Name: Kocuria rhizophila Kovács et al. 1999

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: rhi.zo’phi.la. Gr. fem. n. rhiza, a root; Gr. masc. adj. philos, loving; N.L. fem. adj. rhizophila, root-loving

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: ko-KU-ri-a r^hi-ZO-p^hi-la, feminine

Type strain: ATCC BAA-50; CIP 105972; DSM 11926; IFO 16319; JCM 11653; NBRC 16319; TA68

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: Y16264 Analyse FASTA

Valid publication: Kovacs G, Burghardt J, Pradella S, Schumann P, Stackebrandt E, Marialigeti K. Kocuria palustris sp. nov. and Kocuria rhizophila sp. nov., isolated from the rhizoplane of the narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia). Int J Syst Bacteriol 1999; 49:167-173. 🇩🇪

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Notification list. Notification that new names and new combinations have appeared in volume 49, part 1 of the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1999; 49:343-344.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

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

Risk group: 1

• Notes:
  • 😷 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 Germany has been imported on 2026-08-13. 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 155 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 pathogenicity 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. 🇬🇧
  • 🧍 Strain ATCC 9341 [= DSM 348 = FDA strain PCI 1001 = NCIMB 8553 (formerly NCIB 8553; formerly NCDO 758)], previously known as Micrococcus luteus, is a member of the genus Kocuria. In 2003, J.S. Tang and P.M. Gillevet, propose to reclassify ATCC 9341 as Kocuria rhizophila Kovács et al. 1999. For more information, see Micrococcus luteus (Schroeter 1872) Cohn 1872 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Tang JS, Gillevet PM. Reclassification of ATCC 9341 from Micrococcus luteus to Kocuria rhizophila. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2003; 53:995-997. 🇺🇸

Parent taxon: Kocuria Stackebrandt et al. 1995

Assigned by: Kovacs G, Burghardt J, Pradella S, Schumann P, Stackebrandt E, Marialigeti K. Kocuria palustris sp. nov. and Kocuria rhizophila sp. nov., isolated from the rhizoplane of the narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia). Int J Syst Bacteriol 1999; 49:167-173. 🇩🇪

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Record number: 777197