Name: Rhodobacter megalophilus Arunasri et al. 2008

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: me.ga.lo’phi.lus. Gr. masc. adj. megas, wide; Gr. masc. adj. philos, loving; N.L. masc. adj. megalophilus, wide (temperature)-loving

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: r^ho-do-BAK-ter me-ga-LO-p^hi-lus, masculine

Type strain: DSM 18937; JA194; JCM 14598; KCTC 5602

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AM421024 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Arunasri K, Venkata Ramana V, Sproer C, Sasikala Ch, Ramana ChV. Rhodobacter megalophilus sp. nov., a phototroph from the Indian Himalayas possessing a wide temperature range for growth. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2008; 58:1792-1796. 🇮🇳

IJSEM list: Euzeby JP. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 58, part 8 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2008; 58:2473-2474.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Luteovulum sphaeroides subsp. megalophilum (Arunasri et al. 2008) Suresh et al. 2020	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
    "Luteovulum sphaeroides subsp. megalophilum" (Arunasri et al. 2008) Suresh et al. 2019	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:
  • 😩 Deposit incorrectly indicated in some sources as representing the type strain of this taxon: KCTC 5605.
  • 😷 The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2026-08-13. 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 4 times in PubMed until 2026-06-11.
  • 🙆 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 pathogenicity of other species in the genus.
  • 🧍 According to Ludwig et al. (2021), this "species affiliates with Cereibacter and may be reclassified". Publication: Ludwig W, Viver T, Westram R, Francisco Gago J, Bustos-Caparros E, Knittel K, Amann R, Rossello-Mora R. Release LTP_12_2020, featuring a new ARB alignment and improved 16S rRNA tree for prokaryotic type strains. Syst Appl Microbiol 2021; 44:126218. 🇪🇸

Parent taxon: Rhodobacter Imhoff et al. 1984

Assigned by: Arunasri K, Venkata Ramana V, Sproer C, Sasikala Ch, Ramana ChV. Rhodobacter megalophilus sp. nov., a phototroph from the Indian Himalayas possessing a wide temperature range for growth. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2008; 58:1792-1796. 🇮🇳

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Record number: 787496