Bacterium (genus)

The genus Bacterium was a taxon described in 1828 by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg.[1] The type species was later changed from Bacterium triloculare to Bacterium coli (now Escherichia coli) as it was lost.[2] In 1951 and then in 1954 it was recognised as a nomen generum rejiciendum, which means a generic name to be rejected; this also applied to its family Bacteriaceae.[3][4]

This genus included non-spore forming rods whose relation to other species was obscure (a "taxonomy dumping group"). This is different from the genus Bacillus, whose members were spore forming rods (sensu Cohn 1872[5]).

  1. ^ Ehrenberg C. G. (1828 [plates], 1831 [text]). Symbolae physicae animalia evertebrata. In: Symbolae physicae, seu Icones adhue ineditae corporum naturalium novorum aut minus cognitorum, quae ex itineribus per Libyam, Aegyptum, Nubiam, Dengalam, Syriam, Arabiam et Habessiniam. Pars Zoologica. Hemprich F. G. & Ehrenberg C. G. (eds.). Officina Academica: Berlin. pp. 2 and 8, plate 2, fig. 6, [1].
  2. ^ Breed, R.; Conn, H. (1936). "The Status of the Generic Term Bacterium Ehrenberg 1828". Journal of Bacteriology. 31 (5): 517–518. doi:10.1128/jb.31.5.517-518.1936. PMC 543738. PMID 16559906.
  3. ^ "Reiection of the Generic Name Bacterium" (PDF). International Bulletin of Bacteriological Nomenclature and Taxonomy. 4 (142). October 15, 1954. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  4. ^ Bacteriological code Appendix 5 J.O. 4.
  5. ^ COHN (F.): Untersuchungen über Bakterien. Beitrage zur Biologie der Pflanzen Heft 2, 1872, 1, 127-224.