Name: Desulfobacterium catecholicum Szewzyk and Pfennig 1988

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: ca.te.cho’li.cum. N.L. neut. n. catechol, catechol; L. adj. suff. -icus -a -um, suffix used in adjectives with the sense of belonging to; N.L. neut. adj. catecholicum, pertaining to catechol, intended to mean catechol-degrading

Pronunciation, gender: ka-te-K^HO-li-kum, neuter

Type strain: ATCC 43955; DSM 3882; JCM 39068; NZva20; NZva20, Nelson, NZ

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AJ237602 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Szewzyk R, Pfennig N. Complete oxidation of catechol by the strictly anaerobic sulfate-reducing Desulfobacterium catecholicum sp. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 1987; 147:163-168.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 24. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1988; 38:136-137.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: synonym

Correct name: Desulfocastanea catecholica (Szewzyk and Pfennig 1988) Galushko and Kuever 2021

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Desulfocastanea catecholica (Szewzyk and Pfennig 1988) Galushko and Kuever 2021	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • ❗ Desulfobacterium catecholicum 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 Desulfobacterium.
  • 😷 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 5 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🧍 According to Ludwig et al. (2021), this "species affiliates away from the other members of the genus, may be reclassified as a new genus". 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.

Parent taxon: Desulfobacterium Bak and Widdel 1988

Assigned by: Szewzyk R, Pfennig N. Complete oxidation of catechol by the strictly anaerobic sulfate-reducing Desulfobacterium catecholicum sp. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 1987; 147:163-168.

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Record number: 775543