Name: Brucella ceti Foster et al. 2007

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: ce’ti. L. masc. n. cetus, large sea animal (whale, porpoise, dolphin); L. gen. masc. n. ceti, of a large sea animal

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: … KE-ti, feminine

Type strain: BCCN 94-74; NCTC 12891

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AM158982 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Foster G, Osterman BS, Godfroid J, Jacques I, Cloeckaert A. Brucella ceti sp. nov. and Brucella pinnipedialis sp. nov. for Brucella strains with cetaceans and seals as their preferred hosts. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2007; 57:2688-2693. 🇬🇧

IJSEM list: Euzeby JP. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 57, part 11 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2008; 58:313-314.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: synonym (and not recommended for medical use)

Correct name: Brucella melitensis (Hughes 1893) Meyer and Shaw 1920 (Approved Lists 1980)

Risk group: 3

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Brucella suis Huddleson 1929 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    "Streptococcus melitensis" Hughes 1893	heterotypic synonym, not validly published, basonym of name in Approved Lists
    Brucella canis Carmichael and Bruner 1968 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella melitensis (Hughes 1893) Meyer and Shaw 1920 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella inopinata Scholz et al. 2010	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella ovis Buddle 1956 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella vulpis Scholz et al. 2016	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella microti Scholz et al. 2008	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella abortus (Schmidt 1901) Meyer and Shaw 1920 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Brucella neotomae Stoenner and Lackman 1957 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    "Bacterium abortus" Schmidt 1901	heterotypic synonym, not validly published, basonym of name in Approved Lists

• 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 a proposal regarding the synonymy of the species.

• Notes:
  • ⏲ According to Hördt et al. (2020), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of "Streptococcus melitensis" Hughes 1893. Publication: 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. 🇩🇪
  • ⏲ According to Hördt et al. (2020), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of Brucella melitensis (Hughes 1893) Meyer and Shaw 1920 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: 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. 🇩🇪
  • ❗ Brucella ceti is the correct name instead if this species is regarded as a separate species (i.e., if its nomenclatural type is not assigned to another species whose name is validly published, legitimate and not rejected and has priority) within a separate genus Brucella.
  • 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 3, note = "Animal classification RG: 3 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 3". — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "Z". — 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 72 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🙅 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as a synonym of the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself.
  • 🧍 According to Bartlett et al. (2022), no evidence of human infection was found for this species. Publication: Bartlett A, Padfield D, Lear L, Bendall R, Vos M. A comprehensive list of bacterial pathogens infecting humans. Microbiology (Reading) 2022; 168:0. 🇬🇧
  • 🧍 Brucella ceti Foster et al. 2007 was previously known as "Brucella cetaceae" Cloeckaert et al. 2001. Publication: Cloeckaert A, Verger JM, Grayon M, Paquet JY, Garin-Bastuji B, Foster G, Godfroid J. Classification of Brucella spp. isolated from marine mammals by DNA polymorphism at the omp2 locus. Microbes Infect 2001; 3:729-738. 🇫🇷

Parent taxon: Brucella Meyer and Shaw 1920 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Foster G, Osterman BS, Godfroid J, Jacques I, Cloeckaert A. Brucella ceti sp. nov. and Brucella pinnipedialis sp. nov. for Brucella strains with cetaceans and seals as their preferred hosts. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2007; 57:2688-2693. 🇬🇧

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Record number: 786933