Name: Virgibacillus salexigens (Garabito et al. 1997) Heyrman et al. 2003

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Basonym: Bacillus salexigens Garabito et al. 1997

Etymology: sal.ex’i.gens. L. pres. part. exigens, requiring; N.L. masc. part. adj. salexigens, salt-demanding

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: … sal-EKS-i-gens, masculine

Type strain: ATCC 700290; C-20Mo; CCM 4646; CCUG 52350; CIP 105608; DSM 11483; LMG 21520

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: Y11603 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Heyrman J, Logan NA, Busse HJ, Balcaen A, Lebbe L, Rodriguez-Diaz M, Swings J, De Vos P. Virgibacillus carmonensis sp. nov., Virgibacillus necropolis sp. nov. and Virgibacillus picturae sp. nov., three novel species isolated from deteriorated mural paintings, transfer of the species of the genus salibacillus to Virgibacillus, as Virgibacillus marismortui comb. nov. and Virgibacillus salexigens comb. nov., and emended description of the genus Virgibacillus. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2003; 53:501-511. 🇧🇪

IJSEM list: Euzeby JP. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 53, part 2 of the IJSEM. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2003; 53:939-940.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Risk group: 1

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Virgibacillus kapii Daroonpunt et al. 2016	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Virgibacillus massiliensis Khelaifia et al. 2023	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Salibacillus salexigens (Garabito et al. 1997) Wainø et al. 1999	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Bacillus salexigens Garabito et al. 1997	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP

• Notes:
  • ⏰ According to Menasria and Zaatout (2025), this species is an earlier heterotypic synonym of Virgibacillus kapii Daroonpunt et al. 2016. Publication: Menasria T, Zaatout N. Genome-based reclassification of Virgibacillus kapii Daroonpunt et al. 2016 and Virgibacillus massiliensis Khelaifia et al. 2023 as later heterotypic synonyms of Virgibacillus salexigens (Garabito et al. 1997) Heyrman et al. 2003. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2025; 75:6990. 🇩🇿
  • ⏰ According to Menasria and Zaatout (2025), this species is an earlier heterotypic synonym of Virgibacillus massiliensis Khelaifia et al. 2023. Publication: Menasria T, Zaatout N. Genome-based reclassification of Virgibacillus kapii Daroonpunt et al. 2016 and Virgibacillus massiliensis Khelaifia et al. 2023 as later heterotypic synonyms of Virgibacillus salexigens (Garabito et al. 1997) Heyrman et al. 2003. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2025; 75:6990. 🇩🇿
  • 📧 The e-mail address of the corresponding author given in the effective publication is not functional any more.
  • 😷 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 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 6 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 other species in the genus.
  • 🧍 The authors incorrectly gave two basonyms, violating Rule 34a. Publication: Oren A, Arahal DR, Goker M, Moore ERB, Rossello-Mora R, Sutcliffe IC. International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Prokaryotic Code (2022 Revision). Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2023; 73:5585. 🇮🇱

Parent taxon: Virgibacillus Heyndrickx et al. 1998

Assigned by: Heyrman J, Logan NA, Busse HJ, Balcaen A, Lebbe L, Rodriguez-Diaz M, Swings J, De Vos P. Virgibacillus carmonensis sp. nov., Virgibacillus necropolis sp. nov. and Virgibacillus picturae sp. nov., three novel species isolated from deteriorated mural paintings, transfer of the species of the genus salibacillus to Virgibacillus, as Virgibacillus marismortui comb. nov. and Virgibacillus salexigens comb. nov., and emended description of the genus Virgibacillus. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2003; 53:501-511. 🇧🇪

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Record number: 783052