Name: Methanobrevibacter filiformis Leadbetter et al. 1998

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: fi.li.for’mis. L. neut. n. filum, a thread; L. masc./fem. adj. suff. -formis, -like, in the shape of; from L. fem. n. forma, figure, shape, appearance; N.L. masc. adj. filiformis, thread shaped

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: … fi-li-FOR-mis, masculine

Type strain: DSM 11501; JCM 39454; RFM-3

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: U82322 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Leadbetter JR, Crosby LD, Breznak JA. Methanobrevibacter filiformis sp. nov., A filamentous methanogen from termite hindguts. Arch Microbiol 1998; 169:287-292. 🇺🇸

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 67. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1998; 48:1083-1084.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    "Methanacia filiformis" (Leadbetter et al. 1998) Protasov and Brune 2023	homotypic synonym, not validly published

• Notes:
  • 📧 The e-mail address of the corresponding author given in the effective publication is not functional any more.
  • 😷 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 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 2 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: Methanobrevibacter Balch and Wolfe 1981

Assigned by: Leadbetter JR, Crosby LD, Breznak JA. Methanobrevibacter filiformis sp. nov., A filamentous methanogen from termite hindguts. Arch Microbiol 1998; 169:287-292. 🇺🇸

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Record number: 777821