Name: Variovorax paradoxus (Davis 1969) Willems et al. 1991

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Basonym: Alcaligenes paradoxus Davis 1969 (Approved Lists 1980)

Etymology: pa.ra.do’xus. N.L. masc. adj. paradoxus, strange, contrary to all expectation, in reference to the chemolithotrophic and/or organotrophic metabolism of the organism

Pronunciation, gender: pa-ra-DO-ksus, masculine

Type strain: ATCC 17713; CCUG 1777; CIP 103459; DSM 30034; IFO 15149; JCM 20526; JCM 20895; LMG 1797; NBRC 15149; VKM B-1329

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AB622219 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Willems A, De Ley J, Gillis M, Kersters K. Comamonadaceae, a new family encompassing the acidovorans rRNA complex, including Variovorax paradoxus gen. nov., comb. nov., for Alcaligenes paradoxus (Davis) 1969. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1991; 41:445-450. 🇧🇪

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 41, part 2 of the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1991; 41:581.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Alcaligenes paradoxus Davis 1969 (Approved Lists 1980)	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • 🥇 Nomenclatural type of the genus Variovorax Willems et al. 1991. Publication: Willems A, De Ley J, Gillis M, Kersters K. Comamonadaceae, a new family encompassing the acidovorans rRNA complex, including Variovorax paradoxus gen. nov., comb. nov., for Alcaligenes paradoxus (Davis) 1969. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1991; 41:445-450. 🇧🇪
  • 😷 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 143 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🙆 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.

Parent taxon: Variovorax Willems et al. 1991

Assigned by: Willems A, De Ley J, Gillis M, Kersters K. Comamonadaceae, a new family encompassing the acidovorans rRNA complex, including Variovorax paradoxus gen. nov., comb. nov., for Alcaligenes paradoxus (Davis) 1969. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1991; 41:445-450. 🇧🇪

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Record number: 782951