General Microbiology - Schlegel, H. 1987
Prokaryotes: A Systematic Review
Taxonomy: A Review of the Prokaryotic System
The taxonomy is based on the Classification of Bacteria into morphologically distinct forms that are easily distinguishable under a Microscope (cocci, bacilli, spirilla), Gram staining, and their relationship to molecular oxygen (aerobes, anaerobes), referencing the 19 groups of bacteria outlined in Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology (8th edition, 1974). Cyanobacteria were added as the 20th group.
1. Cocci — spherical bacteria
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A. Gram-positive cocci |
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Aerobic |
Group 14. Gram-Positive Cocci Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus |
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Anaerobic |
Peptococcus, Peptostreptococcus, Ruminococcus, Sarcina |
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B. Gram-negative cocci |
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Aerobic |
Group 10. Gram-Negative Cocci and Coccobacilli Neisseria, Moraxella, Acinetobacter, Paracoccus, Lampropedia |
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Anaerobic |
Group 11. Gram-Negative Cocci Veillonella, Acidaminococcus, Megasphaera |
2. Bacilli — elongated cylindrical bacteria
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A. Gram-positive bacteria |
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Aerobic |
Group 16. Gram-Positive Asporogenous Rods Lactobacillus, Listeria, Erysipelothrix Caryophanon |
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Aerobic |
Group 17. Coryneform Bacteria and Actinomycetes Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium, Cellulomo- nas, Rhodococcus, Propionibacterium, Eubacterium Bifidobacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia Actinomyces, Franckia, Actinoplanes, Dermatophilus, Micro- monospora, Microbispora, Streptomyces, Streptosporangium |
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Aerobic |
Group 15. Endospore-Forming Rods and Cocci Bacillus, Sporolactobacillus, Sporosarcina, Thermoactinomy- ces |
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Anaerobic |
Clostridium, Desulfotomaculum, Oscillospira |
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B. Gram-negative bacteria |
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Aerobic |
Group 7. Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci Pseudomonas, Xanthomonas, Zoogloea, Gluconobacter, Acetobacter Azotobacter, Azomonas, Beijerinckia, Derxia Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, Alcaligenes Brucella, Legionella, Thermus |
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Aerobic |
Group 12. Gram-Negative Aerobic Chemolithotrophic Bacteria Nitrobacter, Nitrospina, Nitrococcus, Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosolobus Thiobacillus, Sulfolobus1, Thiobacterium, Thiovulum. |
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Aerobic |
Group 3. Chlamydobacteria Sphaerotilus, Leptothrix; Streptothrix, Crenothrix |
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Facultatively anaerobic |
Group 8. Gram-Negative Facultatively Anaerobic Rods Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Proteus, Serratia, Erwinia Yersinia Vibrio, Aeromonas, Photobacterium |
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Strictly anaerobic |
Group 9. Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Leptotrichia |
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Strictly anaerobic |
Group 13. Methane-Producing and Other Archaebacteria Methanobacterium (G+)1, Methanothermus (G+), Methanosarcina (G+), Metanothrix, Methanococcus |
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Aerobic |
Halobacterium, Halocоccus (G+), Sulfolobus, Thermoplasma |
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Anaerobic |
Thermoproteus, Pyrodictium, Desulfurococcus |
1 According to modern data, Sulfolobus belongs to archaea. Ed. note.
3. Curved Rods or flexible Cells
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Aerobic |
Group 6. Gram-Negative Spiral and Curved Bacteria Spirillum, Aquaspirillum, Azospirillum, Oceanospirillum, Campylobacter Bdellovibrio, Microcyclus, Pelosigma |
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Anaerobic |
Group 9. Gram-Negative Curved Anaerobic Bacteria Desulfovibrio Succinivibrio, Butyrivibrio Selenomonas |
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Aerobic and anaerobic |
Group 5. Spirochetes Spirochaeta, Cristispira, Treponema, Borrelia, Leptospira |
4. Major distinct groups
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Group 2. Gliding Bacteria (all Gram-negative) Myxococcus, Archangium, Cystobacter, Melittangium, Stigmatella, Polyangium, Nannocystis, Chondromyces Cytophaga, Sporocytophaga, Flexibacter, Herpetosiphon, Saprospira Beggiatoa, Thiothrix, Thioploca, Achromatium, Leucothrix, Vitreoscilla Simonsiella, Alysiella |
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Group 4. Budding and Appendaged Bacteria Нyphomicrobium, Hyphomonas Caulobacter, Asticcacaulis, Planctomvces |
1 (G+) Gram-positive staining.
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Ancalomicrobium, Prosthecomicrobium, Metallogenium, Blastobacter, Seliberia, Gallionella, Nevskia |
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Group 18. Obligately Parasitic Bacteria: Rickettsiae and Chlamydiae Rikkettsia, Coxiella, Chlamydia |
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Group 19. Mycoplasma Group (Mollicutes) Mycoplasma, Acholeplasma, Spiroplasma |
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Group 1. Anaerobic anoxygenic phototrophic Bacteria Rhodospirillum, Rhodopseudomonas, Rhodomicrobium1 Chromatium, Thiocystis, Thiosarcina, Thiocapsa, Thiospirillum, Thiopedia, Amoebobacter, Ectothiorhodospira, Lamprocystis, Thiodictyon Chlorobium, Prosthecochloris, Pelodictyon, Chloroherpeton Chloroflexus |
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Group 20. Aerobic Oxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria: Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) Synechococcus, Gloeocapsa, Gloeothece, Gloeobacter Pleurocapsa, Dermocarpa, Myxosarcina Oscillatoria, Spirulina, Lyngbya, Phormidium, Plectonema Anabaena, Nostoc, Calothrix, Fischerella |
Last update: 13/08/2026
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