Name: Rhodobacter sphaeroides (van Niel 1944) Imhoff et al. 1984

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Basonym: Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides van Niel 1944 (Approved Lists 1980)

Etymology: sphaer.o.i’des. Gr. fem. n. sphaîra, sphere, globe; L. adj. suff. -oides, ressembling, similar; from Gr. neut. adj. suff. -eides, resembling, similar; from Gr. neut. n. eîdos, that which is seen, form, shape, figure; L. masc. adj. sphaeroides, spherical

Pronunciation, gender: sp^ha͡er-o-I-des, masculine

Type strain: 2.4.1; ATCC 17023; ATH 2.4.1.; CCUG 31486; CECT 300; CIP 60.6; DSM 158; IFO 12203; JCM 6121; LMG 2827; NBRC 12203; Van Niel's ATH 2.4.1

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: X53853 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Imhoff JF, Trüper HG, Pfennig N. Rearrangement of the species and genera of the phototrophic "purple nonsulfur bacteria". Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1984; 34:340-343. 🇩🇪

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Correct name: Cereibacter sphaeroides (van Niel 1944) Hördt et al. 2020

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Cereibacter sphaeroides (van Niel 1944) Hördt et al. 2020	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Luteovulum sphaeroides (van Niel 1944) Suresh et al. 2020	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides van Niel 1944 (Approved Lists 1980)	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, conserved name

• Notes:
  • ❗ Rhodobacter sphaeroides 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 Rhodobacter.
  • 😷 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 2989 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 pathogenicity of other species in the genus.
  • 🧍 The phylogenetic position of this species was determined in a genome-scale analysis by Hördt et al. (2020). Publication: 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. 🇩🇪

Parent taxon: Rhodobacter Imhoff et al. 1984

Assigned by: Imhoff JF, Trüper HG, Pfennig N. Rearrangement of the species and genera of the phototrophic "purple nonsulfur bacteria". Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1984; 34:340-343. 🇩🇪

Linking: To permanently link to this page, use https://lpsn.dsmz.de/species/rhodobacter-sphaeroidesCopy to clipboardLink copied to clipboard

Record number: 780427