Name: Selenomonas sputigena (Flügge 1886) Boskamp 1922 (Approved Lists 1980)

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Basonym: "Spirillum sputigenum" Flügge 1886

Etymology: spu.ti’ge.na. L. neut. n. sputum, spit, sputum; Gr. ind. v. gennaô, produce, engender; N.L. fem. adj. sputigena, sputum-producing

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: se-le-NO-mo-nas spu-TI-ge-na, feminine

Type strain: ATCC 35185; CCUG 44933; DSM 20758; VPI D19B-28

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AF287793 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Boskamp E. Über Bau, Lebensweise und systematische Stellung von Selenomonas palpitans (Simons). Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung I 1922; 88:58-73.

IJSEM list: Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP, lectotype

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

Risk group: 2

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    "Spirillum sputigenum" Flügge 1886	homotypic synonym, not validly published, basonym of name in Approved Lists

• Emendations:
  • Judicial Commission 1992 JUDICIAL OPINION 65: Designation of strain VPI D 19B-28 (ATCC 35185) in place of strain VPI 10068 (ATCC 33150) as the type strain of Selenomonas sputigena (Flügge 1886) Boskamp 1922. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1992; 42:655.
    Notes:
    • 🧍 This emendation was not found in the expected IJSEM notification list.

• Notes:
  • 🥇 Nomenclatural type of the genus Selenomonas von Prowazek 1913 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Von Prowazek S. Zur Parasitologie von Westafrika. Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene. Abteilung I 1913; 70:32-36.
  • 😩 Deposit incorrectly indicated in some sources as representing the type strain of this taxon: VPI 10068.
  • 😷 The risk group for Belgium has been imported on 2024-02-05. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "human pathogen". — The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "Animal classification RG: 1 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 2". — The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "PIIC". — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "+". — 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 80 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 risk group of the species itself.
  • 🧍 According to Bartlett et al. (2022), this species is an established human pathogen. Publication: Bartlett A, Padfield D, Lear L, Bendall R, Vos M. A comprehensive list of bacterial pathogens infecting humans. Microbiology (Reading) 2022; 168:0. 🇬🇧
  • 🧍 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. 🇺🇸
  • 🧍 Replacement of type strain, Opinion 65 IJSB 42:655. Publication: Johnson JL, Holdeman LV, Moore WEC. Replacement of the type strain of Selenomonas sputigena under Rule 18g. Request for an opinion. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1985; 35:371-374. 🇺🇸

Parent taxon: Selenomonas von Prowazek 1913 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Boskamp E. Über Bau, Lebensweise und systematische Stellung von Selenomonas palpitans (Simons). Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung I 1922; 88:58-73.

Linking: To permanently link to this page, use https://doi.org/10.83108/rn.780853Copy to clipboardLink copied to clipboard

Record number: 780853

• Previous versions:

  • Version	Date	JSON
    1	2026-03-31