172 GENERAL SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY 



Staphylococcus pyogenes with two varieties aureus and alhus could 

 be conceived. However, the use by Rosenbach himself of the 

 binomial forms Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus albus an- 

 swers all nomenclatural requirements. Migula (1894, p. 237) concluded 

 this genus should be merged with the older genus Micrococcus Cohn, 

 the species becoming M. aureus (Ros) Migula and M. pyogenes (Ros.) 

 Mig. 



The Winslows concluded that these species should constitute the 

 types of the genera Aurococcus and Alhococcus respectively. They 

 discarded the name Staphylococcus (q.v.) apparently without sufficient 

 justification. The rules of botanical nomenclature state expHcitly 

 that when a genus is spUt into two genera the original generic name 

 must be retained for one genus. (See Art. 45, International Rules for 

 Botanical Nomenclature.) Inasmuch as Staphylococcus aureus was 

 the first to be described, the generic name Staphylococcus might ap- 

 propriately be retained for the genus of which this is the type. Ac- 

 cordingly the generic designation Albococcus for the white form would 

 appear consistent. It should be noted that the original specific desig- 

 nation of albus should be retained, the type of the genus then being 

 Albococcus albus (Rosenbach) and not Albococcus pyogenes (Rosenbach) 

 Winslow. 



In the PreHminary Report of the Committee of the Society of Ameri- 

 can Bacteriologists (Winslow et al., 1917, p. 559), the genus Albococcus 

 is recognized with the following diagnosis: 



Differs from Staphylococcus in forming more abundant surface growth of 

 porcelain white color, and in fact that liquefaction of gelatin when present is 

 less vigorous. 



Buchanan (1917, p. 612) included Albococcus as a synonym of 

 Staphylococcus. 



In the Final Report (Winslow et al., 1920) the genus Albococcus 

 is merged with Staphylococcus. 



Enlows characterizes the genus as follows : 



Parasites. Cells in groups and short chains (never in packets). Generally 

 stain by Gram. Growth on agar streak abundant and porcelain white in color. 

 Sugars fermented with production of a slight amount of acid. Gelatin lique- 

 faction and nitrate reduction may or may not occur. 



Type species (original designation). A. pyogenes (M. pyogenes (Rosenbach) 

 Migula). Also include here A. rhenanus CMigula), A. candicans (Flugge), and 

 A. canescens (Migula). 



