Name: Atopobacter phocae Lawson et al. 2000

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: pho’cae. L. gen. fem. n. phocae, of or pertaining to the common seal Phoca vitulina, from which the organism was isolated

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: … P^HO-ka͡e, masculine

Type strain: ATCC BAA-285; CCUG 42358; CIP 106392; M1590/94/2

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: Y16546 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Lawson PA, Foster G, Falsen E, Ohlen M, Collins MD. Atopobacter phocae gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from common seals. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2000; 50:1755-1760. 🇬🇧

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 50, part 5 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2000; 50:1955.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: correct name (and explicitly recommended for medical use)

Risk group: 2

• Notes:
  • 🥇 Nomenclatural type of the genus Atopobacter Lawson et al. 2000. Publication: Lawson PA, Foster G, Falsen E, Ohlen M, Collins MD. Atopobacter phocae gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from common seals. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2000; 50:1755-1760. 🇬🇧
  • 😷 The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 2. — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "t+". — 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 3 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 species itself.
  • 🧍 The genome of the type strain was sequenced as part of the GEBA (Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea) project. Publication: Mukherjee S, Seshadri R, Varghese NJ, Eloe-Fadrosh EA, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Goker M, Coates RC, Hadjithomas M, Pavlopoulos GA, Paez-Espino D, et al. 1,003 reference genomes of bacterial and archaeal isolates expand coverage of the tree of life. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:676-683. 🇺🇸

Parent taxon: Atopobacter Lawson et al. 2000

Assigned by: Lawson PA, Foster G, Falsen E, Ohlen M, Collins MD. Atopobacter phocae gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from common seals. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2000; 50:1755-1760. 🇬🇧

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Record number: 783401