Name: Flexibacter polymorphus Lewin 1974 (Approved Lists 1980)

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: po.ly.mor’phus. N.L. masc. adj. polymorphus, multiform, variable in form, of irregular shape; from Gr. masc. adj. polymorphos

Pronunciation, gender: … po-ly-MOR-p^hus, masculine

Type strain: ATCC 27820; DSM 9678; IFO 16703; LMG 13859; NBRC 16703

See detailed strain information at

16S rRNA gene: AB078059 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Lewin RA. Flexibacter polymorphus, a new marine species. Journal of General Microbiology 1974; 82:393-403.

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: synonym (and not recommended for medical use)

Correct name: Garritya polymorpha (Lewin 1974) Hahnke et al. 2017

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Garritya polymorpha (Lewin 1974) Hahnke et al. 2017	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • ❗ Flexibacter polymorphus 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 Flexibacter.
  • 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No". — 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 6 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 other species in the genus.

Parent taxon: Flexibacter Soriano 1945 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Lewin RA. Flexibacter polymorphus, a new marine species. Journal of General Microbiology 1974; 82:393-403.

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Record number: 776296