Name: Rhizobiaceae Conn 1938 (Approved Lists 1980)

Category: Family

Proposed as: fam. nov.

Etymology: Rhi.zo.bi.a’ce.ae. N.L. neut. n. Rhizobium, type genus of the family; L. fem. pl. n. suff. -aceae, ending to denote a family; N.L. fem. pl. n. Rhizobiaceae, the Rhizobium family

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: r^hi-zo-bi-A-ke-a͡e, feminine

Type genus: Rhizobium Frank 1889 (Approved Lists 1980)

Effective publication: Conn HJ. Agricultural and industrial bacteriology. Journal of Bacteriology 1938; 36:320-321.

IJSEM list: Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: correct name

• Emendations:
  • Hördt et al. 2020 Hordt A, Lopez MG, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Schleuning M, Weinhold LM, Tindall BJ, Gronow S, Kyrpides NC, Woyke T, Goker M. Analysis of 1,000+ Type-Strain Genomes Substantially Improves Taxonomic Classification of Alphaproteobacteria. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:468. 🇩🇪 Oren A, Garrity GM. List of changes in taxonomic opinion no. 32. Notification of changes in taxonomic opinion previously published outside the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:4061-4090.
    Notes:
    • ⊕ Emendation accompanied by the inclusion of 5 genera in the family.
    • ⊖ Emendation accompanied by the removal of 3 genera from the family.

• Notes:
  • 🧕 Breed et al. (1948) assigned this family to the suborder Eubacteriineae Breed et al. 1944 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Burkholder WH. Genus I. Pseudomonas Migula. Bacterial plant pathogens. In: Breed RS, Murray EGD, Hitchens AP (eds), Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 6th ed., The Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore, 1948, p. 82-150.
  • 🧕 Breed et al. (1957) assigned this family to the order Eubacteriales Buchanan 1917 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Parker CD. Genus V. Thiobacillus Beijerinck 1904. In: Breed RS, Murray EGD, Smith NR (eds), Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 7th edition, The Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore, 1957, p. 83-88.
  • 🧕 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned this family to the order Rhizobiales Kuykendall 2006. Publication: Kuykendall LD. Order VI. Rhizobiales ord. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part C (The Alpha-, Beta-, Delta-, and Epsilonproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 324. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Boone et al. (2001) assigned the genus Chelatobacter Auling et al. 1993 to this family. Publication: Garrity GM, Holt JG. The Road Map to the Manual. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, second edition, vol. 1 (The Archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic Bacteria), Springer-Verlag, New York, 2001, p. 119-166. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Breed et al. (1948) assigned the genus Chromobacterium Bergonzini 1880 (Approved Lists 1980) to this family. Publication: Burkholder WH. Genus I. Pseudomonas Migula. Bacterial plant pathogens. In: Breed RS, Murray EGD, Hitchens AP (eds), Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 6th ed., The Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore, 1948, p. 82-150.
  • 🧒 Breed et al. (1957) assigned the genus Chromobacterium Bergonzini 1880 (Approved Lists 1980) to this family. Publication: Parker CD. Genus V. Thiobacillus Beijerinck 1904. In: Breed RS, Murray EGD, Smith NR (eds), Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 7th edition, The Williams & Wilkins Co, Baltimore, 1957, p. 83-88.
  • 🧒 Brenner et al. (2005) assigned the genus Carbophilus Meyer et al. 1994 to this family. Publication: Garrity GM, Bell JA, Lilburn T. Class I. Alphaproteobacteria class. nov. In: Brenner DJ, Krieg NR, Staley JT, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 2 (The Proteobacteria), part C (The Alpha-, Beta-, Delta-, and Epsilonproteobacteria), Springer, New York, 2005, p. 1. 🇺🇸
  • 🧒 Conn (1938) assigned the genus Chromobacterium Bergonzini 1880 (Approved Lists 1980) to this family. Publication: Conn HJ. Taxonomic relationships of certain non-sporeforming rods in soil. Journal of Bacteriology 1938; 36:320-321.
  • 🧒 Conn (1938) assigned the genus "Phytomonas" Bergey et al. 1923 to this family. Publication: Conn HJ. Taxonomic relationships of certain non-sporeforming rods in soil. Journal of Bacteriology 1938; 36:320-321.
  • 🧒 Lee and Jeon (2018) assigned the genus Kaistia Im et al. 2005 to this family. Publication: Lee Y, Jeon CO. Kaistia algarum sp. nov., isolated from a freshwater green alga Paulinella chromatophora. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2018; 68:3028-3033. 🇰🇷
  • 🧒 Ma et al. (2023) assigned the genus Alirhizobium Ma et al. 2024 to this family. Publication: Ma T, Xue H, Piao C, Jiang N, Li Y. Phylogenomic reappraisal of the family Rhizobiaceae at the genus and species levels, including the description of Ectorhizobium quercum gen. nov., sp. nov. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1207256. 🇨🇳
  • 🧒 Romanenko et al. (2023) assigned the genus Fererhizobium Romanenko et al. 2024 to this family. Publication: Romanenko L, Otstavnykh N, Tanaka N, Kurilenko V, Svetashev V, Tekutyeva L, Mikhailov V, Isaeva M. Characterization and Genomic Analysis of Fererhizobium litorale gen. nov., sp. nov., Isolated from the Sandy Sediments of the Sea of Japan Seashore. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2385. 🇷🇺
  • 🙄 This taxon name is occasionally misprinted (or affected by an OCR error) in some sources as: "Rhilobiaceae"; "Rhizobeaceae"; "Rhizobfaceae"; "Rhizohiaceae"; "Rhizoiaceae"; "Rhyzobiaceae"; "Rliizobiaceae".
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: de Lajudie PM, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the taxonomy of rhizobia and agrobacteria Minutes of the closed meeting, Granada, 4 September 2017. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2018; 68:3363-3368. 🇫🇷
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: de Lajudie P, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Rhizobia and Agrobacteria Minutes of the meeting by video conference, 11 July 2018. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2019; 69:1835-1840. 🇫🇷
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: de Lajudie PM, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee for the Taxonomy of Rhizobium and Agrobacterium Minutes of the meeting, Budapest, 25 August 2016. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2017; 67:2485-2494. 🇫🇷
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: Lindstrom K, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Agrobacterium and Rhizobium: minutes of the meeting, 7 September 2010, Geneva, Switzerland. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2011; 61:3089-3093.
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: Mousavi SA, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Rhizobia and Agrobacteria. Minutes of the closed annual meeting: videoconference on 11 October 2022 followed by online discussion until 31 December 2022. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2023; 73:5856. 🇬🇧
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: Mousavi SA, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes, Subcommittee on the taxonomy of Rhizobia and Agrobacteria, minutes of the annual meeting by videoconference, 5 July 2021, followed by online discussion until 31 December 2021. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2022; 72:5453. 🇫🇮
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: Mousavi SA, Young JPW. International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Rhizobia and Agrobacteria: Minutes of the closed annual meeting, videoconference on 2 October 2023, followed by online discussion until 31 December 2023. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2024; 74:6276. 🇫🇮
  • 🧔 This taxon was discussed in a meeting of a Taxonomic Subcommittee of the ICSP. Publication: Mousavi SA, Young JPW. International committee on systematics of prokaryotes subcommittee on the taxonomy of rhizobia and agrobacteria: Minutes of the 2025 closed annual meeting. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2026; 76:7149. 🇫🇮
  • 🎰 The BRCs most frequently used for deposits in this group are: LMG: 220; DSM: 209; HAMBI: 123; JCM: 117; ATCC: 100; NBRC: 97; KCTC: 85; CIP: 60; CECT: 39; IFO: 36.

Subdivision:

Number of child taxa with a validly published and correct name: 27
Number of child taxa with a validly published name, including synonyms: 44
Total number of child taxa: 55

• Child taxa:

  • Name	Nomenclatural status	Taxonomic status
    Affinirhizobium Ma et al. 2025	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Agrobacterium Conn 1942 (Approved Lists 1980)	validly published under the ICNP, conserved name	correct name
    Aliirhizobium corrig. Ma et al. 2024	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Alirhizobium Ma et al. 2024	inaccurate spelling	misspelling
    Allohoeflea Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    "Allopararhizobium" Ma et al. 2023	not validly published	preferred name
    Allorhizobium de Lajudie et al. 1998	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Arminella Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Ciceribacter Kathiravan et al. 2013	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Crabtreella Xie and Yokota 2006	validly published under the ICNP, illegitimate name	synonym
    "Ectorhizobium" Ma et al. 2023	not validly published	preferred name
    Endobacterium Menéndez et al. 2021	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Ensifer Casida 1982	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Fererhizobium Romanenko et al. 2024	inaccurate spelling	misspelling
    Ferirhizobium corrig. Romanenko et al. 2024	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Ferranicluibacter Roca-Couso et al. 2023	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Flavimaribacter Wang et al. 2024	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Fluviirhizobium Van Lill et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Gellertiella Tóth et al. 2017	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Georhizobium Cao et al. 2020	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Gillisella Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Heterorhizobium Ma et al. 2025	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Hoeflea Peix et al. 2005	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Lentilitoribacter Park et al. 2013	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Liberibacter Fagen et al. 2014	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    "Candidatus Liberibacter" corrig. Jagoueix et al. 1994	not validly published	pro-correct name
    "Candidatus Liberobacter" Jagoueix et al. 1994	inaccurate spelling	misspelling
    Limnomicrobium Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    "Mangrovimarina" Jiménez et al. 2025	not validly published	preferred name
    Martelella Rivas et al. 2005	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Martinezella Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    "Metarhizobium" Ma et al. 2023	not validly published	synonym
    Mycoplana Gray and Thornton 1928 (Approved Lists 1980)	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Neohoeflea Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Neopararhizobium Hördt et al. 2025	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Neorhizobium Mousavi et al. 2015	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Onobrychidicola Ashrafi et al. 2023	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Oryzifoliimicrobium Liu et al. 2025	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Paenirhizobium Ma et al. 2025	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Parahoeflea Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Paramartelella Ma et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Pararhizobium Mousavi et al. 2016	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Peteryoungia Rahi et al. 2021	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Phytoamicus Van Lill et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    [Phytomyxa]	preliminary entry that lacks crucial information
    "Candidatus Porivivens" Taylor et al. 2022	not validly published	preferred name
    Pseudohoeflea Hyeon et al. 2017	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Pseudorhizobium Kimes et al. 2017	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    "Candidatus Reichenowia" Siddall et al. 2004	not validly published	preferred name
    Rhizobium Frank 1889 (Approved Lists 1980)	validly published under the ICNP, conserved name	correct name
    Shinella An et al. 2006	validly published under the ICNP	correct name
    Sinorhizobium Chen et al. 1988	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Terrirhizobium Sbissi et al. 2025	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Velazquezella Naranjo-Robayo et al. 2026	validly published under the ICNP	synonym
    Xaviernesmea Kuzmanović et al. 2022	validly published under the ICNP	synonym

Parent taxon: Hyphomicrobiales Douglas 1957 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Hordt A, Lopez MG, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Schleuning M, Weinhold LM, Tindall BJ, Gronow S, Kyrpides NC, Woyke T, Goker M. Analysis of 1,000+ Type-Strain Genomes Substantially Improves Taxonomic Classification of Alphaproteobacteria. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:468. 🇩🇪

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Record number: 1170