Name: Thiosphaera pantotropha Robertson and Kuenen 1984

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: pan.to’tro.pha. N.L. fem. adj. pantotropha, omnivorous (from Gr. pantotrophos)

Pronunciation, gender: pan-TO-tro-p^ha, feminine

Type strain: ATCC 35512; DSM 2944; GB17; JCM 21485; LMD 82.5; NBRC 102493; NCCB 82005

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: Y16933 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Robertson LA, Kuenen JG. Thiosphaera pantotropha gen. nov., sp. nov., a facultatively anaerobic, facultatively autotrophic sulphur bacterium. J. Gen. Microbiol. 1983; 129:2847-2855.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 13. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1984; 34:91-92.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Correct name: Paracoccus pantotrophus (Robertson and Kuenen 1984) Rainey et al. 1999

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Paracoccus pantotrophus (Robertson and Kuenen 1984) Rainey et al. 1999	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • 🥇 Nomenclatural type of the genus Thiosphaera Robertson and Kuenen 1984. Publication: Robertson LA, Kuenen JG. Thiosphaera pantotropha gen. nov., sp. nov., a facultatively anaerobic, facultatively autotrophic sulphur bacterium. J. Gen. Microbiol. 1983; 129:2847-2855.
  • ⏲ According to Ludwig et al. (1993), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of "Micrococcus denitrificans" Beijerinck and Minkman 1910. Publication: Ludwig W, Mittenhuber G, Friedrich CG. Transfer of Thiosphaera pantotropha to Paracoccus denitrificans. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1993; 43:363-367.
  • ⏲ According to Ludwig et al. (1993), this species is a later heterotypic synonym of Paracoccus denitrificans (Beijerinck and Minkman 1910) Davis 1969 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Ludwig W, Mittenhuber G, Friedrich CG. Transfer of Thiosphaera pantotropha to Paracoccus denitrificans. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1993; 43:363-367.
  • ⏲ According to Rainey et al. (1999), this species is not a later heterotypic synonym of "Micrococcus denitrificans" Beijerinck and Minkman 1910. Publication: Rainey FA, Kelly DP, Stackebrandt E, Burghardt J, Hiraishi A, Katayama Y, Wood AP. A re-evaluation of the taxonomy of Paracoccus denitrificans and a proposal for the combination Paracoccus pantotrophus comb. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1999; 49:645-651.
  • ⏲ According to Rainey et al. (1999), this species is not a later heterotypic synonym of Paracoccus denitrificans (Beijerinck and Minkman 1910) Davis 1969 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Rainey FA, Kelly DP, Stackebrandt E, Burghardt J, Hiraishi A, Katayama Y, Wood AP. A re-evaluation of the taxonomy of Paracoccus denitrificans and a proposal for the combination Paracoccus pantotrophus comb. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1999; 49:645-651.
  • ❗ Thiosphaera pantotropha 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 Thiosphaera.
  • 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 1, note = "Animal classification RG: 1 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 1". — 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 63 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 other species in the genus.

Parent taxon: Thiosphaera Robertson and Kuenen 1984

Assigned by: Robertson LA, Kuenen JG. Thiosphaera pantotropha gen. nov., sp. nov., a facultatively anaerobic, facultatively autotrophic sulphur bacterium. J. Gen. Microbiol. 1983; 129:2847-2855.

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Record number: 782773