Name: Elizabethkingia occulta Nicholson et al. 2019

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: oc.cul’ta. L. fem. part. adj. occulta, hidden, to reflect that it was hiding in plain sight, and had been previously masquerading as Sphingobacterium mizutae or Elizabethkingia genomospecies 4

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: … ok-KUL-ta, feminine

Type strain: CCUG 69505; CIP 111193; G4070

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: MH789418 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Nicholson AC, Gulvik CA, Whitney AM, Humrighouse BW, Graziano J, Emery B, Bell M, Loparev V, Juieng P, Gartin J, et al. Revisiting the taxonomy of the genus Elizabethkingia using whole-genome sequencing, optical mapping, and MALDI-TOF, along with proposal of three novel Elizabethkingia species: Elizabethkingia bruuniana sp. nov., Elizabethkingia ursingii sp. nov., and Elizabethkingia occulta sp. nov. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2018; 111:55-72. 🇺🇸

IJSEM list: Oren A, Garrity GM. Validation list no. 188. List of new names and new combinations previously effectively, but not validly, published. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2019; 69:1844-1846.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Risk group: 1

• Notes:
  • 😩 Deposit incorrectly indicated in some sources as representing the type strain of this taxon: DSM 2976.
  • 😷 The risk group for Taiwan has been imported on 2024-11-03. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "P650 = v". — 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 other species in the genus.

Parent taxon: Elizabethkingia Kim et al. 2005

Assigned by: Nicholson AC, Gulvik CA, Whitney AM, Humrighouse BW, Graziano J, Emery B, Bell M, Loparev V, Juieng P, Gartin J, et al. Revisiting the taxonomy of the genus Elizabethkingia using whole-genome sequencing, optical mapping, and MALDI-TOF, along with proposal of three novel Elizabethkingia species: Elizabethkingia bruuniana sp. nov., Elizabethkingia ursingii sp. nov., and Elizabethkingia occulta sp. nov. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2018; 111:55-72. 🇺🇸

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Record number: 801299