Name: Methanobacterium bryantii Balch and Wolfe 1981

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: bry.an’ti.i. N.L. gen. masc. n. bryantii, of Bryant, named for M.P. Bryant for his pioneering work on methanogens and for the separation and characterization of this organism from the “Methanobacillus omelianskii” syntrophic coculture

Pronunciation, gender: bry-AN-ti-i, neuter

Type strain: ATCC 33272; DSM 863; M.o.H.; OCM 110; VKM B-1629

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: M59124 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Balch WE, Fox GE, Magrum LJ, Woese CR, Wolfe RS. Methanogens: reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol Rev 1979; 43:260-296.

IJSEM list: Anonymous. Validation list no. 6. Validation of publication of new names and new combinations previously effectively published outside the IJSB. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1981; 31:215-218.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP

Taxonomic status: correct name

Risk group: 1

• Emendations:
  • Judicial Commission 1992 . JUDICIAL OPINION 64: Designation of strain MF (DSM 1535) in place of strain M. o. H. (DSM 863) as the type strain of Methanobacterium formicicum Schnellen 1947, and designation of strain M. o. H. (DSM 863) as the type strain of Methanobacterium bryantii (Balch and Wolfe in Balch, Fox, Magrum, Woese, and Wolfe 1979, 284) Boone 1987, 173. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1992; 42:654.
    Notes:
    • 🧍 This emendation was not found in the expected IJSEM notification list.
    • 🧍 Methanobacterium bryantii Balch and Wolfe 1981 and Methanobacterium formicicum Schnellen 1947 (Approved Lists 1980) were inadvertently assigned the same type strain (M.o.H. = DSM 863) and Methanobacterium formicicum has priority. Methanobacterium bryantii is therefore a later homotypic synonym of Methanobacterium formicicum. Boone requests an opinion rejecting the type strain Methanobacterium formicicum DSM 863, replacing it with a neotype strain MF = DSM 1535 (see: Methanobacterium formicicum), and reinstatement of Methanobacterium bryantii with strain M.o.H. = DSM 863 as the holotype strain.

• Notes:
  • ✏ The authority of the taxon name (Balch and Wolfe) deliberately differs from the authors of the publication (Balch et al.).
  • 😷 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 61 times in PubMed until 2025-06-04.
  • 🧍 Obj. synonym of Methanobacterium formicicum; reinstatement of species requested Opinion IJSB 37:172; approval Opinion 64 IJSB 42:654. — 🧍 Obj. synonym of Methanob. formicicum; reinstatement of species requested Opinion IJSB 37:172; approval Opinion 64 IJSB 42:654. Publication: Boone DR. Replacement of the type strain of Methanobacterium formicicum and reinstatement of Methanobacterium bryantii sp. nov. nom. rev. (ex Balch and Wolfe, 1981) with M.o.H. (DSM 863) as the type strain. Request for an opinion. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1987; 37:172-173.

Parent taxon: Methanobacterium Kluyver and van Niel 1936 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Balch WE, Fox GE, Magrum LJ, Woese CR, Wolfe RS. Methanogens: reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol Rev 1979; 43:260-296.

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Record number: 777791