Name: Methylobacterium chloromethanicum McDonald et al. 2001

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: chlo.ro.me.tha’ni.cum. N.L. neut. adj. chloromethanicum, chloromethane-utilizing

Pronunciation, gender: k^hlo-ro-me-T^HA-ni-kum, neuter

Type strain: CM4; NCIMB 13688; VKM B-2223

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AF198624 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: McDonald IR, Doronina NV, Trotsenko YA, McAnulla C, Murrell JC. Hyphomicrobium chloromethanicum sp. nov. and Methylobacterium chloromethanicum sp. nov., chloromethane-utilizing bacteria isolated from a polluted environment. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2001; 51:119-122.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 51, part 1 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2001; 51:269.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: synonym (and not recommended for medical use)

Correct name: Methylobacterium dichloromethanicum subsp. chloromethanicum (McDonald et al. 2001) Hördt et al. 2020

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Methylobacterium dichloromethanicum subsp. chloromethanicum (McDonald et al. 2001) Hördt et al. 2020	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
    "Methylobacterium extorquens subsp. chloromethanicum" (McDonald et al. 2001) Alessa et al. 2021	homotypic synonym, not validly published, distinct rank

• Emendations:
  • Hördt et al. 2020 Hordt A, Lopez MG, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Schleuning M, Weinhold LM, Tindall BJ, Gronow S, Kyrpides NC, Woyke T, Goker M. Analysis of 1,000+ Type-Strain Genomes Substantially Improves Taxonomic Classification of Alphaproteobacteria. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:468. Oren A, Garrity GM. List of changes in taxonomic opinion no. 32. Notification of changes in taxonomic opinion previously published outside the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:4061-4090.

• Notes:
  • ⏲ According to Alessa et al. (2021), this species is not a later heterotypic synonym of Methylorubrum extorquens (Urakami and Komagata 1984 ex Bassalik 1913) Green and Ardley 2018. Publication: Alessa O, Ogura Y, Fujitani Y, Takami H, Hayashi T, Sahin N, Tani A. Comprehensive Comparative Genomics and Phenotyping of Methylobacterium Species. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:740610.
  • ⏲ According to Alessa et al. (2021), this species is not a later heterotypic synonym of Methylobacterium extorquens (Urakami and Komagata 1984 ex Bassalik 1913) Bousfield and Green 1985. Publication: Alessa O, Ogura Y, Fujitani Y, Takami H, Hayashi T, Sahin N, Tani A. Comprehensive Comparative Genomics and Phenotyping of Methylobacterium Species. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:740610.
  • ⏲ According to Alessa et al. (2021), this species is not a later heterotypic synonym of Protomonas extorquens (ex Bassalik 1913) Urakami and Komagata 1984. Publication: Alessa O, Ogura Y, Fujitani Y, Takami H, Hayashi T, Sahin N, Tani A. Comprehensive Comparative Genomics and Phenotyping of Methylobacterium Species. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:740610.
  • ⏲ According to Kato et al. (2005), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of Methylorubrum extorquens (Urakami and Komagata 1984 ex Bassalik 1913) Green and Ardley 2018. Publication: Kato Y, Asahara M, Arai D, Goto K, Yokota A. Reclassification of Methylobacterium chloromethanicum and Methylobacterium dichloromethanicum as later subjective synonyms of Methylobacterium extorquens and of Methylobacterium lusitanum as a later subjective synonym of Methylobacterium rhodesianum. J Gen Appl Microbiol 2005; 51:287-299.
  • ⏲ According to Kato et al. (2005), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of Methylobacterium extorquens (Urakami and Komagata 1984 ex Bassalik 1913) Bousfield and Green 1985. Publication: Kato Y, Asahara M, Arai D, Goto K, Yokota A. Reclassification of Methylobacterium chloromethanicum and Methylobacterium dichloromethanicum as later subjective synonyms of Methylobacterium extorquens and of Methylobacterium lusitanum as a later subjective synonym of Methylobacterium rhodesianum. J Gen Appl Microbiol 2005; 51:287-299.
  • ⏲ According to Kato et al. (2005), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of Protomonas extorquens (ex Bassalik 1913) Urakami and Komagata 1984. Publication: Kato Y, Asahara M, Arai D, Goto K, Yokota A. Reclassification of Methylobacterium chloromethanicum and Methylobacterium dichloromethanicum as later subjective synonyms of Methylobacterium extorquens and of Methylobacterium lusitanum as a later subjective synonym of Methylobacterium rhodesianum. J Gen Appl Microbiol 2005; 51:287-299.
  • 📧 The e-mail address of the corresponding author given in the effective publication is not functional any more.
  • ❗ Methylobacterium chloromethanicum 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 Methylobacterium.
  • 😷 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 11 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 the genus.

Parent taxon: Methylobacterium Patt et al. 1976 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: McDonald IR, Doronina NV, Trotsenko YA, McAnulla C, Murrell JC. Hyphomicrobium chloromethanicum sp. nov. and Methylobacterium chloromethanicum sp. nov., chloromethane-utilizing bacteria isolated from a polluted environment. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2001; 51:119-122.

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Record number: 784230