Name: Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus (Huber et al. 1984) Whitman 2002

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Basonym: Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus Huber et al. 1984

Etymology: ther.mo.li.tho.tro’phi.cus. Gr. fem. adj. thermê, heat; Gr. masc./fem. n. lithos, stone; Gr. masc. adj. trophikos, nursing, tending; N.L. masc. adj. thermolithotrophicus, grows lithotrophically at elevated temperatures

Pronunciation, gender: t^her-mo-li-t^ho-TRO-p^hi-kus, masculine

Type strain: ATCC 35097; DSM 2095; JCM 10549; OCM 138; SN 1

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: M59128 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Whitman WB. Genus II. Methanothermococcus gen. nov. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, second edition, vol. 1 (The Archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic Bacteria), Springer-Verlag, New York, 2001, p. 241-242.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 85. List of new names and new combinations previously effectively, but not validly, published. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2002; 52:685-690.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: correct name

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus Huber et al. 1984	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • 🥇 Nomenclatural type of the genus Methanothermococcus Whitman 2002. Publication: Whitman WB. Genus II. Methanothermococcus gen. nov. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd edn, vol. 1 (The Archaea and the Deeply Branching and Phototrophic Bacteria), Springer, New York, 2001, p. 241-242.
  • 😷 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 17 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🧍 The genome of the type strain was sequenced as part of the GEBA (Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea) project. Publication: Mukherjee S, Seshadri R, Varghese NJ, Eloe-Fadrosh EA, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Goker M, Coates RC, Hadjithomas M, Pavlopoulos GA, Paez-Espino D, et al. 1,003 reference genomes of bacterial and archaeal isolates expand coverage of the tree of life. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:676-683.
  • 🧍 Complete authorship reads: (Huber, Thomm and Stetter 1984 in Huber, Thomm, König, Thies and Stetter 1982) Whitman 2002.
  • 🧍 According to Rules 27(3) and 30, this name is not validly published because the effective publication only documents deposit of the type strain in a single recognized culture collection. However, according to the Judicial Opinion 81, Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus (Huber et al. 1984) Whitman 2002 is to be considered to be validly published. Publication: Euzeby JP, Tindall BJ. Status of strains that contravene Rules 27(3) and 30 of the Bacteriological Code. Request for an opinion. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2004; 54:293-301.

Parent taxon: Methanothermococcus Whitman 2002

Assigned by: Whitman WB. Genus II. Methanothermococcus gen. nov. In: Boone DR, Castenholz RW, Garrity GM (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, second edition, vol. 1 (The Archaea and the deeply branching and phototrophic Bacteria), Springer-Verlag, New York, 2001, p. 241-242.

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Record number: 777950