Subspecies Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. animalis

Name: Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. animalis Gharbia and Shah 1992

Category, proposed as: subspecies, subsp. nov.

Etymology: a.ni.ma’lis. L. neut. n. animal (gen. animalis), an animal; L. gen. n. animalis, of an animal (also as adjective)

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: fu-so-bak-TE-ri-um nu-kle-A-tum a-ni-MA-lis, neuter

Type strain: ATCC 51191; CCUG 32879; CIP 104879; DSM 19679; DSM 8253; JCM 11025; NCTC 12276

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AB639143 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Gharbia SE, Shah HN. Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. fusiforme subsp. nov. and Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. animalis subsp. nov. as additional subspecies within Fusobacterium nucleatum. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1992; 42:296-298. 🇬🇧

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 42. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1992; 42:511.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Correct name: Fusobacterium nucleatum Knorr 1922 (Approved Lists 1980)

Risk group: 2

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Fusobacterium nucleatum Knorr 1922 (Approved Lists 1980)	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
    Fusobacterium animalis (Gharbia and Shah 1992) Kook et al. 2022	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
    Fusobacterium vincentii (Dzink et al. 1990 ex Knorr 1922) Kook et al. 2022	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP, distinct rank
    Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. vincentii (ex Knorr 1922) Dzink et al. 1990	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. fusiforme (ex Veillon and Zuber 1898) Gharbia and Shah 1992	heterotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    "Fusobacterium fusiforme" (Veillon and Zuber 1898) Hoffman 1957	heterotypic synonym, not validly published, distinct rank

• Notes:
  • ❗ Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. animalis is the correct name instead if this subspecies is regarded as a separate subspecies (i.e., if its nomenclatural type is not assigned to another subspecies whose name is validly published, legitimate and not rejected and has priority) within a separate species Fusobacterium nucleatum within a separate genus Fusobacterium.
  • 😷 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 = 2. — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2026-08-13. The full classification is: risk group = 2. — 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.
  • 🙅 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 subspecies. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself.

Parent taxon: Fusobacterium nucleatum Knorr 1922 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Gharbia SE, Shah HN. Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. fusiforme subsp. nov. and Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. animalis subsp. nov. as additional subspecies within Fusobacterium nucleatum. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1992; 42:296-298. 🇬🇧

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Record number: 776405