
more definitely than is indicated above. The organisms in question are, as yet, best known
to protozoologists and are rarely mentioned in textbooks of bacteriology. Their existence
suggests that other groups of invertebrate animals may suffer from similar bacterial dis-
eases as yet unknown. — The Editors.
Ca.ry.o.coc'cus. Gr. noun caryum nut, kernel, nucleus; Gr. noun coccus berry, coccus;
M.L. mas.n. Caryococcus nuclear coccus.
Spherical organisms parasitic in the nucleus of Euglena.
The type species is Caryococcus hypertrophicus Dangeard.
Dre.pa.no'spi.ra. Gr. noun drepane a sickle; Gr. noun spira spiral; M.L. noun Drepano-
spira sickle spiral.
Cells incurved in two spiral turns that are not abrupt, one of the ends being pointed, the
other a little rounded. No flagella; movement helicoid by means of all the body. No cell
division. So-called endospores are formed. Regular spherical colonies are formed by indi-
viduals at certain stages of development.
The author regards this genus as belonging in the family Spirillaceae between Spiroso7na
{= Spirillum) and Microspira (= Vibrio).
The type species is Drepanospira muelleri de Petschenko.
almost filling the body. Nuclear portion Parasitic in the cytoplasm of Paramecium
occupying part of the cell. caudatum.
Genus C. Holospora Ilaffkine, 1890.
(Ann. Inst. Past., 4, 1890, 151.)
Ho.lo'spo.ra. Gr. adj. holus whole, complete; Gr. noun sporus seed; M.L. noun spora
spore; M.L. fem.n. Holospora whole spore.
Parasities of the ciliate Paramecium aurelin (= Paramecium caudatum?). Develop spore-
like cells.
The type species is Holospora utidulata Haffkine.
1. Holospora undulata Haffkine, 1890. Divides equatorially, budding at one end.
(Ann. Inst. Past., 4, 1890, 151.) Transformation into spores entails enlarge-
un.du.la'ta. L. adj. W7i(/«Za^ws undulated, ment, clear space separating membrane
with waves. at sides, spores pointed at ends.
Gradually tapered at ends. Possesses 1.5, Source: Found in the micronucleus of the
2.0 or 2.5 spiral turns. Develops from a ciliate Paramecium aurelia (= P. cau-
small, fusiform body which grows and di- datum?).
vides transversely; brings about a great o ¥t • i tt i^i • 1r,f^/^
^ n., • , 1- f 1 3. Holospora obtusa Haffkine, 1890.
enlargement of the micronucleus, which be- /tt «•, • . t j. -o * / ionr. ico
comes* filled
^,, , with
.,, ,,the spirals
■ , (see
/ r^
Drepario- (Haffkine,
, ^. Ann.. . Inst.
. » Past.,
, , 4,ti 1890,
i- . 153;
i
spira mxielleri . de Petschenko).
/^ ^ also1929,
65, see 276.)
Fiveiskaja, Arch. f. Protistenk.,
Source : Found in the micronucleus of the
ob.tu'sa. L. adj. obtusus obtuse.
ciliate Paramecium aurelia (= P. cauda- Spores not spiralled, and both ends are
tum?).
rounded. Reproduction by fission, also by
formation of a bud at one of the extremities
2. Holospora elegans Haffkine, 1890. of the fusiform cell. Bodies 0.6 to 0.8 by
(Haffkine, Ann. Inst. Past., 4, 1890, 154; jg.O to 30.0 microns, with rounded ends;
also see Kirby, in Calkins and Summers, ^Iso occur as spindle-shaped bodies with
Protozoa in Biological Research, New York, pointed ends, 0.5 by 3.0 to 6.0 microns
19-11, 1035.) (Fiveiskaja, loc. cit.).
e'le.gans. L. adj. elegans fine, elegant. Source: Found in the macronucleus of the
Vegetative stage fusiform; elongated, ciliate Paramecium aurelia (= P. cauda-
ellipsoidal, nucleus-like body in some. tum?).
II. Species placed in recognized genera of Scliizomycetes :
D. Micrococcus batrachoruin Yakimov, 1930.
{Micrococcus batrochorum (sic) Yakimov, Arch. f. Protistenk., 72, 1930, 137.)
ba.tra.cho'rum. M.L. noun batrachorum the specific epithet of the flagellate host, Tri-
chomonas batrachorum.
Round organisms, 1.0 to 1.5 microns in diameter, generally grouped in aggregates of ir-
regular form, but they may also occur individuall3^
Source: Found in the cytoplasm of the flagellate Trichomonas batrachorum from the tree
toad (Hyla arbor ea). Also observed free in preparations of the intestinal contents of Hyla.
E. Bacterium parapelomyxae Keller, 1949.
(Ztschr. f. Naturforsch., 4h, 1949, 296.)
pa.ra.pe.lo.my'.xae. Gr. prefix para beside, near; M.L. noun pelomyxae specific epithet of
Myxococcus pelomyxae; M.L. adj. parapelomyxae (Myxococcus) pelomyxae-Vike.
Morphologically almost indistinguishable from Myxococcus pelomyxae. On agar enriched
with an infusion of a ground suspension of Pelomyxa, there are some growth differences
between the two species.
930 ADDENDUM TO CLASS II
Short rods, 0.6 to 0.8 by 0.8 to 1.0 micron, relatively uniform in shape and size. Motility
uncertain. Non-differentially stained with fuchsin. Non-acid-fast. Gram-negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar colonies: Circular, slightly larger than those of Myxococcus pelomyxae, smooth, en-
tire, shiny, moderately raised, butter-like consistency, colorless to yellowish, transparent.
Broth: Slight clouding, grayish white ring at surface, slight sediment, no odor.
Litmus milk: Unchanged.
Indole not produced.
Hj'drogen sulfide not produced.
Acid from glucose, lactose, sucrose, xylose, salicin and mannitol. No acid from glycerol,
inulin or dextrin.
Starch not hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced from nitrates.
Source: Found in the cytoplasm of the rhizopod Pelomyxa palnstris Greeff.
pe.lo.my'xae. M.L. fem.n. Pelomyxa a genus of rhizopods; M.L. gen. noun pelomyxae of
Pelomyxa.
Rods, 1.5 to 22.0 microns or more in length, divided into several to many sections by
transverse partitions. Generally aggregated in proximity to the nuclei, which may be
thickly invested by close-set organisms applied to the surface.
Source: Found in the cytoplasm of the rhizopod Pelomyxa palustris Greeff and probably
also in other species of Pelomyxa.
G. Myxococcus pelomyxae Keller, 1949.
(Ztschr. f. Naturforsch., 4b, 1949, 296.)
pe.lo.my'xae. M.L. fem.n. Pelomyxa a genus of rhizopods; M.L. gen. noun pelomyxae of
Pelomyxa.
Short, ellipsoidal rods, about 1 by 2 microns, very uniform in shape and size. One end
stains deeply with fuchsin, organisms thus stained appearing pyriform. Highly motile in
young cultures, but no fiagella are demonstrable by staining. Non-sporeforming. Non-acid-
fast. Gram-negative.
Gelatin: No liquefaction.
Agar colonies: Circular, about 2 mm in diameter, smooth, entire, shiny, moderatelj'
raised, of very soft nearly mucoid consistency, colorless.
Broth: Slight clouding, white ring at surface, no sediment, no odor.
Litmus milk: Unchanged.
Indole not produced.
Hydrogen sulfide not produced.
Acid from glucose, xylose, mannitol and dulcitol. No acid from lactose, sucrose, glycerol,
salicin, inulin or dextrin.
Starch not hydrolyzed.
Nitrites produced in slight amounts from nitrates.
No nitrogen fixation.
Suggestion of ability to digest cellulose.
Comment: According to Keller the large rods described by Veley et al. from the rhizopod
Pelomyxa palustris represent fruiting bodies of Myxococcus pelomyxae. If this view were to
be accepted, M. pelomyxae Keller would be identical with Cladothrix pelomyxae Veley.
Source: Found in the cytoplasm of the rhizopod Pelomyxa palustris Greeflf.
CLASS ByIII
MICROTATOBIOTES PHILIP
COR B. PHIL
NEL IP
IUS
Rocky Mounlain Laboratory, U. S. Public Health Service, Hamilton, Montana
Mic.ro.ta.to.bi.o'tes. Gr. sup. adj. microtatus smallest; Gr. noun biote life; M.L.
fern. pi. n. Microtatohiotes smallest living things.
Includes the smallest of the living things. All are manifested by a dependence on other
living organisms for their growth and multiplication. Parasitism is axiomatic since there is
no way to determine if there are free-living forms. Most of these organisms occur intracel-
lularly; Rickettsia quintana Schmincke of trench fever is an example of extracellular growth
in its host, the body louse. A few of the visible forms are known to occur intranuclearly.
Characteristic, intracellular inclusion bodies are often associated with the smaller agents.
Hosts are represented from the highest members of the plant and animal kingdoms to the
lowliest of microbial life. Some species utilize both intermediate and definitive hosts for
their propagation. The largest members are the rickettsia-like organisms which are often
pleomorphic, including coccoid to filamentous forms, while others show morula-like clusters
of elementary bodies occurring as one or up to twenty colonies in an infected cell. Some
species show larger ellipsoidal granules with a fairlj^ compact matrix of as much as 2 microns
in diameter termed initial bodies from which, in most instances, the groups of smaller ele-
mentary bodies are believed to be derived though no life cycle is postulated (Coles, Ann.
N. Y. Acad. Sci., 56, 1953, 458). At least three of these larger species, visible under the light
microscope, have phases which pass through coarse or medium filters, e.g., Coxiella burnetii
Philip of Q fever.
The small members grade downward to filterable virus particles susceptible of measure-
ment only by physico-chemical techniques and by special preparation under the electron
microscope. Special staining procedures are required for forms visible under the light
microscope and for studjdng characteristic pathologic reactions or associated inclusion
bodies in the tissues of affected hosts. Special tissue-culture techniques have been developed
for the more adequate investigation of many of the species.
Two orders are included in Class Microtatobiotes.
Key to the orders of class Microtatobiotes.
I. Individual organisms are not ultramicroscopic except perhaps in rare filterable phases
and are usually more than 0.1 micron in diameter. Parasites of members of the animal
kingdom.
Order I. Rickettsiales , p. 934.
II. Individual organisms are usually ultramicroscopic and filterable. Except for a few pox
viruses of animals and a few plant viruses, the virus particles are less than 0.1 micron
in diameter. Parasites of both the plant and animal kingdoms.
Order II. Virales, p. 985.
* Prepared and edited by Dr. Cornelius B. Philip, U. S. Public Health Service, Rocky
Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana.
933
ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES BUCHANAN AND BUCHANAN,
1938, emend. GIESZCZKIEWICZ, 1939.
(Buchanan and Buchanan, Bacteriology, 4th ed., New York, 1938, 49; Gieszczykiewicz,
Bull. Intern. Acad. Polon. "Sci., Classe Math., B (1), 1939, 9-30.)
Ri.ckett.si.a'Ies. M.L. fern. pi. n. Rickettsiaceae type family of the order; -ales ending to
denote an order; M.L. fern. pi. n. Rickeitsiahs the Rickettsiaceae order.
Small, rod-shaped, coccoid and often pleomorphic microorganisms occurring as ele-
mentary bodies which are usually intracellular but which may occasionally be facultatively
or exclusively extracellular. Ma}' also develop larger "initial bodies" as intracellular,
spherical or less regular inclusions. Intracytoplasmic forms may be diffuse, compacted into
colonies or morulae and may be located in special situations. Usually non-filterable. Gram-
negative. Cultivated outside the host only in living tissues, embryonated chicken eggs or
rarely in media containing body fluids. Parasitic organisms almost always intimately as-
sociated with not only reticulo-endothelial and vascular endothelial cells or erythrocj^tes
in vertebrates, but also often in invertebrates which may act as vectors. The intracellular
parasites of Protozoa and other invertebrates are provisionally assigned here also. May
cause diseases in man or other animals or both. Seldom kill the invertebrate hosts.
Key to the families of order Rickettsiales.
I. Parasites, intracellular or intimately associated with tissue cells other than erythro-
cytes or with certain organs in arthropods; rarely extracellular in arthropods.
A. Frequently cause diseases of vertebrates. Transmitted by arthropod vectors.
Family I. Rickettsiaceae, p. 934.
B. Intracellular parasites found in tissues of vertebrates. Not known to be transmitted
by arthropod vectors.
Family II. Chlamydiaceae, p. 957.
II. Parasites, intracellular or facultatively extracellular; found characteristically in or on
the erythrocytes of vertebrates, exceptionally in fixed-tissue cells.
A. Small, rod-shaped, bacteria-like cells. At least one species, when cultured, may show
a single, polar flagellum. Arthropod transmission established for some members of
the family.
Family III. Bartonellaceae, p. 968.
B. Very small, virus-like particles occurring in the erythrocytes of vertebrates. Trans-
mitted by arthropods.
Family IV. Anaplasmataceae , p. 980.
* Gonnert (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., Orig., 162, 1947, 203) describes "atypische Ri. pr.-
Formen" with exaggerated pleomorphism and so-called "R-Formen" in lice infected by
injection.
938 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
Serology: Strains from various parts of see Franco do Amaral and Monteiro, bib-
the world are closely related as determined liography, Mem. Inst. Butantan, 7, 1932,
by complement fixation, are distinguishable 367; Rickettsia exanthematofebri Kodama,
from other rickettsiae by agglutination, Kitasato Arch. Exp. Med., 9, 1932, 360;
complement fixation and precipitin tests, Rickettsia muricola Monteiro and Fonseca,
have a common antigenic factor (alkali - Brasil Med., 46, 1932, 1022; Rickettsia murina
stable polysaccharide) with Proteus OX19 and Rickettsia fletcheri Megaw, Trans. Roy.
and have a soluble antigen in yolk culture. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg., 29, 1935, 105; Rickett-
Lethal effect: Heavily infected yolk-sac sia prowazeki var. mooseri Pinkerton, Para-
cultures injected intravenously or intra- sitology, 28, 1936, 185; Rickettsia prowazeki
peritoneally are fatal to white mice in a few subsp. typhi Philip, Amer. Jour. Hyg., 37,
hours. The toxin, in neutralization tests, has 1943, 304; Rickettsia typhi Philip, loc. cit.;
been shown to be specific and is distin- not Rickettsia typhi Franco do Amaral and
guishable from murine typhus toxin. Monteiro, Rev. Sud. Amer. de Med. et
Pathogenic for man, apes, monkeys, Chirug., 4, 1933, 806; Rickettsia murina
guinea pigs, cotton rats, gerbilles and the mooseri Veintemillas, Tratado sobre rickett-
louse {Pediculus humanus). Inapparent siasis, etc., Bolivia, 1944, 100.)
infections occur in white mice, white rats ty'phi. Gr. noun typhus cloud, hence
and rabbits. A characteristic febrile reac- stupor arising from fever; M.L. noun typhus
tion with no mortality and usually without fever, typhus; M.L. gen. noun typhi of
scrotal swelling occurs in the guinea pig.
Passage in guinea pigs is accomplished by typhus.
Resembles Rickettsia prowazekii morpho-
transfer of blood or brain from infected ani- logically and in staining properties but
mals; causes a febrile disease with exan- averages slightly smaller, 0.45 by 1.0 micron
thema and high mortality in man. Does not with individual variation of 0.35 to 0.6 by
persist for extended periods in brains of 0.7 to 1.3 microns, under the electron
white rats compared to endemic (murine) microscope. Non-motile. Gram-negative.
typhus. A characteristic skin reaction can Giroud (1952) proposed the term "typhus
be produced in recovered rabbits and man. murin tropical" for a virulent form in Equa-
Source: Observed sparingly in the blood torial Africa.
of typhus patients and abundantly in smears Cultivation : May be cultivated in plasma
of epithelial cells of the intestinal tracts of tissue culture of mammalian cells, in modi-
lice fed on typhus patients. fied Maitland media with and without agar,
Habitat : Found in the body louse {Pedic- in fleas and lice, in the peritoneal cavities
ulus hmnanus var. humanus), head louse of X-rayed rats, in the lungs of white mice
(P. humanus var. capitis) and monkey and of white rats following intranasal
louse {Pedicinus longiceps). The etiological inoculation, in the lungs of rabbits follow-
agent of epidemic typhus (European typhus, ing intratracheal inoculation and in the
classical typhus, typhus exanthematicus). chorio-allantoic membrane and the j'olk sac
Man is the probable animal reservoir. of the chick embryo.
Optimum temperature, 35° C. in chick-
2. Rickettsia typhi (Wolbach and Todd, embryo cells.
1920) Philip, 1943. {Dermacentroxenus typhi Immunology: Prolonged immunity in
Wolbach and Todd (not Tood), Ann. Inst. man and animals following infection. Com-
Past., 34, 1920, 158; minute intracellular plete cross immunity between epidemic and
bodies, Mooser, Jour. Inf. Dis., 43, 1928, endemic typhus in guinea pigs recovered
261; Rickettsia manchuriae Kodama, Taka- from infections with Rickettsia prowazekii
hashi and Kono, Saikingaku-Zasshi (Jap.), and R. typhi. No cross immunity between
No. 426, 427, Aug. and Sept., 1931; see endemic typhus and Rocky Mountain spotted
Kodama, Kono and Takahashi bibliog- fever, Q fever or tsutsugamushi disease
raphy, Kitasato Arch. Exp. Med., 9, 1932, in guinea pigs.
95; Rickettsia mooseri Monteiro, Mem. Inst. Serology: Distinguishable from the
Butantan, 6, 1931, 97 (pub. July, 1932); rickettsiae of spotted fever, Q fever and
FAMILY I. RICKETTSL\CEAE 939
* The reasons for transferring Hayashi's species from the genus Theileria to Rickettsia
and other questions of nomenclatorial priority in regard to this species are discussed in
Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 1089 and 1090 (footnotes).
940 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
also grow more sparsely. Stain blue with the susceptible. Animals susceptible in varj'ing
Castaneda stain and bright red against a degrees include species of ground squirrels,
blue background of tissue with the Mac- tree squirrels, chipmunks, cottontail rab-
chiavello stain. Gram-negative. bits, jack rabbits, snowshoe hares, marmots,
Cultivation: May be cultivated in plasma sheep, dogs, wood rats, weasels, meadow
tissue culture of mammalian cells, in Mait- mice and deer mice. In Brazil, the opossum,
land media with and without agar, on the rabbit, dog and cavy have been found
chorio-allantoic membrane, in the yolk sac naturally infected, and the Brazilian plains
of the chick embryo and in ticks. Growth dog, capybara, coati and certain bats are
and toxin production are enhanced in killed also susceptible. Does not persist in brains
embryo continued in incubation 24 hours. of rats and ground squirrels but has been
Growth in intrarectally injected human- recovered from node tissues of man conva-
body lice destroys intestinal epithelium and lescent one year (Parker et al.. Jour. Im-
may destroy these insects (Weyer, Acta munol., 73, 1954, 383).
Tropica, 11, 1954, 193). A febrile reaction occurs in guinea pigs
Optimum temperature, 32° C. in plasma with typical scrotal lesions, involving
tissue culture and 35° C. in chick embrj'o petechial hemorrhages in the skin, which
cells. Killed in 10 minutes at 50° C. may become necrotic. Virulent strains kill
Resistance to chemical and physical 80 to 90 per cent of the animals, milder
agents: Readily inactivated bj^ heat and strains kill 20 to 25 per cent. Passage in
chemical agents. Destroyed by 0.5 per cent guinea pigs is accomplished by transfer of
phenol and 0.1 per cent formalin. Destroyed blood, spleen or tunica from infected ani-
by ordinary desiccation in about 10 hours. mals. A febrile reaction accompanied by
Immunology: Prolonged immunity in man exanthema occurs in man. Mortality is
and animals after recovery from infection. consistently high in some localities, low in
Killed vaccines produced from infected others.
ticks and from infected yolk sacs afford Comments: In 1906 Ricketts (Jour. Amer.
considerable protection against the disease. Med. Assoc, 47, 1906, 33) infected monkeys
Therapeutic antisera have been produced and guinea pigs with blood from patients
by the injection of rabbits with infected suffering from Rocky Mountain spotted
tick and yolk-sac suspensions. No cross im- fever. Later in the same year it was dem-
munity between spotted fever in guinea pigs onstrated independently by Ricketts (ibid.,
recovered from infections with Rickettsia 358) and by King (U. S. Public Health Re-
rickettsii and typhus in guinea pigs re- ports, 21, 1906, 863) that the wood tick
covered from infections with R. prowazekii Dermacentor andersoni was the primary vec-
and R. typhi. Cross immunity between tor in the Rocky Mountain area. (See How-
spotted fever in guinea pigs recovered from ard Taylor Ricketts, 1870-1910, Chicago,
infections with 72. rickettsii and boutonneuse Univ. of Chicago Press, 1911, 333.)
fever in guinea pigs recovered from infec- Source: Observed by Ricketts (Jour.
tions with R. conorii. Spotted-fever vaccine Amer. Med. Assoc, 52, 1909, 379) in the
does not experimentally protect against the blood of guinea pigs and monkeys experi-
boutonneuse-fever group of infections in the mentally infected with Rockj^ Mountain
Mediterranean and other Eastern Hemi- spotted fever and in the salivary glands, ali-
sphere areas. mentary sacs and ovaries of infected ticks
Serology : Distinguishable from Rickettsia as well as in their ova.
proivazekii and R. typhi by complement fixa- Habitat: Found in the infected wood tick
tion and by agglutination with specific anti- {Dermacentor andersoni) , the dog ticks (D.
gens. Because of confusing cross fixation, variabilis and Rhipicephahis sanguineus) , the
the complement-fixation test is inadequate rabbit ticks {Haemaphy salts leporis-pahis-
to distinguish between agents of the sub- tris, D. parumapertus and Otobius lagophilus)
genus Dermacentroxenus . and in Amblyomma brasiliense, A. cajen-
Pathogenic for man, monkeys and guinea nense, A. striatum, A. americanum and
pigs. Rabbits and white rats are moderately Ixodes dentatus. A number of ticks belonging
FAMILY I. RICKETTSIACEAE 943
* Publishing date, June 16, 1950. By coincidence this name, including the same subgenus,
was published by Zhdanov and Korenblit the same year (Jour. Microbiol., Epidemiol, and
Immunobiol. (Russian), No. 9, 1950 (reprint states September), 42). This name had also
been used by these authors in a report to a scientific conference (Ukranian Int. imeni
Mechnikov, Khar'kov, October 11, 1949), although, according to Rule 11, it was not eff"ec-
tively published at that time so far as known.
FAMILY I. RICKETTSIACEAE 945
Organisms exclusively extracellular in the gut of, and non-pathogenic for, the human-
body louse, which acts as the vector of this agent of trench fever.
The type species of the subgenus is Rickettsia quintana Schmincke.
tissue cultures, in modified Maitland media, susceptible. Natural infections occur among
in the yolk sacs of chick embryos and by cattle, sheep and goats. A febrile reaction
injection into meal worms and certain other occurs in guinea pigs, but the mortality is
arthropods. low except with heavily infected yolk sac,
Filterability: The infectious agent of Q which causes a high mortality. On subcu-
fever readily passes through Berkefeld N taneous or intradermal inoculation, a
filters, which are impermeable to ordinary marked inflammatory thickening of the skin
bacteria, and W filters, which are imper- occurs at the site of inoculation. On au-
meable to typhus fever and spotted fever topsy, the spleen is enlarged from 2 to 12
rickettsiae. times by weight and is engorged with blood.
Resistance to chemical and physical Passage in guinea pigs and mice is accom-
agents : Comparatively resistant to heat and plished by transfer of infected blood, liver
to drying and chemical agents. Resists 60° and spleen. A febrile reaction often accom-
C. for 1 hour. Survives in cell-free media at panied by pneumonitis occurs in man, but
least 109 days without loss of titer. Resis- mortality is nil in uncomplicated cases.
tant to 0.5 per cent formalin and 1.0 per cent Source: First observed by Burnet and
phenol for 24 hours when tested in fertile Freeman (Med. Jour. Australia, 2, 1937,
eggs. Survives several years in dried tick 299) in stained smears from mice inoculated
feces. intraperitoneally with infectious material
There is complete cross immunity in from Australian patients. Independently,
guinea pigs between strains causing Q fever organisms were also seen in preparations of
in various parts of the world; the guinea guinea pigs injected with Dermacentor
pigs remain solidly immune to attempted andersoni ticks from "Nine-Mile" area of
reinfection. A vaccine has been developed Montana (U. S. Pub. Health Rep., 53, 1938,
2270).
which protects cattle and probably labora-
tory personnel from infection. Habitat: Isolated from at least 17 species
Serology: American and Australian of naturally infected ticks in North Amer-
strains are identical by agglutination and ica, Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia
agglutinin absorption. Strains from various Minor. Several other species of ticks have
countries are serologically related as shown been shown experimentally to transmit the
by complement fixation. Q fever is dis- agent of Q fever. Transovarial survival
tinguishable from other rickettsial diseases occurs in Dermacentor andersoni and Haema-
by complement-fixation tests. No common physalis humerosa. The bandicoot {Isoodon
antigenic factor with any Proteus strain has macrourus) is probably the natural animal
been demonstrated. reservoir of the disease in Australia, and the
Pathogenic for man, guinea pigs and white gerbille has been reported in Africa with
mice. The monkey, dog, white rat and rab- natural infection. Cows, sheep and goats
bit are mildly susceptible. Certain bush have been shown to shed organisms in milk
animals in Australia, particularly the bandi- and placentas. The etiological agent of Q
coot, have been found naturally infected. (for "query," not Queensland as surmised
Other rodents and marsupials are mildly by some writers) fever in man.
Ehr.li.chi'e.ae. M.L. fem.n. Ehrlichia type genus of the tribe; -eae ending to denote a
tribe; M.L. fem.pl.n. Ehrlichieae the Ehrlichia tribe.
Minute, rickettsia-like organisms pathogenic for certain vertebrate hosts, not including
man. Adapted to existence in invertebrates, chiefly arthropods.
FAMILY I. RICKETTSIACEAE 949
bonis Donatien and Lestoquard, Bull. Soc. stadial transmission was demonstrated. The
path, exot., 29, 1936, 1057; Moshkovskiy, etiological agent of a non-fatal cattle disease
Uspekhi Souremennoi Biol. (U.S.S.R.), 19, in Iran. Further experimental and trans-
1945, 18; Kurlovia (Ehrlichia) bovis Zhdanov, ovarial tick transmission not reported.
Opredelitel Virusov Celovska i Zivotmych,
Izd. Akad. Med. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 3. Ehrlichia ovina (Lestoquard and
1953, 57 and 169.) Donatien, 1936) Moshkovskiy, 1945. (Rick-
bo'vis. L. noun bos the ox; M.L. gen. noun ettsia ovina Lestoquard and Donatien, Bull.
bovis of the ox.
Soc. path, exot., 29, 1936, 108; Moshkovskiy,
Occurs in circular, elliptical and poly- Uspekhi Souremennoi Biol. (U.S.S.R.), 19,
gonal colonies, 1 to 6 or 11 microns in di- 1945, 18; Kurlovia (Ehrlichia) ori/m Zhdanov,
ameter, in the cytoplasm of circulating Opredelitel Virusov Celovska i Zivotmych,
monocytes of infected cattle. The individual Izd. Akad. Med. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau,
organisms are difficult to see in these masses 1953, 57 and 169.)
and measurements are not given. Stain deep
o . vi'na. L. adj . ovinus pertaining to sheep.
lavender or purple with Giemsa's stain. The organisms occur in plaques or colo-
Cultivation: Not reported.
nies, 2to 8 microns in diameter, in the cyto-
Serology: Not reported.
plasm of monocytes of infected sheep. Stain
Immunology: Circulating infection per-
sists for at least a year (premunition) and is a deep reddish with Giesma's stain.
Cultivation: Not reported.
not transmissible to sheep. Susceptibility of
Serology: Not reported.
small laboratory animals not stated.
Immunology: Not reported.
Pathogenicity: No mortality in cattle, Pathogenicity: Causes mild infections
which are the only reported susceptible with low mortality in sheep in Algeria and
hosts. Defibrinated blood has remained in-
Turkey; transmissible by blood subinocula-
fectious at laboratory temperatures for 26
tion.
hours. Infection transmissible by blood
Source: Observed by Lestoquard and
subinoculation as well as through the agency
of ticks. Donatien (op. cii., 1936, 108) in the circulat-
Source: Observed by Donatien and Lesto- ing monocj^tes of sheep infected by injection
quard (op. cii., 1936, 1057) in the monocytes of ticks.
of Moroccan cattle which were infected by Habitat: Found in the tick Rhipicephalus
adult ticks reared from immature stages im- bursa, though feeding experiments have not
ported on other cattle from Iran. been reported. The etiological agent of a
Habitat: Found in Iranian cattle ticks rickettsiosis-like disease of sheep in the
(Hyalomma sp.) in which at least trans- Mediterranean Basin.
Ne.o.ri.ckett'si.a. Gr. prefix neo- new; M.L. fem.n. Rickettsia type genus of family
Rickettsiaceae; M.L. fem.n. Neorickettsia the new Rickettsia.
Small, coccoid, sometimes pleomorphic (in the form of short rods, crescents and even
rings), intracytoplasmic organisms which occur in the reticulo-endothelial cells of certain
mammals and in tissues of at least mature fluke vectors. No intranuclear forms have been
observed. Non-filterable. Non-motile. Not cultivable on cell-free media. The etiological
agent of a helminth-borne disease of canines.
The type species is Neorickettsia helminthoeca Philip et al.
1. Neorickettsia helminthoeca Philip minthis worm; Gr. noun oicus house; M.L.
et al., 1953. (Neorickettsia hehnintheca (sic) adj. helminthoecus worm-dwelling.
Philip, Hadlow and Hughes, Riassunti delle Minute, coccoid and ellipsoidal forms to
Communicazioni, VI Congresso Internaz. short rods and clubs, occasionally crescentic
di Microbiol., Roma, 2, 1953, 256; also see and even ring-like. Often form morula-like
Exp. Parasitol., 3, 1954, 336; Neorickettsia clusters either singly or in multiple colonies
hehnintheca (sic) Philip, Hadlow and in the cytoplasm of reticuloendothelial cells
Hughes, Atti del VI Congresso Internaz. di of infected canines. The most common coc-
Microbiol., Roma (1953), 4, 1955, 70.) coid forms range from 0.3 to 0.4 micron in
hel.min'thoe.ca. Gr. noun helmins, hel- diameter. Non-filterable. Non-motile. In
952 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
node imprint preparations, these organisms infectious for at least 158 days but survive
stain bluish with Giemsa's stain and faintly more consistently at — 70°C. Survival under
by Castaneda's method. Gram-negative. lyophilization is short.
Cultivation: Will not grow in ordinary Antibiotic therapy: Symptoms in ill dogs
bacteriological media or in embryonated quickly alleviated by oral administration
chicken eggs. Has been grown in certain of aureomycin or terramycin, as little as
tissue-culture explants from infected dog- 250 mg in 15-pound beagles. Sulfonamids
node tissues. also effective in treatment.
Immunology: Recovered dogs are solidly Pathogenicity: Untreated dogs show up-
immune to reinfection, but mild febrile wards of 90 per cent mortality after feeding
relapses may occur during which infection on infected fish or when injected with in-
is recoverable from the blood. Guinea pigs fected dog tissues and blood. Foxes and coy-
injected with this agent are not cross- otes are also susceptible. Causes mild re-
immunized against Rocky Mountain spotted sponse in guinea pigs, hamsters and white
fever, endemic typhus or Q fever. Natural mice; this response is retrogressive on
resistance in dogs has not been observed, passage and is not maintained. Raccoons
but dogs have been immunized by infectious and mink do not show clinical reactions to
materials of reduced virulence which have
attempted experimental infections. Trout
caused mild or inapparent infections.
are not infected by injection of infected dog-
Serology: Attempts to prepare a usable
node suspensions.
antigen from heavily infected dog nodes
have not been successful, and no other Source: First observed in node-imprint
source of antigen is yet available. Hyper- preparations of experimentally infected
immunized dogs and rabbits have shown no dogs by Cordy and Gorham (Amer. Jour.
common antigenic factor with strains of Path., ^6, 1950, 457).
Proteus vulgaris. Habitat: Found in the intestinal trema-
Resistance to chemical and physical tode Nanophyetus salmincola (Chapin),
agents: Inactivated within a few hours in a which probably acts as the natural reservoir
saline suspension at room temperature. Dog of infection. The etiological agent of a sal-
nodes frozen at —20° C. have remained mon-poisoning disease of canines.
B. Symbiotic to the point that special mycetomes are developed for harboring the
organisms, which are not pathogenic, in the host.
Genus VII. Sytnbiotes, p. 956.
II. Filterable; cause blue disease of beetle larvae; associated with intracellular, crystalline
inclusions; reportedly invade cell nuclei.
Genus VIII. Rtckettsiella, p. 957.
1. Wolbachia pipientis Hertig, 1936. diplococcoid forms are also observed. Ir-
(Rickettsia of Culex pipiens, Hertig and regularity rather than symmetry is pro-
Wolbach, Jour. Med. Res., 44, 1924, 329; nounced. The larger coccoid forms may
Hertig, Parasitology, 28, 1936, 453.) measure up to 1.8 microns in diameter.
pi.pi.en'tis. M.L. pipiens specific epithet Stain well with Giemsa's stain but poorly
of the host mosquito, Culex pipiens; M.L. with aniline dyes.
gen. noun pipientis oi pipiens. Cultivation: Attempts to cultivate this
Small, coccoid forms measure 0.25 to 0.5 organism in cell-free media have been un-
micron in diameter, and the rods measure successful; attempts in embryonated
0.25 to 0.5 by 0.5 to 1.3 microns. Paired and chicken eggs are unreported.
954 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
Comment: Hertig {loc. cit.) regarded this Stain reddish with Giemsa's stain. Bipolar
species as possibly related to Rickettsia staining observed in some rods. Gram-
lectularia Arkwright et al. Philip (Canad. negative.
Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 266), however, Cultivation: Not reported, though propa-
regards these two species as more logically gation in the coelomic fluid of the body
placed in different genera. louse is claimed.
Pathogenicity and source: This species is Comment: Regarded by Macchiavello
described in the role of a harmless parasite (Prim. Reunion Interamer. del Tifo,
which causes some degeneration of parasi- Me.xico, 1947, 418) as a variety of his later
tized gonad cells of the mosquito host, described Cowdryia pulex.
Culex pipiens; studied in mosquitoes of Pathogenicity and source: Found on the
North America and China. It is passed surface of organs in the body cavity and in
through the eggs of the host to succeeding the coelomic fluid of cat fleas (presumably
generations. Ctenocephalides felis) where no particular
damage was reported.
2. Wolbachia culicis (Brumpt, 1938)
Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia culicis Brumpt, 4. Wolbachia pulex (Macchiavello, 1947)
Ann. Parasitol. Hum. et Comp., 16, 1938, Philip, 1956. (Cowdryia pidex Macchiavello,
153; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, Prim. Reunion Interamer. del Tifo, Mexico,
267.) 1947, 418; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol.,
cu.li'cis. M.L. noun Culex a genus of 2, 1956, 267.)
mosquitoes; M.L. gen. noun culicis of Culex. pu'lex. M.L. noun Pulex a genus of fleas.
Small, pleomorphic, intracellular organ- Described as rickettsioid organisms and
isms. Stained in sections with haemalum, as tj^pical rickettsias which, in fleas, can be
and with erythrosine-orange and toluidine- confused with bacteria, especially those of
blue. Gram-negative. the intestine. Macchiavello 's stain serves to
Cultivation: No attempts reported. differentiate these organisms. Presumably
Pathogenicity and source: Found in the stain red by Macchiavello's method.
epithelial lining of the stomach of mos- Cultivation: Not attempted.
quitoes (Culex fatigans), where destruction Pathogenicity and source: Non-patho-
of the cells of the hind gut occurs. Differ- genic for the host fleas. Hundreds of inocula,
entiation from W. pipientis Hertig is pre- consisting of batches of fleas, when injected
sumably on the basis of this pathogenicitj^ into guinea pigs caused, in two instances,
though it remains to be proved that this is symptomatic responses. However, in neither
not a strain difference. Brumpt postulated case could this organism be related to the
that parasitism of man might occur since response nor could Rickettsia typhi be elim-
the original mosquitoes had been fed on inated as a potential excitant.
filaria-carrying persons.
5. Wolbachia trichodectae (Hindle,
3. Wolbachia ctenocephali (Sikora, 1921) Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia trichodectae
1918) Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia ctenocephali Hindle, Parasitology, IS, 1921, 152; Philip,
Sikora, Arch. f. Schiffs- u. Tropen-Hyg., 22, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 267.)
1918, 445; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., tri.cho.dec'tae. M.L. fem.n. Trichodectes
2, 1956, 267.) a genus of biting lice; M.L. gen. noun
cte.no.ce'pha.li. M.L. mas.n. Ctenocepha- trichodectae of Trichodectes.
lus (now Ctenocephalides) a genus of fleas; Rickettsia-like, extracellular, minute coc-
M.L. gen. noun ctenocephali of Ctenocephalus. coid and rod-shaped organisms resembling
Organisms of two sizes were observed by Wolbachia melophagi in morphology, aver-
Sikora, the larger resembling Rickettsia aging 0.3 to 0.5 by 0.5 to 0.9 micron. Stain
pediculi and the smaller, Rickettsia melo- purple with Giemsa's stain.
phagi. Vary from minute cocci, 0.3 to 0.4 Cultivation: Not reported.
micron in diameter, to rather large, swol. Source: Found in 7 to 8 per cent of biting
len, curved rods, 0.3 by 1.5 to 2.0 microns- lice (Trichodectes pilosus) where it propa-
FAMILY I. RICKETTSIACEAE 955
gates in the lumen of the alimentary tract ovinus). Intracellular growth has been
and passes out with the feces. This is the disputed and is not generally credited at
supposed means of transmission between present. Injury to the host has not been re-
lice. The original lice were taken from ported, and since this organism is almost
horses, but the latter are not presumed universally present, including the larvae of
hosts of the organism as the lice do not suck the viviparous host, s3^mbiosis is an ad-
the blood of their hosts. vanced stage approaching the condition in
Syinbiotes lectularius without the develop-
6. Wolbachia linognathi (Hindle, 1921) ment of mycetomes. Infection in ked-in-
Philip, 1956. (Rickettsm linognathi Hindle, fested sheep is disputed, and cultivation
Parasitology, 13, 1921, 157; Philip, Canad. from sheep's blood has been claimed. At
Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 267.) least such an infection is low-grade or in-
li.nog.na'thi. M.L. noun Linognafhus a apparent as far as symptoms are concerned.
genus of sucking lice; M.L. gen. noun Laboratory animals, including vitamin-de-
linognathi of Linognathus. ficient guinea pigs, have failed to become
Resembles Wolbachia trichodectae in ap- infected by injection of cultures.
pearance. Stain bluish with Giemsa's stain.
Cultivation: Not reported. 8. Wolbachia dermacentrophila (Stein-
Source: Observed in two of 57 goat lice haus, 1942) Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia derma-
{Linognathus stenopsis), where it was found centrophila Steinhaus, U. S. Public Health
extracellularly in the lumen of the gut. Rept., 57, 1942, 1376; Philip, Canad. Jour.
Probably not pathogenic for the host, but Microbiol., 2, 1956, 267.)
also not adapted to the point of occurring
der.ma.cen.tro'phi.la. M.L. noun Derma-
in a high percentage of neighboring hosts. censor a genus of ticks; Gr. adj. philus
loving; M.L. adj. dermacentrophilus Derma-
7. Wolbachia melophagi (Noller, 1917) centor -\o\mg.
Philip, 1956. (Rickettsia melophagi Noller, Minute, rickettsia-like organisms, meas-
Arch. f. Schiffs- u. Tropen-Hyg., 21, 1917, uring 0.3 to 0.8 by 0.5 to 2.8 microns. May
70; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, occur joined in short chains of two or three
267.) organisms or occasionally as filaments. On
me.lo'pha.gi. M.L. mas.n. Melophagus a the average, larger in size than Rickettsia
genus of sheep keds (sometimes incorrectly rickettsii. Stain reddish with Machiavello's
called "ticks"); M.L. gen. noun melophagi of stain and bluish with Giemsa's stain. Not
Melophagus. acid-fast. Gram-negative.
Minute, rickettsia-like, extracellular, coc- Cultivation : Failed to grow on 14 ordinary
coid, ellipsoidal and, occasionaly, short cell-free, bacteriological media. Readily
rods occurring characteristically in pairs of cultivated in embryonated chicken eggs,
fairly uniform size, 0.3 to 0.6 micron in growing chiefly in yolk sacs and apparently
diameter. In eggs of the wingless-fly host, in the embryonic fluids.
the organisms are more rod-shaped with a Pathogenicity and source: Found most
tendency to pleomorphism. In cultures, the abundantly in the epithelial cells of the
rods may measure up to 1.0 micron in length.
intestinal diverticula of the Rocky Moun-
Stain purple with Giemsa's stain and reddish tain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) , but
with Macchiavello's stain. Gram-negative. may also occur throughout the various tis-
Cultivation: This is the only one of the
sues of the host. Extracellular occurrence is
rickettsia-like microorganisms that has
also possible. Observed in every stage of the
been confirmed as cultivable on non-living
media (glucose-blood-bouillon-agar). Also tick host including the egg. Not lethal for
grows in embryonated chicken eggs. the tick host. Attempts at infecting various
Pathogenicity and source: Occurs as con- laboratory animals susceptible to spotted
tinuous or broken masses lining the intesti- fever failed; such animals were not
nal epithelium; occurs extracellularly in the immune to challenge with strains of tick-
sheep ked ("sheep tick") (Melophagus borne, rickettsial pathogens. Spotted-fever-
956 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
immune sera showed agglutination in dilu- Giemsa's stain and red with Macchiavello's
tions too low to be considered positive. stain. Bipolar staining may be observed.
Cultivation: Not reported.
9. Wolbachia sericea (Giroud and Mar- Pathogenicity and source: Found both
tin, 1946) Philip, 1956. {Rickettsia sericea extracellularly and intracellularly in 19 of
Giroud and Martin, Bull. Soc. path, exot., 241 mites examined {Sericothrombium holo-
39, 1946, 264; Philip, Canad. Jour. Microbiol., sericeum, a species which is not parasitic on
2, 1956, 267.) vertebrates in any stage). No longer con-
se.ri'ce.a. M.L. adj. sericeus silken. sidered pathogenic for the host mites. No
Minute, coccoid, diplococcoid and short susceptibility was found in laboratory
rods up to 0.5 micron in length. Violet with animals.
Chla.my.di.a'ce.ae. M.L. neut.n. Chlamydia type genus of the family; -aceae ending to
denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Chlamydiaceae the Chlamydia family.
Small, coccoid microorganisms with a characteristic developmental cycle. Stain with
aniline dyes. Gram-negative. Have not been cultivated in cell-free media. Obligate, intra-
cytoplasmic parasites or saprophytes. Found in various warm-blooded animals, where they
are usually pathogenic.
Key to the genera of family Chlamydiaceae.
I. Non-cultivable in chicken embryonic tissues.
A. Organisms coccoid; do not exhibit pleomorphism.
Genus I. Chlamydia, p. 958.
B. Organisms usually coccoid or ellipsoidal; exhibit marked pleomorphism.
1. Pleomorphic forms small (200 millimicrons to 2 microns). Pathogenic.
a. Occur intracytoplasmically as prominent colonies.
Genus II. Colesiota, p. 959.
1. Chlamydia trachomatis (Busacca, are also found. All larger forms are encap-
1935) Rake, comb. nov. (Rickettsia trachomae sulated with a substance derived either
(sic) Busacca, Arch. Ophthalm., 52, 1935, from the cell or from the cytoplasm of the
b&l\Rickettsia trachomatis Yo\ey and Ysivvot, parasitized cells. The elementary body is
Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., Paris, 12^, 1937, the basic unit. Occurs in pairs or in clus-
230; also see Arch. Inst. Past. d'Algerie, ters. Non-motile. Stains poorly with aniline
15, 1937, 339; Chlamydozoon trachomatis dyes, blue or reddish blue with Giemsa's
Moshkovskiy, Uspekhi Souremennoi Biolo- stain and red or blue, depending on the
gii, 19, 1945, 12.) metabolic state, with Macchiavello's stain.
tra.cho'ma.tis. Gr. noun trachoma rough- The matrices of the plaques give a strong
ness; M.L. noun trachoma trachoma; M.L. reaction for glycogen. Gram-negative,
gen. noun trachomatis of trachoma. Cultivation: Has never been cultivated.
Coccoid cells. Small cells 200 to 350 milli- Immunology: Possesses one or more anti-
microns in diameter are the elementary gens in common with or closely resembling
bodies. Initial bodies up to 800 millimicrons one or more of those present in Miyagawa-
in diameter and plaques up to 10 microns nella spp. Produces, in low concentrations,
* The first appearance of the name Chlamydia in bacteriological literature (Jones, Rake
and Stearns, Jour. Inf. Dis., 76, 1945, 55) was as a nomen nudum, and as such the generic
name Chlamydia Jones et al. has no standing.
FAMILY II. CHLAMYDIACEAE 959
antibodies which fix complement with anti- genitalis (apparently intended to mean)
gen from Miyagawanella lymphogranuloma- the ocular and genital (organism).
tosis. Resembles Chlamydia trachomatis morpho-
Pathogenic for man, apes and monkeys, logically and in staining reactions.
affecting only the cornea and the conjunc- Cultivation: Has not been cultivated.
tiva, causing highly destructive lesions. Immunology: Same as for C. trachomatis.
Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Suscep- Pathogenic for man, baboons and mon-
tible to sulfonamides and to antibiotics. keys. Causes an acute conjunctivitis and,
Source: Found in the scrapings of either in man, an inflammation of the lower uro-
the cornea or the conjunctiva in cases of genital tract.
trachoma.
Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Suscep-
Habitat: The etiological agent of tra- tible to sulfonamides and to antibiotics.
choma in man. Source: Found in conjunctival exudates
and in exudates from infected urethra or
2. Chlamydia oculogenitalis (Mosh-
cervix. Also present in contaminated pools
kovskiy, 1945) Rake, comb. nov. (Chlamy-
of water.
dozoon oculogenitale Aloshkovskiy, Uspekhi
Souremennoi Biologii, 19, 1945, 12.) Habitat: The etiological agent of swim-
o.cu.lo.ge.ni.ta'lis. L. noun oculus eye; ming-pool conjunctivitis (neonatal, or in-
L. adj. genitalis genital; M.L. adj. oculo- clusion, conjunctivitis).
Co.le.si.o'ta. M.L. dim. ending -iota; M.L. noun Colesiota named for Prof. J. D. W. A.
Coles, the first to study these organisms.
Usually coccoid cells, but pleomorphism is marked. Gram-negative. Occur intracytoplas-
mically as colonies. Cause ophthalmic diseases in sheep.
The type species is Colesiota conjunctivae (Coles) Rake.
Ri.co.le'si.a. Ri- an arbitrarily formed prefix taken from Rickettsia; M.L. noun Colesia
named for Prof. J. D. W. A. Coles, the first to study these organisms; M.L. fem.n. Ricolesia
an arbitrarily formed generic name.
960 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
1. Colettsia pecoris Rake, nom. nov. horse-shoe and comma forms occur. Occur
(See Coles, Ann. New York Acad, of Sci., scattered in the cytoplasm. Gram-negative.
56, 1953, 461, (8).) Cultivation: Has not been cultivated.
pe'co.ris. L. noun pecus cattle (as a col- Immunology: Unknown,
lective herd); L. gen. noun pecoris of cattle. Apparently non-pathogenic, but may be
Pleomorphic cells. Larger than members saprophytic,
of the genera Colesiota and Ricolesia. Usual Tissue tropism: Found in the conjunctiva.
form is ellipsoidal, 2 microns in diameter; Habitat: Found only in the cells of the
the cells are often coccoid, but annular, conjunctiva of goats, sheep and cattle.
* Type species of genus Microbacterium Levinthal {op. cit., 1930, 523), which is invalid as
a generic name because it is a later homonym of Microbacterium Orla-Jensen, 1919 (see p.
600).
964 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
or.ni.tho'sis. Gr. noun ornis, ornithis a Habitat: The etiological agent of orni-
bird; Gr. suffix -osis ending to denote a thosis and of meningopneumonitis (Francis
disease of; M.L. gen. noun ornithosis a dis- and Magill, loc. cit.).
ease of birds, ornithosis.
Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyaga- 4. Miyagawanella pneumoniae Rake,
wanella lymphogranulomatosis . 1948. (Rake, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 1118;
Cultivation: Same as for Miyagawanella Ehrlichia pneumoniae Krassilnikov, Guide
psittaci. to the Bacteria and Actinomycetes, Izd.
Immunology: Possesses one or more anti- Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949, 743;
gens in common with or closely resembling Rickettsiaformis pneumoniae Zhdanov and
one or more of those present in chlamydiae Korenblit, Jour. Microbiol., Epidemiol, and
and in other miyagawanellae as shown by Immunobiol. (Russian), No. 9, 1950, 43;
a cross reaction in complement-fixation Chlamydozoon hominis Ryzhkov, Voprosy
tests. Sharply distinguished from other Meditsinskoi Virusologii (Prob. Med.
miyagawanellae by toxin-antitoxin neu- Virol.), Akad. Med. Nauk, S.S.S.R., Mos-
tralization orby neutralization of infection kau, 3, 1950, 17.)
in mice with chicken antisera. The latter
pneu.mo'ni.ae. Gr. noun pneum,onia
test, however, suggests that the agent of pneumonia; M.L. gen. noun pneumoniae of
meningopneumonitis (Francis and Magill,
pneumonia.
Jour. Exp. Med., 68, 1938, 147) is this species Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyagawa-
rather than something different. Immunity nella lymphogranulomatosis but are slightly
in man or other animals is probably poor smaller, measuring about 200 millimicrons
except in the presence of continuing appar- in diameter.
ent or inapparent infections. Cross reac- Cultivation: Same as for Miyagawanella
tions suggest that Miyagawanella ornithosis
may be more closely related to M. lympho- psittaci.
Immunology: Same as for Miyagawanella
granulomatosis than is M. psittaci. psittaci. Distinct from Miyagawanella orni-
Toxic factor: Same as for Miyagawanella thosis by the neutralization test with
psittaci. chicken antisera.
Pathogenic for birds (especially non- Pathogenic for birds, man, cotton rats,
psittacine species), man, ferrets, guinea hamsters, white rats, kangaroo rats, mice
pigs, hamsters, white rats, kangaroo rats, and for chicken embryos. Causes a fatal
mice, rabbits and for chicken embryos. In- pneumonitis in man.
apparent infections may occur. Causes a Tissue tropism: Same as for Miyagawa-
pneumonitis of varying severity with or nella ornithosis.
without septicemia in man. Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Same as
Tissue tropism: Causes a septicemia. In for Miyagawanella ornithosis.
birds and man, shows a predilection for the Source: Found in the lungs of infected hu-
lungs. In laboratory rodents, this species is mans. Possibly originally of avian origin.
infective by the intranasal, intracerebral, Habitat : The etiological agent of one type
intravenous and, with relatively large in- of viral pneumonia. The type strain is the
ocula of most strains, by the intraperi- so-called strain S-F (Eaton, Beck and Pear-
toneal routes. son, Jour. Exp., Med., 73, 1941, 641).
Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Suscep-
tible to many antibiotics including rela- 5. Miyagawanella bronchopneumo-
tively large doses of penicillin. Not sus- niae Moshkovskiy, 1945. (Bronchopneu-
ceptible to sulfonamides. monie virus, Gonnert, Zent. f. Bakt., I
Source: Found in the organs and nasal se- Abt., Orig., 147, 1941, 161; Moshkovskiy,
cretions offinches, pheasants (including do- Uspekhi Souremennoi Biologii, 19, 1945, 19;
mestic chickens), other poultry, domesti- Ehrlichia bronchopneumoniae Moshkovskiy,
cated doves, fulmar petrels and other birds. loc. cit.; Cystidium bronchopneumoniae muris
Spreads from the secretions to plumage and Ruska, Poppe and Kausche, Ztschr. f.
droppings. Hyg., 127, 194:7, 201 ■,Cystidiumgonnertianu7n
FAMILY II. CHLAMYDIACEAE 965
Ruska et al., loc. cit.; Rickettsiaformis muris Cultivation: Same as for Miyagawanella
Zhdanov and Korenblit, Jour. Microbiol.,
Epidemiol, and Immunobiol. (Russian), No. psittaci.
Immunology': Same as for M. psittaci, but
9, 1950; Chlainydozoon murinus Ryzhkov, nothing is known about inapparent infec-
Voprosy Meditsinskoi Virusologii (Prob- tions in the natural host, the domestic cat.
lems of Medical Virology), Akad. Med. Toxic factor: Infected yolk sac or other
Nauk, S.S.S.R., Moskau, 3, 1950, 17.) membranes and yolk or other fluids are rap-
bron.cho.pneu.mo'ni.ae. Gr. noun bron- idly fatal when injected intravenously into
chus trachea, bronchus; Gr. noun pneumonia mice or chicken embryos or intraperiton-
pneumonia; M.L. noun bronchopneumonia eally into mice.
bronchopneumonia; M.L. gen. noun broncho- Pathogenic for cats, hamsters, mice and
pneumoniae of bronchopneumonia. chicken embryos. Causes a fatal pneumo-
Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyagawa- nitis with acute conjunctivitis in cats.
nella pneumoniae. Tissue tropism: Shows a predilection for
Cultivation: Same as for Miyagaivanella the lungs and for the conjunctivae. In lab-
lymphogranulomatosis . Does not grow in the oratory rodents this species is infective by
allantoic cavity of the chick. the intranasal, intraperitoneal, intracere-
Immunology: Same as for M. lympho- bral and intravenous routes.
granulomatosis, but no soluble antigen has Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Same as
been demonstrated. for Miyagawanella ornithosis.
Toxic factor: High concentrations of this Source: From the lungs of infected cats.
agent in heavily infected yolk sacs and in Habitat: The etiological agent of one
yolk injected intravenously are verj' rapidly form of cat nasal catarrh, influenza or dis-
fatal to mice. temper (Baker, Science, 96, 1942, 475) and
Pathogenic for mice, hamsters and fer- feline pneumonitis.
rets. Produces a moderately severe pneumo-
nitis.
7. Miyagawanella louisianae Rake,
Tissue tropism: Shows a predilection for 1948. (Rake, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 1118;
the lungs. In mice, it is also infective by the Ehrlichia lousianae (sic) Krassilnikov,
intravenous route.
Guide to the Bacteria and Actinomycetes,
Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Suscep- 743.)
Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949,
tible to sulfonamides and to antibiotics.
Source: Found in the lungs of certain
stocks of the laboratory mouse. lou.i.si.a'nae. M.L. noun Louisiana the
state Louisiana; M.L. gen. noun louisianae
Habitat: The etiological agent of mouse of Louisiana.
pneumonitis.
Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyaga-
wanella psittaci.
6. Miyagawanella felis Rake, 1948. Filterability: Passes through Berkefeld N
(Rake, in Manual, 6th ed., 1948, 1118 and Mandler 6, 7 and 9 filters.
Ehrlichia felis Krassilnikov, Guide to the
Cultivation : Grows in the yolk sac of the
Bacteria and Actinomycetes, Izd. Akad chicken embryo.
Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1949, 7i3;Rickett
siaformis felis Zhdanov and Korenblit Immunology : Indistinguishable from
Jour. Microbiol., Epidemiol, and Immuno other miyagawanellae by complement-fixa-
biol. (Russian), No. 9, 1950, 43; Chlamydo- tion tests with yolk-sac antigens. Partly
zoon felis Ryzhkov, Voprosy Meditsinskoi distinguished from Miyagawanella psittaci
Virusologii (Proli. Mod. Virol.), Akad. Med and M. ornithosis by active immunization
Nauk, S.S.S.R., Mo.skau, 3, 1950, 17; Miya in mice and guinea pigs.
gawanella felinis Sprockhoff, Deutsch Pathogenic for man, guinea pigs, cotton
Tierarztl. Wochnschr., S3-U, 1953, 256.) rats, mice and chicken embryos. Slightly
fe'lis. L. noun felis the cat. pathogenic for white rats, golden hamsters
Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyagawa and deer mice. Monkeys {Macacus rhesus),
nella lymphogranulomatosis. rabbits, muskrats and nutria are unaffected.
966 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
Causes a highly fatal pneumonitis and sep- Virol.), Akad. Med. Nauk, S.S.S.R., Mos-
ticemia in man. kau, 3, 1950, 17; Rickettsiajormis opposum
Tissue tropism: Causes a septicemia. In (sic) Zhdanov, Opredelitel Virusov Celov-
man this species shows predilection for the ska i Zivotmych, Izd. Akad. Med. Nauk,
respiratory tract. In laboratory rodents it U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1953, 185.)
is infective by the intranasal, intraperito- o.pos'su.mi. Am.Ind. noun opossum the
neal, intracerebral, intramuscular and sub- opossum, a North and South American mar-
cutaneous routes. supial; M.L. gen. noun opossumi of the opos-
Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Same as sum.
for Miyagawanella ornithosis. Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyaga-
Source: From the sputa and organs of in- wanella lymphogranulomatosis. Non-motile.
fected persons. Stain red-purple with Giemsa's or Wright's
Habitat: The etiological agent of Louis- stain, and red with Macchiavello's and blue
iana pneumonitis (Olson and Larson, U. S. with Castaneda's stain. Gram-negative.
Pub. Health Repts., 59, 1944, 1373); the so- Filterability: Passes through a Berkefeld
called Borg strain. V but not an N or a Seitz filter.
Cultivation: Grows in tissue cultures of
8. Miyagawanella illinii Rake, 1948. mouse or chicken cells and in the yolk sac
(The Illinois virus, Zichis and Shaughnessy, of the chicken embrj^o.
Science, 102, 1945, 301; Rake, in Manual, 6th Immunology: Contains a group comple-
ed., 1948, 1119; Ehrlichia illinii Krassil- ment-fixing antigen in common with the
nikov. Guide to the Bacteria and Actino- other mij^agawanellae. Shows a serological
mycetes, Izd. Akad. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Mos- relationship to M. pneumoniae by cross-
kau, 1949, 743.) protection tests.
il.li'ni.i. Fr. noun Illinois a place name; Toxic factor: Same as for M. lymphogran-
M.L. gen. noun illinii (probably intended ulomatosis.
to mean) of Illinois. Pathogenic for South American opossums,
Coccoid cells resemble those of Miyaga- producing a central-nervous-system disease
ivanella lymphogranulomatosis . and a paralysis of the hind quarters. Patho-
Filterability: Passes through Berkefeld N genic for mice and chicken embryos. Not
and W filters. pathogenic for pigeons or guinea pigs.
Cultivation: Grows in the yolk sac of the Tissue tropism: Infects opossums in the
chicken embryo. laboratory by the intraperitoneal but not
Immunology: Distinguished from other by the subcutaneous route. Infects mice by
miyagawanellae by neutralization tests in the intracerebral or the intranasal but not
mice with chicken antisera and partly from by the intraperitoneal route.
Miyagawanella psittaci, M. ornithosis and M. Chemotherapy: Not susceptible to sulfon-
pneumoniae by active immunization in mice. amides.
Pathogenic for man and for white mice. Source : Isolated from an opossum (Didel-
Causes a highly fatal pneumonitis in man. phys paraguayensis) trapped in a district of
Tissue tropism: Infective in mice by the the municipality of Cdqueza, State of Cun-
intranasal, intraperitoneal, intracerebral dinamarca, Colombia.
and subcutaneous routes. Habitat: The etiological agent of paral-
Source: From the lungs of infected per- ysis in opossums.
sons.
Habitat: The etiological agent of a highly 10. Miyagawanella ovis (Zhdanov, 1953)
fatal pneumonitis in man. Rake, comb. nov. (Minute organisms from
enzootic abortion of ewes. Stamp, IMcEwen,
9. Miyagawanella opossunii (Ryzhkov, Watt and Nisbet, Vet. Record, 62, 1950, 251;
1950) Rake, comb. nov. (Opossum virus A, Virus of ovine enzootic abortion. Stamp,
Roca-Garcia, Jour. Inf. Dis., 85, 1949, 275; Jour. Comp. Path, and Therap., 61, 1951,
Chlamydozoon opossumi Ryzhkov, Voprosy 215; also see Monsur and Barwell, Brit.
Meditsinskoi Virusologii (Prob. Med. Jour. Exp. Path., 32, 1951, 414; Rickettsia-
FAMILY II. CHLAMYDIACEAE 967
bodies are produced in calves, monkeys and tion. In cotton rats and guinea pigs, intra-
guinea pigs, showing cross-fixation with cerebral inoculation produces encephalitis,
other miyagawanellae. and in guinea pigs, intraperitoneal inocula-
Pathogenicity and tissue tropism: Intra- tion produces peritonitis. In mice, only du-
cerebral injection in calves produces fever bious results are produced by intracerebral,
and encephalitis while intraperitoneal in- intranasal or intraperitoneal inoculation,
jection produces peritonitis and encephali- In hamsters, intracerebral inoculation pro-
tis. After subcutaneous injection a syn- duces encephalitis.
irome like the natural sporadic bovine Antibiotic therapy: Susceptible to the
encephalomyelitis is produced. Encephali- action of aureomycin and terramycin.
tis is produced in monkeys after intra- Habitat: The etiological agent of sporadic
csrebral or intraperitoneal inoculation. In bovine encephalomyelitis. Elementary bod-
rabbits there are no symptoms after intra- ies are present in the exudate over the brain
cerebral, intratesticular or corneal inocula- and in the peritoneum.
Bar.to.nel'la. M.L. dim. ending -ella; M.L. fem.dim.n. Bartonella named for Dr. A. L.
Barton, who described these organisms in 1909.
Microorganisms which multiply in fixed-tissue cells and on erythrocytes. On the red blood
cells in stained films, the organisms appear as rounded or ellipsoidal forms or as slender,
straight, curved or bent rods occurring either singly or in groups. Characteristically occur
in chains of several segmenting organisms, sometimes swollen at one or both ends and fre-
quently beaded (Strong et al., op. cit., 1913, 1715), without a distinct differentiation of nu-
cleus and cytoplasm. In the tissues they are situated within the cytoplasm of endothelial
cells as isolated elements and are grouped in rounded masses. Possess independent motility.
Reproduce by binary fission. May be cultivated by unlimited serial transfers on cell-free
media. Occur spontaneously in man and in arthropod vectors. One species has been recog-
nized, and it is known to be established only on the South American continent and perhaps
in Central America. Human bartonellosis may be manifested clinically by one of the two
syndromes constituting Carrion's disease (Oroya fever or Verruga Peruana) or by an asymp-
tomatic infection.
The type species is Bartonella bacilliformis (Strong et al.) Strong et al.
970 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
Gra.ha.mel'la. M.L. dim.ending -ella; M.L. fem.dim.n. Grahamella named for Dr. G. S.
Graham-Smith, who discovered these organisms in the blood of moles.
Microorganisms occurring within the erythrocytes of lower mammals. Morphologically
these organisms bear a resemblance to but are less polymorphic than the species in Barton-
ella and stain more deeply with Giemsa's stain than do the bartonellae. Neither motility
nor flagella have been demonstrated. Not acid-fast. Gram-negative. Several species have
been cultivated on non-living media. Growth is favored by the addition of hemoglobin. In
cultures, the slight propensity to grow in unbranched filaments is variable; rods and coc-
coids with indistinct contours are commonly cemented together in dense masses. Aerobic.
Parasitic. Splenectomy has little effect on the course of infection. Non-pathogenic. Not
affected by arsenicals. The etiological agent of grahamellosis of rodents and of some other
vertebrates.
The type species is Grahamella talpae Brumpt.
normal host, the deer mouse (Peromyscus Grahamella peromysci has been described
leucopus novaboracensis), but not the white here only in order to include information on
Swiss mouse. Monkeys {Macaca vmlatta) are the cultural characteristics of the genus
not infected by cultures. Grahamella, and no opinion as to the validity
Comment: Numerous species of Gra- of this species is expressed thereby.
hamella have been named according to their Source and habitat: Occurs naturally in
hosts, and there is no satisfactory evidence the deer mouse {Peromyscus leucopus nova-
that they are different microorganisms. boracensis).
Proteus 0Xi9 , OXK and sera from rats re- Amer. Jour. Hyg., 30 (B), 1939, 143; also see
covered from haemobartonellosis. Weinman, Trans. Amer. Philosoph. Soc,
Pathogenicity: Infected blood, liver sus- 33 (N.S.), 1944,312.)
pension, defibrinated laked blood, washed mi.cro' ti. M.L. mas.n. Microtus a genus
red blood cells, plasma and hemoglobinuric of voles; M.L. gen. noun microti of Microtus.
urine may produce infection by the subcu- In infected animals the morphology re-
taneous, intravenous, intraperitoneal or sembles that of Haemohartonella canis, the
intracardiac routes. Slight, transient or no organisms occurring as rods, coccoids,
haemobartonellosis then occurs in adult, filaments, club forms, ring forms and granu-
non-splenectomized, haemobartonella-free, lar masses. In addition to these forms there
albino rats; in adult, non-splenectomized, occur in Giemsa-stained blood films ellips-
albino rats of carrier stock; or finally in oids and diamond- or flame-shaped small
adult, splenectomized rats previously in- forms as well as coarse, segmented or un-
fected, during a period lasting 15 weeks to segmented filaments up to 5 microns in
8 months after infection. Typical haemobar- length. The filaments may contain one or
tonellosis occurs in adult, splenectomized, more rings or may be composed in part or
haemobartonella-free, albino rats and in entirely of diamond-shaped, coccoid or
young, non-splenectomized, haemobarto- ovoid elements, sometimes arranged in
nella-free, albino rats weighing 20 to 30 parallel rows. Rods often show intense
grams at 3 weeks. Latent infections regu- bipolar staining. Coccoid forms, usually
larly become patent following splenectomy scattered, may occur as aggregates or
and may follow coincident infections with clumps on the red blood cell, apparently
other microorganisms, chemotherapy, in- embedded in a faint blue matrix. A pale
jections ofpolonium nitrate or of "anti-rat- blue, veil-like substance may cover nearly
half of one surface of the red blood cell
spleen" serum. Variable results have been
obtained by different investigators with and show, at its border, typical red-
wild mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, violet -stained rods or filaments in the
pigeons and monkeys {"Macacus rhesus" Giemsa-stained specimens. A bow -shaped
and Macacus sp.). Known to be infectious arrangement of elements is characteristic.
for wild rats, albino mice, rabbits and for Morphology varies markedly with the kind
two Palestinian rodents (Spalax typhlops of host employed. Organisms lie on the sur-
and Meriones tristrami). Negative results faces of the red blood cells. In cultures,
have been reported in dogs, kittens, cats, organisms are more uniform in morphology.
sheep and various birds. Causes a definite Individual organisms are fine rods, 0.3 by
and characteristic anemia without cutane- 1.0 to 2.0 microns, sometimes occurring in
ous eruption. chains and often in clumps. Small, round
Antibiotic- and chemo-therapy: Penicillin forms measuring 0.5 micron in diameter
is ineffective; there is true sterilization of and occasionally round, disc-like structures
latent or recognized infection with organic occur.
arsenical compounds; chlortetracycline (au- Cultivation: Growth in Noguchi's semi-
reomycin) and oxytetracycline (terramycin) solid serum agar two weeks after inoculation
are active. with citrated or heparinized blood and in-
Source: Found in the blood of infected cubated at23° C. appears as white, rounded
albino rats. masses measuring up to about 1 mm in the
Habitat: Found in ectoparasites such as upper 15 mm of the tube. In tissue culture
the rat louse (Polyplax spinulosus) , the flea the organism grows in small, rounded, com-
{Xenopsylla cheopis) and possibly the bed- pact masses within the cytoplasm of in-
bug (Cimex lectularius) . Also found para- fected cells. Indefinite maintenance of the
sitizing the erythrocytes of susceptible strains isolated on artificial media has not
animals. World wide distribution. been possible.
Pathogenicity: Splenectomized white
2. Haemobartonella microti Tyzzer mice and splenectomized laboratory-reared
and Weinman, 1939. (Tyzzer and Weinman, voles are readily susceptible to infection.
FAMILY III. BARTONELLACEAE 975
Neither marked anemia nor anj^ mortality Comment: Since 1944, at which time this
occurs in heavil}' infected animals. Splenec- species was classified as belonging to the
tomized dogs, white rats and deer mice are genus Haemobartonella, knowledge has
not susceptible. accrued which suggests a restudy to deter-
Source and habitat: Occurs in the blood mine whether this species might more
of the vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus penn- properly be placed in the genus Grahamella.
sylvanicus). The natural mode of transmis- Source and habitat: Found in the blood
sion has not been determined, though ticks of the Peruvian guinea pig (Cavia porcellvs) ;
and mites are suspected. also encountered in the blood of native
guinea pigs in Colombia. Observed in la-
3. Ilaemobartonella lyzzeri (Weinman tently infected animals only after splenec-
and Pinkerton, 1938) Weinman, 1944. tomy. The natural mode of transmission is
(Bartonella iyzzeri Weinman and Pinkerton, unknown, although the flea may be a possi-
Ann. Trop. Med., 32, 1938, 217; Weinman, ble vector.
Trans. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 33 (N.S.),
1944, 314.) 4. Haemobartonella peronij sci Tyzzer,
tyz'ze.ri. M.L. gen. noun iyzzeri of Tyzzer; 1942. (Proc. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 85, 1942,
377.)
named for Dr. E. E. Tyzzer, protistologist
and investigator of this group of microor- pe.ro. mys'ci. M.L. mas.n. Peromyscus a
ganisms. genus of mice; M. L. gen. noun peromysci of
Single or composite rods measuring about Peromyscus.
0.25 by 1.4 to 4.0 microns. Short rods averag- Occurs as delicate, filamentous forms
ing 0.2 to 0.3 by 0.8 micron as well as round (which may be branched) on red blood cells.
forms with diameters of 0.2 to 0.3 micron These filaments may become beaded and
also occur. Occasional granular swellings may give rise to a number of coccoids and
and enlarged poles occur. Stain intensely rods from which ring forms may develop.
red-violet with Giemsa's or with May- Stains by Giemsa's method, but the staining
Griinwald-Giemsa's solutions. Gram-nega- process must be intense in order to demon-
tive. strate the organism.
Cultivation: Initial cultures on Noguchi's Pathogenicity: Infection transmissible to
semi-solid serum agar are obtained irregu- splenectomized white rats (irregularly),
larlj\ When incubated at 28°C., colonies white mice (frequently) and voles, produc-
appear as isolated, white spheres about 1 ing a more or less severe illness with anemia.
mm in diameter in the upper 8-mm border Habitat: Found in the blood of deer mice
of the medium. The clumps are composed (Peromyscus leucopus novaboracensis) .
of rods and granules with larger round
structures or discs occurring occasionally. 5. Haemobartonella sciiiri Tyzzer,
Also cultivated on the Zinsser, Wei and 385.)
1942. (Proc. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 85, 1942,
Fitzpatrick modification of the Maitland
medium. Prolonged maintenance on semi- sci.u'ri. M.L. mas.n. Sciurus a genus of
solid media has not been obtained. squirrels; M.L. gen. noun sciuri of Sciurus.
Pathogenicity: Splenectomized, haemo- Very polymorphic Occurs as minute rods
bartonella-free guinea pigs may be infected and filaments which are either continuous
by blood or by cultures injected subcutane- or segmented. The rods and filaments vary
ously or intraperitoneally. Splenectomized, in thickness, some being very uneven and
Haemobartonella muris-free rats are not sus- some very coarse. Beaded chains may de-
ceptible when inoculated with infected velop from the thickened forms. The bead-
guinea-pig blood. Monkeys (Macacus rhesus) like elements stain a dull reddish at the
are also not susceptible to inoculations of periphery with Giemsa's stain, while the
infected blood, tissue and cultures. Infec- remainder is very faintly stained in con-
tion of the guinea pig is subclinical in its trast to the intensely staining basophilic
manifestations. rods and filaments. Some of the rounded
No definite anemia accompanies infection. forms have the appearance of large, thick
976 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
rings. Beads and rings may arise from length from 0.5 to 1.5 microns. The number
slender, deeply staining rods, simulating of organisms per infected red blood cell
very closely spores within bacilli, though no varies from 1 to 15; they occur individually,
germination of filaments from them has been scattered irregularly in clumps or sometimes
observed. in chains stretching across the cell. At the
Slightly pathogenic for the gray squirrel; height of the infection, more than 90 per
non-pathogenic for normal white mice. cent of the cells are infected.
Habitat: Found in the blood of gray Pathogenicity: Causes a temperature rise
squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis leucotis). in buffaloes and slight anemia after direct
blood inoculation. Splenectomized rabbits,
6. Haemobartonella bovis (Donatien hamsters and calves inoculated with blood
and Lestoquard, 1934) Weinman, 1944. from infected buffaloes remained free of
{Bartonella bovis Donatien and Lestoquard, the organism.
Bull. Soc. path, exot., ^7, 1934, 652; Bar- Source and habitat: From the blood
tonella sergenti Adler and EUenbogen, Jour. of buffaloes in Palestine.
Comp. Path, and Therap., 47, 1934, 221;
(?) Bartonella bovis Rodriguez, Rev. del 8. Haemobartonella canis (Kikuth,
Inst. Llorente, 13, 1935, 5; abst. in Bull. 1928) Tyzzer and Weinman, 1939. (Bar-
Inst. Past., 34, 1936, 1033; Haemobartonella tonella canis Kikuth, Klin. Wochnschr., 7^,
sergenti Weinman, Trans. Amer. Philosoph. 1928, 1729; Tyzzer and Weinman, Amer.
Soc, 33 (N.S.), 1944, 290; Weinman, ibid., Jour. Hyg., 30 (B), 1939, 151.)
308.) ca'nis. L. noun canis the dog.
One of the most polymorphic of the
bo'vis. L. noun bos the ox; L. gen. noun
bovis of the ox. haemobartonellae, occurring as thin rods,
Rods, coccobacilli and cocci, occur singly, straight or slightly curved, dumbbell-
in pairs or in short chains or groups of 10 shaped organisms, dots, coccoids or rings.
or more elements. The rods measure 1.2 to Chains of rods, of coccoids or of rings also
2.0 microns in length and are very slender. occur; these consist of only one type of these
The coccobacilli occur singly or in pairs forms or a mixture of types. The chains may
measuring 0.3 by 0.6 to 0.8 micron, and the be straight, curved, branched or annular.
diameters of the cocci are about 0.3 micron. Variable in size. Round forms vary from
May occupy a central or marginal position 0.2 or 0.5 micron to the limit of visibility.
on the red blood cell, the number on a cell Single rods measure 0.2 by 1.0 to 5.0 microns,
varying from 1 to 20. Not more than 20 per while the composite forms vary from 1.0
cent of the red blood cells are parasitized. to 4.0 microns or more. Considered to be
Using the Romanowsky stain, the organisms non-motile by most investigators. With
stain similarly to the chromatin of Piro- Giemsa's stain, the organisms are red-
plasma spp. violet, usually intensely so. Methylene blue
Source and habitat: Recovered from the used as a vital stain colors the organisms
blood of bulls in Algeria and from a non- distinctly. Not acid-fast. Gram-negative.
Cultivation has not been demonstrated in
splenectomized calf in Palestine.
semi-solid rabbit-serum agar medium, in
7. Haemobartonella sturinanii (Grin- media containing serum of splenectomized
berg, 1939) Weinman, 1944. (Bartonella dogs, in N. N. N., in Noguchi's medium for
sturmani (sic) Grinberg, Ann. Trop. Med. leptospires, in blood broth nor in Chatton's
and Parasitol., 33, 1939, 33; Weinman, medium covered with vaseline for Tricho-
Trans. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 33 (N.S.), mastix.
1944, 313.) Filterability: Results are equivocal.
stur.ma'ni.i. M.L. gen. noun sturinanii of Immunology: The outstanding phenom-
Sturman; named for Dr. M. Sturman. ena resemble those found in the rat infected
Similar to Haemobartonella bovis and to with Haemobartonella vniris.
H. canis morphologically and in staining Pathogenicity: Anemia follows splenec-
properties. Occurs as rods and as cocco- tomy in infected dogs, otherwise infection
bacillary and coccoid forms, varying in usually remains asymptomatic. Negative
FAMILY III. BARTOXELLACEAE 977
9. Haemobartonella blarinae Tyzzer, ^^^^^ contours may occur at the ends of the
1942. (Proc. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 85, 1942, branches of the threads.
332.) Pathogenic for the short-tailed shrew but
bla.ri'nae. M.L. fem.n. Blarina a genus no* for deer mice or white mice. Causes
of shrews; M.L. gen.noun blarinae of anemia in the shrew.
Blarina. Habitat: Found in the blood of the short-
Extremeh^ polymorphic with delicate iaWedshve-^^ {Blarina brevicauda).
Genus IV. Eperythrozoon Schilling, 1928.*
(Schilling, Klin. Wochnschr., 7^, 1928, 1854; Gyromorpha Dinger, Nederl.
tijdschr. geneesk., 72, 1928, 5903.)
Ep.e.ryth.ro.zo'on. Gr. prefix epi- on; Gr. adj. erythrus red; Gr. noun zoum or zoon living
thing, animal; M.L. neut.n. Eperythrozoon (presumably intended to mean) animals on red
(blood cells).
Microorganisms found in blood plasma and on erythrocytes. Stain well with Romanow-
sky-type dyes, then appearing as rings, coccoids or short rods, 1 to 2 microns in greatest
dimension, and staining bluish or pinkish violet; show no differentiation of nucleus and
cytoplasm with this technique. Not acid-alcohol-fast. Gram-negative. Not cultivated in
cell-free media. Splenectomy activates latent infection. Arthropod transmission has been
established for one species (Weinman, Trans. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 33 (N.S.), 1944, 321).
The organisms in this genus have been considered as belonging to the Protozoa by Neitz,
Alexander and du Toit (Onderstepoort Jour. Vet. Sci., 3, 1934, 268) and to the bacteria b}'
Mesnil (Bull. Soc. path, exot., 22, 1929, 531) and by Tyzzer (in Weinman, op. cit., 1944, 244).
The evidence at hand favors the inclusion of this group among those organisms which are
not clearly protozoan in nature but which appear to be closely related to the bacteria.
The tj'pe species is Eperythrozoon coccoides Schilling.
Key to the species of genus Eperythrozoon. f
I. Found in rodents.
A. Found in the albino mouse.
1. Eperythrozoon coccoides.
up to 2.5 microns also occur. This is per- One of the smallest of the eperythrozoa.
haps the largest species in the genus. Disc or coccus forms measuring less than
Cultivation has not been successful. 0.5 micron in diameter predominate and
Immunologj^: Latent infection made man- are mixed with occasional ring forms 0.5 to
ifest by splenectomy; under field condi- 0.8 micron in diameter. Filterable through
tions, animals with spleen sicken and pre- Seitz EK and Berkefeld W filters and by
sent massive infections. this means can be separated from E. suis,
Pathogenicity: Implicated in "ictero- which does not pass these filters.
Differentiation from E. sids is based on
anemia" of swine, heavy infection and dis-
ease being provoked without splenectomy. size, on morphological differences and on
Has not infected one or more of: lamb, calf the failure of either species to cross-immu-
and the following splenectomized animals: nize against the other. Resembles E. dispar
white mouse, deer mouse (Peromyscus man- in appearance, and the two have not been
iculatus), rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. proved to be distinct.
Chemotherapy: Neoarsphenamine, at Rarely pathogenic. Has not infected one
doses of 15 milligrams per kilogram of pig, or more of: calf, lamb, splenectomized white
is effective in controlling the infection. mouse and splenectomized Peromyscus ma-
Source: Occurs in the blood of swine in niculatus.
the United States and perhaps in the Bel- Chemotherapy: Relatively resistant to
gian Congo. neoarsphenamine in vivo, frequently resist-
hog. ing doses of 45 milligrams per kilogram of
7. Eperythrozoon parvuni Splitter,
1950. (Science, 111, 1950, 513.) Source: Found in the blood of swine in
the United States.
par'vum. L. adj. parvus small.
A.na.plas.ma.ta'ce.ae. Gr. neut.n. Anaplasma type genus of the family; -aceae ending
to denote a family; M.L. fem.pl.n. Anaplasmataceae the Anaplasma family.
Organisms which parasitize red blood cells. There is no demonstrable multiplication in
other tissues. In blood smears fixed with May-Griinwald and stained with Giemsa's stain,
these organisms appear in the erythrocytes as spherical chromatic granules which stain a
deep reddish violet color. Show no differentiation into nucleus and cytoplasm. Occur natu-
rally as parasites of ruminants. Transmitted by arthropods. Situated at or near the margin
and/or at or near the center of the red blood cells. The position within the erythrocyte
and/or host differences serve as bases for differentiating species. Attempts at cultivation
in a variety of media have failed. Produce disease in non-splenectomized and in splenec-
tomized ruminants. The natural and experimental host range is fairly wide, these organ-
isms occurring in members of the families Bovidae and Camelidae. Influenced by aureomycin
and terramycin. Widely distributed throughout the world.
There is a single genus.
Yiengst (Amer. Jour. Vet. Res., 3, 1942, muscular and intravenous routes. Infectious
312) state that each organism undergoes for cattle, zebu, water buffalo {Babalus bab-
growth which is then followed by multiple alis), bison {Bison bison), African antelopes
fission resulting in the formation of eight (white-tailed gnu {Connochaetes gnou), bles-
small spherical bodies. Studies on the life buck (Damaliscus pygargus albifrons) and
cycle of this organism in arthropods are duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)) , American deer
limited. Regendanz (Zent. f. Bakt., I Abt., (southern black-tailed deer and Rocky
Orig., 137, 1933, 214) claims to have demon- Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus spp.)), elk
strated granules varying from 0.1 to 0.4 and camel (Camehis bactrianus). Sheep and
microns in diameter in the salivary glands goats develop a submicroscopic infection.
of known-infected Dermacentor andersoni The African buffalo {Syncerus caffer) is re-
and Dermacentor variabilis adult ticks. fractory. Rabbits, guinea pigs, white rats,
Cultivated on Bass medium. Continued gray rats, white mice, field mice, dogs, cats,
to grow through two generations, but ferrets and chickens are all refractory to
growth could not be detected after the third bovine anaplasmosis. Mortality has been re-
passage. No growth in a wide variety of corded in cattle, zebu, water buffalo and
bacteriological and tissue-culture media, in camel.
chick embryo or in sealed collodion bags Antibiotic therapy: True sterilization of
containing infective blood which had been latent or recognized infection occurs with
placed in the peritoneal cavity of a rabbit. massive repeated doses of aureomycin and
Non-filterable with Berkefeld filter (du terramycin.
Toit, Rept. Direct. Vet. Educ. Res., Union Source: Observed by Theiler {op. cit.,
So. Africa, Pt. I, 1928, 157). Filterable 1910, 7) in the blood of infected cattle.
with a three-pound Mandler filter (Foot, Habitat: Found in arthropods such as
No. Amer. Vet., 35, 1954, 19). Argas persicus, Boophilus annulahis, B. aus-
Immunology: No authentic case of true tralis, B. calcaratus, B. decoloratus, B. vii-
natural immunity in cattle has been estab- crophis, Dermacentor albipictus, D. andersoni,
lished. Calves under one year of age show a D. occidentalus, D. variabilis, Haemaphysalis
milder reaction than do older animals. Ac- cinnabarina punctata, Hyalomma excavatum,
quired immunity occurs in (1) the latently Ixodes ricinus, I. scapularis, Rhipicephalus
infected ox, (2) the infected ox after sple- bursa, R. sanguineus and R. simus. Also
nectomy and recovery from the disease, (3) found in the erythrocytes of susceptible
the non-splenectomized, non-carrier ox fol- animals. World wide distribution.
lowing infection, and (4) animals other than
the ox following infection. Carrier state 2. Anaplasma centrale Theiler, 1911.
usually persists for periods longer than 12 (1st Rept. Dir. Vet. Res., Union So. Africa,
1911, 7.)
years. Autosterilization in both non-sple-
nectomized and splenectomized cattle is of cen.tra'le. L. adj. centralis central.
relatively rare occurrence. A partial cross In blood smears fixed with May-Griinwald
immunity exists between this organism and and stained with Giemsa, the organisms ap-
A. centrale. pear in erythrocytes as irregularly spher-
Serology: Complement fixation has been ical, chromatic granules which stain a deep
reported with sera of carrier cattle. About purple color. Vary in diameter from 0.4 to
90 per cent of the serum samples drawn from 0.95, averaging 0.65, micron. Resembles A.
known carriers gave positive results while marginale very closely but differs from it bj^
10 per cent gave discordant reactions. Anti- its slightly greater size and by its usually
bodies were detected in the sera of artifi- central position in the erythrocyte. Approx-
cially infected animals before the organism imately 88 per cent of the organisms are
was microscopically demonstrable. situated at or near the center and 12 per
Pathogenicity: Infected blood, washed cent at or near the margin of the host cell.
red blood cells and organ suspensions pro- Usually occurs singly in the red blood cells,
duce infection by the subcutaneous, intra- but double forms are not uncommon. Rarely
FAMILY IV. ANAPLASMATACEAE 983
three or four organisms may be seen in the Source: Observed in the blood of infected
same red blood cell. During the height of cattle.
the reaction, as many as 15 per cent or more Habitat: Found in the arthropods Bo-
of the erj^throcj'tes may be parasitized. Re- ophilus decoloratus and Haemaphysalis cin-
sponsible for anemia and icterus. When ane- naharina punctata; also found in the erythro-
mic changes progress, the number of in- cytes of cattle. Found in Africa, Roumania
fected erythrocj-tes decreases to a point and Palestine.
where they cannot be demonstrated micro-
scopically. Recovery is usually followed by 3. Anaplasma ovis Lestoquard, 1924.
the reappearance of the organisms in rela- (Bull. Soc. path, exot., 17, 1924, 784.)
tively small numbers for a period of from o'vis. L. noun ovis the sheep.
10 to 30 days and sometimes even longer. In blood smears fixed with May-Griin-
The life cycle of A. centrale is in all proba- wald and stained with Giemsa, the organ-
bility the same as that of A. marginale. No isms appear in the red blood cells as irregu-
attempts have yet been made to study the larly spherical, chromatic granules which
life cycle of A. centrale in the arthropod stain a deep purple color. Vary from 0.4 to
vector. 0.8, averaging 0.5, micron in diameter. Re-
Cultivation: No attempts have been sembles A . marginale very closelj- but differs
made . from the latter by its pathogenicity and by
Filterability: No information available. its position in the erythrocytes. Approxi-
Immunology: No authentic case of true mately 65 per cent of the organisms are sit-
natural immunity in cattle has been estab- uated at or near the margin and 35 per cent
lished. Acquired immunity occurs in (1) the at or near the center of the erythrocyte.
latently infected ox, (2) the infected ox Occurs singly in the red blood cells, but
after splenectomy and recovery from dis- double forms are not uncommon. Rarely
ease, the period of resistance corresponding three or four organisms may be seen in the
to the duration of latency, (3) the non- same cell. During the height of the reaction,
splenectomized, non-carrier ox following in- as many as 5 per cent or more of the eryth-
fection, and (4) animals other than the ox rocj^tes may be parasitized. Responsible for
following infection. Recovered animals re- anemia and icterus. When anemic changes
main carriers for periods of up to 20 years. progress, the nvmiber of infected erythro-
A partial cross immunity exists between cytes decreases to a point where they cannot
this organism and A. marginale. A. centrale be demonstrated microscopically. Recovery
has been emploj^ed on the African continent is usuallj' followed by the reappearance of
and in Palestine as an immunizing agent the organisms in relatively small numbers
against A. marginale. Approximatel}- 350,000 for a period from 10 to 30 days and some-
doses of A. centrale vaccine (infective cit- times even longer. The life cycle is in all
rated blood) are issued annually to farmers probability the same as that of A. marginale.
in South Africa. No cases of autosteriliza- No attempts have j^et been made to studj'
tion have been observed. the life cycle of this organism in the arthro-
Serology: No work attempted.
Pathogenicity: Infected blood and organ pod vector.
Cultivation: No attempts have yet been
suspensions produce infection by the sub- made.
cutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous Filterability: No information available.
roiites. A. centrale is infectious for cattle. Immunology: No authentic case of true
The African antelope, the blesbuck (Dama- natural immunity in sheep or goats has been
liscus pygargus albifrons), develops a sub- established. Acquired immunity occurs in
microscopic infection. (1) latently infected sheep and goats, (2)
Antibiotic therapy: No information avail- the infected sheep and goat after splenec-
able. Aureomycin and terramycin may pos- tomy and recoverjr from the disease, the
sibh' be as effective for .4. centrale as for ^4. period of resistance corresponding to the
marginale. duration of latency, (3) the non-splenecto-
984 ORDER I. RICKETTSIALES
mized, non-carrier sheep and goat following oryx oryx) develops a submicroscopic infec-
infection, and (4) animals other than the tion. Cattle are refractory. No cases of
sheep and goat following infection. Re- autosterilization have been observed.
covered animals remain carriers for periods Antibiotic therapy: No tests conducted.
of up to four years; the end point has not Aureomycin and terramycin may possibly
been determined. be as effective for A. ovis as for A. marginale.
Serology: No work has been attempted. Source : Observed in the blood of infected
Pathogenicity: Infected blood and organ sheep and goats.
suspensions produce infection by the sub- Habitat: Found in arthropods such as
cutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous Rhipicephalus bursa, Dermacentor silvarum
routes. Infectious for sheep, goats and the and Ornithodoros lahorensis; also found in
African antelope, the blesbuck {Damaliscus the erythrocytes of sheep and goats. Found
pygargus albifrons). The eland (Taurotragus in Africa, Southern Europe and Asia.
ORDER II. VIRALES BREED, MURRAY AND
KITCHENS, 1944.*
* Prepared by the Editorial Board, March, 1956, from a tentative outline by Dr. Robert
S. Breed, January, 1956. Reviewed by Dr. C. H. Andrewes, Medical Research Council,
National Institute for Medical Research, London, England, Dr. F. O. Holmes, The Rocke-
feller Institute for Medical Research, New York, N. Y., and Dr. E. A. Steinhaus, Agri-
cultural Experiment Station, University of California, Berkeley, California, March, 1956.
985
986 ORDER II. VIRALES
specialists to recognize the viruses under discussion, thus prompting some workers to sug-
gest standardizing the numbering or lettering systems.
Other investigators have felt that if a classification were drawn up according to the Lin-
nean system and that if the procedures outlined in Codes of Nomenclature were followed,
a binomial nomenclature could be developed for viruses. Such a system was first presented
for the plant viruses by Holmes (Handbook of Phytopathogenic Viruses, Burgess Publish-
ing Co., Minneapolis, 1939, 221 pp). This was followed by the more complete classification
given in the last edition of the Manual (6th ed., 1948, 1125).
At the 5th International Congress of Microbiology, held at Rio de Janeiro in August,
1950, the consensus of opinion seemed to be that an acceptable system of classification could
be achieved by giving primary consideration to the viruses that are best known and that
can be most adequately described. Specialists were asked to prepare classifications for
several groups of viruses, and the results of this plan were reported in 1953 by Andrewes
(Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., 56, 1953, 428).
So-called "non-Linnean" names for a number of groups of viruses were presented in
1954 (Andrewes, Nature, 173, 1954, 620). Among these were binomial names applying to the
viruses of the smallpox, herpes simplex, poliomyelitis and influenza groups as well as names
applicable to some viruses causing diseases in insects.
Substantial revisions of virus taxonomy and nomenclature in the hvmian and other animal
virus field have been published also in Russia by Zhdanov (OpredeliteP Virusov Cheloveka i
Zhivotnych, Izd. Akad. Med. Nauk, U.S.S.R., Moskau, 1953, 348 pp) and in Canada by van
Rooj-en (Canadian Jour. Microbiology, 1, 1954, 227). Revisions of the classification of
viruses causing diseases in insects were published in 1949 and 1953 by Steinhaus (Bact. Rev.,
13, 1949, 203; Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., 56, 1953, 517) and in 1953 by Bergold (Annals N. Y.
Acad. Sci., 56, 1953,495).
For the present it seems feasible to continue with the custom, tacitly accepted in the past,
of classifying bacteriophages separately as one sub-group, viruses causing diseases in higher
plants as a second sub-group and those causing diseases in man and other animals as a third
sub-group. It should be recognized that this may prove to be only a temporary arrange-
ment, necessary because we have little or no evidence to warrant taxonomic overlapping of
the three groups and useful while we await critical investigations and possible development
of a substitute plan capable of displaying natural relationships to better advantage. It is
further possible that there may be discoveries of common physical properties which would
aid in formulating an interlocking classification, for which at present we lack any sub-
stantial basis. It is interesting to note that Ryzhkov (Mikrobiologiia, 21, 1952, 458) has at-
tempted to outline such a classification; confirmation of the ideas underlying this attempt
at a unified classification must be sought in the future.
The rapid expansion of the field, by the frequent discovery of new viruses and the de-
velopment ofnew methods for their recognition and characterization, together with some
uncertainties evidenced by virologists, makes it seem inappropriate to include a formal
classification of Virales in this edition of the Manual. The need for an accepted nomen-
clature and classification has now made itself felt, and it is expected that recognition of this
will be reflected in the next report of the Committee of the I.A.M.S.
A KEY FOR THE
DETERMINATION OF THE
GENERIC POSITION OF ORGANISMS
By
LISTED IN THE MANUAL
V. B. D. SKE
RMA
N
Department of Bacteriology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
INTRODUCTION
The following key has been designed to enable the user to determine whether
any isolated organism bears any resemblance to an organism described in the
Manual. Although the key terminates in most cases at a genus, it has been
formulated on individual species descriptions. Every effort has been made to
see that if the description of any species within the Manual is applied to the
key, the description will lead to the genus into which the species has been placed
in the Manual. Keys provided by the various contributors should be followed
in deciding which species within the genus most closely agrees with the iso-
late. It is quite possible, owing to the limited description of many species, that
the new isolate will be described more extensively and may fit into more than
one species. It is unlikely, but not impossible, that it may fit into more than one
genus.
No attempt has been made to fit the key to SLXiy system of classification. While
it may undoubtedly act as a guide to the proper classification of an undescribed
organism, it is designed solely for the purpose of identification of described
species. The user must judge for himself whether an isolate is identical with a
described species and, if not, determine its taxonomic position.
Characters were chosen solely for their suitability for purposes of differentia-
tion and for the ease with which they could be determined. The sequence in
which they have been employed was determined in part by common usage, in
part by necessity through lack of other information and in part by design to
encourage comparison of apparently closely related organisms and to enforce
the use of some tests quite commonly ignored.
Where variation in any character has been well established, due allowance
987
988 INTRODUCTION
has been made for it. The sequence of tests employed has largely eliminated
the necessity to treat an organism as positive or negative with respect to a char-
acter for which the information was not given. In the few" instances where this
device has been employed, the species involved has been cited in the key, and
the assumption made has been noted or the species has been traced through the
key as far as the information permitted, a note having been made to this effect
at the appropriate point.
Cowan's assertion (Canad. Jour. Microbiol., 2, 1956, 212-219) that the pre-
vious system broke down because of the use of the "positive or negative" ap-
proach, while apparently theoretically correct, was, in fact, not so. Such a device
obviously could not have been used where genera with single species were in-
volved. However, with the larger genera it proved to be valid where it was em-
ployed simply because the genera already had species, adequately described,
which were either positive or negative with respect to the character, and the
genera therefore appeared at two or more places in the key. The use of the "pos-
itive or negative" approach merely placed the poorly described species in one or
the other of these categories.
In the present key, pathogenicity to animals has not been used as a sole dif-
ferentiating character. It has been coupled with other tests in the separation of
these genera. The plant pathogens and the Rhizobia have been separated on the
basis of pathogenicity and nodule formation respectively. They have, in addition,
been treated as organisms isolated from the soil, have been traced through the
key as far as described characters would permit and have been cited at the ap-
propriate points. Species of Pseudomonas producing water-soluble pigments
have been separated on this characteristic. They were, however, also checked
through the key as though not pigmented. With few exceptions those adequately
described terminated at points where non-pigmented pseudomonads were located;
the few which did not have been individually cited. Of fifteen species for which
no sugar reactions were cited, thirteen terminated at Pseudomonas when the
possible "positive or negative" combinations for glucose and lactose were applied.
The others were non-motile and have been cited in the key.
The description of the genus Paracolohactrum as presented in the Manual
contains too little information to be of use in the key. Reference was made to
the original paper of Stuart, AVheeler, Rustigian and Zimmerman (Jour. Bact.,
45, 1943, 101-119), and the strain descriptions used. While these strains do not
appear as such in the Manual, the value of such strain specifications over gen-
eralizations forthe species should be apparent.
The recommendations regarding designations of groups in the Enter ohacteria-
ceae published by the Enterobacteriaceae Subcommittee of the Nomenclature
Committee of the International Association of Microbiologists (Internat. Bull.
Bact. Nomen. and Taxon., 4, 1954, 1-94) are also indicated in the key by the
insertion of the generic name followed by "Rome, 1953".
The primary division on the basis of cell width is purely arbitrary. A great
deal of latitude has been allowed in respect to this character. Cells with widths
INTRODUCTION 989
between 1.7 and 2.3 microns appear in both sections of the key. While every
endeavor has been made to avoid inaccuracies in the key, some are inevitable.
In order to avoid any repetition of these, users are requested to supply the author
with a detailed statement of these as they are encountered. The author would
also welcome reprints of any papers relating to subjects of taxonomic interest.
A COMPREHENSIVE KEY TO THE
GENERA OF THE MANUAL
Use of the key
First, determine the characters of the organism and then consult the key,
always commencing from the beginning. The key poses a series of questions
which can be answered in the affirmative or negative. Numbers on the right hand
side of the key indicate the next number on the left to be consulted. The se-
ciuence should be followed until the right hand number is replaced by a generic
name. Keys to the particular genus in the Manual should then be consulted
for species identification.
1. Organisms green, blue-green or yellowish green, brown or red, containing chlorophyll
"a" either in well-defined chloroplasts or in the cytoplasm Algae p. 30
Organisms colorless; if pigmented, green pigments do not have the characteristics of
chlorophyll "a" 2
2. Diameter or width of cells exceeds 2.0 microns; proceed to Section A p. 991
Diameter or width does not exceed 2.0 microns; proceed to Section B p. 996
Note: (1) In assessing diameter or width, measurement must be made of the
cells themselves and not of any capsular structures or sheaths which may sur-
round them. In Section A some cells have widths up to 100 microns and are
clearly visible to the naked eye.
(2) To avoid confusion the following terms have the following meanings
throughout the key:
Trichome: A uniseriate multicellular organism in which the multicellular
character is clearly visible without staining after removal of any cell inclu-
sions, such as sulfur. The term includes all gliding, non-flagellated organisms
regardless of whether they are obviously multicellular, with all cells except-
ing terminal ones of uniform size and with square ends, or apparently unicel-
lular organisms in chains.
The term includes also the obviously multicellular peritrichously flagel-
lated organisms in which division of the trichome normally results in separa-
tion of obviously multicellular elements. The latter may, however, separate into
single discoid elements which grow out into multicellular forms.
The term does not include the peritrichously flagellated cells which form
chains in which the individual cells do not appear multicellular without spe-
cial staining procedures.
The presence or absence of a sheath should not be taken into consideration.
Chain of cells: Organisms which characteristically divide in one plane only
and remain attached to each other by a continuity of the cell wall. The indi-
vidual cells do not appear multicellular without special staining. They are
either non-motile,or, if motile, possess flagella. The presence or absence of a
sheath should not be taken into consideration.
Filament: An elongated rod which shows no evidence of multicellularity
without special staining.
990
SECTION A
1. Multicellular organisms with or without a sheath or unicellular organisms arranged
in chains and surrounded by a sheath 2
Unicellular organisms 18
2. Multicellular organisms not in a sheath 3
Organisms in a sheath 11
3. Both trichomes and abstricted cells are non -motile and are not flagellated 4
Either trichomes or abstricted cells or both are motile. Motility may be either by glid-
ing on solid surfaces (non-flagellated) or by means of flagella. (Apparently non-
motile but flagellated cells are included in this section.) 5
4. Trichomes up to 5,000 microns in length attached basally by means of a globular hold-
fast; endospores produced in any or all cells within the trichome and obliquely sit-
uated; recorded from the alimentary canal of millipeds, cockroaches and toads
Arthromitus p. 835
Trichomes long and attached by means of a holdfast which may be distinct or rela-
tively inconspicuous; globular sulfur deposited internally when growing in the
presence of hydrogen sulfide Thiothrix p. 84^
Long trichomes arranged in bundles; each cell contains one or more gas vacuoles
which gleam reddish in transmitted light; do not deposit sulfur internally
Peloploca p. 270
Trichomes limited to four cells, the end ones being rounded; may be arranged in chains;
recorded from the buccal cavity Simonsiella p. 833
5. Trichomes flagellated, peritrichous 6
Trichomes or abstricted cells not flagellated; motility of a gliding type on solid sur-
faces or along adjacent cells 7
6. Cells approximately 5 microns in width and straight to curved; develop a large endo-
spore apparently by fusion of several cells within the trichome. The spore is nor-
mally centrally located. Division is preceded by formation of biconcave discs within
the trichome somewhat similar to those produced by Oscillator ia; found in large
numbers in the cecum of the guinea pig Oscillospira p. 834
Cells 3 or more microns wide; actively motile; do not produce endospores; common in
fresh dung Caryophanon p. 831
7. Spiral cells Thiospirillopsis p. 840
No spirals 8
8. Entire trichomes are motile 9
Entire trichomes are not motile; attached by means of a holdfast; taper from the base
to the tip; single cells formed by abstriction from the tip are motile by a gliding
motion on a solid surface; trichomes characteristically arranged in rosettes but may
occur singly Leucothrix p. 850
9. Elemental sulfur is deposited in a globular form in the cells when growing in waters
containing hydrogen sulfide Beggiatoa p. 838
Elemental sulfur is not deposited internally 10
10. Cells within the trichomes contain one or more gas vacuoles which gleam bluish or
reddish in transmitted light; described from surface films in pond waters
Pelonema p. 271
Note: Pelonema is described as having a thin sheath and as being possibly
motile. It seems unlikely that floating motile filaments would be ensheathed,
and for this reason Pelonema is included here.
Not as above Vitreoscilla p. 845
11. Width of sheath increases from base to tip; cells within the sheath divide trans-
991
992 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
versely and longitudinally towards the tip to produce large numbers of coccoid ele-
ments ;attached by means of a holdfast 12
Width of the sheath uniform or variable; division of cells in a transverse di-
rection only 13
12. Cells within the basal portion of the sheath longer than wide; when growing in iron-
bearing waters, the sheath becomes heavily impregnated with iron
Crenothrix p. 212
Cells within the basal portion of the sheath much wider than long; sheaths remain
colorless in iron-bearing waters Phragmidiothrix p. ^73
13. Cells within the base of the sheath 2 by 10 microns with rounded ends; divide trans-
versely near the tip to produce spherical non-motile cells which are extruded either
singly or in chains. The sheath becomes heavily impregnated with iron or manga-
nese, becoming wide at the base and tapering towards the tip; attached by a hold-
fast; false branching is common Clonothrix p. ^74
Spirally wound to straight chains up to 250 microns long; sheaths heavily encrusted
with iron Leptothrix p. 26 J^
Note: The single species may be a Sphaerotilus.
Not as above 14
14. Chains of cells enclosed in a sheath of uniform width; attached by means of a con-
spicuous holdfast; free cells motile by means of subpolar flagella
Sphaerotilus p. 263
Note: Species oi Sphaerotilus have been shown to precipitate iron in the sheath,
in which state they strongly resemble species of Leptothrix. The author has
shown that S. nutans will also deposit sulfur internally, though the possible
relationship to Thiothrix is uncertain.
Not as above ; if motile, not flagellated 15
15. Sulfur deposited internally when grown in water containing hydrogen sulfide 16
Sulfur not deposited internally 17
16. Several trichomes within a common sheath Thioploca p. 84i
A single trichome within each sheath; usually attached by a holdfast
Thiothrix p. 84£
17. Colorless trichomes, attached at the base, tapering from the base to the tip; most
characteristically arranged in rosettes but may occur singly. Constriction of the
outer wall near the tips produces a beaded appearance. Single cells are abstricted and
may exhibit a gliding motility on a solid surface. The trichomes themselves are im-
mobile Leucothrix p. 850
Note: Although Harold and Stanier state that no sheath is visible, the descrip-
tion of Pontothrix, which they consider identical, cites a prominent sheath.
Colorless trichomes up to 500 microns in length; each cell contains one or more gas
vacuoles which gleam reddish or bluish in transmitted light; enclosed in a thin trans-
parent sheath; occur singly Pelonema p. 271
Note: Peloploca, which has a similar cellular morphology, although described
as "no sheath evident," and which occurs in bundles, should be compared
carefully with Pelonema.
18. Spiral cells 19
Not as above 23
19. Cells contain bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments; cell masses various shades
of red or purple 20
Not as above 21
20. Oxidize hydrogen sulfide, depositing sulfur internally Thiospirillum p. 4-^
Do not oxidize hydrogen sulfide Rhodospirillum p. 58
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 993
21. Rigid cells 6 to 50 microns long; actively motile by means of polar flagella; deposit sul-
fur internally when growing in waters containing hydrogen sulfide
Thiospira p. 82
Flexible cells; not flagellated; do not deposit sulfur internally 22
22. Large, spiral cells, with tapered ends, up to 100 microns long; protoplast wound spirally
around a well defined axial filament; no cross striations; motile by means of a flexu-
ous movement Spirochaeta p. 893
Spiral cells with a round cross section and blunt ends; up to 60 microns long; cells have
a ridge or crista composed of numerous fibrils running along one side of the spiral,
cross striations distinct; found in the intestinal tract of molluscs
Cristispira p. 896
23. Stalked cells ; aquatic in habit 24
Cells not borne on stalks 25
24. Cells rod-shaped; 2 by 6 to 12 microns; single cells attached terminally and at right
angles to branches of a lobose, dichotomously branched stalk; form globular bush-
like or plate-like growths on the surface of waters Nevskia p. 216
Cells pear-shaped to spherical; multiply by budding; cells attached by a long slender
stalk to a holdfast, several stalks frequently arising from one holdfast. (This organ-
ism has so far been found only in lake waters where temperature does not exceed
23°C.) Blastocaulis p. 279
Cells pear-shaped; borne on a very short stalk; cells grow attached to each other in a
cauliflower-like mass and reproduce by longitudinal division and budding. Colonies
break up at intervals, and liberated cells start new colonies. Cells and methods of
reproduction resemble those found in Chaemosiphon , a blue-green alga; discovered
in the body cavity of a fresh-water crustacean Pasteuria p. 279
25. Endospores produced 26
No endospores produced 27
26. Spherical cells in cubical packets Sarcina p. 467
Rod-shaped cells Clostridium p. 634
27. Cells contain bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments; cell masses are various
shades of red and purple; proceed to Section J p. 1031
Not as above 28
28. Iron deposited on the cells or in capsules 29
Note: In the absence of further information, these organisms are identified
on their iron-depositing characteristics. Most iron organisms studied in pure
culture metabolize the organic compound which forms the iron chelate, and the
liberated iron chelates with some cell component. Citrate-utilizing organisms
will, for example, release iron from ferric ammonium citrate. Accumulation
of the iron in or on the cell may depend only on the nature of the cell sub-
stance. Pure-culture studies may place these organisms in more commonly
recognized genera. Many more organisms, if tested, may fall into the follow-
ing genera. They should also be treated as non-iron-depositing cells and should
be followed through the key.
Not as above 32
29. Iron deposited as a torus, a solid ring partially or completely around the cell in one
area only giving the cells the appearance of open or closed links of a chain 30
Iron deposited uniformly over the cells or capsules 31
30. Cells completely surrounded by a torus Naunianniella p. 223
Cells only partially enclosed, appearing like a horseshoe. Flagella of unequal length
borne at the open end Ochrobium p. 225
Note: The type of flagellation suggests that this may be an alga.
994 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
39. Cells coccoid only at pH 7.0 on peptone yeast extract acetate agar; develop into multi-
cellular rods with peritrichous flagella under other conditions; do not fix atmospheric
nitrogen Caryophanon p. 831
Cells grow in nitrogen-free mineral salts media, fixing atmospheric nitrogen
Azotobacter p. 283
40. Aerobic 41
Anaerobic 42
41. Gram -positive; cells occur in irregular clusters Micrococcus p. 455
Gram-negative; fix atmospheric nitrogen. The coccoid form is only part of a cycle
of morphological forms, the initial stage of which is a large rod
Azotobacter p. 283
42. Large cocci, 3 to 4 microns wide, sometimes bearing rod-shaped protuberances on op-
posite sides and at an obtuse angle to one another — a pleomorphic stage of a rod-
shaped cell 0.8 by 2.4 to 10 microns; produce copious gas from peptone
Sphaerophorus -p. 44i
{S. ridiculosis)
Spherical cells; pleomorphic, ranging in diameter from 0.7 to 2.5 microns; occurring in
pairs, short chains and in irregular groups; dependent on glycine for growth in or-
ganic media. Glycine is decomposed to CO2 , NH3 and acetic acid
Peptococcus p. 474
{P. (jlycinophilus)
43. Large, cj'lindrical, pear-shaped or slightly curved rods 3 to 14 microns wide; activelj^
motile by means of single polar flagella; contain large spherules of calcium carbonate
and may also contain sulfur Macromonas p. 80
Not as above 44
44. Curved rods 45
Straight rods 46
45. Curved rods with a bunch of flagella inserted laterally in the concave part of the cell;
anaerobic; recorded from the cecum of the guinea pig, the buccal cavity of man and
the rumen of the herbivora Selenomonas p. 258
Curved rods with polar flagella; 1.7 to 2.4 by 6.6 to 14.0 microns; contain small globules
of sulfur in the center of the cell and a single large volutin granule at each end
Thiospira p. 82
46. Cells 1.4 to 2.0 by 4.0 to 5.0 microns; motile by means of polar flagella; anaerobic to
microaerophilic; ferments glucose, producing ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide and
lactic acid Zymonionas p. 199
Motile by means of peritrichous flagella; grow in a nitrogen-free mineral salts medium,
fixing atmospheric nitrogen Azotobacter p. 283
SECTION B
Note: Criteria for the separation of the small colorless protozoan forms from
bacteria are very limited. Cells in which the chromatinic material is clearly
organized into chromosomes which divide and separate during mitosis are
probably protozoa. Robinow (Bacteriol. Rev., 20, 1956, 207-242) states that he
"knows of no other protists, besides the blue-green algae, with nuclei re-
sembling the chromatin bodies of bacteria though it is probable that they
exist". The reader is referred to this review for a detailed statement on the
position.
It is suggested that all microbial forms which come under this Section be
followed through the key. This practice may assist materially in clarifying the
situation.
1. Ultra-microscopic and filterable forms; strict intracellular parasites of animals and
plants not cultivable on artificial media but transferable by contact or by arthropod
vectors Virales p. 985
2. Strict parasites occurring within tissue cells of animal hosts or on or in erythrocytes.
With few exceptions, which have been treated under Section H, they cannot be or
have not been cultivated in artificial media. Some can be cultivated in chick embryos
or in tissue cultures. In the tissues or blood stream they occur either as spherical ele-
mentary bodies and initial bodies from 0.2 to 2.0 microns in diameter or slightly larger
(usually 0.20 to 0.35 micron), singly or in aggregations in plaques several microns in
diameter or as bacillary, triangular, ring-shaped horseshoe-shaped and other pleo-
morphic forms. Bacillary forms may be as long as 3 microns. Stain with Giemsa's or
Macchiavello's stain without differentiation into cytoplasmic and nuclear structures,
a condition which would be suggestive of protozoa. See Manual keys for the class
Microtatobiotes p. 933
3. Small, spherical bodies, 150 to 300 millimicrons in diameter, which germinate to produce
filaments approximately 0.2 micron wide and from 2 to 50 microns long, sparcely or
richly branching. At a later stage of growth small endomycelial corpuscles develop in
the filaments by a process of successive condensation and constriction. As a result the
homogeneous filaments are retransformed into chains of close-set spherical bodies
which are released by fragmentation; highly resistant to penicillin and sulfathiazole;
colonies on agar have a dense granulated central area which penetrates into the agar
and which is surrounded by a translucent flat peripheral zone or consist of a pearly
film containing numerous spots due to calcium or magnesium soaps; do not ferment
lactose, sucrose, mannitol or dulcitol Mycoplasma p. 914
Note: L-phase colonies of some bacteria bear a strong resemblance to the
colonies of Mycoplasma. They are generally more opaque, more heavily marked
on the surface, tend to revert to the normal bacillary form in penicillin-free
semi-solid media, are more difficult to subculture, do not require cholesterol
for growth and ferment the same carbohydrates as the parent organism.
4. Spiral cells ; proceed to Section C p. 998
This section does not include: (a) all forms like Vitreoscilla, which, through their
great length and extreme flexibility, are apt to coil in one plane in watch-spring fash-
ion; (b) spiral cells of the streptomyces type which arise from branching Gram-posi-
tive filaments; and (c) chains of vibrios. The latter do not possess the true helical
twist of the spiral organisms.
5. Spherical to ovoid cells which reproduce by production of a tubular outgrowth, 0.2 to
0.3 micron wide, from the cell on the end of which a daughter cell is formed. The
tubular outgrowths may be simple or branched. Daughter cells are initially spherical
but are later ovoid to rod-shaped; colorless or contain photosynthetic pigments.
996
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 997
Colorless cells, ovoid, 0.5 by 1.0 micron when mature; motile by means of a single
polar flagellum; daughter cells may break loose from the tubular outgrowth and
form tubes of their own while still actively motile. .Hyphoinicrobium p. 2'^1
Cell masses salmon-pink to a deep orange-red; cells ovoid, 1.2 by 2.S microns;
non-motile; contain photosynthetic pigments; grow only under anaerobic condi-
tions when exposed to light Rhodoniicrohium p. 2^^
6. Spherical cells which reproduce by binary fission or by budding. Well-defined stalks are
secreted by some species, the budding form of reproduction being confined to the
stalked types; proceed to .Section D p. 1000
7. Vegetative cells, rod-shaped; Gram-negative; microcjsts produced in macroscopically
visible fruiting bodies or occur loosely among elongated S-shaped, twisted or straight
flexible Gram-negative rods; germinate to produce rod-shaped cells which are motile
only by a creeping action on solid surfaces. These rods may contract to form spherical
microcysts or may combine in groups to form fruiting bodies in which the spherical
or rod-shaped microcysts are formed. See Manual keys for the order Myxobac-
terales p. 85S
8. Rod-shaped cells, 0.5 to 1.5 by 2 to 5 microns, which grow in colonies on the surface of
water containing sulfide and which deposit sulfur either inside or outside the cells.
One species forms bladder-like gelatinous colonies with the bacteria embedded in the
surface Thiobacterium p. 79
Note: This very ill-defined group is separated here because of a complete lack
of information of other properties. It is suggested that any such forms, if found,
should be keyed out in the section on rods to determine their possible taxonomic
relationship. The presence of the sulfur around the cells in such a location may
not be significant.
9. Rod-shaped and filamentous forms reproducing by binary fission, by fragmentation
of the mycelium, by the production of endospores or conidia or by the production of
microcysts; proceed to Section E p. lOOS
SECTION C
1. Organisms contain chlorobium chlorophyll or bacteriochlorophyll with carotenoid
pigments 2
Organisms do not contain photosynthetic pigments 4
2. Non-motile cells containing only chlorobium chlorophyll; appear distinctly green
even under a microscope; may be found in -pure cultures associated with other morpho-
logical forms such as rods and streptococcal forms, the latter often predominating;
strictly anaerobic cells which oxidize sulfide, depositing sulfur outside the cells
Chlorobium p. 62
Note: This pleomorphism, recorded by van Niel, has been disputed by later
investigators.
Cells contain bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments; red or purple in masses
of cells; actively motile by means of polar flagella 3
3. Organisms grow autotrophically under anaerobic conditions exposed to light; oxidize
sulfide and thiosulfate to sulfur, which is deposited inside the cells
Thiospirillum p. Jfi
Organisms will grow anaerobically when exposed to light but will not grow under
strictly autotrophic conditions; require growth factors available in yeast extract;
may oxidize sulfide but do not oxidize thiosulfate; sulfur is not deposited in the cells
Rhodospirillum p. 58
4. Uniseriate chains of cells enclosed in a sheath; impregnated with iron when in iron-
bearing waters; spirally wound around themselves or algal filaments
Leptothrix p. 26J^
Note: Species oi Sphaerotilus, considered by Pringsheim and others as identical
with Leptothrix, frequently show spirally twisted sheathed forms among nor-
mally straight ones.
Chains of curved rods wound into a ball within a nearly spherical capsule; do not store
iron or manganese Myconostoc p. 260
Spiral cells bearing a torus of iron hydroxide Naumanniella p. 223
Very thin cells wound into tight cylindrical coils 15 to 20 microns long; may be embedded
in a capsular material when grown on silica gel. Slowly oxidize ammonia to nitrite
Nitrosospira p. 70
Not as above 5
5. Non-motile trichomes spirally wound around each other in bundles; not ensheathed;
cells within the trichomes contain gas vacuoles which have a reddish gleam in trans-
mitted light Peloploca p. 270
Motile trichomes having a slow, creeping, rotating type of motility on solid surfaces
with the tips of the filaments oscillating; no flagella; deposit sulfur internally from
sulfide-containing waters Thiospirillopsis p. 840
Not as above 6
6. Cells parasitic on the protozoan Paramecium 7
Not as above 8
7. Cells contain 1.5 to 2.5 spiral turns; tapered at the ends; parasitic within the micro-
nucleus of Paramecium aurelia causing marked enlargement of the micronucleus,
which is filled with spirals Holospora p. 929
(H. tindulata)
Cells incurved in two spiral turns that are not abrupt; one end pointed and the other
rounded; no flagella; movement helicoid; endospores are formed; parasitic in the
cytoplasm of Paramecium caudatum Drepanospira p. 928
8. Cells, not more than 10 microns long, which may appear spiral in heat-fixed and stained
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 999
preparations; flexible rods in the living state; motile by means of a creeping action
on solid surfaces possibly Cytophaga p. 858
(See Manual kej^s for the order Myxobacterales) p. 868
Not as above; cells actively motile in free solution 9
9. Cells relatively rigid; motile by means of polar flagella 10
Cells flexible; motile by means of a helicoid flexing action 12
10. Cells oxidize hydrogen sulfide, depositing sulfur as small globules in the center of the
cell with volutin granules towards the ends Thiospira p. 82
Not as above 11
11. Cells consisting of a single complete spiral twist; rather sharply angulated; cells 1.5
to 2.0 microns wide at the center and tapering towards both ends. In the center of the
cell is an ovoid to rounded body almost as wide as the cell and clearly visible without
staining. It stains deeply with neutral red in killed cells and with Heidenhain's iron-
haematoxylin or Giemsa's stain in fixed cells and is considered to be a nucleus; motile
by means of polar flagella; when attached to an object at one end, cells are capable
of contraction to a more angulated spiral Paraspirilluni p. 257
Note: The author has seen in pond waters several cells very similar morpho-
logically to these cells except that the central body appeared pale green and
may be a chloroplast.
Not as above; spirals quite rigid; movement in liquids of a definite helical type
Spirillum p. 253
Note: Several species of vibrios are described as forming spiral chains {V.
sputigenus, V. jejuni, V. coli, V. indicus, V. luminosus, V. marinopraesens) .
If a vibrio is curved only along one axis, formation of a true spiral is not pos-
sible. Cells forming a true spiral when in chains must have the basic helical
twist in the axis of the individual cells and should be classified as Spirillum.
12. Cells 20 to 300 microns long and 0.25 to 2.0 microns wide (generally 0.25 to 0.5 micron)
with the protoplast wound around a well-defined axial filament; cells very flexible
and actively motile; flagella absent; fresh- and salt-water forms
Spirochaeta p. 893
Spiral cells, 0.5 to 3.0 microns wide and 10 to 100 microns long, with a spiral amplitude
of 6 to 8 microns; flexible cells characterized by a thin membrane or crista on one side
of the body which extends the entire length of the cell; cross striations in stained cells
are distinct; actively motile without flagella; recorded from the crystalline style sac
in the alimentary canal of molluscs Cristispira p. 895
Spiral cells, 0.5 to 1.2 microns wide and 60 to 80 microns long, with a spiral amplitude
of 4 to 25 microns; cross striations in stained cells distinct; no axial filament or crista;
actively motile but not flagellated; found in oysters and also free living
Saprospira p. 894
Not as above 13
13. Not readily stained; stain with Giemsa's stain or by silver impregnation methods;
visible unstained under darkground but rarely by ordinary light microscopy 14
Cells stain readily; Gram-negative; cells rarely more than 1 micron wide; spirals fre-
quently irregular and of variable amplitude Borrelia p. 897
14. Aerobic; cells 0.1 to 0.2 micron thick; wound in a very fine coil and hooked at one or
both ends; can be cultivated in vitro in semi-solid rabbit plasma media
Leptospira p. 907
Anaerobic; very fine coiled cells of uniform amplitude; may be pointed at both ends but
not hooked Treponema p. 904
SECTION D
1. Organisms contain photosynthetic pigments alone or with carotenoid pigments. Cells
in masses appear green to greenish yellow or red to purple. These organisms will grow
in certain media under anaerobic conditions only when exposed to light. Certain
species are also capable of aerobic growth in the dark 29
Not as above 2
2. Single cells borne on the end of elongated stalks; aquatic forms 3
Cells not borne on stalks 4
3. Stalks band-shaped and twisted into a flat spiral; dumb-bell shaped in cross section;
composed entirely of or impregnated with ferric hydroxide; dissolves completely in
dilute mineral acids; a single cell is borne at the end of each stalk
Gallionella p. 2H
Stalks long and slender; attached to some solid object by means of a holdfast; cells
spherical to pear-shaped; reproduce by budding, the daughter cells subsequently
secreting individual stalks Blastocaulis p. 279
4. Cells or their capsules impregnated with iron or manganese 5
Note: In the absence of further information, these organisms are identified on
their iron-depositing characteristics. Most iron organisms studied in pure cul-
ture metabolize the organic compound which forms the iron chelate, and the
liberated iron chelates with some cell component. Citrate-utilizing organisms
will, for example, release iron from ferric ammonium citrate. Accumulation of
the iron in or on the cell may depend only on the nature of the cell substance.
Pure-culture studies may place these organisms in more commonly recognized
genera. Many more organisms, if tested, may fall into the following genera.
They should also be treated as non-iron-depositing cells and should be fol-
lowed through the key.
Not as above 7
5. Not encapsulated Siderococcus p. 225
Cells encapsulated 6
6. Groups of cocci arranged in pairs in a common capsule. . . . Siderosphaera p. 220
Cocci occur singlj^ or in unordered groups in a common capsule
Siderocapsa p. 218
7. Cells coccal only as a stage in a definite life cycle or as a pleomorphic phase of rod-
shaped bacteria 8
Cells coccal at all stages of growth 15
8. Cells have a definite cyclic form of development; spherical cells germinate at one or
more points to produce rod-shaped cells which elongate and divide. At the point of
division, growth of the cells continues at an angle to the original axis. When the
side branch is equal in size to the parent cell, division occurs at the angle. This process
is repeated during the growth of the colony. In older colonies, the rods transform en-
tirely into a mass of cocci. Rods are most frequently Gram-negative with Gram-
positive granules; cocci are frequently Gram -positive; soil inhabitants.
Arthrobacter p. 605
Note: The emphasis lies on the final transformation into cocci. Some authori-
ties may consider that limited true branching may occur. If this is admitted,
the dividing line between Arthrobacter and Nocardia becomes very slim. The
author's observations of Arthrobacter globiforme fit the above statement, and
it is suggested that these criteria be adopted, true branching forms which later
disintegrate being assigned to Nocardia.
Not as above 9
1000
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1001
9. Gram-positive 10
Gram-negative 11
10. Organisms occur as cocci under anaerobic conditions in neutral media; in media be-
coming acid, they assume a diphtheroid form; extremely pleomorphic under aerobic
conditions; produce propionic acid from lactic acid. . . Propionibacterium p. 569
Not as above possibly Mycococcus p. 707
Note: The description of Mycococcus has a strong resemblance to that of
Arthrobacter in the earlier literature, and the two generic names may be syno-
nj^ms. Micrococcus cinnabareus and M. rhodochrous are included here.
11. Anaerobic; non-motile; Gram -negative; principally rod-shaped cells exhibiting a coc-
coid phase; recorded from genital and alimentary tracts of man and other animals
Sphaerophorus p. 44^
Aerobic 12
12. Obligate halophiles requiring 16 to 30 per cent salt for growth; not luminescent
Halobacterium p. 207
Not obligate halophiles 13
13. Parasites attacking erj'throcj-tes and endothelial cells of man; extremely pleomorphic
within the host; straight and curved rods, ring forms and cocci occur; grow in semi-
solid rabbit serum agar mainly as rods and cocci ; polar flagella
Bartonella p. 969
Note: This genus is selected as an example only of a large group of intracellular
parasites which are pleomorphic and have coccal stages. Only an odd species
has been cultivated. For other species, see the Manual keys for the class
Microtatobiotes p. 933
Animal parasites; non-motile; produce tularemia or tularemia-like infections in ro-
dents Pasteurella p. 895
Not as above 14
14. Bioluminescent when grown on fish agar or meat infusion agar containing 3 per cent salt
Photobacterium p. 193
Organisms not fitting into anj- of the above groups are probably pleomorphic forms of
rod-shaped cells; proceed to Section E p. 1003
15. Organisms parasitic within the cj^oplasm or nucleus of flagellated protozoa 16
Not as above 17
16. Parasitic on the nucleus or nucleolus Caryococcus p. 927
Parasitic in the cj'toplasm of Trichomonas batrachorum Micrococcus p. 929
{M. batrachorum)
17. Strict autotrophs; will not grow on organic media; oxidize ammonia to nitrite or nitrite
to nitrate 18
Heterotrophic 19
18. Oxidize ammonia to nitrite; non-motile; not encapsulated . . Nitrosococcus p. 69
Other than above; proceed to Section G p. 1008
19. Obligate anaerobes 20
Aerobic or microaerophilic 23
20. Gram-variable; cells occur singly or in masses; ferment acetate vigorously with the
production of methane; discovered in mud Methanococcus p. 473
Not as above 21
21. Gram-positive 22
Gram-negative ; arranged in pairs and clusters ; diameter of cells varies between species
from 0.3 to 2.0 microns Veillonella p. 485
22. Organisms arranged in pairs or chains only Peptostreptococcus p. 533
Organisms arranged in cubical packets Sarcina p. 467
1002 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
Note: The unequal length of the flagella suggests that this may be an algal
or protozoan cell.
Not as above 12
12. Rods arranged at random in zoogloea; encrusted with iron. . . . Sideromonas p. 222
(Including Siderocapsa major)
Cells arranged in pairs or chains in capsules Ferribacterium p. 221
13. Cells in mass appear green to greenish yellow; contain a photosynthetic pigment which
is not bacteriochlorophyll or chlorophyll "a" but which may be chlorobium chloro-
phyll; individual cells usually colorless; grow anaerobically when exposed to light,
oxidizing sulfide to sulfur, which is deposited outside the cell; no growth aerobically
14
Not as above 18
14. Cells found adherent to the surface of other organisms, apparently living in symbiosis
with them 15
Note: The taxonomic significance of these groups is doubtful, but until they
are isolated from the supposed symbiont and studied separately, they must
be treated in this fashion.
Cells free-living 17
15. Green cells attached to the surface of a protozoan Chlorobacteriuni p. 65
Green cells attached to bacteria 16
16. Aggregates small, barrel-shaped, activeh' motile, consisting of a central, polar-flagel-
late, rod-shaped cell covered with the green organisms; green cells 0.5 to 1.0 by 1.0
to 2.5 microns, usually 8 to 16 surrounding the central cell; aggregates measure
2.5 to 5.0 by 7 to 12 microns Chlorochromatium p. 65
Aggregates large, long and cylindrical; non-motile; consist of green cells, 0.5 to 1.0 by
2.0 to 4.0 microns, lying on the surface of a slime capsule which covers the inner
cylindrical cell. They are themselves covered by a layer of slime. Aggregates measure
7.0 to 8.0 microns wide by up to 50 microns long Cylindrogloea p. 66
17. Encapsulated cells forming characteristic aggregates consisting of net-like structures,
irregular three-dimensional masses or two-dimensional masses in which cells lie in
parallel strands Pelodictyon p. 63
Cells may produce slime but usually remain dispersed; in young healthy cultures, small
ovoid rods, 0.7 to 0.9 by 1.5 microns, forming chains; at pH 7.5 to 8.0, involution forms
such as cork-screw type rods and cocci are characteristic. . . .Chlorobium p. 62
18. Cell masses are various shades of red or purple 19
Not as above 20
19. Cells contain bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid pigments; capable of growth anaero-
bically when exposed to light; proceed to Section J p. 1031
Not as above 20
20. Cells motile only by a gliding movement on solid surfaces or along each other; single
cells non-motile when free in solution. Motility can be observed at the glass-
water interface on a slide or on the surface of agar plates where cells move singly or
in groups, frequently leaving a trail of slime behind. Cells are flexible, the extent of
the flexibility being dependent on length and turgidity (see note below) 21
Note: This subdivision is represented by two main groups: In one the cells
are usually less than 10 microns long, frequently only 2.0 to 5.0 microns; Gram-
negative; in wet preparations fi.xed with osmic acid, they may appear as blunt-
ended rods; in stained preparations subjected to heat fixation, they are fre-
quently curved, S-shaped, bent or spirilliform. In the other, the cells are
usually longer than 10 microns and may form articulated chains.
There are, however, much shorter representatives of this subdivision which,
because of their shortness, are more rigid and resemble ordinary bacteria in
many respects except for their gliding movement and lack of flagella. Species
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1007
of both groups so far described have been found in fresh and salt water, soil
and decomposing organic matter, especially dung.
Not as above; cells non-motile or motile, when free in solutioia, by means of flagella;
proceed to Section G p. 1008
21. Cells which, on rabbit dung or bacterial cell agar or other suitable media, produce
spherical or rod-shaped microcysts either lying free among the rods or l)orne in macro-
scopically visible fruiting bodies formed by transformation of whole or part of the
population of rod-shaped cells; cells rarely more than 10 microns long; proceed to
Manual keys for the order Myxobacterales p. 858
Not as above 22
22. Rod-shaped cells forming articulated chains Bactoscilla p. 848
Not as above 23
23. Filaments from 12 to 100 microns or more in length, highly flexible and actively motile
by gliding motion; cells may bend and wave but do not rotate
Microscilla p. 849
Not as above 24
24. Cells usually less than 12 microns long. Two groups are possibly represented here: If
the colonies are pigmented yellow, pink, green, orange or black, they probably belong
to the genus Cytophaga p. 858
If they are white and albuminous, they may belong to Soriano's genus
Flexibacter p. 858
SECTION G
1. Organisms will not grow on meat extract or other complex organic media; strict auto-
trophs which use carbon dioxide as the sole source of carbon and which obtain their
energj^ from the oxidation of carbon monoxide or other inorganic substances 2
Note: The genus Methanomonas has to be considered here. The information in
the Manual does not indicate whether the organism is a strict or facultative
autotroph. For this reason any polar flagellate terminating at the genus Pseudo-
monas should be checked for its ability to grow by autotrophically oxidizing
methane. (See also note on Carhoxydomonas.)
Not as above 6
2. Organisms oxidize ammonia to nitrite 3
Organisms oxidize nitrite to nitrate 5
Organisms oxidize inorganic sulfur compounds Thiobacillus -p. 83
Organisms oxidize ferrous iron Ferrobacillus p. 227
Organisms oxidize carbon monoxide Carboxydomonas p. 77
Note: It is reasonably certain that Carboxydomonas is also heterotrophic and
may be identical with Hydrogenotnonas.
3. Cells encapsulated ; form zoogloeae 4
Cells not encapsulated Nitrosomonas p. 68
4. Zoogloeae encysted Nitrosocystis p. 70
Zoogloeae not encysted Nitrosogloea p. 71
5. Zoogloeae formed Nitrocystis p. 73
Zoogloeae not formed Nitrobacter p. 72
6. Gram-positive 7
Gram-negative; proceed to Section H p. 1015
7. Aerobic 8
Anaerobic 35
8. Endospores formed Bacillus p. 613
Note: Five species of Clostridium (89 to 93) are described as aerotolerant. Their
growth under aerobic conditions is very restricted.
No endospores produced 9
9. Organisms show distinct branching in young cultures 10
Organisms do not branch 19
Note: No provision appears to be made for organisms which, under optimal
growth conditions, produce long unbranched filaments which, like Nocardia,
eventually disintegrate into a series of short rods. The Manual descriptions of
Nocardia globerula and N. rubropertincta suggest such forms. The author has
observed others in rabbit dung media. It would seem better to assign such
forms to a new genus in order to retain the branching character in Nocardia.
10. True branching mycelium produced in young cultures 11
Branching very rudimentary, limited to simple branching of isolated rods, no mycelium
formed 16
11. Long, branching filaments which show little or no tendency to fragment completely
into short bacillary and coccal elements 12
Organisms produce a well-defined mycelium in the early stages of development and
then completely fragment into short bacillary elements. When aerial mycelium is
produced it also fragments into rods and coccal elements but does not produce dif-
ferentiated conidia. Fragmentation of the mycelium may commence within a few
hours or may be delayed for several daj-s Nocardia p. 713
Note: (1) Cultures of Actinoplanes, when cultured on certain media, fail to
produce sporangia and resemble Nocardia.
1008
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1009
Note: The descriptions given for species in this genus are like early descriptions
given for Arthrobacler and in some instances could fit Nocardia.
Not as above 18
18. Organisms disintegrate filter paper in 0.5 per cent peptone water; produce clearing on
precipitated cellulose agar plates ; motile (except C. flavigena)
Cellulomonas p. 601
Not as above possibly Corynebacterium p. 579
19. Motile at 37° or at 25°C 20
Non-motile 27
20. Organisms pathogenic to warm-blooded animals causing monocytosis; catalase-posi-
tive; acid produced from glucose, salicin and aesculin Listeria -p. 597
Not as above 21
21. Pathogenic to plants 22
Not pathogenic to plants 24
22. Yellow colonies; polar flagella possibly Corynebacterium -p. 579
(C. flaccumfaciens or C. tritici)
Or. . . . Xanthonionas p. 152
{X. proteamaculans or X. conjac)
Yellow colonies; peritrichous flagella Erwinia p. 349
{E. citrimaculans)
Colonies not yellow 23
23. Flagella polar Corynebacterium p. 579
(C. poinsettiae or C. hypertropMcans)
Or ... . Pseudomonas p . 89
(P. polygoni)
Flagella peritrichous Erwinia p. 34.9
{E. carnegieana)
Note: Erwinia species are generally regarded as Gram-negative. Gram-variable
species are recorded.
24. Organisms disintegrate filter paper in 0.5 per cent peptone water; produce clearing on
precipitated cellulose agar plates Cellulomonas p. 601
Not as above 25
25. No acid from carbohydrates 26
Acid from carbohydrates Brevibacterium p. 490
(Including Flavobacterium suaveolens and F. marinum)
26. Organisms occur in long chains; colonies colorless and spreading. . . . Kurthia p. 503
Organisms arranged singly; colonies yellow Brevibacterium p. 490
(B. suljureum)
27. Acid-fast Mycobacterium p. 695
Not acid-fast 28
28. Organisms 0.2 to 0.4 by 0.5 to 2.5 microns; long filaments common in rough colonies;
occur singly and also in chains; pinpoint transparent colonies on agar in 24 hours at
37 °C., extending on further incubation to 1.5 mm; acid only produced from glucose
and lactose and some other carbohydrates but not from aesculin; final pH in glucose
broth, about 6.0; hydrogen sulfide is produced; causes swine erysipelas, human
erysipeloid, mouse septicemia and infections in sheep, birds and fish
Erysipelothrix p. 599
Not as above 29
29. Rods 0.4 to 0.7 by 1 to 3 microns; show granular staining with methylene blue; arranged
in angular fashion similar to the corynebacteria; only 2 species recorded, both of
which produce acid from glucose, fructose and mannose; catalase-positive; resist
heating to 72°C. for 15 minutes; normally found in dairy products and equipment
Microbacterium p. 600
Not as above 30
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1011
30. Organisms grow on agar under aerobic conditions only if heavy inocula are used;
slightly pleomorphic, including branched forms; 'propionic acid is produced fro7n
glucose and also from lactic acid; catalase-positive. . . Propionibacterium p. 569
(P. arabinosum)
Not as above 31
31. Small spindle-shaped cells usuallj^ occurring in long intertwined chains in liquid media;
microaerophilic; ferments glucose with the production of ethyl alcohol with small
amounts of CO2 and acetic acid and possibly lactic and formic acids; acid and gas
in glucose in 3 to 5 days Zymobacterium p. 577
Not as above 32
32. Colonies usually 1 mm or less in diameter, colorless, little or no growth on media de-
void of carbohydrates; rods frequently arranged in chains, grow in glucose broth,
producing a pH much below 6.0; acid produced from lactose by all species except
L. delbrueckii and L. brevis Lactobacillus p. 5^3
Not as above 33
33. Lactose fermented; cells pleomorphic; arranged in palisades and chinese-letter forms;
frequently bar-shaped, beaded and clubbed Corynebacterium p. 579
Lactose not fermented 31
31. Organisms occur singly, in pairs or in short chains; not pleomorphic
Brevibacteriiim p. 490
(See also B. healii)
Organisms normally found in palisade or chinese-letter forms, pleomorphic; barred,
beaded and club-shaped forms common Corynebacterium p. 579
Note: Criteria for separation of these two genera are inadequate.
35. Organisms produce a true branching mycelium which later disintegrates into simple
rods, cocci and rods with remnants of branches Actinomyces p. 7^2
Organisms do not branch or, if branching occurs, it is limited to bifurcations and
branching of isolated rods; no true mycelium formed 36
36. Endospores produced 37
No endospores produced 38
37. Organisms reduce CO2 to CH4 while oxidizing secondary alcohols to ketones and primary
alcohols to acids Methanobacterium p. 250
{M. omelianskii)
Not as above Clostridium p. 634
38. Cells motile; gas produced from peptone in the absence of carbohydrates
Cillobacterium p. 566
Note: Glucose and other carbohydrates are fermented by all species; butyric
acid is frequently among the byproducts.
Cells non-motile 39
39. Visible gas produced in culture media either in the presence or absence of carbohj'drates
40
Note: In the ensuing section of the key, from 40 to 44 inclusive, the statement
"acid from" infers "acid" or "acid and gas," since it is not clear whether gas
produced in the presence of carbohydrate arises from the fermentation of the
sugar or action on the peptone.
Visible gas in culture media either in the presence or absence of carbohydrates; glucose
fermentation not recorded; pathogenic to guinea pigs; rods occur singly, in pairs,
in V-formation, in short chains and in clumps.
See Eubacterium niosii and Eubacterium guintum
No visible gas produced in culture media in the presence or absence of carbohydrates
45
40. Acid produced from glucose, lactose and fructose 41
Acid produced from glucose and fructose but not from lactose 42
1012 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
Acid produced from glucose and lactose but not from fructose 43
Acid produced from glucose but not from lactose or fructose 44
41. Large rods with rounded ends occurring as short swollen and long curved forms; bi-
furcation common; acid produced also from maltose, galactose and sucrose; strict
anaerobes Catenabacterium p. 560
(C. filamentosum)
Slender rods sometimes undulating and filamentous; form acute V- and Y-shaped
angles giving an appearance of false branching; acid also from galactose and tre-
halose; strict anaerobes Raniibacterium p. 563
(R. ■pseudoramosum)
Microaerophilic, pleomorphic organisms occurring as chains of cocci in acid media
anaerobically and as rods with branching forms aerobically; aerobic growth very
poor; propionic acid produced from lactic acid; limited gas from carbohydrates but
none from peptone Propionibacterium p. 569
Small, spindle-shaped cells usually occurring in long intertwined chains in liquid
media; ferments glucose with the production of ethyl alcohol and small amounts of
CO2 and acetic acid and possibly lactic and formic acids; no butyric or propionic acid
produced; acid and gas in glucose in 3 to 5 daj^s
Zyniobacteriuni {Z. oroticum) p. 517
Rods occurring singly, in pairs or in short or long chains; strict anaerobes
Eubacterium p. 552
(See also Lactobacillus brevis.)
42. Organisms occur in long chains; acid from glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, galac-
tose, xylose and arabinose; propionic acid produced among the byproducts; strict
anaerobes Catenabacterium p. 560
(C. contortum)
Organisms arranged in chains and in acute V- and Y-shaped forms suggestive of false
branches; gelatin not liquefied; nitrites not produced from nitrates; no acid from
maltose; butyric acid is produced; strictly anaerobic. . . . Ramibacterium p. 563
(R. dentium and R. alactolyticum)
Microaerophilic pleomorphic organisms occurring as chains of cocci in acid media
anaerobically and as rods with branching forms aerobically; aerobic growth very
poor; propionic acid produced from lactic acid; limited gas from carbohydrates but
none from peptone Propionibacterium p. 569
Other than above; organisms occur singly or in short chains; acid from maltose; bu-
tyric acid is produced by one species; strict anaerobes. . . .Eubacterium p. 552
(E. foedans, E. quartum, E. limosum; see also Lactobacillus brevis.)
43. Organisms occur in short or long chains with zig-zag arrangement and acute V and Y
forms suggestive of false branching; propionic acid produced by one species
Ramibacterium p. 563
(R. ramosum and R. ramosoides)
Organisms occur singly or in a long, sinuous chain of cells. , . .Eubacterium p. 552
{E. rectale)
Note: There is a strong resemblance between the descriptions of Rami-
bacterium ramosoides and Eubacterium rectale.
44. Organisms occur in short chains and as long pleomorphic filaments; acid produced
from glucose, maltose, sucrose, galactose and glycerol; hydrogen sulfide is produced;
gelatin is liquefied; butyric acid is produced Catenabacterium p. 560
(C. helminthoides)
Organisms arranged singly; butyric acid, acetic acid and CO2 produced from glucose,
maltose and lactic acid Butyribacterium p. 577
{B. rettgeri)
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1013
tract; will grow in selected synthetic media using pneumococcal capsular poly-
sac haride as the sole source of carbon Saccharobacterium
Note: This genus is recorded in the sixth but not in the seventh edition of the
Manual.
Not as above 10
10. Colonies with a purple pigment Chromobacterium p. 292
Note: Chromobacterium marismortui has a bluish-brown pigment; see also
Pseiidomonas iodinum and Pseudomonas beijerinckii.
Colonies red at 37° or 25°C., sometimes with a red, soluble pigment 11
Other than above 17
11. Red color due to prodigiosin; motile by means of peritrichous flagella or non-motile
Serratia p. 359
Red color not due to prodigiosin 12
12. Obligate halophiles requiring 20 to 30 per cent salt for growth; highly pleomorphic
Halobacterium p. 207
Not obligately halophilic 13
13. Organisms metabolize alkylamines; non-motile or motile by means of polar flagella
Protaniinobacter p. 200
Not as above 14
14. Motile by means of polar flagella; straight or curved rods 15
Motile by means of peritrichous flagella 16
15. Straight rods Pseudomonas p. 89
(P. melophthora)
Curved rods Vibrio p. 229
(F. extorquens and V. hyphalus)
16. Methyl-red positive; Voges-Proskauer negative Escherichia p. 335
(E. aurescens)
Methyl-red negative; Voges-Proskauer positive; pathogenic on rhubarb
Erwinia p. 349
{E. rhapontica)
17. Organisms produce a water-soluble, blue, green or yellow pigment 18
Not as above 19
18. Agar hydrolyzed; alginic acid decomposed Alginomonas p. 202
(A. fucicola) (See also Pseudomonas gelatica and Vibrio Juscus.)
Agar not hydrolyzed Pseudomonas p. 89
19. Plant pathogens 20
Not pathogenic or known to be pathogenic to plants 24
20. Organisms produce hyperplastic diseases such as galls and hairy root
Agrobacterium p. 288
Not as above 21
21. Colonies yellow 22
Colonies not yellow 23
22. Flagella polar Xanthomonas p. 152
(See also Bacterium tardicrescens, Bacterium albilineans, Pseudomonas trifolii,
Pseudomonas panicimiliacei , Pseudomonas radiciperda and Pseudomonas levistici.)
Flagella peritrichous Erwinia p. 349
Note: The following j'ellow-pigmented pathogenic organisms are either non-
motile or motility has not been recorded: Bacterium stewartii, Xanthomonas
clerodendri, Xanthomonas sesbaniae and Corijnebacterium agropyri.
23. Flagella polar Pseudomonas p. 89
(See also Xanthomonas panici, X. proteamaculans, X. manihotis, X. rubrisubalbi-
cans, X. cannae, X. zingiberi and X. translucens.)
Flagella peritrichous Erwinia p. 349
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1017
24. Curved and irregular cells; may branch in young cultures; capable of using phenolic
compounds as the sole source of carbon; gas, presumably nitrogen, produced in 0.1
per cent nitrate broth but no nitrites are produced; no acid from carbohydrates
Mycoplana p. 304
Not as above 25
25. Curved rods, very small, about 1.0 micron in length, which, during growth, produce
closed rings, 2.0 to 3.0 microns in diameter, which later change to two horseshoe-
shaped halves fastened together without any evidence of divisional lines. These
divide into separate rods which reproduce the cycle; encapsulated; grow well in
0.5 per cent peptone water Microcyclus p. 25S
Not as above 26
26. Curved or S-shaped rods, 0.1 to 0.2 bj' 6 to 8 microns or longer; very poor growth on
peptone agar;
or
short straight rods 0.5 by 1 to 2 microns; good growth on peptone agar; on inorganic
thiosulfate agar, small watery colonies produced which turn white from the deposi-
tion of sulfur; grow autotrophically, oxidizing thiosulfate to sulfur and sulfate
Thiobacillus p. 83
Not as above 27
27. Curved cells, 1 by 5 to 10 microns, which form chains which may twist around each
other to form coiled, non-septate, non-motile colorless bundles; enclosed in a spheri-
cal, solid gelatinous mass from 10 to 17 microns in diameter; found floating on water
containing decomposing plant material Myconostoc p. 260
Not as above 28
28. Curved organisms which grow on precipitated-cellulose mineral-salts agar producing
a clearing of the medium around the colonies; also grow in 0.5 per cent peptone
water in which a strip of filter paper is half immersed, weakening the filter paper
sufficiently for the fibers to separate on slight agitation or reducing it to a pulpy
mass; organisms are arranged in palisade fashion similar to the corj^nebacteria
Cellulomonas p. 601
(See also Vibrio agarliquefaciens and V. fuscus.)
Not as above 29
29. Curved organisms which grow on a filter-paper mineral-salts medium oxidizing the
cellulose to oxycellulose 30
Not as above 31
30. Sickle-shaped; cells no longer than 2.0 microns; stain more intensely at the center than
at the ends; no growth on a mineral salts agar containing starch; green, cream or
brownish on filter paper Cellfalcicula p. 252
Curved cells 1.5 to 5.0 microns in length, with rounded ends; grow moderately well on
mineral salts agar containing starch; cream, brown or no pigment on filter paper
Cellvibrio p. 250
31. Curved rods which transform completely into coccoid forms during growth of the
colony. Rods elongate and divide. At the point of division the rods grow out at an
angle to the original axis and divide again at the angle when the cell has doubled its
length. This process continues until a colony is formed. Ultimately the rods trans-
form completely into cocci Arthrobacter p. 605
Note: The emphasis lies on the final transformation into cocci. Some authori-
ties may consider that limited true branching may occur. If this is admitted,
the dividing line between Arthrobacter and Nocardia becomes very slim. The
author's observations of Arthrobacter globiforme fit the above statement, and it
is suggested that these criteria be adopted, true branching forms which later
disintegrate being assigned to Nocardia.
Not as above 32
1018 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
56. Marine organisms; nitrites not produced from nitrates; starch hydrolyzed
Flavobacteriuni -p. 309
Not as above possibly Erwinia p. 34.9
Note: Erwinia ananas, E. mangiferae, E. vitivora and E. milletiae terminate here.
57. Organisms found in the cytoplasm of the rhizopod Pelomyxa
Bacteritmi* parapelomyxae p. 929
Note: This entry is valid only if the organism is motile.
Not as above 58
58. Flagella polar Pseudonionas p. 89
Flagella peritrichous Paracolobactrum p. 346
(Anaerogenic strains)
Note: (1) From published data the following organisms, if isolated from the
soil, may terminate here: Agrobacterium rhizogenes, Erwinia amylovora, E.
aroideae, Rhizohium leguminosarum , R. trifolii and R. phaseoli.
In addition the following may also be listed if they prove to be lactose fer-
menters: Achromobacter delicatulum, A. superficiale , Agrobacterium tumefa-
ciens, Rhizobium meliloti and Erwinia salicis.
(2) Non-gas-producing strains of Ballerup and Bethesda Groups, Rome,
1953, which ferment lactose slowly.
59. Acid and gas from glucose 60
Acid only from glucose 64
60. Bioluminescent Photobacterium p. 193
Not as above 61
61. Methyl-red positive; Voges-Proskauer negative 62
Methyl-red negative; Voges-Proskauer positive 63
62. Lactose fermented in 2 days Escherichia p. 335
(^Escherichia, Rome, 1953, for non-motile strains)
Lactose fermentation delayed Paracolobactrum p. 3^6
(P. calif orme strains 311, 17611 and 16911)
63. Encapsulated organisms; pathogenic, causing infections in man and animals, princi-
pally of the respiratory tract Klebsiella p. 344
Not as above Aerobacter p. 341
{Klebsiella {Klebsiella- Aerogenes) Group, Rome, 1953)
64. Small, ovoid coccobacilli causing pneumonia in sheep and cattle
Pasteurella p. 395
Organisms which produce mucoid to cartilaginous colonies adherent to the medium;
grow on meat infusion agar; colonies usually 1 mm in diameter in 24 hours but may
enlarge on further incubation to 3 to 6 mm ; produce a granulated growth on the walls
of the tube in liquid media; occur in necrotic lesions as granules resembling actino-
mycotic granules in cases of actinobacillosis of cattle and joint ill of foals or in
complicating actinomycotic infections. One species may be a commensal in the ali-
mentary canal of solipeds Actinobacillus p. 4H
Not as above 65
65. Fastidious organisms; do not grow on meat infusion agar in the absence of X-f actor
on primary isolation under aerobic conditions but may be trained to grow without it;
colonies on blood agar 0.5 mm in diameter but may be much larger on Levinthal
agar; coccobacillary, arranged singl}% in short chains or in clumps
Haemophilus p. 406
Species represented here cause bronchopneumonia of sheep {H. ovis), respiratory
infection in mice {H. influenzae-murium) and endocarditis {H. aphrophilus) .
Fastidious organisms; require blood or ascitic fluid; highly pleomorphic; rod -shaped
slightl}' in size on further incubation; light brown on potato; Straus reaction pro-
duced in guinea pigs; strict parasites causing glanders in man and animals
Actinobacillus p. J^H
{A. mallei)
Small ovoid coccobacilli arranged singlj^ and in pairs or in small bundles; sometimes
pleomorphic; frequently exhibit bipolar staining; colonies on meat infusion agar
0.1 to 1.0 mm in diameter in 24 hours at 37° C. ; may increase in size up to 4 to 6 mm
in 5 days at 37° C. A slight thin layer or no growth on potato; organisms cause
plague in man and rodents or hemorrhagic septicemia in various other animals and
in birds Pasteurella p. 395
Organisms cause actinobacillosis in man and other animals and may also be found in
actinomycotic lesions; colonies on agar small, circular, bluish gray, translucent,
with a smooth surface and an entire edge, up to 1.5 mm in diameter in 24 hours at
37° C. but increase considerably in size on further incubation; on alkaline potato
a slight glistening grayish yellow growth is produced Actinobacillus p. J^ll^
Not as above 81
81. Curved rods which transform completely into coccoid forms during growth of the
colony. Rods elongate and divide. At the point of division the rods grow out at an
angle to the original axis and divide again at the angle when the cell has doubled its
length. This process continues until a colony is formed. Ultimately the rods transform
completely into cocci. Colonies yellow or colorless Arthrobacter p. 605
Note: The emphasis lies on the final transformation into cocci. Some authori-
ties may consider that limited true branching may occur. If this is admitted
the dividing line between Arthrobacter and Nocardia becomes very slim. The
author's observations of Arthrobacter globiforme fit the above statement, and
it is suggested that these criteria be adopted, true branching forms which
later disintegrate being assigned to Nocardia.
Not as above 82
82. Colonies yellow Flavobacterium p. 309
Colonies colorless 83
83. Enteric pathogens of man; agglutinate with Shigella antisera Shigella p. 384
{Shigella Group, Rome, 1953; non-lactose-fermenters)
Organisms pathogenic to birds; agglutinate with Salmonella Group D "O" antiserum
Salmonella p. 368
{S. gallinarum)
Not as above 84
84. Organisms cause disintegration of filter paper in 0.5 per cent peptone water
Cellulonionas p. 601
Not as above Achroniobacter p. 300
85. Soil organisms; curved rods which transform completely into coccoid forms during
growth of the colony. Rods elongate and divide. At the point of division the rods
grow out at an angle to the original axis and divide again at the angle when the cell
has doubled its length. This process continues until a colony is formed; ultimately
the rods transform completely into cocci; colonies yellow or colorless
Arthrobacter p. 605
Note: The emphasis lies on the final transformation into cocci. Some authori-
ties may consider that limited true branching may occur. If this is admitted
the dividing line between Arthrobacter and Nocardia becomes very slim. The
author's observations of Arthrobacter globiforme fit the above statement, and
it is suggested that these criteria be adopted, true branching forms which
later disintegrate being assigned to Nocardia.
Not as above 86
1024 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
106. Flagella polar; gelatin liquefied; some species are pathogenic to fish, frogs and snakes
while others are saprophytic Aeromonas p. 189
(See also Pseudomonas polygoni and P. colurnae (if lactose is not fermented).)
Flagella peritrichous 107
107. Gelatin liquefied or indole produced or both; organisms may show a marked spreading
growth on solidified agar with a film of moisture on the surface .... Proteus p. 364
(See also Paracolobactrum calif orme strains 4361 and 33811 and Providence Group,
Rome, 1953, for aerogenic strains.)
Note: Proteus spp. are probably also urease-positive. The character is not
mentioned in Manual descriptions.
Gelatin is not liquefied and indole is not produced; colonies do not spread on solidified
agar 108
108. Voges-Proskauer positive Paracolobactrum p. 34-6
(P. aerogenoidss strains 32011, 37711, 35611, 37211, 37511 and 32821)
Voges-Proskauer negative Salmonella p. 368
(Salmonella Group, Rome, 1953)
(See also Paracolobactrum intermedium strains 12611 and 1421 and non-lactose-
fermenting strains of the Bethesda-Ballerup Group, Rome, 1953.)
109. Colonies yellow 110
Colonies not yellow 113
110. Bioluminescent on media containing 3 per cent salt Photobacterium p. 193
Not as above Ill
111. Chitin is hydrolyzed Beneckea p. 328
Not as above 112
112. Flagella polar Xanthomonas p. 152
(See Pseudomonas xantha and P. piciorum and also P. Irifolii, P. radiciperda and
Bacterium tardicrescens if they produce no acid from lactose.)
Flagella peritrichous Flavobacterium p. 309
Note: The following plant pathogens also terminate at this point: Erwinia
cassavae, E. citrimaculans and Agrobacterium gypsophilae.
113. Animal parasites; colonies mucoid; isolated from the eye of the Rhesus monkey
Noguchia p. 421
Small translucent colonies; mucoid, small slender rods in smooth colonies; ovoid rods
with bipolar staining in rough colonies; motile at 37° C; organisms cause meliodio-
sis in man and other animals Pseudomonas p. 89
(P. pseudomallei)
Note: This insertion covers strains which have lost their ability to produce
acid from lactose.
Small umbonate colonies, translucent with a dull finely granular "beaten copper"
surface, entire, butyrous; organisms cause pseudotuberculosis in rodents
Pasteurella p. 395
Organisms found in the cytoplasm of the rhizopod Pelomijxa palustris
Myxococcus p. 930
(M. pelomyxae)
Not as above 114
114. Organisms cause typhoid fever in man; agglutinated by Salmonella group D "O"
antiserum when not in the "Vi" phase; flagella peritrichous
Salmonella p. 368
(S. typhosa)
Not as above 115
115. Agar is digested Agarbacterium p. 322
Agar is not digested 116
COMPREHENSIVE KEY 1027
Small, smooth, raised, entire, pearly colonies on meat infusion agar; medium dis-
colored; litmus milk alkaline in 1 to 2 days; cause bronchopneumonia in rodents
and sometimes associated with canine distemper Bordetella p. 402
Not as above 127
127. Agar digested 128
Agar not digested 129
128. Alginates are metabolized; flagella polar Alginomonas p. 202
(See also Pseudomonas gelatica.)
Alginate metabolism not recorded; flagella peritrichous .... Agarbacterium p. 322
129. Obligate halophiles, requiring 20 to 30 per cent salt for growth
Halobacteriinn p. 207
Not as above 130
130. Alginates metabolized; flagella polar Alginomonas p. 202
Not as above 131
131. Organisms found growing in water among decomposing plant tissue; produce a charac-
teristic lobed gelatinous zoogloea in which the cells are well isolated from each
other; produce cartilaginous colonies on agar Zoogloea p. 206
Cells actively motile, by means of polar flagella; deposit sulfur internally when grow-
ing in the presence of hydrogen sulfide Thiospira p. 82
Note: It is doubtful whether this genus should appear under aerobic organisms.
Not as above 132
132. Flagella polar 133
Flagella peritrichous 135
133. Organisms will grow in a mineral salts medium using CO2 as the sole source of car-
bon and will oxidize hydrogen Hydrogenomonas p. 75
Rods 0.5 by 1 to 2 microns; gelatin liquefied; nitrites and gas produced from nitrates;
starch hydrolj^zed; lipolytic; will grow autotrophically, oxidizing thiosulfate to
sulfate and tetrathionate with an increase in pH. Sulfur is not precipitated
Thiobacillus p. 83
Not as above 134
134. Organisms cause disintegration of filter paper when growing in 0.5 per cent peptone
water Cellulonionas p. 601
(See also Pseudomonas mira.)
Not as above Pseudomonas p. 89
(See also Agrobacterium stellulatum, A. radiobacter, Xanihomonas panici, X. rnbri-
subalbicans, X. cannae, X. zingiberi and Rhizobhun japonicum.)
135. Litmus milk alkaline Alcaligenes p. 297
(See also Agrobacterium radiobacter and RJiizobium spp.)
Litmus milk acid or unchanged Achromobacter p. 300
SECTION I
1. Endospores produced 2
No endospores produced 3
2. Long thin rods oxidizing primary alcohols to acids and secondary alcohols to ketones
while reducing CO2 quantitatively to methane; glucose is not metabolized
Methanobacterium p. 250
(M. omelianskii)
Not as above Clostridium p. 6S4
Note: Desulfovibrio dcsulfuricans has been recorded as a spore former, l:)ut
this claim has not been confirmed.
3. Motile 4
Non-motile 5
4. Curved rods with a bunch of flagella inserted at or near the center of the concave side
of the rod; recorded from the alimentary canal of ruminants and guinea pigs and
from the buccal cavity of man Selenomonas p. 258
Curved rods which reduce sulfates, sulfites, sulfur, thiosulfate and hj'posulfites to hy-
drogen sulfide, using a wide range of organic substances and possibly hydrogen as
hydrogen donors; motile by means of polar flagella Desulfovibrio p. 2^8
Curved rods depositing sulfur internally when growing in the presence of hydrogen
sulfide; motile bj' means of polar flagella Thiospira p. 82
Curved rods other than above ; motile by means of polar flagella Vibrio p. 229
Note: V. sputorum and V. niger are the only two species recorded here. V. coli
requires 15 per cent CO2 but is not recorded as anaerobic.
Not as above 5
5. Organisms which ferment glucose with the production of large quantities of ethj'l
alcohol plus other byproducts including CO2 Zymomonas p. 199
Rods straight or slightly curved; occur in liquids in long chains, frequently in parallel
bundles; ferment acetate and n-butyrate with the production of methane and car-
bon dioxide; ethyl alcohol and n-butyl alcohol not fermented
Methanobacterium p. 250
(M. soehngenii)
Not as above 6
Note: The only recorded motile Gram-negative rods are Fusobacterium praea-
cutum, Bacteroides serpens and Bacteroides variegatus. They are treated with
other members of their respective genera.
6. Minute rod-shaped cells growing only in media containing sterile fresh tissue or ascitic
fluid; found in the upper respiratory tract of man Dialister p. 440
Not as above 7
7. Acid and gas produced from glucose or acid from glucose and gas produced in peptone
water 8
Acid but no gas produced from glucose 12
No acid or gas produced from glucose 20
Note: No .sugar reactions are given for the following species: Sphaerophorus
gonidiaformans, S. inortiferus, S. floccosus, S. influenzaejormis, S. pyogenes,
Bacteroides destillationis, B. viscosus and B. glutinosus.
8. Lactose fermented 9
Lactose not fermented 10
9. Gas produced in peptone; very pleomorphic Sphaerophoru.s p. 44I
{S. freundii, S. ridicnlosus, S. necroticns and S. inequalis; see also Bacteroides ser-
pens.)
1029
1030 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
* Winogradsky considered that cells which form tetrads divide in three directions, the
result being a four-pointed group rather than a fiat group of four.
1031
1032 COMPREHENSIVE KEY
Pagination
Roman indicates page reference to the name of an unaccepted
taxon or to the incidental mention of the name of an
accepted taxon
Boldface indicates page reference to the name of an accepted taxon
* NOTE: As used here, the term "accepted" has two implications: (1) taxonomically
it means that the taxon under consideration is included in the classification scheme of
Bergey's Manual and is described therein and (2) nomenclaturally it means that the
name used in the Manual for the taxon was deemed by the editor in chief, Dr. Breed, on
the basis of facts then at hand, to be the correct name.
1033
INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES
abaetetube (Salmonella ser.), 381 eurydice, 301, 308
aberdeen (Salmonella ser.), 381
fischeri,
guttatus,195301, 305
abikoensis (Streptomyces), 748, 785
abikoensuni (Sireptoniyces), 785 harveyi, 197
abony (Salmonella ser.), 376 hyperopiicum, 330
abortivoequina (Salmonella), 370, 374 ichtht/odermis, 118
abort! voequina (Salmonella ser.) 376 iophagus, 300, 302
ahortivo-equinus {Bacillus), 374 labrum, 329
abortivus {Bacillus), 374 lipophagum, 331
abortivus equinus {Bacillus), 374 li(iuefaciens, 300, 301
abortus {Bacillus), 405 tnari noglutinosus, 1 18
abortus {Bacterium) , 406 mcmbranoformis, 118
abortus (Brucella), 404, 405, 406 parvulus, 301, 309
abortusbovis (Salmonella ser.), 376 pasiinator, 323, 325
abortus equi {Bacillus) , 374 perolens, 111
abortus-equi {Salmonella), 374 pestifer, 301, 306
abortus equinus {Bacillus), 374 putrefaciens, 112
abortus ovis {Bacterium) , 374 stationis, 498
abortusovis (Salmonella), 370, 374 stenohalis, 301, 307
abortusovis (Salmonella ser.), 376 superficialis, 301, 306, 1020
abscedens (Sphaerophorus), 443, 449 thalassius, 300, 303
Acaroxenus, 941 ureasophorum, 329
varioleidis , 944 xerosis, 300, 304
aceris {Phijtomonas) , 121 ACHROMOBACTERACEAE, 281, 296
aceris (Pseudomonas), 94, 97, 121 achromogenes (Streptomyces), 747, 769
acernea {Pseudomonas) , 171 acidilactici {Bacillus), 338
acernea (Xanthomonas), 153, 154, 171 acidilactici {Escherichia) , 338
aceti (Acetobacter), 184, 185, 187 acidilactici (Pediococcus), 529, 530
aceti {Bacterium) , 185, 542 acidi propionici {Bacillus), 576
aceti {Mycoderma), 185 acidi propionici a {Bacterium) , 570
Acetobacter, 89, 183, 1015 acidi propionici b {Bacterium) , 575
aceti, 184, 185, 187 acidi propionici c {Bacterium) , 574
hoshigaki, 188 acidi propionici d (Bacterium), 571
kuetzingianus, 184, 185, 187 acidi propionici var. rubrum {Bacterium),
melanogenus, 185, 187 572
oxydans, 185, 189 acidi urici {Bacillus), 671
pasteurianus, 185, 187 acidiurici (Clostridium), 639, 671
rancens, 185, 186 acidi-urici {Clostridium), 666
roseus, 185, 188 acidofaciens (Alginobacter), 348
suboxydans, 185, 188 acidominimus (Streptococcus), 510, 518
xylinum, 185, 186 acidophilus {Actinomyces) , 802
Acetobacterium , 183 acidophilus {Bacillus), 545
acetobutylicum (Clostridium) , 637, 657, 680, acidophilus (Lactobacillus), 543, 545
683 acidophilus (Streptomyces), 751, 802
Acetomonas, 184 acidula (Cellulomonas), 602, 605
acetosum {Bacterium) , 185 acidulum {Bacterium) , 605
acetylicum (Brevibacterium), 492, 502 Acinetobacier delmarvae, 308
acetylicum {Flavobacterium) , 502 stenohalis, 307
ACHROMATIACEAE, 837, 851 acnes {Bacillus), 595
Achromatium, 851, 852, 994 acnes (Corj^nebacterium), 581, 595, 596
gigas, 852 acnes {Propionibacterium) , 595
mobile, 80 ACRASIALES, 857
oxaliferum, 852 Actiiiobacillus, 394, 414, 1020, 1023, 1024
volutans, 852, 853 actinoides, 414, 417, 1024
Achromobacter,217, 300, 1021,1023,1025, actinomycetemcomitans, 414, 416
1027, 1028 actinomycetem comitans, 416
anaerobium, 199 equuli, 414, 415, 418
aquamarinus, 301, 304 Lignihresi, 414
butyri, 301, 307 lignieresii, 414, 418, 742
cvcioclastes, 301, 305 mallei, 414, 417, 1023, 1024
delicatulus, 300, 303, 1020 Actinobacterium baudeti, 742, 743
delmarvae, 301, 308 Actinococcus cyaneus, 822
1035
1036 INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES
luteum, 457
pyocyaneus, 99
pyocya7ieus saccharuni , 129 violaceum, 294
pyogenes, 585 bacterifera (Cylindrogloea), 66
pyogenes anaerobivs, 448 Bacterium, 19, 1018
ramosoides, 564 abortus, 406
ramosus, 563 abortus ovis, 374
regularis filiformis, 668 flce^i, 185, 542
renalis bovis, 586 acetosum, 185
rhenanus, 316 acidi propionici a, 570
rw6er balticus, 363 actciz propionici b, 575
rubropertinctiis, 726 acz'dt propionici c, 574
rugosus, 109 acidt propionici d, 571
saccharobutyricus, 662 acto^i propionici var. rubrum, 572
saprogenes, 673 acidulum, 605
saprogenes carnis, 673 actinomycetem comitans, 416
schottnmelleri , 373 aerogenes, 342
septicaemiae anserum exsudativae, 397 aeruginosum, 99
septicaemiae haemorrhagicae, 396 albilineans, 179, 1016
septicus, 650 alcaligenes, 297
serpens, 436 aleuritidis, 138
shigae, 384 alfalfae, 171
smaragdinus foetidus, 107 alginicum, 204
smegmatis, 697 ser. ambiguus, 391
solanacearum, 144 aniethystimis, 294
sphaericus, 615, 633 ammoniagenes , 499
sphenoides, 666 andropogoni, 149
stearothermophilus, 615, 627 angulatum, 121
striatus albus, 584 aptatuyn, 122
striatus fiaviis , 584 astragali, 146
striatus viridis, 107 atrofaciens, 128
subterminalis , 662 aurescens, 338
subtilis, 18, 613, 614, 620 begoniae, 158
subtilis var. aterrimus, 614, 621 fee</e, 137
subtilis var. niger, 614, 621 bipolar e multocidum, 396
superficialis , 306 fcoreaZe, 323, 328
tenuis spatuliformis, 567 bovista, 79
terebrans, 428 bronchisepticus, 403
tertius, 691 calcis, 119
tetani, 676 calendulae, 140
tetanoides (A), 675 canale, 315
tetanomorphus , 677 cannae, 177
thetaiotaomicron, 427 cassavae, 352
thetoides, 443 castaneae, 144
thuringiensis, 614, 619 cattleyae, 148
tortuosus, 555 ceramicola, 323, 327
tracheiphilus, 353 chauvoei, 650
trichoides, 427 cholerae suis, 370
tuberculosis, 701 cloacae, 343
tuberculosis gallinarum, 704 coil, 336
tuberculosis ovis, 384 coZi var. acidilactici , 338
<2/p/ii, 372 coZi commune, 338
iypM abdominalis, 372 coK var. communior, 338
<2/pAi murium, 371 coZz var. neapolitanum , 338
typhosus, 372 conjunctivitidis , 420
ulceris cancrosi, 412 conjunctivitis, 420
variabilis, 435 coronafaciens , 124
variegatus, 436 cristalliferum, 79, 80
vascularum, 169 cucurbitae, 161
venturelli, 679 cycloclastes , 305
vitivora, 351 cylindroides , 433
welchii, 666 deZessenae, 323, 328
whitmori, 100 destillationis, 434
Z, 631 duplex, 419
BACTERIACEAE, 33 eriobotryae, 151
BACTERIALES, 33 erythrogenes , 493
Bacteridium, 20 eurydice, 308
INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES 1043
aegyptius, 407, 408, 1022, 1025 hebdomadis (Leptospira ser.), 909, 911
aphrophilus, 407, 410, 1020 hederae (Bacterium) , 172
bronchisepticus, 403 hederae (Xanthomonas), 153, 155, 172
citreus, 407, 413, 1022, 1025 Heidelberg (Salmonella ser.), 377
ducreyi, 407, 412, 1022, 1025 heliunthi (Bacterium), 148
gallinarum, 407, 409, 1022, 1025 helianthi (Pseudomonas), 96, 97, 148
haemoglobinophilus, 407, 412, 1022, 1025 helmintheca (Neorickettsia) , 951
haemolyticus, 407, 409, 1022, 1025 helminthoeca (Neorickettsia), 951
influenzae, 407, 408, 409, 410, 1022, 1025 helminthoides (Bacillus), 560
influenzae-murium, 407, 411, 1020 helminthoides (Catenabacterium), 560
ovis, 407, 411, 1020 helveticum (Thermobacterium), 545
parahaemolyticus, 407, 410, 1022, 1025 helveticus (Lactobacillus), 543, 545
parainfluenzae, 407, 410, 1022, 1025 helvolum (Bacterium) , 502
parapertussis, 403 helvolum (Brevil)acterium), 492, 502
piscium, 407, 413, 1022, 1025 helvolum (Corynrlxirlrriuui), 502
I)utoriorum, 407, 411, 1022, 1025 helvolum. (Flavdhaclni nm) , 502
suis, 407, 408, 1022, 1025 helvolus (Bacillas), 502
Hafnia, 347 hemmiana (Xanthomonas), 153, 156, 162
alvei, 347 hemniianus (Phytomonas) , 162
haifa (Salmonella ser.), 377 hemoqlobinophilus coryzae gallinarum (Bacil-
halestorga (Pseudomonas), 93, 120 lus), 409
halestorgus (Pseudomonas), 120 hemolyticus (Bacillus), 651
halmephilum (Flavobacterium), 310, 316 hemolyticus (Leptospira ser.), 912
Halobacter, 208 hemolyticus (Streptococcus) , 512
Halobacterium, 89, 207, 208, 994, 1001, hemolyticus bovis (Clostridium) , 651
1016, 1022, 1024, 1028 Hono'philuH bovis, 419, 420
cutirubrum, 208, 209, 994 pnniifilliunzae, 407, 410
halobium, 208, 210 conjuncltritidis, 408
marismortui, 208, 210 influenzae suis, 408
salinarium, 208, 209 pertussis, 402
trapanicum, 208, 211 hepatis (Bacterium) , 598
halobium {Bacterium), 210 hermsi (Spirochaeta), 900
halobium (Halobacterium), 208, 210 hermsii (Borrelia), 897, 899
halobium (Flavobacterium) (Halobacterium) herrejoni (Treponema) , 906
210 hessarek (Salmonella ser.), 376
halobius ruber {Bacillus), 210 heterocea (Phytomonas), 173
Halococcus litoralis, 471 heterocea (Xanthomonas), 153, 156, 173
halodenitrificans (Micrococcus), 456, 463 heves (Salmonella ser.), 381
halohydrium (Flavobacterium), 311, 318 hidalgo (Salmonella ser.), 378
halonltrificans (Vibrio), 230, 236 Hillhousia, 852
Halophilus, 208 mirabilis, 852
halosmophila {Ristella), 428 palustris, 852
halosmophilus (Bacteroides), 424, 428 hindmarch (Salmonella ser.), 379
halstedii (Actinomyces), 795 hirschfeldii (Salmonella), 370, 372
halstedii (Streptomyces), 750, 795 hirschfeldii (Salmonella ser.), 377
hansenii (Sarcina), 468, 472 hispanica (Borrelia), 897, 899
hansenii (Urosarcina), 472 hispanica (Spirochaeta) , 899
hardjo (Leptospira ser.), 909, 911 histolyticum (Clostridium), 642, 690
harrisonburg (Salmonella ser.), 380 histolyticus (Bacillus), 690
harrisonii (Flavobacterium), 310, 317 hoagii (Bacillus), 583
hartford (Salmonella ser.), 378 hoagii (CorynetDacterium), 580, 583
harveyi (Achromobacter) , 197 holcicola (Bacterium), 163
harveyi (Borrelia), 898, 904 holcicola (Xanthomonas), 153, 163
harveyi (Photobacterium), 193, 197 hollandicus (Streptococcus), 526
harveyi (Spirochaeta) , 904 Holospora, 927, 929, 998
hastiforme (Clostridium), 638, 661 elegans, 929
hastilis (Bacillus), 437 obtusa, 929
hato (Salmonella ser.), 376 undulata, 929, 998
haumani (Bacillus), 685 homari (Gaffkya), 467
haumanii (Clostridium), 641, 684 hominis (Chlamydozoon) , 964
haumanni (Clostridium) , 685 hominis, group I, (Micromyces) , 924
Haverhillia, 451 hominis, group II (Micromyces) , 925
moniliformis, 451 hominis (Mycoplasma), 916, 924, 925
multiformis, 451, 453 homosassa (Salmonella ser.), 382
healii (Bacterium), 500 horsham (Salmonella ser.), 382
healii (Brevibacterium), 492, 500 horton (Actinomyces) , 816
1060 INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES
Lactobacillus, 19, 541, 542, 1011, 1013 leprae murium (Mycobacterium) , 706
acidophilus, 543, 545 lepraemurium (Mycobacterium), 696, 706
arabinosus, 549 lepta (Saprospira), 894, 895
bifidus, 543, 546, 1013 leptinotarsae (Clostridium), 641, 686
brevis, 217, 544, 551, 1011, 1012 leptomitiformis (Beggiatoa), 839, 841
buchneri, 544, 550 Leptospira, 896, 907, 999
bulgaricus, 543, 546 serotype alexi, 912
casei, 543, 548 serotype andaman A, 910, 911
caucasicus, 543, 544, 1013 serogroup australis A, 909, 911
delbrueckii, 543, 1011 serotype australis A, 909, 911
fermenti, 544, 551 serotype australis B, 909, 911
helveticus, 543, 545 serogroup autumnalis, 909
lactis, 543, 544 serotype autumnalis (A), 909, 911
leichmannii, 543, 548 serotype autumnalis (AB), 909, 911
pastorianus, 544, 549 serotype bafani, 912
pentosus, 549 serotype ballum 909, 911, 912
plantarum, 542, 543, 549 serotype bangkinang, 909, 911
thermophilus, 543, 547 serogroup bataviae, 910, 911
LACTOBACTERIACEAE, 505 serotype bataviae, 910, 911
Lactobacterium, 542 serotype benjamin, 909, 911
Lactococcus dextranicus, 532 biflexa, 907, 912, 913
lacunarum (Clostridium), 642, 691 serotype borincana, 912
lacunata (Moraxella) , 419 serotype butembo, 912
lacunatus {Bacillus), 419 canicola, 211 , 907
lacunogenes (Pseudomonas) , 178, 182 serotype canicola, 909, 911
laidlawi AB {Sa'promyces) , 926 serotype celledoni, 912
laidlawi C (Sapromyces) , 926 serotype cynopteri, 909, 911
laidlawii (Mycoplasma), 916, 926 serotype djasiman, 909, 911
Lamprocystis, 39, 43, 44, 50, 1031 serotype grippotyphosa, 909, 911, 912
roseopersicina, 44 serotype hardjo, 909, 911
lanceolatus (Peptostreptococcus), 534, 537 serogroup hebdomadis, 909
lanceolatus (Streptococcus), 537 serotype hebdomadis, 909, 911
lanceolatus anaerobius (Coccus), 537 serotype hemolyticus, 912
landau (Salmonella ser.), 383 serotype hyos, 910, 911
langford (Salmonella ser.), 382 icterohaemorrhagiae, 907, 909, 913
laniganii (Clostridium), 637, 657 serogroup australis A, 909
lanuginosum (Synangium), 877 serotype australis A, 909, 911
lamiginosus (Chondromyces) , 877 serotype grippotyphosa, 909, 911
lapsa (Pseudomonas), 94, 96, 130 serotype muenchen, 909, 911
larvae (Bacillus), 615, 630, 631 serotype pomona, 907, 909, 911
lasia (Pseudomonas), 93, 115 serogroup autumnalis, 909, 911
latens (Sphaerothrix) , 215 serotype autumnalis (A), 909, 911
laterosporus (Bacillus), 615, 629, 630 serotype autumnalis (AB), 909, 911
latum (Carvophanon), 831, 832 serotype bangkinang, 909, 911
latus (Siderobacter), 226, 227 serotype djasiman, 909, 911
latyschewi (Spirochaeta) , 903 serogroup bataviae, 910
latyschewii (Borrelia), 898, 903 serotype andaman A, 910, 911
lavendulae (Actinomyces) , 780 serotype bataviae, 910, 911
lavendulae (Streptomyces), 748, 780 serotype hyos, 910, 911
lectularia (Rickettsia), 954, 956 serotype mitis, 910
leclularia (Symbiotes) , 956 serotype paidjan, 910, 911
lectularius (Symbiotes), 955, 956 erotype semarang, 910, 911
leguminosarum (Rhizobium), 286, 287 serogroup hebdomadis, 909
leichmanni I (Bacillus), 548 serotype hardjo, 909, 911
leichmannii (Lactobacillus), 543, 548 serotype hebdomadis, 909, 911
leishmanii (Nocardia), 716, 720 serotype medanensis, 909, 911
lentimorbus (Bacillus), 615, 632 serotype saxkoebing, 909, 911
lentoputrescens (Clostridium), 640, 677 serotype sejroe, 909, 911
911,
serotype wolffii, 909, 911
lentum (Eubacterium), 553, 559
lentus (Bacillus), 615, 624 serogroup icterohaemorrhagiae, 909, 911
sero<i/pe icterohaemorrhagiae (A), 909,
lentus (Bacteroides), 559
leonardii (Vibrio) , 230, 235 serotype icterohaemorrhagiae (AB),
leopoldville (Salmonella ser.), 377 909 911
leprae (Bacillus), 706 serotype mankarso, 909, 911
leprae (Mycobacterium), 696, 706 serotype naam, 909, 911
1063
INDEX OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES