Name: Aquaspirillum polymorphum (Williams and Rittenberg 1957) Hylemon et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980)

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Basonym: "Spirillum polymorphum" Williams and Rittenberg 1957

Etymology: po.ly.mor’phum. N.L. neut. adj. polymorphum, multiform, having many shapes, polymorphous; from Gr. neut. adj. polymorphon, multiform

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: … po-ly-MOR-p^hum, neuter

Type strain: ATCC 11332; CCUG 49450; CIP 63.15; DSM 9160; IFO 13961; JCM 21224; LMG 4392; NBRC 13961

See detailed strain information at

16S rRNA gene: FJ562215 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Hylemon PB, Wells Jr. JS, Krieg NR, Jannasch HW. The genus Spirillum: A taxonomic study. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 1973; 23:340-380.

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 (and explicitly recommended for medical use)

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    "Spirillum polymorphum" Williams and Rittenberg 1957	homotypic synonym, not validly published, basonym of name in Approved Lists

• Notes:
  • 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "Animal classification RG: 1 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 1". — The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 1. — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 1. — If in doubt, use the risk group given in the regulations for your country and, if these are not available, use the risk group given in the catalogue of the culture collection from which you have obtained or intend to obtain the strain.
  • 🎓 Name mentioned 0 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🙆 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the genus.
  • 🧍 According to Ludwig et al. (2021), this "species affiliates with the Rhodospirillaceae and may be reclassified as Magnetospirillum". Publication: Ludwig W, Viver T, Westram R, Francisco Gago J, Bustos-Caparros E, Knittel K, Amann R, Rossello-Mora R. Release LTP_12_2020, featuring a new ARB alignment and improved 16S rRNA tree for prokaryotic type strains. Syst Appl Microbiol 2021; 44:126218. 🇪🇸
  • 🧍 Yarza et al. (2013) expected for accession AB680539, originating from the alleged type-strain deposit NBRC 13961, an affiliation with Neisseriaceae (Betaproteobacteria) but observed an affiliation with a deep branch in Alphaproteobacteria and 98% similarity against Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense. Publication: Yarza P, Sproer C, Swiderski J, Mrotzek N, Spring S, Tindall BJ, Gronow S, Pukall R, Klenk HP, Lang E, et al. Sequencing orphan species initiative (SOS): Filling the gaps in the 16S rRNA gene sequence database for all species with validly published names. Syst Appl Microbiol 2013; 36:69-73. 🇩🇪
  • 🧍 The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the type strain shows an unexpected affiliation with a deep branch in Alphaproteobacteria (98% similarity against Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense). Publication: Yarza P, Sproer C, Swiderski J, Mrotzek N, Spring S, Tindall BJ, Gronow S, Pukall R, Klenk HP, Lang E, et al. Sequencing orphan species initiative (SOS): Filling the gaps in the 16S rRNA gene sequence database for all species with validly published names. Syst Appl Microbiol 2013; 36:69-73. 🇩🇪

Parent taxon: Aquaspirillum Hylemon et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Hylemon PB, Wells Jr. JS, Krieg NR, Jannasch HW. The genus Spirillum: A taxonomic study. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 1973; 23:340-380.

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Record number: 773335